Lopez ready for grand homecoming

It’s been almost a year and a half since David “The Destroyer” Lopez last fought on his home turf.

Since that knockout victory over Rocky Montoya, Lopez (35-12, 22 KO) has traveled to all corners of the country while climbing the middleweight rankings.

Four decisive wins later, Lopez, 30, returns to Desert Diamond Casino tonight at roughly 6 p.m in the Telefutura main event.

“I’m so thankful for the opportunity to fight here again and to be back with my people,” Lopez said through an interpreter.

Ranked No. 4 by the WBC, Lopez has seen his noteriety gradually climb after impressive wins as a Telefutura headliner and as a lead undercard attraction during April’s massive Joe Calzaghe versus Bernard Hopkins light heavyweight title clash.

While he still hasn’t broken through with some of the mainstream boxing press, Lopez has earned a reputation as one of the middleweight division’s most dangerous fighters.

“Little by little, I feel like people are starting to know who I am and what I can do inside the ring,” Lopez said.

Lopez has won his last 11 bouts since his career-altering 12th-round knockout loss to Fulgencio Zuniga in early 2005. He said that loss forced him to revamp his entire outlook on the sport and drastically alter his training routines.

Lopez said he has been in the gym constantly for the last two months in hopes of putting on a show for his dedicated legion of fans — a group that now spreads from nothern Mexico through Southern Arizona.

The Nogales native was originally scheduled to face hard-hitting Colombian Samuel Miller (18-2, 15 KO) in a match-up that looked fascinating on paper. However, Miller was forced to pull out, with Billy Lyell (16-5, 3 KO) taking his place in the 10-round bout.

Lyell has spent most of his career at the 154-pound limit, and he didn’t have much pop. Recently, he lost to former titlist Luis Ramon “Yory Boy” Campas in the fighter’s 99th bout and suffered an eighth-round knockout to top junior middleweight prospect James Kirkland.

The stage appears set for another impressive Lopez victory in front of what is sure to be a frenzied Diamond Center crowd.

“Hopefully, this fight will lead me to finally fighting for a world championship,” Lopez said.

A familiar face

In the Telefutura “television attraction,” top-10 junior featherweight Jhonny Gonzalez (38-6, 32 KO) returns to the Diamond Center — the site of his first world-title triumph — to battle Leivi Brea (16-6-3, 8 KO) in an eight-round fight.

In his last visit to Southern Arizona, Gonzalez notched an impressive knockout win over Irene Pacheco. However, a shocking seventh-round knockout to Gerry Penalosa sent the former bantamweight king into a tailspin.

Gonzalez has rebuilt his career with four dominant victories against less-than-stellar competition.

The televised co-main event features what might be the most interesting boxer on the card.

Cuba’s Yan Barthelemy (6-0) — a gold medalist at the 2004 Olympics — hopes to keep his undefeated record intact against Ernie Marquez (6-4, 3 KO) in a scheduled six-round bout.

Barthelemy, along with Cuban teammates Yuriorkis Gamboa (featherweight) and Odlanier Solis (heavyweight), defected from Cuba after the trio captured Olympic gold in hopes of pursuing professional boxing glory.

Each boxer has seen his star rise since turning pro and nobody has suffered a defeat.

“We all still keep in touch with each other and we’re great friends,” Barthelemy said through an interpreter. “There’s also a great deal of competition among us, because none of us wants to be the first one to lose.”

Barthelemy said it was difficult to leave his homeland behind, but it turned out to be the best decision of his life.

“I feel so free here,” Barthelemy said.

He added that fellow Cuban gold medalist and current lightweight champion Joel Casamayor has been like a father figure to the three fighters, dispensing advice as these young fighters develop into contenders.

“[Casamayor] keeps telling me to use my slick boxing skills and I’ll have a long career in this business,” Barthelemy said.

On the undercard

Golden Boy Promotions has scheduled a whopping six undercard bouts for this card — the company’s first event since the Nov. 3, 2007 battle between Juan Manuel Marquez and Rocky Juarez.

Top heavyweight prospect Ashanti Jordan (4-0, 4 KO) will battle Ethan Cox in a six-round bout.

Elezar Renteria (7-0, 5 KO) will fight an opponent to be named in a four-round junior lightweight fight.

Puerto Rican junior featherweight Jonathan Oquendo (14-2, 9 KO) has yet to find an opponent, but whoever he fights will hope to last the six scheduled rounds. Oquendo just missed out on participating in the 2008 Olympics, but elected to turn pro and has quickly climbed the ranks.

High-profile Golden Boy prospect Hylon Williams (2-0, 1 KO) — the 2007 Golden Gloves champion — will square off against Gabriel Diaz (3-4-1) in a four-round lightweight fight.

Welterweight Daniel Cervantes (10-0-1) battles fellow undefeated fighter Mauricio Herrera (4-0, 2 KO) in a four rounder.

The Diamond Center doors open at 4 p.m. with the first fight scheduled for 5:30. Telefutura picks up the live feed at 5 p.m.

Please visit www.desertdiamondcasino.com for more information.

nprevenas@gvnews.com | 547-9747