Gonzalez vs. Lopez: "There is no respect when we enter the ring!"

Also read In Monaco, Joe Cordina will face Edward Vazquez to defend his IBF super-featherweight championship

After beating Josh Warrington and Michael Conlan, IBF featherweight world champion Luis Alberto Lopez will take on Joet Gonzalez,in the early hours of Saturday morning; "I am a warrior who goes forward. My goal," Lopez warned, "is to knock him out"Luis Alberto Lopez has t

oured Great Britain and Northern Ireland, winning and defending his IBF featherweight world title.

He's even fought at the small but historic boxing venue, York Hall in the East End of London.

IBF featherweight world champion Luis Alberto Lopez will fight Joet Gonzalez in the

wee hours of Saturday morning after defeating Josh Warrington and Michael Conlan. Luis Alberto Lopez has toured Great Britain and Northern Ireland while holding and defending the IBF featherweight world title. "My goal," Lopez vowed, "is to knock him out."

He has even competed at the East End of London's York Hall, a modest but storied boxing venue.

In 2021, after he had handed Gabriel Flores a first defeat, he administered another first professional defeat to Isaac Lowe, knocking the Briton out in seven rounds at York Hall.He returned to the UK as a world title challenger a year later, upsetting Josh Warrington in Leeds to win a decision and capture the IBF featherweight championship.

"It meant the world to me to win again Josh Warrington in Leeds. Everything was against me," Lopez told Sky Sports.

"The crowd was against me. It was a very, very rough crowd and he was a very dirty fighter but at the end of the day, my team and I were able to pull out the win

Isaac Lowe was knocked out in seven rounds at York Hall in 2021 after he had previously delivered a maiden professional defeat to Gabriel Flores.The following year, he returned to the UK as a world title contender and defeated Josh Warrington in Leeds to win a decision and earn the IBF featherweight title.

"Winning again against Josh Warrington in Leeds meant the world to me. I had nothing going for me," Lopez told Sky Sports.

"The audience wasn't on my side. He was a very dishonest fighter, and the audience was really hostile, but in the end, my team and I were able to prevail.

That was a significant triumph, and Lopez displayed his talent once more when he faced Michael Conlan, the well-liked Olympic medalist, at the SSE Arena in Belfast in May.The Irishman was defeated by Lopez and knocked out in just five rounds.

"The energy in Belfast was incredible. I was treated well by people," Lopez stated. "People would approach me and tell me they enjoyed my boxing even when they were supporting Michael Conlan and wearing Conlan jerseys and flags.

"The performance, it's what we planned. I'm not surprised. People were telling me they were surprised but I'm not surprised because when you put the hard work in, you know what you're capable of."

The Mexican is a fighter in form and at the American Bank Center in Corpus Christi, Texas, he makes the second defence of his title, live on Sky Sports Arena from 1am on Saturday morning.

His challenger is Joet Gonzalez, who has been defeated three times in his professional career but only by top-class opposition: multi-weight world champions Shakur Stevenson and Emanuel Navarrete as well as former world champion Isaac Dogboe.

"I respect him [Gonzalez] because he has had great fights. He has done a great job in his career. But you know that when we get in the ring, there is no respect. I am going to take this belt home for my family and for Mexico," Lopez declared.

Boxing on Mexican Independence weekend adds an extra edge to the fight.

"I am happy to fight on an important date for Mexico where Joet Gonzalez and I will be representing our country. We are going to present a real war that night," Lopez said.

"It's going to be a total war. When there are two hungry Mexicans in the ring, they always go at it with everything. We know that Joet Gonzalez is tough. And my goal, as I've said, is to knock him out."

For Gonzalez, it is a third and quite possibly final chance to win a world title. He's unlikely to get another opportunity like this.

"I've got to win," Gonzalez said. "Every time I step into the ring, I give it my all.

"Sometimes it's not your night. It is what it is. But I'm still here, and I'm going to give it my all every time.

"I'm expecting a great fight. It's a big day for Mexico. All I have to do is win and become the new IBF world champion. Plain and simple. I can't go home empty-handed."

However, Lopez exhibited little doubt that he would prevail.

"I'm not over-confident that I'm going to beat Joet Gonzalez," he said. "I'm confident in the work that I've put in.

"I'm confident in the strategy that me and my team have worked on. I'm confident that I didn't struggle to make weight. I'm confident that I've been doing the proper sparring with the right people. I'm confident that the work is there.

"I respect Joet Gonzalez so it's not that Joet Gonazalez is not a good enough fighter to be sharing the ring with me. It's just that I've been working so hard that I believe in myself. This is not diminishing his work, it's just applauding what I've been doing in the gym."

Lopez promised: "We are ready as always. I am a fighter who knows how to give exciting fights. I am a warrior who goes forward. They know that when 'El Venado' gets in the ring, there will be a great show."

There will be exciting options for him if he is successful. Impressive Cuban world champion Robeisy Ramirez for instance holds the WBO belt at 126lbs.

"As long as it makes sense, I'll take on any name, I'll take on any challenge, I'll take on any fighter in the world," Lopez said.

"Me and my team will go anywhere. We've proven this before. We'll go to the end of the world."