Joe McConnell
Luis Alberto Lopez, the fearsome IBF featherweight champion, has made a habit of defeating his opponents in their hometowns.
“Venado” Lopez did the same when he beat Josh Warrington in Leeds to win the world title.
He did it in Belfast when he dismantled Michael Conlan and even knocked out Isaac Lowe in the York Hall in Bethnal Green.
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IBF featherweight champion Luis Alberto Lopez dominated challenger Reiya Abe by scoring an eighth-round TKO in New York
He plans to do the same when he fights Angelo Leo at the Tingley Coliseum in Albuquerque, live on Vscek Action from 2am on Sunday morning.
“I’m used to being taken to different parts of the world. London. Leeds. It doesn’t matter where I go. ‘Venado’ Lopez, the ‘Road Warrior,’ will always do his job,” Lopez said.
“I work hard in the gym to do what I have to do. If we can get the fight done sooner, we will. Either way, I’ll go home as a world champion.”
He added: “Angelo Leo is a former world champion. He wants to be world champion again. So, we expect the best version of him, and it will be a war.”
Leo promises to be inspired for this challenge, though. “In my last fight, the main goal was to win. I knew everything else would fall into place with a fight in Venado,” said the American.
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Luis Alberto Lopez triumphed over Joet Gonzalez by unanimous decision while defending his IBF featherweight title
“This means the world to me. Fighting in my hometown is something I’ve always wanted. And what better way to do that than with a title shot?”
Lopez has something that sets him apart from the rest: devastating power for the division, reminiscent of featherweight star Naseem Hamed.
“He throws punches like nobody I’ve ever seen in that division. I mean, it’s back to Prince Naseem levels of power. He literally shuts people up,” said Carl Frampton, a former two-weight world champion and Eurosport boxing expert.
For featherweights, Lopez is really heavy
“A serious, serious fighter. A strange style. He doesn’t usually look like the best fighter in the world, but when he hits you, you know it right away. I’m pretty sure he’ll keep the title.”
Lopez came to public attention when he defeated Josh Warrington, who in turn had defeated Frampton to retain the IBF belt.
“I didn’t know much about him. [Lopez] at that point,” Frampton said. “I was shocked, but since I saw the Warrington fight and everything he did after that, it’s starting to surprise me less, he’s a great fighter.
“It’s an animal.”
Watch the IBF Featherweight World title fight between Luis Alberto Lopez and Angelo Leo live on Vscek Action from 2am.
