No one could ever accuse Josesito Lopez of taking it easy. For three straight fights over the course of a year, Lopez took on three of the toughest customers in the game.
Josesito Lopez came up in weight class to take on Canelo Alvarez, but was stopped in the sixth.
When you put together that kind of run, you've earned the right to call them your Greatest Hits. Will his fight against Andre Berto on Friday top even these? Tune into Spike TV at 9 p.m. to find out.
3 vs. Saul “Canelo” Alvarez, September 15, 2012 at MGM Grand Garden Arena, Las Vegas
After fighting at 147, Lopez went up to 154 to take on the dangerous, undefeated Alvarez. There were fireworks in the fight, but Alvarez ultimately overwhelmed Lopez, stopping him in the fifth.
“It was a big fight,” Lopez said. “It was a fight I had to go up in weight division again. It was more of a fight where fans and people got to know me as a person and the tough fighter I am. I think that increased my fanbase even through the fight didn’t go my way and showed my grit and willingness to trade with one of the biggest fighters out there. I wish I could have performed a lot better.”
2 vs. Marcos Maidana, June 8, 2013 at Home Depot Center, Carson, California
After the Alvarez loss, Lopez didn’t take any kind of breather for his next fight up, the hard-hitting Maidana. Lopez didn’t make it any easier on himself, either, coming back down to 147. Unfortunately, the dropdown didn’t change the outcome, with Lopez again was stopped, this time in the sixth. Unlike in the Alvarez fight, though, Lopez felt like he easily could have kept going, and might have been the victim of an early hook.
“For Maidana I prepared well. I was ready,” Lopez said. “We had a great, great fight and then came a punch that caught me. He hurt me. I wish I could have kept on going. I felt like I could still fight. I really felt disappointed the fight was stopped early, such an exciting fight, especially with the referee knowing the type of fighters we are, I felt like it was stopped too early. But I gave a great fight and I fought a great fighter in Marcos Maidana. I put my losses behind me, so I grow and learn from every fight, win or lose.”
1 vs. Victor Ortiz, June 23, 2012 at Staples Center, Los Angeles
For nine rounds, Ortiz seemed to be in control of his fight against Lopez. That is, until Lopez pounded Vicious Victor square on the jaw in the ninth. The fight changed in an instant. So did Ortiz’s taste in solid food over the next few weeks: Lopez busted Ortiz’s jaw, forcing his foe to quit on the stool.
“Throughout the fight I had a light first two-three rounds, but after the storm I started increasing the pace and I was catching him and landing them and hurting him every round,” Lopez said. “Come the ninth round I caught him with a good hook that I guess broke his jaw. At the time I didn’t notice, but I knew I was hurting him almost every round. It’s tough. Nobody can put themselves in his position and what he was actually feeling at the time. I’m not one to judge.”
- Topics
- Greatest hits
- Josesito Lopez
