[Video] Lopez vs. Maidana, Angulo vs. Lara: Weigh-In Results & Prediction

Maidana: 147 lbs.

Lopez: 145 lbs.

Prediction: It’s been nearly a year since Josesito Lopez’s career-defining win over Victor Ortiz. In fact, that was Lopez’s last win period, as he went on to get crushed by Canelo Alvarez in a weight mismatch last September. A Khan fight at 140 earlier this year fell through, and Lopez finds himself back in the ring Saturday night with another name fighter in feared slugger Marcos Maidana.

From their weights, you can tell Lopez isn’t a big welter, and since Maidana himself is only a few fights removed from the 140 pound division, the weights shouldn’t be much of a factor. What will be is Maidana’s pressure and body-punching. With both guys being heavy punchers, I have to go with the fighter who’s proven to not only be more durable, but also the one who possesses a higher workrate. With such a long layoff, Lopez will likely try to fight in spots, much like his strategy against Victor Ortiz. Unfortunately for Lopez, during those lulls Maidana will be right in his grill banging away.

Lopez will land some haymaker rights and have Maidana stunned at times, but I see the merciless Argentinian grinding down the brave Lopez in route to a late TKO stoppage on the ropes.

Angulo: 153.5 lbs.

Lara: 153.8 lbs.

Prediction: This fight was a very bad idea for Angulo, whose last fight against Jorge Silva showed he still had some rust to work off. For all the criticism of Lara, he’s a technician of the highest order. Even though he disappointed in his draw against Vanes Martirosyan last year, Angulo is a brutish, plodding slugger by nature and will have a frustrating time trying to corner Lara and land clean on him. The Cuban will use that ring and his footwork to keep Angulo off-balance and his power stifled, all the while pecking away with his jab and counters.

Aside from a KO, Angulo’s only change is making this one very ugly by roughing up Lara in the clinches. Problem is, I think Angulo’s feet are way too slow to even get close enough to Lara to do that on a consistent basis (keep in mind Angulo was outboxed off the backfoot by Kermit Cintron… again… Kermit Cintron!). Expect Lara to cruise to a unanimous decision with only a few, isolated dramatic moments.

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Maidana vs. Lopez, a 12-round fight for Maidana’s WBA Intercontinental Championship, is promoted by Golden BoyPromotions and sponsored by Corona and AT&T.  The tripleheader will take place on Saturday, June 8 at The Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif. and will be televised live on SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING beginning at 10:00 p.m. ET/7:00 p.m. PT.  The event can be heard in Spanish using secondary audio programming (SAP).  Maidana vs. Lopez is presented in association with Goossen Tutor Promotions and Thompson Boxing Promotions.  Also featured will be a 12-round showdown between all-action warrior Alfredo “El Perro” Angulo and top rated super welterweight contender Erislandy Lara for the vacant WBA Interim Super Welterweight World Championship which is presented in association with Blue Wave Group and a 12-round fight between veteran Demetrius Hopkins and unbeaten phenom Jermell Charlo for Hopkins’ USBA Junior Middleweight Championship and Charlo’s WBC Continental Americas Super Welterweight Championship.  Preliminary fights will air on SHOWTIME EXTREME at 8:00 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast).