Reigning WBC international and WBC Silver super flyweight title holder Sylvester "Silver" Lopez (19-3, 15 KOs) stopped the game and slick Yuki Fukumoto (12-6, 3 KOs) in round four in front of a packed audience at the Elorde Sports Complex in Parañaque City, Philippines. Fukumoto came in with a plan, enforcing his awkward style early in the fight and managing to outbox and outwork Lopez early in rounds one and two. In round three, Fukumoto attempted to replicate his success in the first two rounds, but Lopez stepped on the gas and started to put more pressure on him by throwing hard body shots. Halfway through the round, Lopez landed a clean hard right that rocked Fukumoto, who was flattened before the end of the round after slugging it out with Lopez in the final ten seconds.
Fukumoto, whose style obviously troubled Lopez with his good boxing skills, layed all his cards on the table when he decided to slug it out in round four. To no one's surprise, the slugfest went in favor of the heavy-handed Lopez as he hurt and dropped the challenger yet again, making Fukumoto's corner stop the fight.
"He has an awkward style, he's good and has power," said Lopez in my exclusive locker room interview. "I was trying to time him in the first two rounds; I was not rushing, I was trying to counter" Lopez explained. Currently being groomed for a world title, Lopez is likely to get his shot at the winner of the Suriyan Sor Rungvisai (20-4, 7 KOs) vs. Yota Sato (23-2-1, 12 KOs) bout for the WBC super flyweight world title on March 27.
"We're expecting to fight for a world title this year. I think Sato will win. If that happens, then we'll go to Japan and fight him," said Lopez. "I will train hard for a world title, I won't look for a knockout, but if the possibility presents itself, then I will go for it," he added.
On the undercard, WBC youth intercontinental light flyweight title holder Renan Trongco (11-3, 8 KOs) made Ricky Oyan (4-11, 2 KOs) quit in the fourth round. Veteran boxer Vinvin Rufino (31-15, 15 KOs) was also victorious in the event after Jestoni Pepito (7-8-2, 2 KOs) quit on his stool in round five.
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