Baeza Lands More Punches in Irvine Win

It came down to quality against quantity Monday night, and quantity won as junior lightweight Armando Baeza scored a split-decision victory over Benny Lopez in front of 1,180 in the main event of the monthly boxing program at the Irvine Marriott.

Baeza, from Norwalk, landed punches constantly, but seldom with enough pop behind them to hurt Lopez.

Lopez, from Upland, hit harder but much less often. Neither fighter was ever in danger of being knocked down.

Baeza (13-3-1) won 95-94, on judge Larry Rozadilla’s card, and 97-94 on judge Pat Connolly’s card. Judge Chuck Hassett gave Lopez the nod, 98-92.

“I felt I landed better shots every round,” Baeza said through an interpreter. “He only hurt me in the fifth, but I was fine after that.”

Lopez had scored first-round knockouts in each of his last two fights, and Baeza, aware of that, stayed away for most of the first two rounds. After that, he moved in on Lopez and scored with several combinations.

Lopez, fighting a 10-rounder for the first time, seemed to rest for parts of every round after the fifth, letting Baeza gain the advantage in the later rounds. Even in the final round, Lopez (13-2) was very selective, throwing only a few punches and none in the final 30 seconds.

“It was kind of eerie after the sixth,” Lopez said. “I never got tired, but I was thinking about having never gone 10 rounds before. I just never followed up my punches. I would get to him them let him get away.”