Cody Crowley’s next bout on big stage at AT&T Stadium in Texas

The stage and stakes keep getting bigger for Cody Crowley.

The Douro native will fight a two-time world title challenger on one of boxing’s biggest pay-per-view cards of 2022.

The unbeaten Crowley will face Josesito Lopez in a 10-round welterweight bout on the undercard of the world welterweight unification fight between Errol Spence Jr. and Yordenis Ugas on April 16 at the home of the Dallas Cowboys — AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

Crowley (20-0-0, 9 KOs) will face Lopez (38-8-0, 21 KOs) on the second of four bouts to be aired on the pay-per-view portion of the Showtime Network presentation.

“I’m excited. I have a great platform where a lot of people will be viewing,” Crowley said.

“Even in the stadium Errol always brings bout 40,000 people in Dallas. The atmosphere will be electric. I’m going to have so many eyes on me. It’s the first time I’ll be participating on the pay-per-view portion. It gives me more credibility and publicity. I feel like this is all coming at the right time.”

“This is almost the biggest stage you can be on,” Said Crowley’s manager Steve Nelson.

“It’s with Showtime pay-per-view fighting underneath one of the biggest fights of the year; the unification of the welterweight division with Ugas and Spence. And he’s fighting in the home of the Dallas Cowboys where there have been some tremendous big fights. Spence has previously headlined there. Canelo Alvarez has headline there and Manny Pacquiao. We anticipate a crowd of over 50,000.”

Lopez has twice fought for world titles. He lost a majority 12-round decision to Keith Thurman for the World Boxing Association super-welterweight title on Jan. 26, 2019. He was also stopped in six rounds by Andre Berto for the WBA interim welterweight championship on March 13, 2015.

The native of Riverside, Calif. last fought on Dec. 15, 2020 at AT&T Stadium when he stopped Francisco Santana in the 10th round.

Crowley, 28, said he has never seen Lopez, 37, fight and prefers to let his trainer and manager pre-scout his opponents.

“I do know he’s fought some world champions and is a great competitor and he has a big following there so he’ll have a lot of support,” Crowley said. “He’s been around the block and been in there with everybody. I feel like it’s a showcase for me on what Cody Crowley can bring.”

Unlike some of Crowley’s opponents, Nelson said there is no risk of Lopez running from a fight.

“He’s had major fights and is a former world title challenger and is a full action fighter,” Nelson said.

“We believe he’s going to bring out the best in Cody Crowley. He has the ability to stand in front of you and fight and that’s what’s been missing from a lot of Cody’s opponents. We get the forecast they’re going to try to fight him and then they end up spending a lot of time running because of the constant pressure Cody puts on them but Lopez has been in with some of the best.”

It’s another step, Crowley said, toward a world title fight potentially against Spence or Ugas one day.

“I really want to make a good statement,” he said.

Crowley has never fought in front of such a large crowd. When he made his pro debut on the undercard of a Terrance Crawford title fight in Omaha, Neb., Crowley said 18,000 filled the arena but not when he was kicking off the card early in the day.

“When I fought there was maybe 87 people,” said Crowley, with a laugh.

“There is definitely going to be a lot of energy to feel. I love it. The more people watching the better. It gets me excited.”