Luis Alberto Lopez vs Joet Gonzalez Undercard is Announced

Press Release:

Mexico’s featherweight king is set to put his crown on the line during Mexican Independence Day Weekend. 

Luis Alberto “El Venado” Lopez will defend his IBF world title against former two-time world title challenger Joet Gonzalez on Friday, September 15 at American Bank Center in Corpus Christi, Texas. Lopez returns stateside after back-to-back championship showdowns abroad.

 In the 10-round junior middleweight co-feature, rising Puerto Rican sensation Xander Zayas takes on Mexico’s Roberto Valenzuela Jr.

Lopez-Gonzalez and Zayas-Valenzuela will be broadcast live on ESPN, ESPN Deportes and ESPN+ at 10:30 p.m. ET/7:30 p.m. PT

The ESPN+-streamed undercard includes an all-Mexico showdown, a U.S. Olympian, and the return of three of Top Rank’s top contenders. 

Mexican standouts Omar Aguilar (25-1, 24 KOs) and Julio Luna (20-1-2, 11 KOs) will collide in an eight-round welterweight battle. Both are on the comeback trail following losses to two of Top Rank’s finest. Aguilar suffered his first career setback against Lindolfo Delgado last August and returned with a second-round TKO win over Cristian Sonora Soltero in May. Luna dropped a 10-round decision to Giovani Santillan last August, but he bounced back with a third-round knockout win against Hassam Valenzuela in March.

 Lightweight contender Jamaine Ortiz (16-1-1, 8 KOs) returns in a 10-rounder. Last October, the 27-year-old took an early lead against former lightweight champion Vasiliy “Loma” Lomachenko before losing the tightly contested battle via unanimous decision. 

 Brazilian Olympic gold medalist and former two-time title challenger Robson Conceicao (17-2, 8 KOs) will see action in an eight-round junior lightweight tilt. Conceicao heads to the ring for the second time this year following a no contest against Nicolas Polanco in June.

 Former world title challenger Ruben Villa (20-1, 7 KOs) returns in an eight-round featherweight clash against Colombia’s Brandon Valdes (15-3, 7 KOs). Villa dominated Maickol Lopez Villagrana en route to a fifth-round KO in May.

 U.S. Olympian Tiger Johnson (9-0, 5 KOs) makes his third appearance of 2023 in an eight-round junior welterweight fight against an opponent to be named. He scored a dominant decision win over Jonathan Montrel in July.