1 Lopez W UD 12 Vasiliy Lomachenko
Undoubtedly the highlight of Lopez’s career to date, this shock 2020 win against Lomachenko not only put his name on the map, but hinted at potential superstar status in the future. Aggressive from the off, he would not be denied that night in Las Vegas.
2 Taylor W UD 12 José Carlos Ramírez
After winning IBF and WBA belts at super-lightweight, Taylor ventured to Las Vegas in 2021 to steal Ramirez’s WBC and WBO belts. He pulled off the raid, too, dropping Ramirez in rounds six and seven before winning the fight via unanimous decision.
3 Taylor W MD 12 Regis Prograis
In what was a real thriller in 2019, Taylor and Prograis stood toe-to-toe for 12 rounds in London and refused to give an inch. This of course suited Taylor down to the ground and resulted in him adding Prograis’ WBA super-lightweight title to his IBF version.
4 Lopez W TKO 2 Richard Commey
In terms of displaying his raw power and aggression, it could be argued Lopez has never looked better than when he blitzed Ghana’s Commey in just two rounds back in 2019. That night, when very much on the rise, Lopez snatched the IBF lightweight title from his opponent within five minutes of action.
5 Taylor W UD 12 Ivan Baranchyk
When Taylor and Baranchyk clashed in Glasgow in 2019, it was, as expected, quite the war of attrition. However, after dropping the Russian twice in the sixth round, Taylor was eventually able to outlast him and triumph on points, winning the IBF super-lightweight title in the process.
6 Lopez W KO 7 Diego Magdaleno
A fight which captured Lopez at his relentless best, this seventh-round stoppage of Magdaleno in 2019 delivered him an array of regional titles. More importantly, though, it alerted the lightweight division to his undoubted potential.
7 Taylor UD 12 Viktol Postol
During this, an early breakout win for Taylor in 2018, all the signs were there that the Scotsman would go on to have a fruitful career as a world champion. Postol, before arriving in Glasgow, had lost only to Terence Crawford.
8 Lopez W KO 5 Edis Tatli
Tatli, a solid and proven European lightweight champion, made his US debut against Lopez in 2019 and was duly overwhelmed inside five rounds. It marked the first time the man from Finland had been stopped.
9 Taylor W SD 12 Jack Catterall
This win, which Taylor secured in February 2022, would rank higher were it not for the controversy that surrounded it. Ultimately, few outside Taylor’s camp believed he deserved the nod over Catterall when they met in Glasgow last year.
10 Lopez W SD 10 Sandor Martin
Not too dissimilar to Taylor’s last fight, this December 2022 split-decision win over the capable Martin followed a performance well below Lopez’s usual standards. Some also felt he was lucky to have his hand raised at its conclusion.
