IRVINE BOXING : Ramos Hotdogs, but Can’t Cut Mustard With Lopez

Pablo Ramos tried to show off a little Monday night, but all it did was set off Ben Lopez. Lopez of Upland landed a short but powerful left to the chin of Ramos at 1:33 of the third round to end the super featherweight bout in front of 1,142 at the Irvine Marriott.

Both fighters attacked, and Lopez had the better of the first two rounds, but Ramos offered some additional incentive. At one point in the first round, he dropped his gloves out to his sides and smiled to show Lopez the punches didn’t hurt much.

In the second, Ramos stopped and rested on the ropes with another smirk after Lopez finished a pair of combinations. Other times, Ramos (18-5) leaned his head forward with a giant grin to taunt Lopez as he moved around the ring.

“It got me a little more upset,” Lopez said of the antics. “It made me want to knock him out more . . . In the first round I just sat back and took punches. I was testing his power.

“After that, I knew he couldn’t hurt me so I just went after him. I wanted to work on my right, but the left is my baby and it was there.”

After Lopez (16-6) threw the final punch, he tripped over Ramos as Lopez went across the ring. It was the 11th knockout for Lopez, who is the state super featherweight champion. This was a non-title defense.

“I wanted to follow him,” Lopez said. “I wanted to make a face at him before he went down, but it was too late.”

Ramos was on his back for about two minutes but left the ring under his own power.

The main-event knockout completed a sweep of sorts Monday night. There were six knockouts in six fights.

In earlier bouts: Shane Kaplan, who is becoming a crowd favorite, scored an impressive third-round knockout. Kaplan of Irvine floored Kelly Green of Ontario at 155 pounds as several stood to cheer.

Kaplan also brings a following of some 20 or so friends, much like the noisy group that supports John Armijo, the fighting lifeguard from Huntington Beach.

Kaplan made his professional debut last month at Irvine and scored a first-round knockout.

Jesus Castenada of La Habra scored a first-round knockout over Carlos Valdivia of San Diego at 182 pounds. Castenada (5-5) dropped Valdivia (0-1) at 2:30 into the first round, then continued his attack until he got the knockout with one second left in the round.

Joey Martin of Anaheim also scored a knockout, this one coming in the third round. Martin (2-0) stopped Steve Turchetta 30 seconds into the third round of the 141-pound bout.

Boxing Notes

Ernie Chavez of Santa Ana takes on Mario Solorio of Ventura in the next main event, Sept. 27 . . . The bouts switch to Thursday night for the rest of the year, so as not to compete with Monday night football telecasts. Besides Sept. 27, fights will be held Oct. 25th and Nov. 29.