Despite Hurricane Milton, the show goes on for Najee Lopez

They say when it rains, it pours, and for light heavyweight Najee Lopez, it’s been more like a hurricane. With his Wednesday Night Fights bout delayed a week due to Hurricane Milton, Lopez (11-0, 8 KOs) has had to weather more than just the storm. 

Now, he’s back in action, ready to face late-replacement Ismael Ocles (15-16-2, 3 KOs) in an eight-round contest on ProBox TV at the ProBox TV Events Center near Tampa, Florida.

Lopez, 25, is looking to make a statement and edge closer to contender status, but his road to this fight wasn’t smooth. Originally slated to fight last Wednesday, the storm forced him to take his camp on the road to Atlanta, where he mostly sparred with his brother, Hakim Lopez, while staying in touch with his Tampa-based trainer, Marc Farrait, who recently was the lead voice in Edgar Berlanga’s fight against Saul “Canelo” Alvarez.

“I’ve had to move around a lot with the hurricane hitting Tampa,” Lopez told BoxingScene. “It’s been a drag, man. I had to train two weeks in a row up in Atlanta, working with my brother and some guys up here. It’s been tough being away from Coach, but we made it work.”

Ecuador’s Ocles, 34, steps in as a late replacement, with nothing to lose and everything to gain. Lopez, originally from Atlanta but now training in Tampa, recounted the difficulties of his travel as he navigated the aftermath of a storm that battered the Tampa area.

“We hit the road right before everyone got evacuated,” Lopez said. “A six-hour drive to Atlanta turned into 13 hours, but we got it done.”

Lopez described this camp as a mental challenge, forcing him to be more self-disciplined than ever. With the fight delayed by a week, Lopez reflected on the grueling process.

“Maintaining my weight, still training to stay locked in like I’m getting ready for a fight, because that’s exactly what I am doing,” Lopez said. “Then the fight was pushed to the 16th, so it’s another week of pushing myself.”