Najee Lopez believes he is the next great American light heavyweight.
If that is indeed the case, Lopez’s fight on ProBox TV on Wednesday, Feb. 28, against Marcos Escudero, at ProBox TV Events Center in Plant City, Florida, is the next step in his destiny being fulfilled.
“My first 10-rounder, co-main [event],” Lopez told BoxingScene. “I am super-confident in how I am locked in. My performance is going to be amazing. We worked on a lot of different things for this fight. It is going to be different than my last.”
In his most recent fight, the 24-year-old Lopez (9-0, 8 KOs) notched a decisive third-round finish over previously undefeated Yildo Depestre in a knockout of the year contender. Coming off that career-best performance, Lopez believes he has only improved since. Having spent his entire training camp working alongside Edgar Berlanga, Lopez says he is now ready for his moment.
Escudero, 30, may not have a resume that impresses upon first glance (14-2, 12 KOs), but he is a former prospect whose only two losses have come at the hands of Joseph George – a split decision and a knockout loss in the rematch.
Lopez will need to overcome his more experienced opponent in order to achieve his lofty goals for 2024.
“By the end of this year, I want to be ranked in the top 15,” he said. “I want to take every fight extremely serious, and knock down everyone they put in front of me. Then end the year off right, by being ranked in the top 15 or top 20.”
For now, Lopez is looking up – but he is inching closer to the upper reaches of the division. Although he has only 26 career rounds under his belt as a professional (his lone unanimous decision came in a win over Cristian Fabian Rios), he has yet to lose one as a pro.
A 10-round fight, Lopez says, would be a significant milestone along his boxing journey.
“It just lets me know, as a fighter, I am on that way to that level,” he said. “Especially since there are only two more rounds for a championship fight after a 10-rounder. Especially after going into a fight and having a great performance and competing the whole 10 rounds.
“I am not thinking about going in there and knocking him out. If we have to go the whole 10, we will go the whole 10.”