Luis Alberto Lopez successfully defended his IBF featherweight title for the third time by stopping Reiya Abe in the recent boxing match. The event took place at Turning Stone Resort Casino in Verona, New York.
Lopez, a Mexican boxer with a record of 30-2 (17 KOs), has previously defended his title against Michael Conlan and Joet Gonzalez. He acquired the IBF belt in December 2022 from Josh Warrington by majority decision.
On the other hand, Reiya Abe from Japan entered the ring with a record of 25-4-1 (10 KOs).
The match saw Lopez using constant pressure and an awkward attack pattern. He injured Abe as early as Round 2 with a left hook, causing significant swelling to Abe’s right eye. This injury became critical as the fight progressed. Despite Abe's attempts to box and elude shots, Lopez’s strategy led to dominant performance.
By Round 7, CompuBox stats showed Lopez landing 33 of 74 punches compared to Abe’s 7 of 35.
The referee stopped the bout just 39 seconds into Round 8 following advice from a ringside physician who checked on Abe's condition between rounds.
Following his victory, Lopez expressed his determination, quoting, "I came out to finish that fight in the eighth round. I looked over to see my wife, my mother and my daughter and said, 'This is the moment to end the fight.'"
Looking ahead, Lopez aims to either unify titles at 126 pounds or move up to junior lightweight to challenge the winner of Oscar Valdez vs. Liam Wilson on March 29. Additionally, Raymond Ford, after securing a victory in a co-feature fight on the same night, is considering moving up to 130 pounds.
