Keith Thurman digs down deep, wins hard-fought decision over Josesito Lopez

Returning to the ring after 22 months, due to an assortment of injuries, WBA welterweight champion Keith Thurman had to survive a scare to capture a 12-round majority decision over tough Josesito Lopez at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, NY Saturday night.

The scores were 113-113, a draw, 115-111 and 117-109 for Thurman.

Maxboxing had Thurman the winner by a 116-111 tally.

Thurman (29-0, 22 KOs) got off to a fast start in the opening rounds. Obviously blessed with quicker hands and feet, he used them to his advantage. He connected with a quick left hook. Seconds later, a combination cracked off the noggin of Lopez. An uppercut also caught the onrushing Lopez. Thurman popped his jab in the second stanza.

Lopez (36-8, 19 KOs) wanted to counter, but Thurman was using his legs effectively. In round two, Thurman fired a three-punch combination to the head and body. A sharp left hook put Lopez on all fours. Lopez got up at seven and glanced at Thurman. The champion tried to end things. . He wobbled Lopez with a right as the bell rang, but the challenger was on steady legs as he walked back to his corner. Lopez tried to change the momentum of the fight in round three. He was being beat to the punch consistently. He fired two hard rights that drew wind. Thurman connected with another left hook. Lopez landed a right that did no damage.

In round four, Thurman, 30, staggered Lopez with a couple of quick shots to the chin, but Lopez wasn’t going anywhere. He finally cracked Thurman with a pretty good punch to the neck. Thurman, acting as if he was annoyed, clocked Lopez with a good combo to the head.

Thurman, from Clearwater, FL, went back to working his jab in round five.Lopezz,34, tried to jab as well, but Thurman was a step ahead. The champion caught Lopez with a number of shots near the end of the sixth round. Lopez took them well.

Lopez tried to up the ante in round seven. He needed to land something monumental. A minute into the stanza, he did just that. As Thurman worked his jab, Lopez, nicknamed “The Riverside Rocky” landed a hard right to the chin. A left hook also found the mark. Thurman was backing off, but still getting hit right hands. He wobbled slightly. His legs were his best friend as he tried to stay away.

Thurman tried to fight back, but Lopez, who entered the fight a 35-1 underdog, let fly with more blows, many of them landed. Thurman was probably happy when he heard the bell ending the round.

Lopez, with blood dripping from his nose, tried to build off his success in round eight by forcing the action. Thurman fought back, boxing more than slugging. He landed a number of combinations, but they lacked steam.

Thurman’s trainer told him to keep boxing in round nine. He did as told, boxing, but Lopez was in his grill. He dug to the body and head. Thurman, came back with a good right hook to the jaw. In round 10, it was Thurman who came out punching. He seemed to have regained his senses. Lopez continued to rip shots to the body. Thurman moved and jabbed-opening up and cracking Lopez with punches, but the determined challenger fought back.

With two rounds to go in the fight, Thurman had regained control, but it hadn’t been easy. Lopez was fighting with grim determination. Thurman likely didn’t expect to be pushed this hard. Lopez walked through Thurman’s blows in round 11. Another right seemed to stun Lopez-who was looking to land a home-run punch. Thurman connected with a right, but ate a left hook. Thurman bounced off the ropes and caught Lopez with a couple of combinations. Lopez absorbed the blows and stayed aggressive. He motioned for Thurman to fight.

Entering the 12th and final round, Lopez needed a knockout to win. He chased after Thurman, who strafed him with blows. Lopez let fly with a left hook from his hometown of Riverside. It didn’t land. Thurman landed a big right at the bell.

“He was coming for me,” said Thurman. “I said you wouldn’t see the best Keith “One-Time” Thurman. He lunged in and was really willing to commit to the knockout…he came right for me."

“I definitely thought I held my own in that fight," said Lopez. "I had him hurt in the seventh round and I was landing a lot of clean shots on him."