Luis Alberto Lopez


Luis Alberto Lopez Vargas is a Mexican professional boxer. He held the IBF featherweight title from December 2022 to August 2024.

Professional career

Early career

Lopez made his professional debut against Francisco Javier Pacheco on 6 November 2015. He won the fight by split decision. López Vargas amassed a 16–1 record during the next three years, winning half of those fights by way of stoppage. At the end of this run, Lopez-Vargas was booked to face Ray Ximenez for the vacant WBO International featherweight title on 28 February 2019. He his United States debut by technical decision, with scores of 80–72, 78–74 and 77–75. The fight was stopped after eight rounds, due to a cut above Ximenez's left eye, which was caused by an accidental clash of heads. Lopez-Vargas faced Ruben Villa on 10 May 2019, in the main event of the ShoBox: The New Generation, once again fighting for the vacant WBO International featherweight title. Villa handed Lopez-Vargas his second professional loss, winning the fight by unanimous decision, with scores of 97–93, 98–92 and 96–94.
After successfully bouncing back against two journeymen opponents, Israel Rojas on 30 August 2019 and Marco Antonio Monteros on 21 September 2019, Lopez was booked to face the undefeated Cristian Baez. Lopez-Vargas won the fight by a fifth-round technical knockout. Lopez next faced Andy Vences on 7 July 2020, at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. Despite coming into the fight as an underdog, he won the fight by an upset split decision. The judges scored the fight 96–94 in his favor, while the third judge awarded the same scorecard to Vences. In his second fight of 2021, Lopez-Vargas faced the undefeated Gabriel Flores Jr. on 10 September 2021, and once again entered the fight in the role of an underdog. He won the fight by unanimous decision, with two judges scoring the fight 100–90 for Lopez-Vargas, while the third judge scored it 98–92 for him.
Following these two upset victories, Lopez was booked to face the undefeated Isaac Lowe in an IBF featherweight title eliminator bout. The fight took place at the York Hall in Bethnal Green on 3 December 2021, and was broadcast by ESPN+ and IFL TV. Lopez-Vargas won the fight by a seventh-round technical knockout. Lowe was floored with a body strike in the final minute of the seventh round, leaving him unable to beat the ten count. Lopez-Vargas knocked his opponent down twice prior to the stoppage, once in the first and once in the second round. Twenty days later, on 23 December 2021, Lopez-Vargas re-signed with Top Rank.

IBF featherweight champion

Lopez vs. Warrington

Lopez challenged the reigning IBF featherweight champion Josh Warrington on 10 December 2022, at the First Direct Arena in Leeds, England. He won the fight by majority decision. Judges Mike Fitzgerald and Adam Height scored the fight 115–113 in favor of Lopez, while judge Howard Foster scored it an even 114–114 draw. Lopez complained of what he perceived to be dirty tactics from Warrington in the post-fight interview, stating: "He even hit me on my legs. I don’t think the referee did his job in protecting the fighters tonight". Aside from suffering a cut above his left eye due to a headbutt, it was furthermore revealed after the fight that Lopez had fractured his left thumb during the bout.

Lopez vs. Conlan

Lopez was booked to make his maiden title defense against Michael Conlan on 27 May 2023, at the SSE Arena in Belfast, Northern Ireland. He won the fight by a fifth-round knockout. Lopez floored his opponent with a right uppercut, which prompted Conlan's corner to immediately throw in the towel, as they judged their fighter to have take too much damage.

Lopez vs. Gonzalez

Lopez was booked to make a voluntary title defense of his IBF championship against Joet Gonzalez on September 15, 2023, at the American Bank Center in Corpus Christi, Texas. He retained the title by unanimous decision, with scores of 118–110, 117–111 and 116–112.

Lopez vs. Abe

Lopez was scheduled to make the third defense of his IBF featherweight title against Reiya Abe on March 2, 2024 in Verona, New York. He won the fight by TKO in the eighth round.

Lopez vs. Leo

Lopez made the fourth defense of his IBF featherweight title against Angelo Leo at Tingley Coliseum in Albuquerque, New Mexico on August 10, 2024. Lopez lost the fight and his IBF title by knockout in the tenth round.

Lopez vs. Montoya

Lopez made his return against Eduardo Montoya at Palenque del Fex in Mexicali, Mexico on March 29th, 2025. He won the fight by KO in the first round.

