Luis Alberto Lopez to Defend IBF Featherweight Title vs. Joet Gonzalez

Posted on July 20, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Luis Alberto Lopez is going on the defensive.

The 29-year-old Mexican professional boxer will defend his IBF featherweight title vs. Joet Gonzalez on September 15 in Corpus Christi, Texas, per ESPN.

Lopez, ESPN‘s top boxer at 126 pounds, will headline a “Top Rank on ESPN” show for the first time in the U.S.

Lopez won the title with a majority-decision victory over Josh Warrington in December and retained the belt with a brutal fifth-round TKO of Michael Conlan in May. Both bouts took place in the U.K.

Lopez (28-2, 16 KOs) has won 11 fights since a 2019 decision defeat to Ruben Villa. Now, Lopez will meet a fellow action fighter in Gonzalez, 29, who fights out of Los Angeles.

Two of Gonzalez’s three defeats came via decision in title challenges (against Emanuel Navarrete and Shakur Stevenson). Gonzalez (26-3, 15 KOs) also dropped a decision to Isaac Dogboe last year.

Luis Alberto Lopez Defeats Michael Conlan in Convincing Fashion to Retain IBF Featherweight Title

Posted on May 28, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Luis Alberto Lopez is keeping his title…

For the second time in six months, the 29-year-old Mexican professional boxer has retained his IBF featherweight belt.

Lopez stopped Michael Conlan in Belfast, Northern Ireland, on Saturday with a thunderous right uppercut in the fifth round that put the Irish challenger on his back and prompted his corner to throw the towel to stop the bout before the referee could administer a 10-count.

“I wanted to come to Belfast so I can prove that I am a true champion,” Lopez said through an interpreter in a postfight interview with BT Sport.

Conlan was down for a couple of minutes following the stoppage and received oxygen from the medical staff before he eventually sat up and returned to his corner. He stood in the middle of the ring and applauded Lopez as the result was announced inside the ring.

Lopez (28-2, 16 KOs) was making his first title defense of the IBF featherweight belt. Last December, Lopez fought Josh Warrington in Warrington’s hometown of Leeds, England, and picked up a majority decision.

The scorecards weren’t necessary on Saturday.

After Conlan used his southpaw jab and body work to keep Lopez at a distance, the tide shifted in the third round. Lopez caught Conlan with a right uppercut, the first punch in a flurry that appeared to hurt Conlan (18-2, 9 KOs), who retreated to the ropes and was able to survive the round.

But for the rest of the fight, Lopez was in command. Adam Booth, Conlan’s trainer, expressed concern over Conlan’s body language after the fourth round, in which Conlan was looking to tie up Lopez.

Conlan was unable to get back into the fight before Lopez landed the massive knockout.

“I’m more powerful than him,” Lopez told BT Sport. “I’m stronger than him and had speed and great footwork.”

It was Conlan’s second attempt at a featherweight title. Last March, Leigh Wood stopped Conlan in the 12th round to retain the WBA belt.

Conlan defeated Miguel Marriaga, a journeyman contender, in August, to rebuild momentum following the loss to Wood.

Lopez was seen limping in the ring following the victory, and he told BT Sport that he was dealing with a leg issue in the locker room. However, the ailment didn’t stop him from keeping his spot as one of the world’s top featherweights.

Luis Alberto Lopez to Defend IBF Featherweight Title Against Michael Conlan

Posted on March 19, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Luis Alberto Lopez is going on the defensive…

The 29-year-old Mexican professional boxer will defend his IBF featherweight title against Michael Conlan on May 27 in the challenger’s native Belfast, Northern Ireland, after the fighters struck a deal, according to ESPN.

The 126-pound title fight, which shapes up as a slugfest, will be streamed stateside on ESPN+ in the afternoon.

Conlan (18-1, 9 KOs), 31, suffered his lone professional defeat against Leigh Wood in ESPN‘s 2022 Fight of the Year. Conlan floored Wood in the opening round and was ahead on all three scorecards when Wood sent him through the ropes for a 12th-round TKO victory, which was also named ESPN‘s KO of the Year.

Conlan, an Olympic silver medalist, rebounded with two victories later in the year. He dropped Miguel Marriaga three times in an August decision victory before he flattened Karim Guerfi in one round in December.

Lopez (27-2, 15 KOs) will be making the first defense of the title he wrested from Josh Warrington in December. He was in his opponent’s backyard, Leeds, England, but did enough to eke out the majority decision in a grueling fight.

Now, Lopez will travel to enemy territory once more. He has won 10 consecutive fights since a 2019 decision setback against Ruben Villa.

Lopez and Conlan are promoted by Top Rank. Lopez is ESPN’s No. 3 featherweight while Conlan is ranked No. 9.

