BN Preview: Luis Alberto Lopez is a one-of-a-kind fighter who deserves his newfound attention

THE record of Mexicans who have received world featherweight honours is a prolonged one and contains Salvador Sanchez, Marco Antonio Barrera, Juan Manuel Marquez and, most not too long ago, Luis Alberto Lopez.

Lopez, an eccentric puncher well-known to British and Irish followers for his wins over Isaac Lowe, Josh Warrington and Michael Conlan, makes his second defence of the IBF title on the American Bank Center in Corpus Christi, Texas, on Friday night time (September 15).

Lopez, ranked primary within the division, meets Joet Gonzalez, a 29-year-old American Mexican making his third bid for world honours, on Mexican Independence Day Weekend.

Top Rank promote a struggle that has all of the elements of a fan-friendly battle.

Gonzalez, 26-3 (15), has featured in all-action fight-of-the-year contenders in opposition to Emanuel Navarrete and final outing, Enrique Vivas. Gonzalez and Vivas threw a whole of 1,576 punches at one another in a actual phonebooth struggle in April that Gonzalez received by 98-92 (twice) and 99-91. That secured his shot at Lopez, who’s coming off a one-punch knockout win over Michael Conlan in Belfast in May. The ending punch was a proper uppercut that Lopez had seemed for from the opening bell and shaken Conlan with within the third.

Lopez, 28-2 (16), skilled with Kay Koroma for 2 months and energy and conditioning coach Memo Heredia in Las Vegas within the build-up, however his model is his personal, as was the case with Jorge Paez, one other 126lbs titlist from Mexicali and a former circus acrobat.

Against Conlan, Lopez was fidgety and sometimes smiled to himself, all the time giving the impression that he was unbothered by Conlan and that, in the end, he would determine the Irishman out and chin him.

The end was emphatic when it got here, Lopez touchdown a proper uppercut after lacking with a left hook. The 30-year-old is the kind who is able to leaping in with a knockout punch from nowhere at any time.

Conlan and Lowe each confirmed he may be outboxed however he knocked each of them out. Lopez had Lowe down after solely 12 seconds on the York Hall in December, 2021, with a leaping lead left hook, once more within the second and simply when it appeared Lowe was boxing his means again into it, Lopez discovered a physique shot within the seventh that knocked every thing out of him.

That arrange his problem for Josh Warrington’s belt and Lopez began strongly after which got here by means of an 11^th spherical wobble to win on factors. Lopez was reduce (left eye) within the second after heads clashed and has additionally been reduce in opposition to Ruben Villa (left eye) and Andy Vences (proper eye).

Gonzalez can be two inches taller, has a longer attain and is higher schooled, however typically he fights the flawed struggle and he’s the misplaced the massive ones in his profession – therefore why he’s not presently ranked on the earth high 10.

In world title challenges, he’s been outpointed by Shakur Stevenson and Navarrete. Against, Navarrete, Gonzalez fought with his proper eye broken from the second and nonetheless gave the Mexican certainly one of his tougher nights.

Gonzalez took 272 punches that night time.

On one other massive night time, he was outlasted by Isaac Dogboe on a cut up factors vote earlier than reigniting his profession with that factors win over Vivas in Oklahoma in April.

Gonzalez, a 2012 US newbie champion, boxed and fought his method to a hard-earned victory, utilizing his lengthy levers at instances, however largely buying and selling on the within and discovering the openings. Vivas stood in entrance of Gonzalez and didn’t transfer his head an terrible lot, however Lopez is going to be tougher to find.

He’s relaxed, unfastened across the shoulders and launches punches from in every single place. Lopez has predicted he’ll grow to be the primary to cease Gonzalez this weekend, however we fancy he should go the total 12 rounds to maintain his belt.

The undercard options a 154lbs matchup between Puerto Rican prodigy Xander Zayas, 16-0 (10), and Roberto Valenzuela Jnr, 21-4 (20), over 10 rounds. This must also be fiercely contested. There’s a lengthy rivalry between Puerto Rico and Mexico within the ring.

Boxing 10 days after his 21^st birthday, Zayas is matched over 10 for the primary time in opposition to Valenzuela, who’s misplaced two of his final 4, to Souleymane Cissokho and Bakhram Murtazaliev.

Valenzuela and Cissokho swapped knockdowns within the fourth.

Valenzuela can be lifted by the event on Friday night time, however Zayas seems to be very polished and will pressure a stoppage within the later rounds.

THE VERDICT: Lopez is one of the watchable elite fighters round at the moment.