Tag Archives: Michael Conlan

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

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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.

Luis Alberto Lopez, El VenadoLopez, 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

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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

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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.

Luis Alberto Lopez, El VenadoThe 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

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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.

Mauricio Lara,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.”

Kiko Martinez to Reportedly Fight Josh Warrington in March

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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.

Kiko Martinez

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.