Juan Manuel Lopez vs. Rafael Marquez: Round-By-Round Results and Analysis

It's main event time at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, as we get set for a featherweight title fight between Juan Manuel Lopez and Rafael Marquez. Several boxing and MMA stars are in attendance, including Lucian Bute, Shane Mosley, Felix Trinidad, Frank Shamrock and Dan Henderson.

Jimmy Lennon Jr. announces Marquez as he makes his way out to traditional Mexican music. The two-division champ is 39-5 with 35 KOs, and he's looking to stay at the top of the sport after closing out his epic series with Israel Vazquez in decisive fashion in May. Al Bernstein thinks more of the crowd is on his side.

Lopez has his share of supporters as well, and they sound off as he does his ring walk. Juanma sports a perfect 29-0 record with 26 stoppage wins, and though he has his share of doubters thanks to some shaky defense at times, there's no doubting his electrifying offensive ability.

The tale of the tape shows that the two fighters are virtually identical in height, reach and weight. Marquez is eight years older though, and has come up in weight quite a bit over the last few years.

Tony Weeks is the referee for this bout. Lennon handles the official introductions in his typically classy fashion, and we are ready for a scheduled 12 rounds of boxing for the WBO featherweight belt.

Round One

Marquez flicks out jabs and the fans are into it already. Juanma looks for a right hook and a straight left. Lots of feinting in the middle of the ring. Marquez tries to flurry that ends with a left hook. Both men score at close range. Rafa goes off balance as he tries to throw a combination. Nice right hand by Lopez. Marquez lands a little left and ducks away. Lopez lands the last hard shot and smiles as he walks away.

Tylwalk: 10-9 Marquez

Round Two

The announcers seem to think Marquez felt Juanma's power during that last exchange. Right hook by Lopez coming in. Short shots by Juanma as he advances. Weeks warns about hitting behind the head. Here comes some trading as both men land hooks. Lopez gets the better of it and pushes Rafa back. Marquez tries some jabs, but they aren't enough to keep Lopez off of him. Rafa reaches to land a right hand.

Tylwalk: 10-9 Lopez

Round Three

Marquez lands the first clean shot of this frame, but Lopez answers right back. Rafa connects with a left hook as they stand in the center of the ring. Lopez swings and misses and gets nailed with left hooks. Weeks has to step in and lecture the fighters about leading with their heads. A left hand stumbles Marquez, but he responds with a right hand to show he's not hurt. Juanma fires in another left hand, then almost catches Rafa behind the head. Very close round there.

Tylwalk: 10-9 Lopez

Round Four

Both men are complaining about the other's tactics, and Lopez punches Marquez while he's appealing to the ref. They stand and trade with shots landing both ways. Juanma lands about three left hands in a row coming forward. Weeks stays busy separating the boxers from numerous clinches. Left hook by Marquez and Lopez is wobbly. He pounds his gloves together but Marquez is landing more shots. Weeks calls time for a shot behind the head from Lopez, and Juanma loses a point. The crowd reacts as they battle for the last 24 seconds of the frame.

Tylwalk: 10-8 Marquez

Round Five

Lopez looks like he's got the cobwebs cleared up right now. Left hooks land both ways, and both men felt them. Weeks lectures Lopez again, but Marquez is somewhat to blame for ducking his head so low every time they get close. More hooks are flying, but Marquez is more accurate right now. Juanma tries some body shots but gets whacked upstairs by Rafa. Wild swings by both men are off the mark.

Tylwalk: 10-9 Marquez

Round Six

Juanma scores first with a right hand. He goes to the body and head and stumbles Marquez just a bit. Lopez just misses with big left hands. Juanma clubs his way forward behind the left hand, forcing his foe to back up a step. Marquez is still having success with his hooks, but Lopez is mugging him with lefts and uppercuts. Three shots in a row crash home for Lopez, though Marquez bravely stands his ground.

Tylwalk: 10-9 Lopez

Round Seven

Lopez comes right out and gets on top of Marquez. He's landing multiple punches a lot more often than at the beginning of the fight. Juanma looks like he got away with holding and hitting for a few seconds. Marquez gets strafed with two right hooks, but he pulls a left hook out of nowhere. Lopez pours in body shots and uppercuts. Marquez is getting pounded but he still has strength to throw left hooks back. Weeks interrupts but it's only a temporary respite for Rafa. Big round for Juanma.

Tylwalk: 10-9 Lopez

Round Eight

You know Marquez is going to battle until the end, and he's still firing. Juanma opens up with hooks from both hands. Marquez tries the body but receives two shots upstairs in return. Lopez is finding a home for the uppercut on a regular basis. He's also taking extra care not to hit Marquez while his head is down. They battle in the corner with Lopez delivering uppercuts and Marquez countering with left hooks. Great action as they lean on each other and trade power shots.

Tylwalk: 10-9 Lopez

Marquez doesn't answer the bell for Round Nine, holding his right shoulder as he walks out of his corner. Be that as it may, it's all over, and Lopez is triumphant.

The winner by TKO at the beginning of Round Nine... and still WBO featherweight titleholder... Juan Manuel "Juanma" Lopez.

Showtime plays the audio from the Marquez corner between rounds, and he did tell his trainer he could not move his right shoulder. Weeks advised him that if he could not defend himself, the fight would be stopped, but Rafa said he could not go.

Jim Gray gets both fighters together in the ring. Marquez says through his trainer that his shoulder was bothering him even before the fight and just got worse as things went on. He felt by the third round he had trouble throwing right hands.

Lopez responds that he felt his opponent's punches so he didn't suspect any injuries. Juanma admits he was stunned in the fourth round by some big punches.

Asked about a rematch, Marquez definitely is game, and Lopez suggests they do it in Puerto Rico. Bob Arum is okay with that but feels Rafa would have to heal up first. He plans for Lopez to fight in Puerto Rico in early 2011 and then take on Yuriorkis Gamboa in the summer.

Nick Tylwalk is the editor and co-founder of BoxingWatchers.com. Follow his Twitter feed @Nick_Tylwalk or the site's feed @boxing_watchers.