a left hook to the eye that left the challenger with swelling that began to close.
Abe battled on but it was the champion who was in control and punished him.
However, the referee eventually stopped the fight 39 seconds into the eighth round.
This win took the 30-year-old Lopez from Mexicali, Mexico, to 30-2; 17.
This was Lopez’s third defence of the title that he won in December 2022 from Josh Warrington and defended twice last year, against Michael Conlan (tko 5) and Joet Gonzalez (UD12).
The main event between WBA/IBF/WBO female featherweight champion Amanda Serrano (46-2-1; 20) and Nina Meinke (18-3; 4) was cancelled. Serrano failed an eye test.
