Juan Manuel Lopez and Yuriorkis Gamboa trade words after wins

by Scott Christ on Oct 11, 2009 4:33 AM EDT in Boxing News Analysis

Juan Manuel Lopez and Yuriorkis Gamboa appear to be on a collision course. Neither man has been too impressed with the other. (AP Photo)

After Juan Manuel Lopez won a Fight of the Year contender over Rogers Mtagwa and Yuriorkis Gamboa blew away Whyber Garcia inside of four rounds, it put the two rising action stars one step closer to a probable summer 2010 meeting at 126 pounds.

Neither one, though, was exactly complimentary of the other man. Dan Rafael of ESPN.com had the post-fight quotes from each.

Gamboa on Lopez:

"I don't think Juan Manuel Lopez is better than me. He's not a challenge for me. If we fight, I will show that. [On Jan. 23], I think I should be the one carrying the card with Lopez because I am a better fighter than him. He's not better than me. Look at our records. Look at our amateur records. I was better than him in the amateurs and I am better than him as a professional."

Lopez on Gamboa:

"Let's see him knock out Mtagwa. I'll knock Garcia out like he did. Let's see what he can do with Mtagwa."

Lopez and promoter Bob Arum were both quick to give kind words to Mtagwa, and frankly I don't think there's any arguing that Lopez had the tougher opponent on Saturday.

Arum also had words about Celestino Caballero, a proposed January 23 opponent for Lopez who has been calling Juanma out for months now. Caballero remarked after the event that he didn't think Lopez would have the guts to fight him, and Arum counters with this:

"Caballero's people are being very difficult with the amount of money they want for the fight. We've offered him $150,000 and if he doesn't want it, that's fine."

It might seem like a low total, but consider Caballero's other options, which are pretty few. It's about the best offer he's going to get from anybody.

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Those words traded by Gamboa makes it a lot more interesting to see if his sissy jaw can withstand Lopez hooks.

"Penelosa is not human." -Max Kellerman on Gerry Penelosa during the Juan Manuel Lopes-Gerry Penelosa bout.

by Sickle on Oct 11, 2009 12:46 PM EDT reply actions

$150k is ridiculously low considering what HBO or Showtime would offer for the fight

That’s probably a 75-25 split in favor of Lopez.

Bad Left Hook - The SB Nation boxing blog
"Baseball is played on the field, not on a calculator."

by Brickhaus on Oct 11, 2009 1:48 PM EDT reply actions

Yep. Which is pretty much what I would expect. Caballero has zero American fanbase and Top Rank doesn’t feel like they “need” him for this fight. Of course they’ll lowball him.

Bad Left Hook
"Well Howie, I think I'm going to stay outside and outjab him." -- Tex Cobb telling Howard Cosell how he would approach Larry Holmes

by Scott Christ on Oct 11, 2009 3:04 PM EDT up reply actions

I didn’t think Caballero had much of a fanbase even in Panama. Also being a matchup nightmare, stupid tallness, why would anyone want to fight this guy. Obviously the answer is no one. Take the money you idiot and try to make a name for yourself in this fight.

by Waldo Rastel on Oct 11, 2009 10:24 PM EDT up reply actions

The good ole negotiate your way out of a fight tactic

by gunranger on Oct 11, 2009 6:37 PM EDT up reply actions

You know if I am Caballero I take the 150K and use that as motivation to win the fight.

"Boxing is dirty," said Casamayor. " The day I’m not ready to be a dirty fighter is the day I don’t fight anymore because it will mean that I have no heart for it anymore."

by Zocalo on Oct 11, 2009 7:36 PM EDT reply actions

I agree with zocalo, why don’t Caballero accept the money and knock Lopez out, if he can. All these arguments about money and fan base make you think that most promoters chose opponents for their fighters whom they believe would eventually lose to their fighter. It sucks.

by cozmicfeelings on Oct 12, 2009 5:20 PM EDT reply actions