IBF featherweight world champion Luis Alberto “El Venado” Lopez is gearing up to make the first defense of his crown. The 29-year-old will face Michael “Mick” Conlan Saturday, May 27, at The SSE Arena in Conlan’s hometown of Belfast. Lopez-Conlan and undercard bouts will stream live and exclusively on ESPN+ in the United States. BT Sport will broadcast the event in the UK and Ireland.
Following a recent training session, this is what Lopez had to say:
“I’m excited to have given both my country and my family a world champion. It’s not every day that you get a new world champion in my hometown of Mexicali, Mexico. It had been 27 years since my city last had a world champion. So, I’m happy to have been able to do that.
“We’re making a strong finish to camp. We’re working with Kay Koroma at DLX Boxing in Las Vegas. We’re making big changes. We know I have speed. We know I have power. But now we’re working on sitting down more on my punches and on using my distance.
“This is going to be a great fight. He’s an Olympian. He knows how to stick and move. It’s going to be a difficult fight. But my preparation has been excellent. This has been the best training camp of my entire career. And as soon as he starts planting his feet a bit, the fight will end very quickly.
“It wouldn’t be smart for him to try to brawl with me. So, I expect him to come out and box. But I have the speed and strength to cut the ring and find him. I will knock Michael Conlan out!”
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