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Ganigan Lopez keeps WBC 108-pound belt with UD over Jonathan Taconing

Fighters Network
03
Jul

Ganigan Lopez outboxed determined contender Jonathan Taconing over 12 rounds to retain his WBC junior flyweight title by unanimous decision Saturday at Arena Coliseo in Mexico City, Mexico.

The scores were 115-112, 118-109 and 119-108 in favor of the hometown fighter, who was making the first defense of the title he won in March with a decision over Yu Kimura.
Lopez (28-6, 17 knockouts) used his right jab to good effect, limiting the wild Filipino Taconing (22-3-1, 18 KOs) to lunging attacks from the outside which Lopez slipped and evaded for the most part.
The 34-year-old Lopez put his punches together by round three, following his southpaw jab with a left cross and coming back with the uppercut after. Taconing began to lose confidence in his jab and appeared confused by his technically adept opponent.
Taconing fought his way back into the fight in round seven, stunning Lopez momentarily with a straight left cross to the chin, which forced Lopez to grab to recover. Lopez, who has only been stopped once in his career, rebounded strongly in round eight and was the fresher fighter as the championship rounds ensued.
The loss snaps a nine-fight winning streak for Taconing, 29, who earned a mandatory shot four years after his controversial technical decision loss to Kompayak Porpramook for the same title.
In the co-featured bout, former WBC junior flyweight titleholder Pedro Guevara (28-2-1, 17 KOs) won an eight-round technical decision over Ruben Montoya (14-4-1, 9 KOs) by the scores of 80-72, 79-73, 78-74.
Guevara lost the title to Kimura last November in Japan but had previously defeated Lopez in a title defense.
The event was promoted by Promociones del Pueblo.

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