Cruz Bounces Back From Defeat, Stops Lopez on TKO After 6th Round

Stevie Cruz won his first fight since losing his World Boxing Assn. featherweight championship Sunday when the ringside doctor would not allow Rogelio Lopez to continue after the sixth round because of a swollen right eye.

Cruz, who increased his record to 28-2 with 18 knockouts, worked on Lopez’s eye with jabs and left hooks throughout the scheduled 10-round bout.

The loss was Dallas resident’s ninth in 19 fights.

Cruz, who indicated he would contemplate retirement if he didn’t look sharp in this fight, said afterward that he found what he was hoping for.

“I realize now, that if I fight smart and use my head, I can avoid a lot of punishment,” said Cruz, his face unmarked except for a small scratch beneath his right eye. “I still need work on some rough edges. It’s up to me to fire myself up and get to thinking like the old Stevie Cruz.”

Lopez, who has seven knockouts among his 10 victories, provided a solid test for Cruz. Although Cruz dropped Lopez with right hands in both the first and second rounds, Lopez was undaunted. He rallied to stun Cruz with a flurry on the ropes in the fourth round.