Luis Lopez successfully defended his IBF featherweight title in a thrilling match against Michael Conlan in Belfast, Northern Ireland. The fight ended in the fifth round when Lopez delivered a powerful right uppercut that knocked Conlan down and led to his corner throwing in the towel to stop the bout before the referee could administer a 10-count.
Luis Lopez (28-2, 16 KO’s) was making his first title defense of the IBF Featherweight belt. In his previous title fight in December, he won a majority decision against Josh Warrington (32-2-1, 8 KO’s) in Warrington’s hometown of Leeds, England.
During the match, Michael Conlan (18-2, 9 KO’s) initially used his southpaw jab and body work effectively to keep Lopez at bay. However, the tide turned in the third round when Lopez landed a right uppercut that visibly hurt Michael Conlan. Despite surviving the round, Conlan struggled to regain control, and Lopez remained dominant for the rest of the fight.
After the knockout, Luis Lopez emphasized his superior power, strength, speed, and footwork, asserting his position as one of the world’s top featherweights.
For Michael Conlan, it was his second attempt at a Featherweight title. He previously lost to Leigh Wood in the 12th round, failing to capture the WBA belt. Conlan had regained momentum with a victory over Miguel Marriaga in August before facing Lopez.
Following his win,Luis Lopez was seen limping in the ring and revealed that he had been dealing with a leg issue in the locker room. Despite the ailment, the 29-year-old fighter showed his resilience and maintained his status as a top featherweight contender.
In a concerning incident on the undercard, Featherweight contender Ludumo Lamati (21-1-1, 11 KO’s) had to be taken out of the ring on a stretcher after his stoppage loss to Nick Ball (18-0, 11 KO’s). Lamati’s corner decided to end the bout in the 12th round due to the significant damage he had sustained. Medical officials provided immediate assistance to Lamati, but there was no immediate update on his condition.
Aside from Michael Conlan, other well-known Irish fighters such as Anthony Cacace (21-1, 7 KO’s) and Padraig McCrory (17-0, 9 KO’s) participated with both netting comfortable victory over their opponents.
