Juan Manuel Lopez, Celestino Caballero trade comments
by Scott Christ on Jul 15, 2009 3:20 PM EDT
in Boxing News Analysis
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122-pound titlist Juan Manuel Lopez is fresh off of a win over unknown challenger Olivier Lontchi, a fight that was forced into Top Rank PPV because no network was going to buy it. With rugged, unthreatening veteran gatekeeper Rogers Mtagwa scheduled as his next opponent, Lopez isn't happy.
Lopez-Mtagwa will be another Latin Fury PPV in October from MSG Theater in New York, and the titleholder said, "This is what happens when the opponents you want don't want to fight at 122 pounds." He mentioned that both Israel Vazquez and Rafael Marquez have moved up to 126, but then he says that Celestino Caballero isn't worth the money thanks to the many sanctioning fees he'd have to pay. He then says "It's better for me to keep fighting opponents ranked by the WBO."
So in essence, Lopez is saying, "I want to fight the best, just not that guy, the guy who's the best opponent out there for me in my weight class."
Rick Reeno of BoxingScene.com reports that Caballero, the fellow titleholder, came back with a response. In the response, Caballero offered to pay all of the sanctioning fees, which is B.S. obviously, but it's a good line.
Past Caballero, no, there isn't a whole lot at 122 pounds. The way to get a big fight is pretty simple: Fight Caballero and stop letting asinine fights like the Mtagwa spectacle get signed, or move up to 126 pounds, which is the destination anyway. Bob Arum is making no secret of his desire to match Lopez with Yuriorkis Gamboa down the road, and there are better fights to be made at featherweight, or at least more of them.
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Yeah, there's no doubt 126 is the way to go
But I would like it if Lopez established himself as the best 122 pounder at the moment before moving on. Many people already consider him to be at the top of the division anyway, but beating Caballero would erase any doubts about his position. It’s the only credible fight left for him at 122, and his rise in status as a fighter from winning such a fight far outweighs some temporary money-related hijinks.
There are plenty of fights Juanma could make at 122
Fact is, since winning the title, he’s only been facing guys who either aren’t super bantamweights or who aren’t even top 30 in the weight class. Don’t want to pay a sanctioning fee? Then face Bernard Dunne, who has a built in fan base and would be a decent money fight. But he probably makes more fighting Caballero than he does fighting anyone else, fees or not.
Lopez vs. Mtagwa is a fricking joke. If Arum actually put a competitive fight on these Latin Fury cards once in a while, I might buy them. They’re just about the only PPVs I DON’T buy.
Bad Left Hook - The SB Nation boxing blog
"Baseball is played on the field, not on a calculator."
Fan of Juanma
I don’t mind seeing Juanma fight. He is spectacular when he fights. I’ve been watching this kid since he started fighting on the Telefutura network. But there is a limit to everything, and the limit is here. This fight is a brutal joke. I was somewhat okay with the Lontchi fight, but enough is enough. Seriously. I won’t bother watching that fight, even on tape, why bother? If it is so much bullshit about the titles [even though the titles have to be brought to the table] then don’t fight for them just fight to fight. Goddamn it! Is not like Caballero is unbeatable, he lost his last fight and was given a gift UD.
What I am truly surprised about is that, Lopez is not the type of guy to stay quiet… he also talks a lot of smack. Caballero on the other hand is running his mouth like a wild chimpanzee and there hasn’t been much reaction from Lopez. Mtagwa! Seriously… SHIT!
"Penelosa is not human." -Max Kellerman on Gerry Penelosa during the Juan Manuel Lopes-Gerry Penelosa bout.
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