Luevano-Lopez: A step up in weight and class for Juanma

By Peter Wells: Before our big fight between WBC Welterweight champion Andre Berto and WBA champion Shane Mosley we have a great little guys battle. But when these so called little guys fight, they are like machines and fight to thrill. Not many come as light and destructive as Juan Manuel Lopez can when he catches his opponents. Well known as Juanma, Lopez can bang but in his last fight had to go the full 12 and was shaken late on.

On 23rd January Juanma will move from Super Bantamweight to Featherweight to take on WBO champion Steven Luevano. The titleholder is 37-1-1 with just 15 knockouts, and hasn’t lost since 2005, being unbeaten in 9, 1 being a draw and has 5 defences of his title all making it to the final bell but did win by disqualification in his last bout.

The challenger won the WBO Super Bantamweight title in 2008 by stopping Daniel Ponce De Leon in 1 round then stopped both Figueroa and Medina in a single round, the first not even making the first minute. His last 3 have gone much longer, going 10 rounds before Freddie Roach pulled out veteran Gerry Penalosa then he retired Oliver Lontchi in 9 before his unanimous victory over Rogers Mtagwa. Mtagwa shook Juanma late on and the champion for the first time in his career looked in big trouble, but managed to hold on. Now Lopez boats a nice 27-0 with 24 knockouts and isn’t fazed by size advantage, although they both stand 5ft 7in and both have a 69in reach, but Luevano is the naturally bigger being more experienced at the higher weight.

Luevano isn’t a big puncher but has a good chin and has seen plenty of good opposition fall short in front of him, but the sharp powerful hitting Lopez will be something different, and will be surely more prepared to go 12 rounds this time and won’t go out to quick unless he gets the chance to take him out. Luevano is by far the best opposition Lopez is to fight in his career so far, but he will be too good and powerful for the champion. Luevano won’t crumble but will fall short by a long margin when the final bell goes.

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