With a victory over Bernabe Concepcion on July 10, WBO Featherweight champion Juan Manuel Lopez will showdown with Rafael Marquez on September 18th, this according to Dan Rafael of espn.com.
“The only one who doesn’t agree to this deal is a guy named Bernabe Concepcion,” Top Rank’s Bob Arum, who promotes Lopez and Concepcion, said. “But we made our deal with Showtime and we have the MGM on hold.”
“I’m really excited about this fight because I believe Marquez wins the fight,” said Gary Shaw, who promotes Marquez. “I think ‘Juanma’ is overrated. [Showtime’s Ken] Hershman told me Top Rank’s deal with him was done and Beltran told me we were all buttoned up and done. So all we are waiting for is the July fight and for ‘Juanma’ to come out victorious and healthy.”
“That’s always a big rivalry (between Puerto Rican and Mexican fighters) and we’re doing the fight on the Mexican holiday,” Shaw said. “What could be bigger?”
Said Arum, “It’s a sensational fight and a great fight particularly for that date because it’s the 200th anniversary of Mexican independence.”
“Rafael Marquez really wanted this fight,” Shaw said. “He believes he wins the fight and that it’s a great opportunity for him. If he beats ‘Juanma’ he knows that anyone who doubted that he should be in the Hall of Fame won’t be able to doubt him anymore.”
“If Marquez beats Lopez, he’s got some more really big fights in the division,” Shaw said. “The next fight I’d try to make is with [Top Rank-promoted titlist Yuriorkis] Gamboa.”
“I look at the fight like another Barrera-Morales kind of fight because of their styles and the way they’re going to come and bomb each other, and not take a backward step,” Arum said.
