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Boxing dreams start for veteran Josesito Lopez and several prospects in Sunday L.A. Live card

Josesito Lopez lands a right hand to Victor Ortiz’s face during the ninth round of their WBC welterweight fight in 2012.
(Jae C. Hong / Associated Press)
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It was less than five years ago that Riverside’s Josesito Lopez pulled off a stunning victory over Victor Ortiz in a Staples Center main event.

Sunday night, Lopez finds himself across the street at L.A. Live’s far-smaller the Novo, hopeful that this main event on a card loaded with prospects will allow him to experience such ring magic again.

“I have that opportunity. I have to take that step. I’ll show the abilities I have and I know, after Sunday, there’s bigger and better opportunities coming,” Lopez, 32, said last week at a workout.

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After breaking Ortiz’s jaw, Lopez (34-7, 19 knockouts) lost bouts to Canelo Alvarez, Marcos Maidana and Andre Berto.

“It’s a tough sport. I might’ve bit off more than I can chew. I’m at a different time in my life,” said Lopez, who’ll fight Mexico welterweight Saul Corral (23-8,14 KOs) in the Fox Sports 1-televised card.

Since he fights in one of boxing’s deepest divisions for powerful manager Al Haymon, Lopez would gain traction in his comeback bid with a victory.

“I want to give the fans the fights that everyone’s going to be talking about for years,” Lopez said.

Those aspirations also belong to the youngsters on the card, including lightweight Karlos Balderas of Santa Maria, junior-welterweight Misael Rodriguez of Mexico and Lithuania welterweight Eimantas Stanionis, who will each make their pro debuts on the card promoted by Richard Schaefer, formerly chief executive of Golden Boy Promotions.

Rodriguez, who won a bronze medal at the Summer Olympics in Brazil last year, is managed by featherweight world champion Abner Mares.

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“A great, talented fighter with a lot of heart who has the desire to be a world champion,” Mares said of Rodriguez, with six fights planned for him this year. “You’re looking at the future. Good kid, likable, great weight class, good coach.”

An offensive risk taker trained by respected cornerman Robert Garcia, Rodriguez has roots in Mexico City with an appreciation for the gritty expectations of his countrymen.

“I have Mexican blood,” Rodriguez said. “With the smaller gloves, Robert has told me to protect myself, but I feel strong. I’ve never been knocked down in 70 fights.”

Balderas, along with silver-medalist Shakur Stevenson, was among the most sought-after recruits from the Olympics.

Stanionis is coached by distinguished trainer Freddie Roach, and Schaefer said he’s received glowing reports about the fighter’s potential.

Women’s middleweight Maricela Cornejo, a former title challenger who switched to train under Joel Diaz in Indio before this bout, is on the card while aiming for either a title shot at two-belt champion Christina Hammer or two-time gold medalist Claressa Shields.

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Hammer sought out Cornejo at the World Boxing Council convention in December. And Cornejo said Shields’ team has reached out to her multiple times attempting to arrange a bout.

“Let us get this fight out of the way,” Cornejo said, referring to Shields’ overtures. “But if they want me to fight her, her head has a price tag and I’m not coming down from what I think that price tag is. When promoters level up to the fact that people want to see that fight … it will happen. I’m not going to put everything I’ve worked so hard for for $10,000, though. No man would fight for that. Why should I?”

BOXING

Where: The Novo, L.A. Live

Television: Fox Sports 1

When: 6:30 p.m. Sunday

Tickets: $30-$100

lance.pugmire@latimes.com

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Follow Lance Pugmire on Twitter @latimespugmire

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