By Ian S Palmer
Former featherweight king Juan Manuel Lopez of Puerto Rico is all set to tangle with undefeated Francisco Vargas of Mexico this Saturday, July 12 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada. The 12-round bout is for the Lopez’s WBO International and Vargas’ NABF Super Featherweight Championship. It can be seen on the Showtime pay-per-view platform in the U.S., as well as on BoxNation in Britain, and on pay-per-view in Canada. The fight is on the undercard of the Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez vs Erislandy Lara tilt.
Lopez, the 31-year-old southpaw, will enter the ring with an impressive mark of 34-3 along with 31 Kos while the 29-year-old Vargas brings a perfect record of 19-0 with 13 Kos into the contest. Vargas has a couple of inches in height advantage as he stands 5-feet-8 while Lopez is just a shade over 5-foot-5. He also possesses an inch reach edge at 70 to 69 inches. Lopez has a distinct advantage in experience since he’s fought 164 rounds to just 73 by Vargas.
There’s no doubt that Lopez’s biggest weapon is his power since he’s stopped 31 of his 37 opponents. However, he’s also been on the receiving end of three Kos since 2011. He’s attempting to win a third belt in three different weight divisions, nut his ability or inability to take a heavy punch could derail those plans. However, he looked like the Lopez of old back in March when he destroyed Mexico’s Daniel Ponce De Leon in just two rounds. Lopez also stopped him in the first round back in 2008, so it was hard to tell just how good Lopez is right now.
There are those who feel Lopez is still on shaky legs and Vargas will definitely be a stiffer test for him. Vargas is a tough customer, who puts on the pressure and has good power. His last bout was a 10-round unanimous decision over Abner Cotto back in March. Vargas has only been fighting as a pro since 2010 and has been quite busy since then. He fought for Mexico in the Olympics in the past to cap off a fine amateur career. He’s fought some decent opposition, but will be taking a step up in class with Lopez. However, if he aims to win a world title he’s going to have to beat this type of tough opponent.
Lopez has above-average power in both of his fists, with his right hook being especially dangerous. He’s find Vargas coming forward and shouldn’t have to go looking for him at all. This could lead to an exciting brawl for the fans and a knockdown or two won’t be out of the question. Neither will a knockout for that matter. Vargas throws excellent combinations and mixes his shots t the head and body. He’s not too bad defensively since he has good head movement.
Prediction
This is a tough fight to call since we don’t know how much Lopez has left in the tank. Both guys are going to hit and be hit, but it’s all going to come down to their chins. If Lopez can still take a punch then he’s got an excellent chance here. However, if he can’t take a shot to the chin anymore then he’s likely going to be stopped. It’s doubtful that Vargas has ever been in with a banger like Lopez before so this is going to be a good test for him too. I’ve got a feeling that whoever lands the first big bomb and staggers his opponent will end up stopping him. This is a coin toss, but let’s go with the veteran Lopez here.