Professional boxing record

No.ResultRecordOpponentTypeRound, timeDateLocationNotes
35Win32–3Miguel Arevalo MejiaTKO3 13 Dec 2025Palenque del Fex, Mexicali, Mexico
34Win31–3Eduardo MontoyaKO1 29 Mar 2025Palenque del Fex, Mexicali, Mexico
33Loss30–3Angelo LeoKO10, 1:1610 Aug 2024Tingley Coliseum, Albuquerque, New Mexico, U.S.Lost IBF featherweight title
32Win30–2Reiya AbeTKO8, 0:392 Mar 2024Turning Stone Resort & Casino, Verona, New York, U.S.Retained IBF featherweight title
31Win29–2Joet GonzalezUD1215 Sep 2023American Bank Center, Corpus Christi, Texas, U.S.Retained IBF featherweight title
30Win28–2Michael ConlanTKO5, 1:1427 May 2023SSE Arena, Belfast, Northern IrelandRetained IBF featherweight title
29Win27–2Josh Warrington1210 Dec 2022First Direct Arena, Leeds, EnglandWon IBF featherweight title
28Win26–2Yeison VargasKO2, 1:2520 Aug 2022Pechanga Arena, San Diego, California, U.S.
27Win25–2Raul ChirinoKO4, 1:089 Apr 2022The Hangar, Costa Mesa, California, U.S.
26Win24–2Isaac LoweKO7, 2:383 Dec 2021York Hall, Bethnal Green, England
25Win23–2Gabriel Flores Jr.UD1010 Sep 2021Casino Del Sol, Tucson, Arizona, U.S.
24Win22–2Mauro LoretoKO1, 0:5818 Mar 2021Preparatoria Maestros Federales, Mexicali, Mexico
23Win21–2Andy VencesSD107 Jul 2020MGM Grand, Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S.
22Win20–2Cristian BaezTKO5, 1:2814 Dec 2019Auditorio del Estado, Mexicali, Mexico
21Win19–2Marco Antonio MonterosTKO1, 1:1921 Sep 2019Auditorio del Estado, Mexicali, Mexico
20Win18–2Israel RojasTKO1, 2:3030 Aug 2019Parque Vicente Guerrero, Mexicali, Mexico
19Loss17–2Ruben VillaUD1010 May 2019Omega Products International, Corona, California, U.S.For vacant WBO International featherweight title
18Win17–1Ray XimenezTD8 28 Feb 2019Yakama Legends Casino, Toppenish, Washington, U.S.Won vacant WBO International featherweight title
17Win16–1Yahir PatinoTKO5, 2:2315 Dec 2018Gimnasio Municipal, San Luis Rio Colorado, Mexico
16Win15–1Gregorio TorresUD69 Nov 2018Parque Vicente Guerrero, Mexicali, Mexico
15Win14–1Luis Cueto HernandezTKO2, 2:3729 Sep 2018San Luis Río Colorado, Mexico
14Win13–1Marco Antonio Garcia ToledoTKO3, 1:0231 Aug 2018Parque Vicente Guerrero, Mexicali, Mexico
13Loss12–1Abraham MontoyaSD1024 Mar 2018Terraza del Sol del Parque Vicente Guerrero, Mexicali, MexicoLost Mexican Pacific Coast super featherweight title
12Win12–0Andres Tapia813 Jan 2018Gimnasio de Mexicali, Mexicali, Mexico
11Win11–0Cristian BielmaUD1028 Oct 2017Gimnasio de Mexicali, Mexicali, MexicoWon vacant Mexican Pacific Coast super featherweight title
10Win10–0Marcelino HernandezKO3, 1:245 Aug 2017Auditorio Municipal, Morelia, Mexico
9Win9–0Alfredo Mejia VargasTKO6 3 Mar 2017Gimnasio de Mexicali, Mexicali, Mexico
8Win8–0Zeus ValenzuelaUD81 Jan 2017Gimnasio de Mexicali, Mexicali, Mexico
7Win7–0Jose PechTKO1, 2:0219 Nov 2016Salon de Eventos del Hotel Posada del Sol, San Felipe, Mexico
6Win6–0Juan Antonio Rivera5, 1:5922 Oct 2016Gimnasio de Mexicali, Mexicali, Mexico
5Win5–0Hector Cansdales4, 0:4810 Sep 2016Gimnasio de Mexicali, Mexicali, Mexico
4Win4–0Jovanni SaldanaUD429 Apr 2016Gimnasio de Mexicali, Mexicali, Mexico
3Win3–0Erik Adrian Leyva RamosUD418 Mar 2016Gimnasio de Mexicali, Mexicali, Mexico
2Win2–0Erick Torres Escobedo429 Jan 2016Gimnasio de Mexicali, Mexicali, Mexico
1Win1–0Francisco Pacheco46 Nov 2015Gimnasio de Mexicali, Mexicali, Mexico