Ismael Flores delivered one of those career changing victories this Saturday, May 2, at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. The Argentina born, and Spain based fighter pulled off a dominant upset over Isaac Lucero in the bout that opened the PPV portion of the card headlined by David Benavidez vs. Gilberto Ramírez.
Flores accepted the fight on just two weeks’ notice as a late replacement and went on to secure a clear victory over an undefeated Lucero. The official scorecards reflected his dominance, 99-91 and two cards of 98-92, in a performance defined by volume punching, relentless pressure, and strong physical conditioning over ten rounds.
With the win, Flores (18-1-1, 12 KOs) is now the new WBO NABO super welterweight champion.
“It’s very beautiful. I thank God for everything, because I wouldn’t be here fighting with the faith I have without Him,” Flores said after the fight.
“ El Terrible” built his win on tempo and activity. According to Compubox statistics, Flores threw 881 punches and landed 348, posting one of the highest offensive outputs of the 2026 season. His sustained pressure gradually broke Lucero down, as the Mexican struggled to find range or neutralize the pace of the fight.h
“We were given two weeks’ notice for this fight, but it didn’t matter. This is about years of training, pushing yourself to the limit, praying, and many sleepless nights. These are the results of that work,” Flores added.
Lucero tried to respond in isolated bursts, but was clearly outworked, landing 148 of 665 punches. The gap in activity and efficiency was consistent throughout the bout, especially during prolonged exchanges where Flores dictated the pace.
Another key factor was the Argentine’s efficiency, as he connected on 47% of his power punches, consistently punishing Lucero and shutting down any sustained momentum.
“My opponent was better tonight. He came to steal the show and gave everything,” Lucero acknowledged.
Following the victory, Flores celebrated emotionally while wearing a FC Barcelona jersey with “El Terrible” printed on the back, a fitting image to cap off his breakout performance on the card.
