By Sean McDaniel: Former WBC lightweight champion Humberto Soto (57-7-2, 34 KO’s) faces 31-year-old former lightweight Claudinei Lacerda (14-2, 10 KO’s) in a scheduled 10 round bout in light welterweight action at the Oasis Hotel Complex in Cancun, Mexico. Soto, 31, is staying busy before his important fight against light welterweight contender Lucas Matthysse (30-2, 28 KO’s) on June 23rd in a make or break fight for Soto.
Soto should be able to get by Lacerda tonight, as he’s not really a serious threat to him and isn’t someone that’s been fighting at 140 for very long. Soto, #2 WBC, #3 WBA, #10 WBO, is looking to get a title shot against one of the light welterweight champions and pick up another world title. However, it won’t be as easy it was last time because the fighters are bigger, stronger and Soto is starting to get up there in age at 31. That’s not old for bigger fighters but for smaller ones like Soto, it could be a problem if he doesn’t get a title shot soon.
As far as tonight’s fight goes, Lacerda appears to be way out of his class in this fight. He’s never beaten anyone like Soto and was recently easily beaten by Ireland’s Andy Murray by a 10 round points decision in November 2010. Lacerda didn’t fight at all in 2011, and has fought once in 2012, beating journeyman Renato Pedro (1-21) by a 4th round TKO. Facing a guy with a 1-21 record kind of gives you an idea that Lacerda’s management didn’t want to take any chances by matching him against anyone halfway decent for his first fight after a long layoff.
Soto moved up in weight to the light welterweight division in September 2011, but he’s been matched exclusively with lightweights for some reason. Not sure what the problem is but it’s good if they’re just trying to pad his record to make sure Soto has a good chance of getting a title shot. But it’s bad as far as helping Soto get ready for what he’ll be facing when takes on Matthysse in June. Soto may be in for a huge shock in that fight, because Mattysse actually is a light welterweight, not someone that was dragged up from the lightweight division to face Soto. And he can punch and it just doesn’t look good for Soto unless he fights a lot better than he’s been fighting.