Set for later this week in Las Vegas a couple of days before the 49ers and Chiefs clash, boxing will see a fantastic title bout. The WBO junior welterweight championship is on the line as Teofimo Lopez defends his title against Jamaine Ortiz at the Michelob ULTRA Arena in Sin City. Headlining the Top Rank Boxing on ESPN card, Lopez is coming off a spectacular win over Josh Taylor last June and, in the process, becoming a two-division champion. Moreover, per ESPN, the win was a rebound of sorts for Lopez after a subpar performance against Sandor Martin in his prior bout. Meanwhile, Ortiz features a 17-1 career record and is also coming off a victory from last year, scoring a unanimous decision win over Antonio Moran in Corpus Christi.
In this report, SBS will be going over what to look for from these fighters along with a predicted winner and share some more news and notes about boxing wagering.
As noted in one report from ESPN, Lopez’s win over Taylor was an emphatic victory. Before this fight, Taylor was the undisputed champion but vacated three of his four titles ahead of the Lopez fight. With a career record of 19-1 with 13 knockouts, the champion briefly tried to retire after the win against Taylor, but decided otherwise. Recognized as the No. 2 fighter at 140 pounds (but the best active light welterweight by The Ring), the 26-year-old is a fantastic athlete in the ring. In the past, Lopez has represented Honduras at the 2016 Summer Olympics and has also held the lineal championship at lightweight and light welterweight. With a reach of 68.5 inches, he has a nearly identical reach to that of Ortiz who comes in at 69”.
The 2015 Golden Gloves champion at lightweight, his only professional blemish in his career came against George Kambosos Jr. back in November of 2021 when he lost by split decision. Since then, he has reeled off three consecutive wins against Pedro Campa (TKO), Sandor Martin (split decision), and Taylor. Of course, his bout against Kambosos was noted as one of the biggest upsets of 2021, but the champion has rebounded nicely since then and has improved mostly throughout the last three fights. Moreover, while SBS noted in this space last time that Taylor would defeat Lopez, the latter was able to showcase his boxing prowess in this fantastic win over this opponent.
Ortiz and Lopez have a common opponent in future Hall of Famer Vasily Lomachenko. While the latter was able to best “Loma” back in October 2020 in a stellar victory, the former fell short in his matchup with Lomachenko. However, as a 12-1 underdog, Ortiz was in control for the majority of the first half of their matchup against each other back in 2022 but faded over the course of the bout. Nonetheless, he was able to showcase his fantastic athleticism, strength, and his jab against his opponent. This was another solid performance for the 27-year-old as this was the follow-up performance to his huge win over former title holder Jamel Herring back in May of 2022.
An interesting and important note for this fight is that Ortiz will be moving up to 140 pounds for his first world title bid against Lopez. Moreover, this bout will also be a rematch as Lopez defeated Ortiz back in the 2015 National Golden Gloves Quarterfinal. However, as noted in other reports, this matchup comes with far greater stakes. Known as “The Technician,” Ortiz has won eight of his bouts by way of knockout in his career and could be in line for the biggest win of his life if he can upset Lopez in Las Vegas. Before his loss against Lomachenko, Ortiz had put together a strong career record of 16-0-1 which included multiple title wins on top of a great amateur boxing career. Debuting back in 2016 as a professional, this matchup will be a stellar showcase of two of the top young stars in the sport.
Prediction: In what should be an excellent showcase, take Lopez to win in this matchup. This is due to more of his experience in the weight class and also his superior record against common opponents (Lomachenko). Lopez has a home-field advantage of sorts since he fights out of Las Vegas.
After you are all squared away regarding the latest boxing news and notes, make sure to also tap into all the fantastic information available to you at SBS. Of course, for even more betting markets on the sport and more, our boxing betting sites guide is a must-bookmark page. Here you can find all the latest news on the sport along with a variety of betting markets and other information. Moreover, for those looking to boost their bets, the best bonus betting sites rundown is a must-read page where you can find a catalog of different bonus offers and tips for getting the most out of promos. Finally, for those on the go, a must-read page is the best betting apps breakdown which covers all of the nuances of mobile betting and how you can always stay on top of the action.
About the Author
Chris Boline is a Reno-based business development professional and freelance sports writer with over a decade of experience covering the NBA G League, Los Angeles Chargers, and national football and basketball. His expertise spans the NFL, NBA, UFC, boxing, golf, and motorsports, along with topical news, marketing, and promotional content. A proud University of Nevada graduate, Chris earned both his BS in Management & Economics (2015) and MBA (2023). He is active in the Reno community, serving on boards such as the Nevada Sagebrush Alumni Chapter, NCET, and the College of Business Alumni Association, where he was past president (2022–23). Notable honors include: - Two-time University of Nevada Alumni Chapter of the Year honoree (2017, 2021) - 2021 NCET Professional Services Organization of the Year (with TAC) - 2016–17 Reno Bighorns MVP, awarded by the Sacramento Kings - Nevada Press Association Award for Best Sports Column (2015) - Former Editor-in-Chief of The Nevada Sagebrush Chris blends his passion for sports with a strong background in sales, marketing, and community engagement.
Read Chris's ProfileAsk Chris about this guide:
