Mexico’s Luis Alberto Lopez boxed to a unanimous decision win over Joet Gonzalez in a successful second IBF featherweight title defense at the American Bank Center in Corpus Christi, Texas, on September 15.
This time last year, Lopez (29-2, 16 KOs) was largely unknown. However, thanks to his world title win over Josh Warrington and a fifth-round hammering of Michael Conlan, the Mexicali native is now widely recognized as the best featherweight in the world.
Gonzalez (26-4, 15 KOs) could not make it a case of third-time lucky on his third unsuccessful world title challenge as Lopez prevailed by margins of 118-110, 117-111 and 116-112
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The Sporting News takes a deep dive into what could lie ahead for the 30-year-old champion.
Will Luis Alberto Lopez fight Robeisy Ramirez?
Cuba’s Ramirez (13-1, 8 KOs) could provide the ultimate test for Lopez. The WBO champ is expected by many to breach the pound-for-pound ratings one day, and his amateur pedigree (former Olympic champion) and performance level as a pro support those lofty predictions.
Following Ramirez’s dominant title win over Isaac Dogboe in April, the fast-shooting lefty had a quick turnaround for his first defense, battering Satoshi Shimizu into submission inside five rounds on the Stephen Fulton-Naoya Inoue undercard in July.
The 29-year-old Ramirez has exceptional hand speed, bundles of ring craft and is spiteful with it. Ignore the one defeat — which came on points in his debut and has since been avenged — Ramirez is very special and he’ll be a handful for anyone at 126 pounds.
With both fighters promoted by Top Rank, this unification showdown would be easy enough to make.
MORE: SN's Top-12 pound-for-pound boxers list
Will Luis Alberto Lopez fight Leigh Wood?
We have a potential classic here.
Wood, like Lopez, took the world stage by storm, posting back-to-back wins over Can Xu – to win the WBA regular title – and Michael Conlan in what was later named The Ring Magazine Fight of the Year for 2022.
When Leo Santa Cruz vacated the WBA title, Wood was upgraded – deservedly so – to full champion. Refusing to rest on his laurels, the Englishman threw down the gauntlet at feared Mexican puncher Mauricio Lara for what was a voluntary defense.
Disaster, via sickening left hook, struck.
After boxing beautifully through six rounds, Wood was stopped in the seventh after rising on unsteady legs. A fighter to the core, the ex-champ activated his rematch clause and took full advantage. In what was arguably a career-best performance, “Leigh-thal” scored a masterful 12-round unanimous decision over an overweight Lara to regain the crown in May.
But before Wood (27-3, 16 KOs) can think about a showdown with Lopez, he has a very dangerous assignment against former two-time champ Josh Warrington on October 7.
Will Luis Alberto Lopez fight Rey Vargas?
Despite coming off a one-sided thrashing at the hands of O’Shaquie Foster in a bout for the vacant WBC super featherweight title, Rey Vargas still holds WBC gold at featherweight.
The Mexican technician, who also racked up five defenses of the WBC super bantamweight championship, has been criminally overlooked during his championship run. Prior to the Foster setback, Vargas won his first 36 fights as a pro and his talent is beyond reproach. Signature wins have come against Oscar Negrete, Ronny Rios, Tomoki Kameda, and Mark Magsayo.
Foster managed to outspeed and outclass Vargas over the distance and he was the naturally bigger man. Lopez, while powerful, is less polished than Foster, so the WBC champ might be able to impose his boxing skills on his countryman and build up a points lead.
The main reason you’re unlikely to see this one is that Vargas fights for Premier Boxing Champions, who aren’t in the habit of doing business with Top Rank.
