Luis Alberto Lopez Retains IBF Featherweight Title With A Unanimous Decision Over Joet Gonzalez

November 15, 2023

1 year

The IBF featherweight champion, Luis Alberto Lopez, kept his belt after overcoming Joet Gonzalez in a unanimous-decision win.

Lopez started the fight a whole lot better as the pace was difficult for Gonzalez to put up with. And so it showed in the opening parts of the fight.

The champion frequently landed his right hand from unorthodox angles, which was backed up by his vicious left hook. His opponent had no answer as Gonzalez struggled to create any momentum or land much of his own.

That Lopez counter 👀 pic.twitter.com/t7CTmuWfy7

— Top Rank Boxing (@trboxing) September 16, 2023

Lopez Pulls Away

However, as the fight progressed, Gonzalez grew into it. In round six, he continued to find the target with his right hand as the champion tasted what his opponent had to offer.

And yet, the momentum did not last long. After the midway point of the fight, Lopez’s status as champion began to tell. His sustained combinations caused the right side of Gonzalez’s face to swell up.

And the same theme continued with the champion winning at the hands of the judges: 118-110, 117-111 & 116-112.

Reaction

“We knew that Joet Gonzalez is a very dangerous fighter. He never stops attacking. He can take any you throw at him. We knew that’s what we came to do and that he came with a lot of hunger to take the title away from me, but I also am very hungry to remain champion.

“I hurt him. I saw that I hurt him. But, as I’ve said, he’s a warrior who can take anything you throw at him, even the bucket. He is still standing, and my respects to him,” Lopez

“I thought the scores should have been a little closer,” Gonzalez said. “Overall, I am very disappointed in my performance. I felt that I could have done a lot better. By far, this is the worst performance of my title fights,” Gonzalez said. “Even though I prepared to the fullest. I am truly disappointed in my performance,” Gonzalez

Lopez-Gonzalez Co-Main Event

In chief support, Xander Zayas stopped Roberto Valenzuela in the fifth round during their junior middleweight fight. Zayas started on the front foot, dropping his opponent on two occasions in the first round.

.@XanderZayas caught him QUICK. pic.twitter.com/orQ9G9eato

— Top Rank Boxing (@trboxing) September 16, 2023

Thereafter, Valenzuela suffered a cut on his nose by the third round. And it all came to a head in the fifth. Zayas landed a jab that sent his opponent on the backfoot. This was followed up by a left uppercut, as the referee stopped the fight.

A contender now 😤@XanderZayas | #LopezGonzalez pic.twitter.com/HuR83rbkTE

— Top Rank Boxing (@trboxing) September 16, 2023

“I didn’t think he was going to stop bleeding from his nose,” Zayas said post-win. “When I went to my corner, I told my dad [assistant trainer Orlando Garcia] that his nose was really bad. So, we knew that it was a matter of time. I came here to accomplish a goal. I came here to let everybody know at 154 pounds that I’m coming for everything. They said he was a power puncher, and I dominated tonight. I’m a contender now at 154 pounds. Whenever Top Rank gives me the opportunity, I’ll be ready for a world title. All my respect to Roberto. He was a warrior like I knew he was going to be,” Zayas stated