Boxing has a loaded lineup on Saturday, and one of those fights will take place live on ESPN+ from the SSE Arena in Belfast, Ireland. IBF featherweight champion Luis Alberto Lopez (27-2, 15 KOs) takes on 31-year-old Michael Conlan (18-1, 9 KOs). This fight will have plenty of interested parties as a future fight with the likes of Ruben Villa, Josh Warrington, and Joet Gonzalez are waiting in the winds.
CAN LUIS ALBERTO LOPEZ PULL OUT AN IMPORTANT VICTORY IN BELFAST
"Don't forget, I'm the world champion!" 👑 Luis Alberto Lopez#LopezConlan | Saturday, 9pm Ring Walk | BT Sport 1 pic.twitter.com/4VEB2lc0w9
— Queensberry Promotions (@Queensberry) May 25, 2023
It’s no secret that winning on the road, especially when it comes to going across the pond, can be challenging. Lopez is the IBF featherweight champion but will have to work hard to secure a victory if the fight goes to the scorecards. Lopez likes to lunge in on his opponents, and there is always the likelihood of a cut happening at some point in the fight. What Lopez does well is that he is unpredictable and throws those types of punches hard, just like Emanuel Navarrete. That isn’t as easy as it sounds, but Lopez is fluid when he executes his combinations.
Lopez has to keep Conlan thinking and catch him when he is more vulnerable, which lately has been in the second half of a fight. If Lopez can go to the body early, he may set himself up for a late stoppage victory, but if he doesn’t, he will have to put in a consistent volume of work throughout the fight to win on the scorecards. Can Lopez pull out the victory in front of a pro-Conlan crowd?
CAN MICHAEL CONLAN GO ON A CHAMPIONSHIP RUN AT 31, OR HAS THE MILEAGE CAUGHT UP TO HIM?
"Thanks for coming, but Saturday night I will be champion." 👑
— Queensberry Promotions (@Queensberry) May 25, 2023
A confident but respectful @mickconlan11. #LopezConlan | Saturday, 9pm Ring Walk | BT Sport 1 pic.twitter.com/8WGl8LaLqd
It seems like just yesterday, Conlan’s name was red hot in the boxing industry after the Olympics. That Bronze medal victory was in 2012, and he hasn’t quite lived up to the potential that everyone thought he would have. Conlan is a solid fighter, but he hasn’t had consistently good performances, and at 31, one has to imagine that the mileage on his body’s odometer is catching up to him. This is a tough fight for him; stylistically, it will be a challenge as Lopez isn’t your traditional fighter. So how does Conlan combat that?
Conlan must use Lopez’s weapon against him and time his counter shots based on what Lopez is showing him come fight night. Lopez’s punches are wide, and he often leaves his hands low, giving Conlan the opportunity to secure a KO/TKO victory. Does Conlan have the discipline to see the game plan through and catch Lopez in one of his reckless moments?
LUIS ALBERTO LOPEZ VS. MICHAEL CONLAN PREDICTION
Just two days away 🍿#LopezConlan is set to be a cracker. Tune in on Saturday night on BT Sport 1 pic.twitter.com/VFlSfyy6jY
— Queensberry Promotions (@Queensberry) May 25, 2023
I’m not saying that Conlan is past his prime, but I think Lopez is getting him at the right time, which may mean bad news for Conlan. This fight will go to the scorecards, and although they will try to take the fight from Lopez, he would have done enough to keep the title.
LUIS ALBERTO LOPEZ VS. MICHAEL CONLAN BETTING ODDS
Per BetOnline.ag, Michael Conlan is the favorite at -135 (Over 10 ½ rounds -300), and Luis Alberto Lopez is the underdog at +105 (Under 10 ½ rounds +240).
LUIS ALBERTO LOPEZ VS. MICHAEL CONLAN DATE, START TIME
- Date: Saturday, May 27
- Start time: 2 p.m. ET / 11 a.m. PT
- Main event ringwalks (approx): 4 p.m. ET / 1 p.m. PT
These timings could change due to the length of the undercard fights.
No emotion ❌🥶@mickconlan11 is refusing to get caught up in the excitement ahead of his second World Title shot on Saturday evening. #LopezConlan | Saturday, 9pm Ring Walk | BT Sport 1 pic.twitter.com/hdKkdpihg9
— Queensberry Promotions (@Queensberry) May 25, 2023
WHAT CHANNEL/STREAM IS LUIS ALBERTO LOPEZ VS. MICHAEL CONLAN?
- U.S.: ESPN+
- UK: BT Sport
LUIS ALBERTO LOPEZ VS. MICHAEL CONLAN FIGHT CARD
- Luis Alberto Lopez vs. Michael Conlan; For Lopez's IBF featherweight title
- Nick Ball vs. Ludomo Lumati for WBC Silver featherweight title
- Anthony Cacace vs. Damian Wrzesinski for IBO super-featherweight title
- Conor Quinn vs. Juan Hinostroza; super-flyweight
- Padraig McCrory vs. Diego Ramirez; super middleweight
- Pierce O'Leary vs. Alin Ciorceri for WBC International super-lightweight title
- William Hayden vs. Jordan Ellison; lightweight
- Kieran Molloy vs. Lesther Espino; welterweight
- Fearghus Quinn vs. Ruben Angulo; middleweight
- Kurt Walker vs. Maicol Velazco; featherweight
- James Freeman vs. Jordan Grannum; middleweight
- Callum Thompson vs. Marian Istrate; lightweight
