Showtime Dates: Ward-Dirrell, Lopez-Concepcion

by Scott Christ on Apr 1, 2010 5:06 PM EDT in Boxing News Analysis

Juan Manuel Lopez will defend his featherweight title for the first time on July 10. Showtime is likely to televise.

Showtime is working on finalizing two dates for fights later this year, one this summer and one this fall.

First, Juan Manuel Lopez will likely jump over to Showtime for a title defense against Bernabe Concepcion. This fight isn't really a big one, as Lopez will be a massive favorite. Not that Concepcion isn't a legitimate enough challenger, but he's not in Lopez's class. The fight will be on July 10 in Hato Rey, Puerto Rico. After that, says Lopez's manager, he's hoping to fight the Vazquez-Marquez IV winner later this year. Don't be surprised if HBO "steals" that one, given that HBO is the network that has put time and effort (and money) into helping Top Rank develop a Lopez-Yuriorkis Gamboa fight, and Lopez against the Vazquez-Marquez winner is about as big a fight as there's going to be at 126 anytime soon.

The Super Six clash between Andre Ward and Andre Dirrell is tentatively set for September 25. The promoters (Gary Shaw and Dan Goossen) are still arguing over the venue, but I'm sure that'll be settled relatively painlessly. As we all discussed the other day, there are plenty of options. Ward still has his June 19 fight with Allan Green to come, and would be returning in just over three months to face Dirrell.

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Whatever survives Vazquez-Marquez IV is going to be in no shape for Lopez, nice as it might seem on paper. All that fight is going to do is make Juan Ma look more than a touch better than he actually is.

by El Destruyo on Apr 1, 2010 5:22 PM EDT reply actions

Yeah, I really hate that fight. I’ve accepted for a while now that it will happen, but it’s cherry picking.

Bad Left Hook
"To the town of Agua Fria rode a stranger one fine day..."

by Scott Christ on Apr 1, 2010 5:23 PM EDT up reply actions

he should fight the winner of the other marquez brother and Diaz instead. Or really, I’d just like to see him fight Diaz.

by tkeithwhite on Apr 1, 2010 5:47 PM EDT reply actions

He’d have to move up two weight classes to do it.

Bad Left Hook
"To the town of Agua Fria rode a stranger one fine day..."

by Scott Christ on Apr 1, 2010 6:06 PM EDT up reply actions

Yeah, I know. Bit of a fantasy but, he is about Diaz’s size and it seems like he could put on some mass and still look good.

by tkeithwhite on Apr 1, 2010 6:20 PM EDT up reply actions

Maybe. Diaz IS a guy I always thought could probably have gotten to feather had he really put in the work. Or, maybe not probably. But maybe could have. I also like to imagine if Ricky Hatton had been less Ricky Hatton and had been able to get to lightweight. Hatton-Castillo at 135? Hatton-Chico? Hatton-Casamayor in the dirtiest fight ever? Awesome.

Bad Left Hook
"To the town of Agua Fria rode a stranger one fine day..."

by Scott Christ on Apr 1, 2010 6:27 PM EDT up reply actions

Hatton-Casamayor

My God! The very idea of such a thing. I agree that Hatton could have made 135 if he had been more, shall we say, consistent with his training. He is only 5’7 1/2 after all, only half an inch taller than Marquez.

I wouldn’t be suprised if Pac turned out to be the incredible hulk in a very good disguise. - Sigidy

by Drunken cutman on Apr 1, 2010 6:56 PM EDT up reply actions