By Dan Ambrose: Former WBO featherweight champion Juan Manuel Lopez (30-1, 27 KO’s) takes an important tune-up fight tonight against contender Mike Oliver (25-2, 8 KO’s) at the Coliseo Ruben Rodriguez, Bayamon, Puerto Rico.

Lopez, 28, has to win this fight to get a rematch with WBO featherweight champion Orlando Salido, who shockingly pulled off a huge upset over Lopez last April when Salido dominated and stopped Lopez in the 8th round.

Oliver isn’t much of any treat to Lopez because he has no power and he tends to cave in when he’s facing a guy with big power. All Lopez has to do is come after Oliver hard in the first couple of rounds and he’ll get an easy win. However, Lopez needs rounds and needs to work his conditioning. He’s gotten into a bad habit where he’s knocked out so many of his opponents early in his fights that when he’s had to fight past the 7th round, Lopez has struggled in fights against Rogers Mtagwa and Salido. Lopez needs to focus on boxing Oliver tonight because he’s going to need to be able to box for his rematch with Salido next year. Lopez can’t go out there slugging with Salido and expect to last long because he doesn’t have the chin, talent or the power to compete with the tough Mexican.

Lopez was beaten so soundly that it’s almost impossible to see Lopez having any chance against Salido in a rematch. The smart thing to do would be for Lopez to understand that he lost to a better fighter and move on with his career against guys that he has a better chance of beating. But Lopez instead persists with the idea that he can beat Salido if he trains harder, tries harder and has his mind focused completely on Salido this time. Personally, I think Lopez is making a huge mistake but he has to learn his lesson the hard way I guess.