LUIS ALBERTO LOPEZ targets another British scalp to earn his burgeoning reputation.
The Mexican proved to be the best featherweight in the world with a win over Michael Conlan at the SSE Arena in Belfast on Saturday. Lopez 28-2 (16) once again proved that an away fight is no problem after stopping the Northern Irishman in the fifth round with a perfectly placed uppercut.
Lopez is now undefeated in his last 11 fights spanning four years since losing on points to Ruben Villa in May 2019. In December, “El Venado” defeated Josh Warrington on points, setting his mark on the world featherweight scene.
Across the water in Manchester on Saturday night, Leigh Wood 27-3 (16) won a wide unanimous decision over Lopez’s compatriot Mauricio Lara after a disciplined and impressive performance in the return leg from February this year.
Lopez’s manager Kiki Magana spoke Mirror fight after his triumph in Belfast and had a message for Wood’s promoter Eddie Hearn.
“Please go and tell him he (Wood) is next.
“Of course, let it be – I am planning to buy a house in the UK. We’re going to call Eddie Hearn and tell him ‘if the money’s right we’ll come to London and fight Leigh Wood’. It’ll be a full house!”
In addition to Wood, Hearn also promotes Lara, Josh Warrington and Raymond Ford in the featherweight division. Boxing news he spoke to a Matchroom promoter in Manchester after Wood’s win and asked about a possible Lopez fight.
“Of course, it’s a great fight. Leigh wants to unite, he wants to fight at the City Ground, he wants to fight Warrington and he only has a few fights left.
“There is a mandatory fight against (Otabek) Kholmatov, who is a great fighter. It’s not a big fight. Leigh said he probably has two more fights left and Cholmatow is not, with all due respect to him, on that list and he is good. I think fighting Warrington makes sense. I’d like to see if there’s a way to fight this fight.
Wood wants to fight at the City Ground football stadium, the historic home of his beloved Nottingham Forest. And the 34-year-old named as British rivals and Leeds United backed Josh Warrington as the preferred option when NB caught up with him after defeating Lara.
“I think it’s a great fight, a great atmosphere, and also the vocals of the fighting fans. We’ll see what happens. It makes sense. The only thing is time,” he said.
Warrington would be a keen observer of Saturday’s action in Manchester and Belfast. The 32-year-old has fought the likes of Lopez, Kiko Martinez, Mauricio Lara, Kid Galahad, Carl Frampton and Lee Selby in his career. However, Warrington tweeted after the main event in Belfast making his feelings clear about who he would like to fight.
“I’d fucking like to do it again with Lopez.”
