SATURDAY: Luis Alberto Lopez-Michael Conlan Featherweight World Title Showdown Headlines Belfast Fight Night at The SSE Arena LIVE on ESPN+
PhilBoxing.com
Thu, 25 May 2023
Lopez-Conlan and undercard bouts will stream live and exclusively in the U.S. on ESPN+ beginning at 1:30 p.m. ET/10:30 a.m. PT
BELFAST (May 24, 2023) — Luis Alberto “El Venado” Lopez will make the first defense of his IBF featherweight world title against Michael “Mick” Conlan this Saturday, May 27, at The SSE Arena in Conlan’s hometown of Belfast.
Promoted by Top Rank and Conlan Boxing, in association with Queensberry Promotions, Lopez-Conlan and undercard bouts will stream live and exclusively on ESPN+ in the U.S. beginning at 1:30 p.m. ET/10:30 a.m. PT.
Lopez (27-2, 15 KOs), from Mexicali, Mexico, navigated bumpy terrain to become a world champion. Despite losing early in his career to Abraham Montoya and Ruben Villa, he regained his momentum with victories over unbeaten standouts Gabriel Flores Jr. and Isaac Lowe. After two stay-busy wins, Lopez received his shot at the title, defeating Josh Warrington last December in enemy territory in Leeds, England. Now under the tutelage of Kay Koroma, he is set to make his first title defense.
Conlan (18-1, 9 KOs), a 31-year-old Olympic bronze medalist, made an unsuccessful bid for the WBA featherweight title against Leigh Wood in March 2022 but bounced back later that year with wins over Miguel Marriaga and Karim Guerfi. Less than six months after his first-round knockout against Guerfi, he will return to The SSE Arena for the third straight time.
In other ESPN+ streaming action from Belfast:
• In a battle of undefeated featherweights, Nick Ball (17-0, 10 KOs) defends his WBC Silver title in a 12-rounder against Ludumo Lamati (21-0-1, 11 KOs). Ball, hailing from Liverpool, England, secured his regional title by defeating Isaac Lowe via sixth-round TKO in April 2022. He defended it later that year with stoppage wins against Nathanael Kakololo and Jesus Ramirez Rubio. Lamati, from South Africa, enters the bout after his fourth-round knockout win against Mark Anthony Geraldo last November.
• Junior lightweight contender Anthony Cacace (20-1, 7 KOs) takes on Polish standout Damian Wrzesinski (26-2-2, 7 KOs) in a 12-round clash. Cacace is 5-0 after suffering his first defeat in 2017 and is coming off a decision win against Michael Magnesi last September. Wrzesinski returns to the ring after decisioning Artjoms Ramlavs last October.
• Pierce O’Leary (11-0, 6 KOs), the undefeated fighting pride of Dublin, defends his WBC International title in a 10-round junior welterweight tilt against Romania’s Alin Florin Ciorceri (17-3, 7 KOs).
Recent PhilBoxing.com In-House articles:
‘THE RING 6’ TEOFIMO LOPEZ VS. SHAKUR STEVENSON PRESS CONFERENCE QUOTES
Fri, 30 Jan 2026NEWCASTLE PRESS CONFERENCE: WHAT WAS SAID AS JOSH KELLY AND BAKHRAM MURTAZALIEV ARE KEPT APART AFTER HEATED FACE-OFF
Fri, 30 Jan 2026Weights From ProBoxTV’s ‘Flores vs. Castillo’ at Live! Casino Hotel Maryland
Fri, 30 Jan 2026WAPA Deportes Confirmed as Puerto Rican Broadcast Home for Saturday’s Xander Zayas vs. Abass Baraou Title Unification Showdown
Fri, 30 Jan 2026Legendary Panamanian Juan Carlos Tapia will be inducted into the Atlantic City Boxing Hall of Fame
By Gabriel F. Cordero, Fri, 30 Jan 2026Manny Pacquiao Promotions Announces Additional Matchups for Saturday, February 28 Event at Turning Stone Resort Casino in Verona, New York
Fri, 30 Jan 2026SWERVE TV STRIKES MULTI-YEAR PARTNERSHIP WITH GOLDEN BOY PROMOTIONS TO EXPAND PREMIUM BOXING CONTENT
Fri, 30 Jan 2026Leuenbergers to join IRONMAN® 70.3 Davao
By Lito delos Reyes, Fri, 30 Jan 2026Open Workout: Xander Zayas and Abass Baraou Prepare For Saturday's Unification Showdown in Puerto Rico
Thu, 29 Jan 2026Cabrera-Zapata Kicks Off All Star Boxing's 2026 Season
Thu, 29 Jan 2026Manny Pacquiao Chess Philippines: Cash prizes, FIDE rating at stakes this Sunday
By Marlon Bernardino, Thu, 29 Jan 2026IBP Fun Run & Family Day on February 15
By Lito delos Reyes, Thu, 29 Jan 2026TEOFIMO LOPEZ AND SHAKUR STEVENSON FACE-OFF AT KNICKS GAME AS COUNTDOWN TO ‘THE RING 6’ ON SATURDAY BEGINS
Wed, 28 Jan 2026Davao to sponsor P500K in IRONMAN 70.3
By Lito delos Reyes, Wed, 28 Jan 2026JOSH KELLY SOUNDS WARNING TO WORLD TITLE RIVAL BAKHRAM MURTAZALIEV AS HE TARGETS HISTORIC NORTH EAST HOMECOMING
Wed, 28 Jan 2026