Is Michael Conlan still a serious contender? What's next for Luis Alberto Lopez, Leigh Wood and Mauricio Lara? - ESPN
ESPN Luis Alberto Lopez showed why he could be the best featherweight in boxing, stopping Michael Conlan in Round 5 to retain his IBF world title in the main event of a Top Rank card in Belfast, Northern Ireland on Saturday.
Lopez (28-2, 16 KOs) dominated Conlan throughout the fight and landed his right uppercut at will, until that same punch put Conlan on the canvas for good. Afterward his corner threw in the towel. Conlan (18-2, 9 KOs) is probably done as a title contender, so what should be next for him?
Lopez said after the fight he wants to unify the titles, so what are the best options for him in a division full of talent?
In Manchester, England, Leigh Wood regained the WBA featherweight world title with a unanimous decision victory over Mauricio Lara in their rematch. Wood was patient and kept Lara at the end of his punches to earn scorecards of 118-109, 118-109 and 116-111.
Wood (27-3, 16 KOs) now has plenty of options, including a trilogy fight with Lara, but can he beat the other champions in the division? And how can Lara (26-3-1, 19 KOs) recover from the loss? Can he do better in a third fight with Wood?
