Top welterweight contender Josesito “Riverside Rocky” Lopez (30-6, 18 KOs) headlined a media workout Tuesday at the Ponce De Leon Boxing Gym in Los Angeles. Lopez battles “Mighty” Mike Arnaoutis (24-9-1, 11 KOs) in the latest installment of Golden Boy Live! on Friday, Dec. 13 at the Fantasy Springs Resort Casino in Indio, Calif.
Check out the Josesito Lopez interview and photos from the workout session below.
You’re coming off a rough patch in your career. Virtually every professional boxer goes through a tough cycle at some point. How did you handle it and what did you learn from the experience?
You have to take it as a learning experience and continue to work hard no matter what happened in the past. Staying motivated and keeping active in the gym worked really well for me. At the end of the day you have to put it behind you and move on. Every fight presents a new opportunity to improve and learn and that’s how I’m approaching this fight. As long as you prepare well and go in with a solid game plan, then you’ll be fine.
Do you feel as if you have something to prove?
There’s definitely added motivation to come out and look sharp. I know I have world champion talent, I just have to go out and show it. I’m anxious to go out and perform at a high level.
Until recently, you fought primarily at junior welterweight. Are you starting to find your comfort zone at 147?
I think I’m becoming a full welterweight now. Your body gets used to fighting at a certain weight and sometimes it takes more than a couple of fights to settle into a new weight class. As far as boxing, I’ve become accustomed to sparring with bigger guys and understanding their movements.
How was this training camp different from others?
Our preparation was top-notch. We didn’t take our foot off the gas when our original opponent fell through. We kept grinding and preparing. In fact, the change in opponents was kind of refreshing because I was able to see a lot of different styles during sparring sessions, which kept my mind real active. I put in all the hard work that is required to get a win. I had daily cardio sessions in the morning and I followed that up with 2 to 3 hours of gym work in the evening.
What are you expecting from your opponent Mike Arnouatis?
Mike is a tough fighter that has gone up against some world class boxers. He has plenty of experience so I’m expecting a good, tough fight. I’ll come out aggressive and see what happens from there.
