Luis Alberto “El Venado” Lopez (29-2, 16 KOs) initiated the celebrations for Mexican Independence Day Weekend by safeguarding his IBF Featherweight World Title against the two-time world title challenger, Joet Gonzalez (26-4, 15 KOs) on Friday night at the American Bank Center in Corpus Christi, Texas.
Lopez had aspirations of becoming the first boxer to defeat Gonzalez. However, he was confronted with a relentless opponent who never showed signs of retreat.
As the fight opened up, Gonzalez aggressively attacked Lopez with body shots. Yet, by the third and fourth rounds, Lopez adeptly gauged his range, using his footwork to launch attacks from a distance.
The defensive strategy adopted by Gonzalez, particularly his raised guard, posed a challenge for Lopez to land his characteristic leaping punches. However, sporadic counterattacks from Lopez on the inside prevented Gonzalez from building a steady rhythm.
As the later rounds approached, Lopez’s energy seemed to wane, prompting Gonzalez to capitalize and exert the same pressure as he had initiated in the initial rounds.
Nevertheless, Gonzalez’s efforts fell short. Lopez held onto his championship belt with the judges scoring the fight at 118-110, 117-111, and 116-112 in his favor.
Speaking after the fight, Lopez commented, “We were well aware of the threat Joet Gonzalez poses. His relentless attacking style and his resilience, taking on any punches thrown his way, was evident. He was here with a singular goal – to snatch the title. However, my resolve to remain the champion was equally unyielding. I managed to hurt him during our exchanges, and while he proved his mettle by enduring, I hold immense respect for him.”
Commenting on the closeness of the fight, he added, “Gonzalez was always on the offense, never backing down. Despite the challenging bout, I am confident about my victory.”
Gonzalez, reflecting on his performance, remarked, “I anticipated the scores to be tighter. I’m genuinely disappointed. While I gave it my all during preparations, my performance tonight fell short of my previous title fights. Though I managed to land some quality punches, I believe there was room for improvement.”
