Luis Alberto Lopez Explained

Luis Alberto Lopez
Real Name:Luis Alberto Lopez Vargas
Nickname:El Venado ("The Deer")
Weight:Featherweight
Height:5 ft 4 in
Reach:66+1/2 in
Birth Date:21 August 1993
Birth Place:Mexicali, Baja California, Mexico
Style:Orthodox
Boxrec:741197
Total:33
Wins:30
Ko:17
Losses:3

Luis Alberto Lopez Vargas (born 21 August 1993) is a Mexican professional boxer. He held the IBF featherweight title from December 2022 to August 2024.

Professional career

Early career

Lopez made his professional debut against Francisco Javier Pacheco on 6 November 2015. He won the fight by split decision. López Vargas amassed a 16–1 record during the next three years, winning half of those fights by way of stoppage. At the end of this run, Lopez-Vargas was booked to face Ray Ximenez for the vacant WBO International featherweight title on 28 February 2019. He his United States debut by technical decision, with scores of 80–72, 78–74 and 77–75. The fight was stopped after eight rounds, due to a cut above Ximenez's left eye, which was caused by an accidental clash of heads.[1] Lopez-Vargas faced Ruben Villa on 10 May 2019, in the main event of the ShoBox: The New Generation, once again fighting for the vacant WBO International featherweight title.[2] Villa handed Lopez-Vargas his second professional loss, winning the fight by unanimous decision, with scores of 97–93, 98–92 and 96–94.[3]

After successfully bouncing back against two journeymen opponents, Israel Rojas on 30 August 2019 and Marco Antonio Monteros on 21 September 2019, Lopez was booked to face the undefeated Cristian Baez. Lopez-Vargas won the fight by a fifth-round technical knockout. Lopez next faced Andy Vences on 7 July 2020, at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. Despite coming into the fight as an underdog,[4] he won the fight by an upset split decision. The judges scored the fight 96–94 in his favor, while the third judge awarded the same scorecard to Vences.[5] In his second fight of 2021, Lopez-Vargas faced the undefeated Gabriel Flores Jr. on 10 September 2021, and once again entered the fight in the role of an underdog.[6] He won the fight by unanimous decision, with two judges scoring the fight 100–90 for Lopez-Vargas, while the third judge scored it 98–92 for him.[7]

Following these two upset victories, Lopez was booked to face the undefeated Isaac Lowe in an IBF featherweight title eliminator bout. The fight took place at the York Hall in Bethnal Green on 3 December 2021, and was broadcast by ESPN+ and IFL TV.[8] Lopez-Vargas won the fight by a seventh-round technical knockout. Lowe was floored with a body strike in the final minute of the seventh round, leaving him unable to beat the ten count. Lopez-Vargas knocked his opponent down twice prior to the stoppage, once in the first and once in the second round.[9] Twenty days later, on 23 December 2021, Lopez-Vargas re-signed with Top Rank.[10]

IBF featherweight champion

Lopez vs. Warrington

Lopez challenged the reigning IBF featherweight champion Josh Warrington on 10 December 2022, at the First Direct Arena in Leeds, England.[11] He won the fight by majority decision. Judges Mike Fitzgerald and Adam Height scored the fight 115–113 in favor of Lopez, while judge Howard Foster scored it an even 114–114 draw. Lopez complained of what he perceived to be dirty tactics from Warrington in the post-fight interview, stating: "He even hit me on my legs. I don’t think the referee did his job in protecting the fighters tonight".[12] Aside from suffering a cut above his left eye due to a headbutt, it was furthermore revealed after the fight that Lopez had fractured his left thumb during the bout.[13]

Lopez vs. Conlan, Gonzalez

Lopez was booked to make his maiden title defense against the one-time WBA (Regular) featherweight title challenger Michael Conlan on 27 May 2023, at the SSE Arena in Belfast, Northern Ireland.[14] He won the fight by a fifth-round knockout. Lopez floored his opponent with a right uppercut, which prompted Conlan's corner to immediately throw in the towel, as they judged their fighter to have take too much damage.[15]

Lopez was booked to make a voluntary title defense of his IBF championship against the two-time WBO featherweight title challenger Joet Gonzalez on September 15, 2023, at the American Bank Center in Corpus Christi, Texas.[16] He retained the title by unanimous decision, with scores of 118–110, 117–111 and 116–112.[17]

Lopez vs. Abe

Lopez was scheduled to make the third defense of his IBF featherweight title against Reiya Abe on March 2, 2024 in Verona, New York.[18] He won the fight by TKO in the eighth round.[19]

Lopez vs. Leo

Lopez is scheduled to make the fourth defense of his IBF featherweight title against Angelo Leo at Tingley Coliseum in Albuquerque, New Mexico on August 10, 2024.[20] Lopez lost the fight by 10th round knockout.

