Christopher Lopez is eager to make a name for himself in a very competitive junior featherweight division.
The undefeated junior featherweight hopes to impress the boxing crowd on Friday night when he takes on Alejandro Diaz at the Grand Oasis Arena in Cancun, Mexico.
The 10-round fight will headline a card promoted by former world champion Juan Manuel Marquez and Pepe Gomez’s Cancun Boxing (ProBox TV, 9 pm ET/ 6 pm PT).
Lopez (15-0-1, 10 KOs), who resides in the boxing hotbed of Guadalajara, Mexico, has battled modest opposition to build an undefeated record. In his last fight on February 6, which also took place in Cancun, Lopez defeated Nicaraguan Dixon Flores by unanimous decision. In his previous fight on October 16, Lopez defeated former world title challenger Franklin Manzanilla by decision.
Lopez wants to make an impression against the former world champions, but he also wants to make a statement at Diaz’s expense.
“I’m very happy to be here, and it’s very exciting that (former) world champions are talking about my fight,” Lopez said at Wednesday’s news conference. “This is a big step in my career fighting (on) ProBox TV and it’s going to be a great night of fights.”
The 25-year-old has fought several times at the Grand Oasis Arena, but will do so for the first time under a Marquez Promotions card. Marquez joined former world champions Roy Jones, Jr., Antonio Tarver, Miguel Cotto and Paulie Malignaggi in investing resources to fund ProBox TV along with founder Garry Jonas.
Jones, Tarver, Malignaggi and Marquez provide color commentary on ProBox TV broadcasts along with announcer Mike Goldberg.
“I know it is going to be a tough fight and I am very prepared. I’m going to be very smart in my attack and I think my smarts in the ring will win me the fight on Friday night.”
Diaz (11-4-2, 6 KOs), who resides in Mexico City, defeated journeyman Alan Salazar Blanco by majority decision in his last fight on July 23. Before the win over Salazar, the 22-year-old had lost back-to-back fights to featherweight prospect Frency Fortunato and fringe bantamweight contender Liborio Solis.
The undercard will see a clash of junior featherweights residing in Mexico City as Bryan Mercado Vazquez (22-1, 17 KOs) faces Victor Albino (14-1, 5 KOs) in a 10-round bout. .
Junior lightweight prospect Jaycob Gomez-Zayas (6-0, 5 KOs) from Caguas, Puerto Rico will take on Mexican Luis Reyes Carmona (9-2-1, 2 KOs) in a six round bout.
Undefeated junior welterweight Jusiyah Shirley will take on Jorge Martinez (6-3, 3 KOs) of Mexico City in a six-round fight. Shirley (6-0, 5 KOs) resides in Orlando, Florida.
In the opening bout of the stream, 16-year-old Tony Curtis, Jr. of London, England will take on Javier Calderon (1-3) of Mexico City in a four-round bout. Curtis, an amateur standout making his pro debut, is trained by Roy Jones, Jr.
Francisco A. Salazar has written for The Ring since October 2013 and has covered boxing in Southern California and abroad since 2000. Francisco also covers boxing for the Ventura County, California, Star newspaper. He can be contacted by email at [email protected] or on Twitter at @FSalazarBoxing
