Lopez-Martin and Crawford-Avanesyan live results and analysis

Former unified lightweight champion Teofimo Lopez Jr. returns to the ring for his second fight at junior welterweight to face Sandor Martin in the main event of a Top Rank card at New York’s Madison Square Garden (ESPN/ESPN+, 9 p.m. ET, with undercard starting at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN+).

Lopez (17-1, 13), of Brooklyn, New York, won his first lightweight world title with a second-round TKO of Richard Commey in 2019. He added two more belts by defeating Vasiliy Lomachenko by unanimous decision in 2020. He lost the titles a year later by split decision to George Kambosos Jr. After the fight, Lopez was diagnosed with “pneumomediastinum” with “extensive air in the retropharyngeal space.” One of the doctors said, “He’s lucky” to be alive.

Lopez returned in August with a seventh-round TKO of Pedro Campa in Las Vegas, his first fight at 140 pounds.

Martin (40-2, 13 KOs), of Barcelona, Spain, shocked the world with a majority-decision win over Mikey Garcia in 2021. Martin has won 11 consecutive fights and hasn’t lost a bout in more than five years. He’s coming off a unanimous-decision victory over Jose Felix in April.

Some of the best prospects in boxing will be in action on the undercard. Heavyweight Jared Anderson takes on veteran Jerry Forrest, junior middleweight sensation Xander Zayas faces Alexis Salazar and lightweight Keyshawn Davis goes against Juan Carlos Burgos.

In Omaha, Nebraska, WBO welterweight champion Terence Crawford defends his title against David Avanesyan, and MMA champion Cris Cyborg makes her boxing professional debut against Gabby Holloway in a junior middleweight bout.

Follow along as Mike Coppinger and Ben Baby recap all the action. You can also watch the Top Rank fights on ESPN+.

Fight in progress: Joe Ward vs. Frederic Julan, 8 rounds, light heavyweights

Results

• Damian Knyba (10-0, 6 KOs) def. Emilio Salas (7-4-1, 3 KOs) by second-round TKO

• Tiger Johnson (7-0, 5 KOs) def. Mike O’Han Jr. (16-2, 7 KOs) by fifth-round TKO

Still to come:

In New York:

• Teofimo Lopez vs. Sandor Martin, 12 rounds, junior welterweights

• Jared Anderson vs. Jerry Forrest, 10 rounds, heavyweights

• Xander Zayas vs. Alexis Salazar, 8 rounds, junior middleweights

• Keyshawn Davis vs. Juan Carlos Burgos, 8 rounds, lightweights

In Omaha, Nebraska

• Title fight: Terence Crawford vs. David Avanesyan, 12 rounds, for Crawford’s WBO welterweight title

• Cris Cyborg vs. Gabby Holloway, 4 rounds, women’s junior middleweights

Source: www.espn.com