Professional boxing record

ResultRecordOpponentTypeRound, timeDateLocationNotes
33Loss30–3Angelo LeoKO10 (12), 10 Aug 2024
32Win30–2Reiya AbeTKO8 (12), 2 Mar 2024
31Win29–2Joet GonzalezUD1215 Sep 2023
30Win28–2Michael ConlanTKO5 (12), 27 May 2023
29Win27–2Josh Warrington1210 Dec 2022
28Win26–2Yeison VargasKO2 (8), 20 Aug 2022
27Win25–2Raul ChirinoKO4 (8), 9 Apr 2022
26Win24–2Isaac LoweKO7 (12), 3 Dec 2021
25Win23–2Gabriel Flores Jr.UD1010 Sep 2021
24Win22–2Mauro LoretoKO1 (8), 18 Mar 2021
23Win21–2Andy VencesSD107 Jul 2020
22Win20–2Cristian BaezTKO5 (10), 14 Dec 2019
21Win19–2Marco Antonio MonterosTKO1 (6), 21 Sep 2019
20Win18–2Israel RojasTKO1 (8), 30 Aug 2019
19Loss17–2Ruben VillaUD1010 May 2019
18Win17–1Ray XimenezTD8 (10)28 Feb 2019
17Win16–1Yahir PatinoTKO5 (6), 15 Dec 2018
16Win15–1Gregorio TorresUD69 Nov 2018
15Win14–1Luis Cueto HernandezTKO2 (6), 29 Sep 2018
14Win13–1Marco Antonio Garcia ToledoTKO3 (6), 31 Aug 2018
13Loss12–1Abraham MontoyaSD1024 Mar 2018
12Win12–0Andres Tapia813 Jan 2018
11Win11–0Cristian BielmaUD1028 Oct 2017
10Win10–0Marcelino HernandezKO3 (8), 5 Aug 2017
9Win9–0Alfredo Mejia VargasTKO6 (10)3 Mar 2017
8Win8–0Zeus ValenzuelaUD81 Jan 2017
7Win7–0Jose PechTKO1 (4), 19 Nov 2016
6Win6–0Juan Antonio Rivera5 (6), 22 Oct 2016
5Win5–0Hector Cansdales4 (6), 10 Sep 2016
4Win4–0Jovanni SaldanaUD429 Apr 2016
3Win3–0Erik Adrian Leyva RamosUD418 Mar 2016
2Win2–0Erick Torres Escobedo429 Jan 2016
1Win1–0Francisco Pacheco46 Nov 2015

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Press Release . Luis Lopez Outboxes Ray Ximenez Over 8 Rounds . 3kingsboxing.com . 20 January 2022 . 7 March 2019.
  2. Web site: boxingsocialist . RUBEN VILLA TO FACE ONCE-BEATEN LUIS ALBERTO LOPEZ IN MAIN EVENT OF SHOBOX MAY 10 . boxingandbasketball.com . 20 January 2022.
  3. Web site: Showtime Boxing . RESULTS: Ruben Villa Decisions Luis Alberto Lopez on ShoBox . boxing247.com . 20 January 2022 . 10 May 2019.
  4. Web site: Fulcrum . Andy Vences versus Luis Alberto Lopez Vargas breakdown . boxingfulcrum.com . 20 January 2022 . 4 July 2020.
  5. Web site: Simpson . Bakari . Luis Lopez Decisions, Upsets Andy Vences . 3kingsboxing.com . 20 January 2022 . 7 July 2020.
  6. Web site: Dell'Amore . Flavio . A Tucson domani molta attenzione per Flores Jr vs Luis Lopez . boxeringweb.net . 20 January 2022 . 9 September 2021.
  7. Web site: Simpson . Bakari . UPSET ALERT: Luis Lopez Vargas Shocks Gabriel Flores Jr . 3kingsboxing.com . 20 January 2022 . 10 September 2021.
  8. Web site: Salazar . Francisco . Luis Alberto Lopez to face Isaac Lowe in IBF eliminator tonight . ringtv.com . 20 January 2022 . 2 December 2021.
  9. Web site: Mason . Paul . Isaac Lowe vs Luis Alberto Lopez - Results & Post-Fight Report . proboxing-fans.com . 20 January 2022 . 4 December 2021.
  10. Web site: Salazar . Francisco . Luis Alberto Lopez re-signs with Top Rank, eyes world title shot in 2022 . ringtv.com . 20 January 2022 . 23 December 2021.
  11. Web site: Christ . Scott . Josh Warrington vs Luis Alberto Lopez official for Dec. 10 in Leeds . badlefthook.com . 30 November 2022 . 24 September 2022.
  12. Web site: Fischer . Doug . Luis Alberto Lopez Edges Josh Warrington In Hard-Fought Maj. Decision, Wins IBF Featherweight Title . ringtv.com . 11 December 2022 . 10 December 2022.
  13. Web site: Boxingscene Staff . Lopez Thought He Would Get Robbed When First Card Was Revealed in Warrington Fight . boxingscene.com . 23 December 2022 . 22 December 2022.
  14. Web site: Boxingscene Staff . Luis Alberto Lopez vs. Michael Conlan Set Down For May 27 In Belfast . boxingscene.com . 20 March 2023 . 20 March 2023.
  15. Web site: Idec . Keith . Luis Alberto Lopez Blasts Out Michael Conlan With Brutal One-Punch KO in Fifth . boxingscene.com . 27 May 2023 . 27 May 2023.
  16. Web site: Stumberg . Patrick L. . Luis Alberto Lopez vs Joet Gonzalez set for September 15th in Corpus Christi . badlefthook.com . 20 July 2023 . 19 July 2023.
  17. Web site: Luis Alberto Lopez resists Joet Gonzalez onslaught to defend IBF featherweight world title . Sky Sports . 16 September 2023 . en.
  18. News: Iskenderov . Parviz . Luis Alberto Lopez expects KO win against Reiya Abe, looks to unify at 126 & move up . FIGHTMAG . 23 February 2024.
  19. News: Iskenderov . Parviz . Luis Alberto Lopez stops Reiya Abe in eighth round to retain title . FIGHTMAG . 3 March 2024.
  20. News: Iskenderov . Parviz . Luis Alberto Lopez faces Angelo Leo in Albuquerque, New Mexico in August . FIGHTMAG . 18 June 2024.