Lopez Wins Title With Decision Over Gonzalez

Benny Lopez slowly went somewhere he had never been before, the 11th and 12th rounds, and came away with something he’s never had before, a state title.

With pace and patience as his motto, Lopez won a 12-round unanimous decision over Vincente Gonzales to claim the vacant state super featherweight title (130 pounds) Monday in front of 1,128 at the Irvine Marriott.

Lopez was in control for much of the fight, winning 118-111, 116-112, 119-109, on the judges’ cards.

Lopez’ longest fight before Monday had been 10 rounds, and he was worried about being tired late in the bout. So, after an intense first four rounds, he backed off his early frantic pace a bit each round.

“It was no-man’s land, and I felt it,” Lopez said about the final two rounds. “I hit him hard early, and after the third round, I knew he could go the distance.”

Lopez of Ontario improves to 15-5; Gonzales of Bell falls to 13-7-2.

Gonzales was clearly better in the fifth, sixth and 12th rounds, as Lopez seemed content to stay on the ropes and block punches with his forearms.

In fact, Lopez seemed to spend much of the bout on the ropes, often scoring with flurries after Gonzales had tired out.

“I work good off the ropes,” Lopez said. “I knew he could take a punch so I tried to pace myself.”

Neither fighter was ever in danger of going down although Lopez had two cuts over his left eye. Gonzales also suffered a cut above his eye from an unintentional head butt in the 11th rounds.

The more exciting action Monday took place on the undercard.

Mike Semaza of Villa Park scored his first career knockout when he dropped David Conchola of Los Angeles with a powerful combination at the start of the second round in their fight at 129 pounds.

The pair had moved around the ring most of the first round without a serious exchange. Then, with about 15 seconds left, Conchola missed with a wild right allowing Semaza the only opening he would need.

Semaza (4-0-1) knocked Conchola through the ropes with a powerful right hook. Conchola regained his feet only to be sent back to the floor with a left.

Conchola seemed barely able to defend himself at the start of the second.

“He came out and was throwing a pretty lazy jab,” Semaza said. “I knew I could get my right over it. I caught him with a good shot at the end of the first, then the bell rang or I could have finished him.”

While Semaza’s bout was the most impressive, the oddest event of the night took place after James Rowe of Los Angeles scored a fourth-round knockout of Fred Heath of San Diego in a cruiserweight bout.

Rowe tried a forward flip but came up short, landing on his back. Almost before the stunned crowd could believe what it had seen, he completed a cartwheel then tried another forward flip, this time landing on his side in the ropes .

“I was just so happy to win,” Rowe said. “I used to do it (forward flips) when I was a kid. We used to bounce up off car seats.”