Caymanian amateur boxer Alec ‘fearless’ Lopez squeezed in a fight just two weeks before his scheduled bout against Jahmari Fraser at the ‘Clash in Cayman’ extravaganza on 8 Dec., at the Lions Centre.
Lopez travelled to the Bahamas to fight hometown boy Jason Bethel at the Thanksgiving Knockout Championships on 25 Nov., where he scored his first knockout victory in the third round.
He told the Compass that he expected Bethel to come forward, and be aggressive, noting that he and his coach Floyd Trumpet had a game plan to counter that.
“I just listen to my coach, he knew what I needed to do,” Lopez said. “I just use my jab, box smart and move, and let him tire out and once he was tired, I picked him apart.”
His strategy would eventually floor the Bahamian, who was unable to beat the referee’s count. Lopez was supposed to fight again following his win but, according to Trumpet, his opponent wanted nothing to do with Lopez.
“I can’t even put it into words,” Lopez said. “Every single possible emotion was flowing through me. It feels so amazing. I’m really grateful that all my hard work, the time and the dedication that I’ve put into it – my family, my coach and sponsors – we were all able to come out with the victory and in spectacular fashion.”
Now with a 3-2 record and momentum on his side, Lopez trusts that his training and abilities will produce another crowd-pleasing performance in Cayman.
Lopez will be one of three local fighters at the ‘Clash in Cayman’ extravaganza, along with his Performance Lab training partner Jaden Eccleston, a two-time Caribbean champion, and Geno Brown from the D. Dalmain Ebanks Gymnasium.
Lopez said with family and friends at the mega event, that many suggest could be the biggest ever held in Cayman, Fraser will have to enter the ring ready for war.
“I want it to be the fight of the night,” Lopez added. “I want it to be recognised as a big exciting fight on an international level… I’m ready and I want to showcase that to my country and make them proud.”
The ‘Clash in Cayman’, headlined by England’s Matt Windle defending his Commonwealth light flyweight title against countryman Craig Derbyshire, will begin at 6:30pm at the Lions Centre.
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