Marcos Villegas: "Jose, we're here at this event, I'm seeing people coming up to you, wanting pictures with you. I imagine that a few years ago, you weren't getting that attention. Your life has changed, everything's changed for the better for you. How has that been?"
Josesito Lopez: "Everything's been nice. I've been blessed. I've worked really hard, and it just goes to show, you put in the hard work, sooner or later, don't give up, and good things will come."
Villegas: "When I see you, you always seem bigger and more muscular to me, which is good, it means you've been working out. What's been going on with you? What have you been doing since your last fight?"
Lopez: "We're moving up to 147. We're at 147, so we have room to build into it, to grow into it. We've been putting in hard work. We'll be ready to take the best at 147."
Villegas: "Talk to me about this move up to 147. Is it more fights for you, or is it something that you couldn't make the weight at 140 anymore?"
Lopez: "Strictly where I feel best. The move up with Victor Ortiz, I came in at 144. We have a few pounds to fill in at 147, but at 144 I was feeling real good. I think at 147, we've got time to prepare and to get a lot stronger. At 147, we're gonna go in there good."
Villegas: "You feel stronger obviously right now, when you're hitting, when you're sparring and all that, right?"
Lopez: "Yes. I probably was hurting myself a little bit to get to 140, and it probably was showing in my power. I think going in at 147, I've got a lot more power."
Villegas: "What's going on with you? What fights are we going to see?"
Lopez: "From what I hear right now, I've got an April 20 date with Maidana. (Editor's note: Lopez-Maidana is now scheduled for June 8.) That's in the works, but that's the frontrunner. That's what looks more likely to happen."
Villegas: "That's gonna be a banger of a fight."
Lopez: "Anybody that knows boxing and keeps up with their boxing, they know that. That's a true fighter's match right there."
Villegas: "I'm already giddy over this fight. Breaking it down, Maidana's a power puncher, but lately in his fights he's been using his jab a lot more. How do you break him down? What do you feel is your best way to approach that fight?"
Lopez: "I'm not gonna go into exactly what I need to do to win--"
Villegas: "Come on, Jose!"
Lopez: "I just need to go in there and win, that's all."
Villegas: "Is there something in particular that you're a little worried about? Are you worried about his power at all?"
Lopez: "Of course. You worry about anybody's power, really. When you're in there, everyone hits hard. It doesn't matter if -- you know, there are some guys who hit extra hard. From what I hear, Maidana is one of those guys. I know we gotta prepare, and I like to think I got a pretty good chin and can take a good punch. We've got to go in there careful and have a good game plan."
Villegas: "His last fight against Soto-Karass was a back-and-forth fight, but he ended up stopping him. What did you think of that last performance?"
Lopez: "The thing with Maidana, he can get hit, but he comes back and hits. He's a fighter. I love to fight a fighter like him. I respect fighters like him."