Will Grigsby vs Ricardo Lopez

Ricardo Lopez became champion in a second weight division on October 2, 1999, when he defeated Will Grigsby by unanimous decision over 12 rounds at the Las Vegas Hilton. Grigsby’s IBF light-flyweight title was at stake, and the champion weighed 107 pounds against Lopez’s 108. Joe Cortez was the referee. There were no knockdowns and no deductions, the result being settled by Lopez’s steadier work and firmer command of the later rounds.

Lopez entered with a record of 48 victories, no defeats and one draw. For nine years he had ruled the minimumweight division, making 21 successful defences of the WBC title and adding other championships. His only blemish had come in a technical draw with Rosendo Alvarez in March 1998, after Lopez had been knocked down and cut. He defeated Alvarez by split decision in their return match eight months later. Having decided that he would no longer make the 105-pound minimumweight limit, Lopez relinquished his standing in that division and moved up to challenge Grigsby. The American had won the vacant IBF championship from Ratanapol Sor Vorapin in December 1998 and had defended it once, defeating Carmelo Caceres on points.

The opening round belonged to Lopez on all three official cards. He boxed in his customary upright manner, taking small steps rather than wasting movement and keeping himself in position to punch. Grigsby was the quicker-moving fighter and attempted to draw the challenger forward before answering with short counters. He enjoyed some success in the second and third rounds, when Lopez was still judging the champion’s speed and distance. Judge Bill Graham awarded Grigsby the second, while Mike Glienna gave him the third. Joseph Pasquale scored both those rounds for the champion and also gave him the fourth, reflecting the competitiveness of the early part of the contest.

Lopez did not hurry his work. He kept advancing behind a measured jab, closed the distance carefully and made Grigsby reset whenever the champion tried to establish a rhythm. The Mexican’s punches were generally the straighter and more economical of the two. Grigsby continued to move and counter, but he was increasingly required to work under pressure and could not hold the centre for long. Lopez took the fourth round on two cards and swept the fifth on all three. The sixth was divided, Glienna favouring Grigsby while Graham and Pasquale preferred Lopez, but the seventh again went unanimously to the challenger.

Grigsby produced his clearest rally in the eighth. Moving with greater purpose and letting his hands go before Lopez could set himself, he secured the only round awarded to him by all three judges. It was a useful recovery, but it did not alter the general direction of the contest. Lopez remained balanced, continued to shorten the ring and was seldom drawn into untidy exchanges. Grigsby was still competitive, though by then he was spending more time responding to Lopez’s initiative than imposing his own.

The decisive separation came from the ninth through the eleventh rounds. All three judges awarded each of those sessions to Lopez. His pressure was controlled rather than reckless, and he repeatedly placed Grigsby in positions where the champion had to move before he could begin an attack. Lopez’s greater experience over the championship distance was apparent as he maintained his pace and concentration. Grigsby remained on his feet and continued trying to counter, but his successes were isolated and were answered by the cleaner, more sustained work of the challenger.

Grigsby finished the twelfth round strongly enough to earn Glienna’s vote, although Graham and Pasquale gave the session to Lopez. At the final bell there was little doubt that Lopez had done enough. Glienna scored the bout 116-112, Graham 118-110 and Pasquale 117-111, all for Lopez. The victory raised his record to 49-0-1 and made him the IBF light-flyweight champion. It was not one of his more spectacular performances, but it was a disciplined one: he moved into the higher division, allowed an able champion an early share of the contest, and then took control through accuracy, positioning and consistent work over the closing rounds.

I’ve always regarded Ricardo Lopez as one of the finest technical fighters of the modern era. He was never a huge attraction outside Mexico because the little men received little attention back then, but boxing people appreciated his balance, judgement of distance and punch selection. After Rosendo Alvarez had knocked him down and held him to a technical draw, Lopez won their return and then stepped up from minimumweight to challenge Will Grigsby.

Grigsby was no soft touch. He had recovered from losing his second professional contest to Michael Carbajal and later outpointed Ratanapol Sor Vorapin for the vacant IBF light-flyweight title. He was quick, awkward and capable of making good fighters miss, but Lopez steadily took away his space. He did it without rushing, using the jab to disturb Grigsby’s rhythm and keeping his feet beneath him whenever he attacked.

Grigsby had spells of success, particularly when he moved first and countered before Lopez could set himself. He clearly won the eighth, but from the ninth onwards Lopez tightened his control. His positioning was better, his punches straighter, and he made Grigsby work to stay out of trouble.

The scores of 116-112, 118-110 and 117-111 were fair. I had Lopez winning clearly. It was not his most exciting performance, but technically it was excellent. He moved up in weight, faced a genuine champion and beat him by solving the problems in front of him.

I’ve always wondered how Chocolatito, Sor Rungvisai, and Estrada would have fared against Lopez.