The massive Puerto Rican Day Parade is the talk of New York City every second Sunday in June. And, for the past few years, the unofficial host has been Miguel Cotto, who has performed in a sold-out, electric Madison Square Garden on the day prior to the parade — against the likes of Paul Malignaggi, ZabJudah and Joshua Clottey.
Rumors are swirling that Cotto will embark on a comeback in the Garden on June 12 against junior middleweight champ Yuri Foreman.
But even loyalists have to agree that Cotto — who suffered a brutal knockout loss to Manny Pacquiao on Nov. 14 — has probably seen his best days.
Soon, a passing-of-the-torch will commence, and the Garden will be showcasing another star on the second Saturday in June.
And that star likely will be Juan Manuel Lopez, who, for now, continues to audition for the big June date, as he jumps four pounds to meet WBO featherweight champ Steven Luevano (7:45 p.m. today, HBO) in the theater at the Garden.
Heir apparent
“Juanma” — with speed and power to burn — has been nearly perfect since turning pro in 2005. At 27-0 (24 knockouts), Lopez is the heir apparent. When he steps in the ring, the arena turns electric — just like it does for Cotto, and just like it did for welterweight,junior middleweight and middleweight Puerto Rican great Felix Trinidad.
Besides possessing the crunching power to blast out a champion the caliber of Daniel Ponce-DeLeon in one round — which he did in 2008 to win the WBOsuper bantamweight Advertisement
title — he can take it, too.
Juanma survived a war with Rogers Mtagwa inOctober at the Garden, winning a unanimous 12-round decision in perhaps the best fight of 2009. He showed mettle that no one knew he had, making it through a hectic 12th round to keep his perfect record intact.
He is on his way to elite status, and may already be one of boxing’s 12 best pound-for-pound champs.
Tonight, he faces a different kind of test.
Luevano (37-1-1, 15 KOs), is as tricky as they come. A skilled southpaw who never loses his composure, the native of La Puente, Calif., won the crown in 2007 from Nicky Cook (W 12) and has made five defenses.
But he is strictly a cutie. In his reign, he has had three decision wins, one DQ win and a draw.
Luevano will have to prove he’s overcome the controversy of his last fight, when he was knocked out by Bernabe Concepcion — after the bell. He deserved the DQ victory, but you have to wonder if the aftereffects of the crushing knockout blow will linger.
Look for him to give Lopez trouble for a while with his educated jab and careful style. But he is not the fighter that Juanma is. He’ll be lucky to hear thefinal bell. Lopez by unanimous decision.
Gamboa vs. Mtagwa
Meanwhile, the man with whom Lopez appears to be on a collision course, undefeated WBA featherweight champ Yuriorkis Gamboa, meets the toughest opponent of his young career, Mtagwa, a Tanzania native who lives in Philadelphia.
Like Lopez, Gamboa (16-0, 14 KOs) — a Cuban living in Miami — is seen as one of boxing’s future stars. He has sharp reflexes, boxing ability and movement, and he can crack a little, too. But he’s been dropped and is often sloppy and anxious.
Which will prove his undoing against a veteran like Mtagwa (26-18-2, 18 KOs), who is aggressive, strong and determined.
Gamboa has a ways to go before he can win this kind of fight. Mtagwa by split decision.
Matthew Aguilar may be reached at [email protected]
