BOXING : Lopez Is Cut, Then Rallies to Win in 6

STATELINE, Nev. —  Tony Lopez overcame a deep cut over his left eye to stop challenger Lupe Gutierrez in the sixth round Friday night and retain his International Boxing Federation junior-lightweight title.

The fighters traded blows toe to toe almost from the outset, and the relentless punching often led to streams of blood on both men.

Lopez opened a cut on Gutierrez in the second round, but Gutierrez answered in the third against Lopez.

“I saw the blood drip,” Lopez said. “I said, ‘Here we go again.’ I wiped it away. It didn’t bother me again.”

The incident reminded Lopez, 37-2-1 with 25 knockouts, of his title defense against Rocky Lockridge on March 5, 1989, when he had to overcome a similar cut in posting a 12-round decision.

Despite being cut, Lopez consistently landed the more telling blows, including a flurry that dropped Gutierrez for good at 2:42 of the sixth round of the scheduled 12-rounder.

On the undercard, European heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis knocked out former World Boxing Assn. heavyweight champion Mike Weaver with a right hand in the sixth round of a scheduled 10-rounder.

Former WBA and Olympic welterweight champion Mark Breland opened a gaping cut above the right eye with his first jab of the bout and stopped Julian Samaha at 44 seconds of the first round.

Lopez is looking at one more fight in the 130-pound division before moving up to the junior-welterweight ranks.

He plans to meet South African Brian Mitchell again at Sacramento on Sept. 13. The two fought to a 12-round draw there in March.

In the junior-welterweight division, Lopez has his eyes on Julio Cesar Chavez or Hector Camacho.

“That’s where all the money is,” Lopez said. “Being champion is one thing. Being spectacular is another thing.”

Gutierrez is 25-4.