Lopez vs Gonzalez Odds: Champions Reigns Supreme
IBF World Featherweight Title on The Line
Luis Lopez and Joet Gonzalez fight for the IBF Featherweight title at American Bank Center on Friday, and Lopez vs Gonzalez odds favor the champion.
Lopez is the -700 favorite to keep his title in what is one of the biggest fights on the boxing schedule this week.
Gonzalez can’t be overlooked at +450, and he could attract some underdog interest with boxing bets.
Luis Lopez vs Joet Gonzalez
Date & Time:
Location: American Bank Center de Corpus Christi, Texas
Streaming: ESPN+
Busy Lopez Continues Streak
Lopez has been one of the busiest fighters since the pandemic. He has had eight fights since it broke out, and he didn’t suffer a defeat during that time.
The Mexican, who is currently ranked fourth in the world, has big wins over the likes of Michael Conlan and Josh Warrington. Beating Conlan was a huge step in the right direction, so it’s no wonder Lopez vs Gonzalez odds have him picked to win.
The 30-year-old hasn’t lost since facing Ruben Villa for the WBO International title in 2019. That unanimous decision has spurred him on, and the latest boxing news suggests he’s ready to go.
He’s eyeing a knockout of Gonzalez, which would firmly put him in line for the WBA or WBO titles.
“I’m always working on being a little smarter and on knowing how to do everything in the ring because sometimes we are going to need it,” Lopez said. “I am always working on improving all aspects.
“I’m going for the knockout. It’s a personal challenge that I have. Joet Gonzalez has faced great fighters like Shakur Stevenson, Emanuel Navarrete, and Isaac Dogboe, and he has never been knocked out. Knocking out a tough fighter like him is a huge goal for me.”
Taking -700 for Lopez won’t be easy for bettors. That’s a short quote against someone who has fought the best in the division.
Gonzalez Not Just A Punching Bag
Champions can often take on journeymen in the hopes of an easy win, but Gonzalez is anything but that.
He is the younger fighter at 29, and although he has two recent losses on his record, they came against Emanuel Navarrete and Isaac Dogboe.
We rate Navarette ahead of Lopez, and he wasn’t far away, losing 118-110, 116-112, 116-112. He also lost to Dogboe by a split decision, so he has been close to beating the best in the world.
We agree with Lopez vs Gonzalez odds that he’s the underdog, but getting +450 for a fighter of his quality could be tough to turn down.
He prepared for this fight with a convincing decision win against Enrique Vivas, and if the American can replicate that effort, it should take him a long way to winning.
After Lopez defeated Conlan, Gonzalez immediately wanted the fight.
“He’s being referred to as some kind of monster in our division,” Gonzalez said. “But he hasn’t fought anyone like me. He’s never fought anyone at my level. I want that belt and it’s a fight I know I can win. I’ve spoken to my manager Frank Espinoza and I told him I want this fight.”
Take the Value with Gonzalez
We give Lopez the slight class edge, but we can’t turn down the value with Gonzalez.
It’s similar to what we saw in the UFC with Adesanya vs Strickland. Adesanya is the better UFC fighter, but Strickland at +680 was always going to be a value wager.
The same situation arises in the boxing world with Lopez vs Gonzalez odds, so we’re locking in Gonzalez at +450.
At worst, he will give bettors a good sight for their money. We can’t see Lopez winning by knockout against a good defensive boxer. We just hope Gonzalez doesn’t try to survive without giving himself a chance to win the belt.
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