DOGBOE vs LOPEZ : FIGHT PREVIEW, ANALYSIS AND PREDICTIONS.
story by: Dennis Kweku Moore, Boxing Writer, Analyst- Mooreboxing
PREVIEW:
It promises to be a sink or swim affair tonight in the beautiful scenery of Las Vegas ,USA as Ghana’s featherweight hopeful Isaac Dogboe mounts his ambitious fisticuffs against yet another young American ring commuter- Adam Lopez in their featherweight clash.
I have followed both boxers and gotten ample time to peruse thier ring styles and it is obvious one of them will visit the canvas tonight.
ADAM LOPEZ:
Lopez is visibly young and posseses an industrious pride in making a stable name for himself in that division.
With 15 fights to his credit with only 2 losses, the handsome American has indisputably engaged tough opponents with satisfaction.
RING STYLE:
Lopez is a habitual backtracker. He most often than not prefers to fight from the outside, using his reach to advantage. Obviously a very very good jabber. His jabs are very consistent and has the tendency to leave blood scars on his opponents’ face.
His fight against Jean Carlos Rivera was one of such beauties. That fight was very difficult for the young Mexican who also at least proved he’s got a good rib cage. Jean Carlos Rivera floored Lopez in the third but with quick grit and determination,the latter regained instant courage and stood up to the test of time.
As devastating as this boxer may be, he clearly indicated that in this particular fight with a comeback TKO against Jean Carlos Rivera. That was shocking.
He is familiar in fighting in smaller ring spaces and hence has established an aura of fearlessness in that. For sure.
At the least opportunity,he will initiate an in-fight mode and come toe to toe with his opponent and trade where necessary. He is good at that.
JUDGEMENT FIGHT:
Lopez’s judgement ring battle was against the ferocious Oscar Valdez.
Boxing pundits who have followed this Oscar Valdez would attest to the fact that Lopez did well. But you know what? Lopez astonishingly dropped Valdez midway with his vicious left hook but unfortunately succumbed to the Mexican flag in the 6th round.
Valdez proceeded to have a better bite of the cherry against Miguel Belchelt.
ISAAC DOGBOE:
Obviously a household name in Ghana. He carved a big nitch for himself when he fought Caesar Juarez in Accra, Ghana – to be specific at the Bukom Boxing Arena. I was at the ringside and enjoyed every bit of the action. Infact from the presser hall at Kempiski to the main fight, fear had gripped Juarez- no wonder the “NEHO” bell kept ringing in his ears till he got dropped by the Ghanaian.
Dogboe was on song until he was sublimed by yet another Mexican Emmanel Navarrette in that dual brutal loss. And interestingly, the height and reach that did the damage seems to emerge tonight.
JUDGEMENT FIGHT:
This was obviously against Emmanel Navarrette who has placed a perpetual fear in the Ghanaian. And many believe the Ghanaian should never attempt a third meet on the Mexican. Why?
STRATEGY:
The diminutive Ghanaian can pull up the strings with his trademark body shots. No two ways about that.
What may be a herculian task in this craft is how he would be able to enter into that space which would be obviously created by the Mexican.
The Mexican is always good at jabbing,jabbing and jabbing with occasional flash of a right power punches.
Dogboe should lure the Mexican into an in- fighting mode and apply his usual body shots. I trust the Ghanaian on that.
If he maintains that reach space and gets delivered with those long jabs, it could be disastrous.
PREDICTIONS:
Both boxers have seen ring greats but Dogboe has seen more- Jesse Magdaleno, Caesar Juarez, Emmanel Navarrette amongst others. Lopez’s great fights to me would be that of Jean Carlos Rivera and the great Oscar Valdez.
One of these boxers is set to visit the canvas ( but not a knockout). And that drop will manifest on the cards of the judges.
On jabs- Lopez wins on the cards.
On close body shots and aggressive attacks Dogboe wins likely on a TKO.