By Allan Fox: Former WBO featherweight champion Juan Manuel Lopez (31-2, 28 KO’s) has now lost two out of his last three fights since April of last year, and his recent beating at the hands of Orlando Salido was a huge blow in Lopez’s career. He’s not saying it now but you have to figure that he can’t afford too many more losses like the one he suffered against Salido.

It’s clear that the 28-year-old Lopez will be kept away from Salido perhaps for the remainder of Lopez’s career. It was foolhardy for Lopez to have been thrown back in against Salido until they were careful about who they put him in with and were okay if he possibly lost the fight.

Lopez can still have a good career and maybe even win a title at the fight but only if he’s willing to be put in with less than the best opposition. This will mean less money but it’ll be good for Lopez because there other fighters floating around that could give Lopez a lot of problems. He can’t be put back in with a fighter that can beat him like Salido or one of the other top featherweights.

Here are the fighters I think Lopez should be safely put with:

* Micky Garcia

* Hozumi Hasegawa

* Rey Baustista

* Jhonny Gonzalez

* Chris John

* Celestino Caballero

* Billy Dibb

Those are all decent fighters but badly flawed and very beatable for a hard hitting fighter like Lopez. None of those guys have steel chins and that’s the important thing for Lopez. If he can get you out of there then his own questionable chin doesn’t get exposed. Lopez would have a big advantage against those guys in that he hits a lot harder and he wouldn’t have to worry about getting hit with so many big shots like he did against the relentless Orlando Salido in his two knockout losses to him.