Brian Mitchell vs Tony Lopez 2

Brian Mitchell won the vacant IBF super-featherweight championship by outpointing Tony Lopez over 12 rounds at the Arco Arena in Sacramento, California. Mitchell, the visitor from South Africa, received the unanimous decision by scores of 117–111 from Harry Davis, 116–112 from Mike Glienna and 115–113 from Fritz Werner. Pat Russell was the referee. An estimated 11,000 spectators attended, most expecting their local favourite to retain the championship he had regained from John John Molina the previous year.

The title situation became unclear at the weigh-in. Lopez failed to make the 130lb limit and was recorded at 130½lb for the contest, while Mitchell weighed 129lb. Under IBF regulations, Lopez lost the championship on the scales and the belt became vacant, with only Mitchell eligible to win it. Mitchell had previously relinquished his WBA championship rather than undertake a mandatory defence, preferring the more profitable and significant return with Lopez. Their first meeting, six months earlier in the same arena, had ended in a disputed draw after Lopez controlled the early rounds and Mitchell finished the stronger.

Lopez had changed trainers and brought in a strength coach in an attempt to correct the late decline that had cost him so dearly in March. There had also been ill feeling between the men during the promotion, with Lopez claiming that Mitchell had insulted his mother. None of it assisted the Californian once the bell sounded. Mitchell showed greater certainty than in the first contest, setting a firm pace immediately and refusing to concede the opening rounds while studying his opponent.

The South African took the first two rounds on all three official cards. His left jab was quicker and more persistent than Lopez’s, and he used it both as a scoring punch and to prepare short counters when the former champion advanced. Lopez had enjoyed a clear advantage with his jab during the opening stages of their first meeting, but this time Mitchell stepped inside it, moved his head and answered before Lopez could follow with the right. The exchanges remained competitive, though Mitchell was deciding where they occurred.

Lopez produced his first success in the third and opened a cut over Mitchell’s right eye. Davis and Werner awarded the round to Lopez, while Glienna still preferred Mitchell’s work. The wound offered Lopez an obvious target, but he could not develop a sustained attack against it. Mitchell remained composed, kept his guard orderly and continued to score with the straighter punches. Lopez had some success during the fourth, which was given to him by Glienna and Werner, but Davis saw Mitchell as the winner.

The middle of the contest established Mitchell’s control. All three judges awarded him the fifth and sixth rounds as his jab and counter-punching repeatedly interrupted Lopez’s attacks. The challenger did not waste punches or become involved in prolonged exchanges without purpose. He moved into range, scored cleanly and shifted position before Lopez could set himself. Lopez won the seventh on every card, briefly increasing his output and finding the target more often, but the improvement did not last.

Mitchell swept the eighth, ninth and 10th rounds on all three scorecards. By then Lopez’s timing had deteriorated, and his earlier weight difficulties appeared to be telling. He followed Mitchell rather than cutting off the ring and was repeatedly beaten to the punch. Mitchell’s superior conditioning allowed him to retain the same rhythm while Lopez worked in shorter spells. There were no knockdowns, nor was either man seriously hurt, but the accumulation of clean jabs and counters left little doubt about the direction of the match.

Lopez rallied during the closing rounds, taking the 11th on the cards of Glienna and Werner and the 12th on all three. His corner had told him that he was still in the contest, and he increased his effort accordingly. Mitchell, however, had already built a commanding advantage and remained sufficiently alert to avoid the decisive punches Lopez required. The final bell brought no repetition of the uncertainty which had followed their first meeting.

Lopez later maintained that he had done enough to win, but the official totals did not support him. Mitchell had taken at least seven rounds on every card and nine on the widest. His victory rested on a quicker jab, better counter-punching, and an even pace maintained throughout the 12 rounds. Lopez had opened the cut and finished with determination, but his work came in isolated periods, and he again weakened through the middle and later stages.

The decision gave Mitchell a second recognised world championship and settled the argument left by the draw in March. He had travelled throughout his WBA reign because sporting sanctions prevented him from defending that title in South Africa, and Sacramento presented another difficult assignment in an opponent’s stronghold. On this occasion, however, he removed the influence of the crowd and the possibility of a disputed verdict by controlling the contest from the opening rounds. Mitchell announced his retirement after the victory, leaving with a record of 43 wins, one defeat and three draws, although he returned for two further contests in 1994 and 1995.

I’ve always rated Brian Mitchell as one of the finest travelling champions. Because apartheid prevented him from defending at home, he learned to win in hostile places without relying on favours. Tony Lopez was enormously popular in Sacramento after those terrific fights with Rocky Lockridge and John John Molina, but Mitchell had already shown in their disputed draw that he could outlast him.

The rematch was much clearer. Mitchell stopped showing Lopez too much respect and took command with the jab from the opening round. His feet were economical, his head movement made Lopez reach, and his counters arrived before Lopez could bring the right hand behind his own jab. Even when Lopez cut him over the right eye in the third, Mitchell remained disciplined.

Lopez had struggled with the weight and lost his title on the scales. That cannot have helped, but it does not explain the technical difference. Mitchell won the middle rounds because he maintained his pace while Lopez worked in shorter bursts and followed rather than cutting off the ring.

The unanimous decision was absolutely correct. Lopez rallied late, but the contest had gone. Mitchell travelled into a local hero’s stronghold and removed every possible argument left by their first meeting. That was the mark of a proper champion.