Amir Khan vs Josesito Lopez early frontrunner for April return

Josesito Lopez was considered a candidate for Amir Khan's next fight even before Khan systematically dismantled an overmatched Carlos Molina last night in Los Angeles, and today, the story remains the same. Lopez is still the frontrunner to face Khan in April 2013, on Showtime.

Khan (27-3, 19 KO) had no trouble last night with the game but totally outclassed and undersized Molina (17-1-1, 7 KO), and it turned out to be little more than an exhibition that got Khan back into the win column and gave him some true ring experience with Virgil Hunter as his trainer.

That's all fine and good, and it's probably in Khan's best interests that it went down that way, but Lopez (30-5, 18 KO) is not Carlos Molina. Lopez upset Victor Ortiz by breaking his jaw in June, and went out on his shield when he was Molina'd against Canelo Alvarez in September.

That fight proved that Lopez is no 154-pound fighter, but he's been quite respectable at 140 and 147. His other four losses have included split or majority decision defeats against Wes Ferguson, Edgar Santana, and Jessie Vargas, as well as a loss in his third pro fight back in 2003.

Lopez, 28, is a talented fighter, and he's not 5'6". Khan would have a lot more to worry about with that guy in front of him instead of Molina, who simply couldn't do anything with the British star.