Mauricio Lara to Fight Leigh Wood in WBA Featherweight Title Fight

Posted on January 9, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Mauricio Lara is taking on a champion…

The 24-year-old Mexican professional boxer is set to fight Leigh Wood, who is hoping to defend his WBA featherweight title, on February 18 in Nottingham, England, according to promoter Matchroom Boxing.

The bout, which shapes up as a slugfest between two aggressive fighters, was scheduled for September before Wood suffered a torn biceps while sparring.

Wood (26-2, 16 KOs) defended the 126-pound title with a thrilling 12th-round knockout of Michael Conlan in February, a bout that was named ESPN‘s Fight of the Year and KO of the Year. Wood, 34, was floored in Round 1 but rallied to send Conlan through the ropes for the brutal finish.

It was a raucous atmosphere in Nottingham, and now Wood will return home for his second title defense. Leo Santa Cruz, who hadn’t defended his WBA title since 2019, relinquished the belt in December, meaning Wood will fight as a full-fledged champion for the first time.

“Mauricio Lara has made things personal between us with the disrespect he showed me regarding my injury and my country,” said Wood, ESPN’s No. 7 featherweight. “I’m going to show him what I’m all about.”

While the Englishman recovered from the biceps injury, Lara (25-2-1, 18 KOs) stayed busy with a third-round KO of journeyman Jose Sanmartin in October in his hometown, Mexico City.

Lara is no stranger to fighting on the road in England. He broke out in February 2021 with an upset victory over Josh Warrington before the rematch seven months later in Leeds resulted in a two-round no contest due to a clash of heads.

“I have been waiting for this opportunity for two years and I am not going to waste it,” said Lara, ESPN’s No. 2 featherweight. ” … The WBA 126-pound world title goes to Mexico, that I promised to my daughter, my family, my team and to my whole country. Your time has come Leigh Wood, no ‘injury’ can save you now from this.”

Luis Alberto Lopez Defeats Josh Warrington to Claim IBF World Featherweight Title

Posted on December 11, 2022 by Tom Castaneda

Luis Alberto Lopez is a world champion…

The 29-year-old Mexican professional boxer defeated Josh Warrington on Saturday to claim his IBF world featherweight title by majority decision.

Lopez did most of his best work in the first eight rounds, and despite a strong finish by Warrington, Lopez won by scores of 114-114, 115-113 and 115-113 at First Direct Arena in Leeds, England.

Warrington’s home crowd was silenced by the decision after he was beaten again by a Mexican boxer; Mauricio Lara stopped him in February 2021.

“This is my moment; it comes from hard work over a long boxing career,” said Lopez, who won the belt in his first world title fight.

Warrington lost the IBF belt in a first defense of his second reign as champion.

“I started off slow, but after four or five rounds, I did some good work inside,” Warrington said. “For the last three rounds, body shots were ripping into him and all he wanted to do was hold. I’m devastated to lose my title like that. I still think I can have a big fight with one of the champions.”

Lopez (27-2, 15 KOs), known as “El Venado,” boxed immaculately at times, and the angles he threw shots from caused problems for Warrington.

After the fight, Lopez complained about Warrington’s fouling. He said he was hit on the back of his leg and was cut by a clash of heads in the second round, but he managed to retain his composure under pressure in the later rounds.

Lopez, who registered two stoppage wins earlier this year after traveling to the United Kingdom to defeat Isaac Lowe by seventh-round KO a year ago, made an aggressive start on the front foot and Warrington ended the first round with a bloody nose. Lopez launched unpredictable jabs amid a bright start but then suffered a cut by his left eye from an accidental clash of heads.

Lopez, whose corner did a good job on the cut, delivered a thudding left body shot in the third round, but Warrington mustered a quick response with a right hook. Warrington opted to fight at close range in the fifth round, and in the sixth he had some success as Lopez’s work rate dipped. But the Mexican was still very much in the fight and benefited from Warrington failing to establish his jab throughout.

Lopez landed a leaping left hook and uppercut in the eighth round, but the ninth belonged to Warrington, who was aggressive and landed his hooks. Warrington was busy again in the 10th and 11th rounds as Lopez looked ragged and was caught by the English boxer’s hooks. When Warrington caught Lopez with a left hook in the 11th round, the Mexican looked in trouble momentarily.

Both fought ferociously in the last round as they looked to secure a stoppage with the fight seemingly close on points.

Kiko Martinez to Reportedly Fight Josh Warrington in March

Posted on January 8, 2022 by Tom Castaneda

Kiko Martinez it preparing for a massive rematch…

The 35-year-old Spanish professional boxer, who has held the IBF featherweight title since November 2021, will fight Josh Warrington for a featherweight title on March 26 in England, according to ESPN sources.

The rematch is one of two 126-pound title bouts Matchroom Boxing‘s Eddie Hearn will promote on DAZN in the U.K. that month. On March 12, Leigh Wood defends his title against Michael Conlan.

The pair of bouts could lead to a unification later in the year.

