Kazakhstan’s Angelina Lucas (11-1, 5 KOs) outpointed Argentina’s Debora Anahi Lopez (21-3-1, 1 KO) on Sunday, October sixth, 2024, on the historic Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok in a 10-round junior bantamweight bout.
The opening bell in Bangkok signalled an aggressive begin for Lucas, who instantly pressed ahead, exhibiting no intention of participating in a feeling-out course of. Lopez, nevertheless, opted to field from the surface, countering on the backfoot and making an attempt to maintain the relentless Lucas at bay. Regardless of Lucas’s makes an attempt to shut the space and work on the within, the bout quickly turned messy, with frequent clinches and exchanges ending in holding.
Each fighters, identified for his or her restricted knockout energy—Lucas with 5 stoppages in 11 wins and Lopez with only one in 21 victories—resorted to tough techniques. The combat noticed its share of fouls, with each boxers responsible of rabbit punches, hitting on the break, and extreme holding. Referee Jerrold Tomeldan initially confirmed leniency, however by spherical six and after a number of warnings he docked Lopez some extent for touchdown a punch behind the top.
Lopez had flashes of success, significantly with looping overhand rights that caught Lucas as she lunged inside. Nevertheless, Lopez’s timing and rhythm appeared off, possible as a result of this being her first combat in over a yr—a tricky project to shake off the ring rust.
After 10 rounds of scrappy motion, the judges rendered a unanimous resolution in favour of Lucas, with scorecards studying 97-92 and 95-94 (twice). The victory marks Lucas’s continued rise within the sport, including a high-profile win in entrance of her Thai fanbase.
Energetic and standard in Bangkok, Lucas continues to construct momentum, however there’s nonetheless room for progress if she’s to compete on the prime degree of the division. For Lopez, it was a tricky return after a yr out of the ring, and whereas she had her moments, she’ll have to regroup for future alternatives. Each fighters confirmed grit, however their performances recommend extra improvement is required to succeed in the division’s elite.
Sirimongkhon Iamthuam (left) lands a hook on Matt Floyd (proper) – Photograph by Wasim Mather
The 27-year-old Lucas, extensively often called “Barbie” to her 2.4 million Instagram followers, has turn into a well-recognized face in Thailand, with this marking her fifth bout within the capital this yr. As her largest combat of 2024, Lucas entered the ring with rising expectations, bolstered by her rising fame within the sport.
Lopez, 29, introduced a wealth of expertise to the competition. A former WBO flyweight world champion, she captured the vacant title in 2019 by unanimous resolution over Colombia’s Niorkis Carreno (25-4, 20 KOs). Lopez efficiently defended her crown as soon as earlier than shedding the belt to fellow Argentine Tamara Elisabet Demarco (11-7) in 2022. Her subsequent main alternative got here in 2023 when she unsuccessfully challenged Ring ladies’s bantamweight champion Dina Thorslund (22-0, 9 KOs), for the WBO bantamweight title, succumbing to a stoppage within the eighth spherical.
In different motion, Sirimongkhon Iamthuam (99-5, 62 KOs) made a exceptional return to the ring at 47-years-old, taking over unbeaten Australian Matt Floyd (13-1, 9 KOs) in a light-weight heavyweight bout.
In a intently contested 12-round battle, Sirimongkhon secured a break up resolution victory, exhibiting that age is only a quantity for the Thai veteran as he added one other chapter to his storied profession.
