Boxing

IBF World Featherweight Title Fight: Josh Warrington vs. Luis Alberto Lopez Betting Preview

IBF World Featherweight Title Fight: Josh Warrington vs. Luis Alberto Lopez Betting Preview

Featherweight boxing heads to Leeds this weekend, where Josh Warrington will be the home favourite as he seeks to defend his IBF World Featherweight title against challenger Luis Alverto Lopez.

The First Direct Arena in Leeds will play host to this intriguing fight on Saturday evening. Warrington steps into the ring as both the betting favourite and current title holder, while Mexico’s Lopez is riding a nine-fight win streak that has him undefeated since 2019 and primed for a strong challenge in this title fight. Will Lopez’s momentum see him to victory, or can Warrington hold on to his newly won IBF World Featherweight belt in front of a raucous home crowd?

We look at each fighter’s tale of the tape, and offer our betting predictions.

Josh Warrington vs. Luis Alberto Lopez Betting Tips

The outright winner odds ahead of this fight indicate that this IBF World Featherweight title will be hotly contested. William Hill has Josh Warrington the slight favourite with odds of 8/11 (1.73) as of Saturday morning, narrowly ahead of Luis Alberto Lopez’s odds of 11/10 (2.10).

We say this fight is likely to go one of two ways: Either, Warrington outboxes Lopez and gets a decision, or, Lopez comes out aggressive and scores a knockout. Odds for either of these outcomes are close, and as a result, here are the best bets that we see being made on this bout.

Warrington to Win By Decision @ 5/4 (2.25)

A Warrington decision is the favourite method of result in this match at 2.25, narrowly ahead of a Lopez knockout at 2.75. Taking the odds of Warrington winning here feels like the better bet. For Warrington, he’s a skilled boxer who knows how to out-maneuver and win on points, with about half of his victories coming that way. We think that fighting in front of a home crowd, and determined to hang on to the belt he’s just won, Warrington should edge this one.

Warrington to Win & Warrington to Be Knocked Down @ 10/3 (4.33)

Lopez does have a power game however, and has won his last three fights by knockout, as well as seven of his last nine. While we think Warrington will be too much for Lopez in front of a home crowd with plenty of motivation to win, there is every chance that Lopez will score a knock down still. He has the power and the track record to do so, and despite not having the skill or composure to close this one out, can still knock Warrington down at some stage.

Josh Warrington vs. Luis Alberto Lopez

Josh Warrington vs. Luis Alberto Lopez Betting Preview

Here’s a rundown of each fighter’s current form heading into this match up.

Josh Warrington: Up and Down Over the Last 18 Months

Josh Warrington has all the advantages of fighting in front of a home crowd this Saturday night, having been born and raised in Leeds, England. Warrington is in an interesting stage of his career—on the one hand, he is the defending IBF World Featherweight Champion, having won the belt off Kiko Martinez in March 2022 with a seventh round knockout.

On the other hand, Warrington has suffered the only blemishes on his record in the past 18 months—in 2021 alone, he suffered a defeat and a draw at the hands of Mauricio Lara, taking his professional record to 31-1-1.

Luis Alberto Lopez: Coming in Hot

Luis Alberto Lopez will be the underdog both in the betting odds, and in terms of crowd support this weekend. The Mexican has been in hot form however, winning his last nine fights in a row, including two wins already in 2022, over Yeison Vargas in August and Raul Chirino in April.

Lopez has an impressive record, however this fight will be a step up for the boxer, given that the majority of his success has come in the domestic circuit.

Josh Warrington vs. Luis Alberto Lopez Event Details

  • Time and Date: Saturday 10th December from 8:00 PM GMT
  • Venue: First Direct Arena, Leeds, Yorkshire, England
  • Format: Twelve three minute rounds


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