By Jake Donovan
As a boxer who has been underestimated and overlooked his entire career, Josesito Lopez knows better than to expect anything less than Keith Thurman’s A-game this weekend.
The veteran contender from California is a heavy underdog to unseat Thurman, who returns to the ring after having spent the past 22 months on the injured list. The two will collide this Saturday at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York, with their scheduled 12-round title fight to air live in primetime on Fox (8:00pm ET).
Questions surrounding the biggest fight on the weekend’s ledger seem less focused on Lopez’s chances of winning as to which version of Thurman (28-0, 22KOs) will show up this weekend. The unbeaten titlist from Florida has spent most of the past two years recovering from elbow surgery and a subsequent hand injury, the latter which by his own admission will require careful monitoring for the rest of his career.
Others may bank on a lesser version showing up than the one who rose to the top of the welterweight division prior to his extended break. Just don’t count this weekend’s challenger among that group.
“I'm not counting on that,” Lopez (36-7, 19KOs) insisted of the suggestion that Thurman might be even a little unsure of himself in his comeback fight. “I know that I've gone through the same thing and it's not quite the same the first fight back or maybe even the second fight back. But he's a champion, and he's obviously ready to come back, he feels like. So, he must feel well with recovery.
“It’s just something we won’t know until we are in the ring.”
In the time that Thurman has been away from the ring—dating back to his 12-round title-unification win over then-unbeaten Danny Garcia in March ‘17—Lopez has managed a comeback of his own.
The Riverside, Calif. native—aptly dubbed “The Riverside Rocky”—is riding a three-fight win streak following a heartbreaking 5th round knockout loss to former welterweight titlist Andre Berto nearly four years ago.
An extended absence followed, before Lopez decided to give it another go beginning with a Dec. ’16 tune-up win over Todd Manuel. The bout was his first under new trainer, the renowned Robert Garcia, with marked improvement also shown in wins over Saul Corral and, most recently, a minor upset of previously unbeaten Miguel Cruz last April, which also aired live on Fox in primetime.
Now armed with his second crack at a world title, Lopez isn’t counting on anything other than his natural will—and enhanced skills—to propel him to victory.
“I’m going in there with the smart game plan of winning round by round,” insists Lopez, whose lone other title fight came in a Sept. ’12 knockout loss to Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez in an ill-advised move to 154 pounds. “We’ve worked on every aspect of our game plan. Just going in there and doing our thing.
“I’m not going in there just to jump on him early, but to win this fight. I'm aware of everything (he brings). I wouldn't say I'm just concerned of one thing. But, I know he's obviously an undefeated champion for a reason. So he brings a lot to the table.”
Just as he doesn’t plan to underestimate the comebacking Thurman, the longshot contender asks he be paid the same respect.
“You can’t judge a fighter by his wins and losses,” notes Lopez. “I’ve had some tough wins and some tough defeats. It doesn’t matter how many bumps I’ve had along my career. I’m still going to become a world champion.”
