Lopez defends crown in NY

Lopez: Held on to title

I've had a lot in my head with getting married and what not and I'm just glad to get back to this place called home

John Duddy
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Juan Manuel Lopez retained his WBO light-featherweight crown against Roger Mtagwa with an epic 12-round win at Madison Square Garden.

Puerto Rican Lopez withstood a late onslaught from Tanzanian-born Mtagwa to score a unanimous decision victory, maintaining his unbeaten record and moving up to 27-0 (24 KOs).

Lopez knocked down the challenger early in the fight then managed to stay on his feet as he was bombarded by punches in the last two rounds, with Mtagwa seemingly too tired to send him down to the canvas.

Earlier, Miami-based Cuban Yuriorkis Gamboa retained his WBA featherweight title with a fourth-round knockout of Panama's Whyber Garcia, taking his unbeaten record to 16-0 (14 KOs).

Comeback

Northern Ireland's John Duddy, fighting on the undercard, made an impressive comeback from his first professional defeat earlier this year with a win by unanimous decision over Mexican Jorge 'Michi' Munoz.

The eight-round bout was Duddy's first appearance since April, when he lost in a split-decision verdict to American Billy Lyell.

The 30-year-old's triumph over Munoz stretched his record to 27-1 (17 KOs), with the New York-based fighter now looking to line up a fight with Julio Cesar Chavez Jr in the new year as he campaigns to re-establish his status as a world title contender.

Duddy seemed rarely troubled by Munoz, with the biggest threat coming in the opening round when the Mexican connected with a series of sharp jabs, but the Northern Irish fighter bounced back to dominate the rest of the bout.

A six-month break from the sport saw Duddy get married and also link up again with Harry Keitt, his trainer for his first 20 professional fights and under whom he registered 15 of his 17 stoppages, with Duddy hailing the reunion as the "best decision" he ever made.

Duddy also admitted he was pleased to have maintained his unbeaten record at Madison Square Garden.

"I've had a lot in my head with getting married and what not and I'm just glad to get back to this place called home," he said. "It's great being back in the Garden and back in New York."