Martinez (43-10-2, 30 KOs) scored a highlight-reel sixth-round TKO of Kid Galahad in November in one of the year’s biggest upsets.

When they met in 2017, Warrington (30-1-1, 7 KOs) scored a majority decision victory over Martinez. The fighters were moving in different directions; Warrington, an Englishman, went on to win a featherweight title and scored wins over Carl Frampton, Galahad and Lee Selby. Martinez, meanwhile, suffered losses to Gary Russell Jr., and Zelfa Barrett.

But the 2021 campaign drastically altered their trajectories. Warrington, 31, suffered a stunning ninth-round TKO loss to Mauricio Lara in February in a brutal beating before the September rematch ended in a technical draw after two rounds due to an accidental clash of heads that left Lara with a gruesome cut.

Martinez was an afterthought heading into this bout with Galahad, but the 8-1 underdog scored the biggest win of career at 35.

Now Martinez and Warrington will meet again, and surprisingly, it’s the elder man who has the title and all the momentum.

Kiko Martinez Knocks Out Kid Galahad to Take IBF Featherweight Title

Posted on November 14, 2021 by Tom Castaneda

Kiko Martinez has pulled off a major upset…

The 35-year-old Spanish professional boxer became a two-weight world champion at the age of 35 after a huge knockout of Kid Galahad in the sixth round of their IBF featherweight title fight on Saturday in England.

After serving an 18-month ban for a doping violation, and then winning a world title at the second attempt after losing a split decision to Yorkshire rival Josh Warrington in 2019, Galahad’s career had been gaining momentum.

Martinez, a former world junior featherweight champion in 2013-14, hardly arrived with a formidable record on British soil. He suffered his seventh loss in the United Kingdom earlier this year and was not expected to give Galahad any problems.

Galahad (28-2, 17 KOs), 31, looked like he was going to make it an early night when he shook Martinez with a right hand in the opening round.

Galahad, who won the vacant title against James Dickens in August, cleverly found openings to land more punches. Martinez could not cover up in time as Galahad proved too quick and too smart in the opening rounds.

Martinez (43-10-2, 30 KOs), from Alicante, was caught by a straight left in the third round and was cut above his right eye.

At the start of the fifth round, Martinez came charging off his stool to take the fight to the champion.

Galahad seemed to lose focus and momentum, became complacent, and paid for dropping his hands when Martinez floored him with a huge right hand. Galahad got up at the count of eight and was saved by the bell.

But Galahad’s head did not clear and he was knocked out cold with the first punch of the sixth round when Martinez landed another overhand right.

“For the last three years I have been living like a monk,” Martinez said. “My wife has helped me a lot with my anxiety and it has paid off. I’m in better shape than I was at the age of 20 years old.”

Galahad, who needed two attempts to make weight for the fight, is likely to be offered a rematch against Martinez.

Emanuel Navarrete Claims WBO Featherweight Title with Unanimous Defeat of Ruben Villa

Posted on October 10, 2020 by Tom Castaneda

Emanuel Navarrete is as a new title…

The 25-year-old Mexican boxer defeated Ruben Villa by unanimous decision to win the vacant WBO featherweight title on Friday night at the MGM Grand Conference Center in Las Vegas.

Navarrete, a former junior featherweight world titlist, was able to win the fight on the strength of two knockdowns — in the first and fourth rounds — by the scores of 114-112, 114-112 and 115-111.

Navarrete (33-1, 28 KOs) had a decided edge in strength and power. And while the southpaw Villa (18-1, 5 KOs) was effective in spots by moving around the ring, the difference in punching prowess was obvious. At the end of the fight, Navarrete had outlanded Villa 131-58 in power punches.

Navarrete clipped Villa with a long left uppercut that sent him down for the first time at the end of the first round. To his credit, Villa got up and was effective in the next two rounds, but in the fourth another long, lashing left hand from Navarrete sent Villa down for the second time. Without these two knockdowns, this bout would’ve been a majority draw.

Navarrete is not a classic stylist, or the most fundamentally sound fighter you’ll see. He often makes fundamental errors, but he more than makes up for it with his relentlessness and activity. At times he simply swarms his opponents to a point where they get overwhelmed. Villa was the more sound boxer, but he lacked the pop to truly get Navarrete’s respect or ever hurt him.

“I knew that Villa was a fighter that moved a lot and I knew that he was going to move even more once he felt my power,” Navarrete said after the fight. “I didn’t get the knockout, but I got the victory.”

Villa had some good moments in the second half of the fight where he boxed effectively, but he didn’t do enough to turn the tide of this contest.

“I’m very happy with this championship. It’s a reflection of all the sacrifices and all the hard work I put in,” Navarrete said. “I conquered my second weight class because of all that hard work.

“I have my sights set on all the world champions at 126. I would love to face [Josh] Warrington. I think that our styles will make for a great fight.”

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