Saturday night sees the Betfred sponsored fight Warrington vs Lopez – Warriors Collide, live from the First Direct Arena in Leeds. The two fighters will compete for Warrington’s IBF Featherweight title and we’ve not only previewed the fight, but given you our best bets for the occasion.

Warrington vs Lopez Predictions

Bet on Warrington vs Lopez with Betfred here

Where and when is the fight taking place?

The fight is happening at the First Direct Arena in Leeds on Saturday 10th December and will be broadcast live and exclusively on DAZN. The event will be an Eddie Hearn promotion for Matchroom Boxing. The show will start at 1.30pm, then take a break for the England match and then conclude with the main card at 9pm. The ring walk for Warrington v Lopez is expected to start around 10.30pm.

What does the full fight card look like?

  • MAIN EVENT: Josh Warrington vs Luis Alberto Lopez – for IBF world featherweight title
  • Ebanie Bridges vs Shannon O’Connell – for IBF women’s world bantamweight title
  • Felix Cash vs Celso Neves
  • James Metcalf vs Courtney Pennington
  • Hopey Price vs Sofiane Takoucht
  • Shannon Courtenay vs Gemma Ruegg
  • Junaid Bostan vs Aljaz Venko
  • Calum French vs Kurt Jackson
  • Rhiannon Dixon vs Kristine Shergold
  • Cory O’Regan vs Jordan Ellison
  • Koby McNamara vs Nabil Ahmed

(subject to change)

Who’s the favourite?

The bookies are struggling to separate the two fighters with IBF Champ Warrington a slight favourite at 5/6. The challenger is available at evens, with the draw out at 16/1.

What’s been said?

Warrington:

“It was a bit of a wakeup call was Mauricio Lara – the first one. I let my guard down. I had the Lara defeat and then all of a sudden it was, ‘he’s finished, he’s had his time in the sun’. That’s not the case. It was only a short time in the sun and I feel like I was just getting going.

I’m very excited to be back in Leeds. It’s going to be a hard fight, he comes forward, he’s wild and erratic, I’ve got history with Mexican fighters, but I’m hoping to put on a great performance in front of my home crowd.

I’ve been saying it for so long about going over to the States and fighting in a unification fight. That’s the dream but due to delays with injuries to my jaw and hand I have to fight my mandatory now. I’m fully focused on doing a job, getting the show closed early and finishing 2022 with a bang.”

Lopez:

“I always come here as a warrior for war and I won’t be going home without that world title

I come here full of capabilities and confident in my preparation. I am coming for the knockout.”

 

Fight to go the distance – No – 6/5

Josh Warrington has always had an all action style thats been pleasing to the casuals eye. The Leeds Warrior rose to prominence from an undercard fighter with a decent local support to a world champion on the back of a relentless engine, quick hands and walk forward style.

However, that all changed when the 32-year-old faced Mexican Mauricio Lara for the first time in February 2021. Warrington was dropped in the fourth, never really regained his leg strength and was knocked out in the ninth round.

Since that fight, there have been serious questions over the Yorkshireman’s durability and despite a comeback win over veteran Kiko Martinez which secured his 2nd world title, you have to ask if he is past is prime?

The Leeds man was always questioned over his punch power with just one stoppage in his first 16 fights but he has gotten heavier handed over the years. That’s not one accusation that can be levelled at another Mexican, Luis Alberto Lopez.

Hailing from Mexicali, the 29-year-old enters this bout with a 26-2 record, with 15 of those wins coming via KO. Lopez has won seven of his last night fights by knockout, with four of those coming in the first two rounds.

With both men favouring aggression over footwork and defence, it could be a real slugfest in the middle of the ring and I can’t see anyway this goes the full distance.

Luis Alberto Lopez to win by KO/TKO/DQ/Technical Decision – 2/1

You have to side with the man who has never been stopped in his career and who looks extremely durable in this one. I expect Warrington to win some early rounds before he is caught and badly hurt.

I’m taking the 2/1 on Lopez to stop Josh inside the 12 round distance.

Luis Alberto Lopez to win in rounds 4-6 – 8/1

For a longer value punt, I like the look of the Mexican to win in the first half of the fight and am having a small bit of change on rounds 4-6 on the grouped round betting.

Heaven forbid if England and Warrington both lose on the night, I predict a riot…

Enjoy the fight!

Boxing Odds

*All prices correct at the time of writing.

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