Angelina Lukas outpoints Debora Lopez, Sirimongkhon Iamthuam returns at 47 in Thailand

Kazakhstan’s Angelina Lucas (11-1, 5 KOs) outpointed Argentina’s Debora Anahi Lopez (21-3-1, 1 KO) on Sunday, October 6th, 2024, at the historic Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok in a 10-round junior bantamweight bout.

The opening bell in Bangkok signalled an aggressive start for Lucas, who immediately pressed forward, showing no intention of engaging in a feeling-out process. Lopez, however, opted to box from the outside, countering on the backfoot and trying to keep the relentless Lucas at bay. Despite Lucas’s attempts to close the distance and work on the inside, the bout soon turned messy, with frequent clinches and exchanges ending in holding.

Both fighters, known for their limited knockout power—Lucas with five stoppages in 11 wins and Lopez with just one in 21 victories—resorted to rough tactics. The fight saw its share of fouls, with both boxers guilty of rabbit punches, hitting on the break, and excessive holding. Referee Jerrold Tomeldan initially showed leniency, but by round six and after multiple warnings he docked Lopez a point for landing a punch behind the head.

Lopez had flashes of success, particularly with looping overhand rights that caught Lucas as she lunged inside. However, Lopez’s timing and rhythm seemed off, likely due to this being her first fight in over a year—a tough assignment to shake off the ring rust.

After 10 rounds of scrappy action, the judges rendered a unanimous decision in favour of Lucas, with scorecards reading 97-92 and 95-94 (twice). The victory marks Lucas’s continued rise in the sport, adding a high-profile win in front of her Thai fanbase.

Active and popular in Bangkok, Lucas continues to build momentum, but there’s still room for growth if she’s to compete at the top level of the division. For Lopez, it was a tough return after a year out of the ring, and while she had her moments, she’ll need to regroup for future opportunities. Both fighters showed grit, but their performances suggest more development is needed to reach the division’s elite.

Sirimongkhon Iamthuam (left) lands a hook on Matt Floyd (right) – Photo by Wasim Mather

The 27-year-old Lucas, widely known as “Barbie” to her 2.4 million Instagram followers, has become a familiar face in Thailand, with this marking her fifth bout in the capital this year. As her biggest fight of 2024, Lucas entered the ring with rising expectations, bolstered by her growing reputation in the sport.

Lopez, 29, brought a wealth of experience to the contest. A former WBO flyweight world champion, she captured the vacant title in 2019 by unanimous decision over Colombia’s Niorkis Carreno (25-4, 20 KOs). Lopez successfully defended her crown once before losing the belt to fellow Argentine Tamara Elisabet Demarco (11-7) in 2022. Her next major opportunity came in 2023 when she unsuccessfully challenged Ring women’s bantamweight champion Dina Thorslund (22-0, 9 KOs), for the WBO bantamweight title, succumbing to a stoppage in the eighth round.

In other action, Sirimongkhon Iamthuam (99-5, 62 KOs) made a remarkable return to the ring at 47-years-old, taking on unbeaten Australian Matt Floyd (13-1, 9 KOs) in a light heavyweight bout.

In a closely contested 12-round battle, Sirimongkhon secured a split decision victory, showing that age is just a number for the Thai veteran as he added another chapter to his storied career.