On Saturday night, Showtime will feature a bantamweight fight for the vacant WBC title once held by now unified super bantamweight champion Naoya Inoue (25-0, 22 KOs). Former IBF bantamweight champion Emmanuel Rodriguez (21-2, 13 KOs) faces Melvin Lopez (29-1, 19 KOs) at the MGM National Harbor in Oxon Hill, MD. This is an intriguing matchup as both men will look to put on the type of performance that not only wins them the title but also brings them back to feature on another Showtime card in the future.
EMMANUEL RODRIGUEZ IS GETTING ANOTHER SHOT AT BECOMING A CHAMPION
It wasn’t that long ago that Rodriguez was the IBF bantamweight champion and a participant in the WBSS (World Boxing Super Series). He was 27 then, and little did he know, his opponent was in the beginning of a special run. Inoue knocked Rodriguez out in the second round of their fight in 2019, which cost him his title, but it didn’t stop him from continuing his career. He lost his next fight to Reymart Gaballo but then had a no-contest followed by two straight victories leading into Saturday night. It’s not that Rodriguez is a bad fighter, it’s just that he’s gone after the toughest challengers in the division, and that comes with a level of risk.
On Saturday night, Rodriguez looks to regain the momentum he once had and the title of being a champion. He will have to do it by using his feet and keeping his distance at times but also getting into Lopez’s kitchen and not allowing him to get leverage on those looping shots.
.@ERodriguezManny has defense, patience, and power in his arsenal, and he showcased all of that in his technical decision victory over Gary Antonio Russell in October.
— Premier Boxing Champions (@premierboxing) August 8, 2023
Rodriguez returns to the ring against Melvin Lopez this Saturday on @ShowtimeBoxing. #RodriguezLopez pic.twitter.com/LFOaBl6jMp
CAN MELVIN LOPEZ PUT IT ALL TOGETHER TO WIN HIS FIRST WORLD TITLE?
Lopez is only 25 years old, and he has scratched and clawed his way up the ranks to the title shot he will have on Showtime. He has mostly fought on smaller shows between his home country of Nicaragua and South Florida. The only loss on his record is against Jose Velasquez in 2019, where he was stopped in the ninth round of that fight. Since then, Lopez has won eight in a row, with only one of them going the distance.
Lopez lives and does by his power, but against Rodriguez, he will have to find a different gear. Rodriguez is a smart fighter and will look to box more than a brawl, so Lopez will have to find that happy medium and show he can box effectively as well. Lopez will have a tough time, but he has a puncher’s chance to make things interesting if he can cleanly land one of his shots. Can Lopez pull off the victory on Saturday night?
EMMANUEL RODRIGUEZ VS. MELVIN LOPEZ PREDICTION
This will be somewhat of a chess match early on, but in the middle rounds, things will pick up. There may be a knockdown in the fight by either man or both, but in the end, Rodriguez will do enough to score a decision victory on Showtime and become another world champion from Puerto Rico.
👊 #RodriguezLopez
— SHOWTIME Boxing (@ShowtimeBoxing) August 7, 2023
🏆 IBF Bantamweight World Championship
🗓 Saturday 9PM ET/6PM PT
📺 @showtime pic.twitter.com/tWrQHlVIv8
EMMANUEL RODRIGUEZ VS. MELVIN LOPEZ BETTING ODDS
Per BetOnline.ag, Emmanuel Rodriguez is the favorite at -700 (Over 10 ½ rounds -200) & while Melvin Lopez is the underdog at +450 (Under 10 ½ rounds +160).
Emmanuel Rodriguez: TKO/KO+160; Decision -150
Draw: +1800
Melvin Lopez: TKO/KO +1000; Decision +1200
EMMANUEL RODRIGUEZ VS. MELVIN LOPEZ DATE, START TIME
- Date: Saturday, August 12
- Start time: 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT
- Main event ringwalks (approx): 11 p.m. ET / 8 p.m. PT
These timings could change due to the length of the undercard fights.
WHAT CHANNEL/STREAM IS EMMANUEL RODRIGUEZ VS. MELVIN LOPEZ?
- U.S.: Showtime
- UK: TBD
EMMANUEL RODRIGUEZ VS. MELVIN LOPEZ FIGHT CARD
1️⃣6️⃣ Fights, 1️⃣6️⃣ KOs. @AntuanneRussell is a problem and he's back at it Saturday on @ShowtimeBoxing. #RussellCruz pic.twitter.com/rtsbRixETe
— Premier Boxing Champions (@premierboxing) August 8, 2023
- Melvin Lopez vs. Emmanuel Rodriguez, 12 rounds, for vacant IBF bantamweight title
- Gary Antuanne Russell vs. Kent Cruz, 10 rounds, junior welterweights
- Travon Marshall vs. Gabriel Maestre, 10 rounds, welterweights
- Marcus Browne vs. Adrian Taylor, 10 rounds, cruiserweights
- Jose Benavidez Jr. vs. Sladan Janjanin, 8 rounds, middleweights
- Michael Angeletti vs. Jonathan Lopez Marcano, 10 rounds, bantamweights
- Jesse Hart vs. Elio Heraldo Trosch, 10 rounds, light heavyweights
- Damien Vazquez vs. Jeronil Borres, 8 rounds, bantamweights
- Daniel Blancas vs. Devaun Lee, 6 rounds, super middleweights
- David A. Whitmire vs. Jordy Tientcheu, 4 rounds, junior middleweights
