Josh Warrington Vs. Luis Alberto Lopez: The IBF Featherweight At Stake

The First Direct Arena in Leeds was packed to the brim last night. And why not? The IBF Featherweight belt was on the line.

People were expecting their hometown hero to retain his title. But fate had a different plan. It was Lopez, the visitor, who shocked everyone present to snatch the title away from Warrington.

The fight was scheduled for twelve rounds. And it went all the way where Lopez emerged victorious by majority decision. Warrington finished strong, but it was not in the cards for him as he is left to contemplate.

Scroll down to see how it all went down.

Warrington Vs. Lopez: Before The Match

This was Warrington’s first title defense this year. He won back the belt in March against Kiko Martinez. This match was also Warrington’s first competitive match ever since his championship-winning bout.

Meanwhile, Lopez was coming off a KO victory against Yeison Vargas in August. It was an impressive second-round knockout, as he hoped to do something similar last night.

Lopez qualified for this match after beating Isaac Lowe in 2021. His current record is impressive, with 26-2, including 15 KOs. On the other hand, Warrington has a record of 31-1-1, including eight knockouts.

He has also tasted victory with the WBO championship before. So, this was not going to be easy for Warrington. He had the home crowd advantage.

But his bad history with Mexican fighters would come and haunt him. Yes, we’re talking about Warrington’s confrontation with Mauricio Lara last year.

How The Fight Went Down: Round-by-round Analysis

There was a brief break before the main event to watch England versus France World Cup match. France beat England 2-1 courtesy of Olivier Giroud’s 78th-minute goal. England Captain Harry Kane had a chance to equalize but saw his spot kick fly high above the goal.

And home fans were treated to another disappointing result as they watched their homeboy lose. The two contenders made it through all the scheduled twelve rounds.

But in the end, it was down to the three judges who scored two 115-113 and a draw. Lopez was declared the winner by the majority decision. Here is how the action unfolded.

Rounds One To Five

Lopez had a fine start to the match. The challenger started with a few jabs, but Warrington replied with a few of his own. But it was not looking too well for the home team.

Warrington’s nose started bleeding, indicating Lopez landed a huge blow to his face. The Leeds Warrior looked uncomfortable as he tended to his nose while keeping Lopez at bay. Lopez ends the round with the advantage.

The second round was more even. Both fighters tried to get the upper hand exchanging rights and lefts. It was Lopez’s time to bleed as his left eye started gushing. It was the result of a head collision with the Leeds man. Warrington takes the round.

Lopez brings back the momentum in his favor in round three. But Warrington has still got the champion fuel left in him. And he’s not backing out yet. But the round ends in favor of the Mexican.

The fourth round saw nothing new between the two athletes. Although it was a sloppy round for both, Lopez pushed forward. It was another positive round for the challenger.

Lopez started the fifth round eager to end things as he tried to land his jabs and uppercuts. The champ responds with some left hooks, which Lopez dodges easily. Things are looking better for Warrington as he turns the tables in this round.

Rounds Six To Ten

The final round of the first half reverses back to Lopez again. It’s back and forth between the homeboy and the challenger. Lopez lands his body shots nicely, but Warrington absorbs them well. He needs to get back up as the bell rings.

Lopez retains the momentum in the seventh round. The champ remained busy trying to counter his menacing jabs. He spends most of this round trying to retreat and land a few shots to no avail. Lopez has little success with most of his jabs. But he scores the round as he is busier than the Englishman.

It’s another round for Lopez. Warrington started better, landing a huge right hand. But Lopez scoffs it off and continues the fight. His movements and accuracy fare much better. Warrington needs to be more dynamic.

Warrington turned the tides in the ninth round. It’s a much better round for the champ as the challenger throws some complaints to the referee.

Things turn in the Mexican’s favor again in round ten. His combo shots are the highlight of the round. The champ has nothing in response and needs to rethink.

Final Two Rounds

Warrington shows why he is the champ in the eleventh round. His resilience is evident as he lands a couple of left hooks on Lopez’s chin. The challenger is taken aback and tries to respond. He looks intimidated for the first time tonight.

Warrington continued his Fury with his head, and body shots as the crowd cheered. The bell rang, and the fight was now going all the way.

The champ lets everything out in the final round. Lopez does little to respond to Warrington’s Fury. A left hook leaves Lopez wobbling but not down yet. The referee calls for the bell, and Warrington stands tall at the end. But was it enough? We moved to the judge’s verdict.

Two judges scored the fight 115-113, and one scored a draw of 114-114. The fight and the title go to Luis Alberto Lopez.

Warrington looked dejected. But it was Lopez’s performance in the first few rounds that gave him the advantage. Warrington’s revival in the closing rounds proved blatant as Lopez edged past him by the narrowest of margins.

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