By Miguel Rivera
Former two division world champion Juan Manuel "Juanma" Lopez maintains a safe distance from the idea that a defeat at the hands of Jayson "la Maravilla" Velez would precipitate his decision towards retirement.
López and Vélez will headline the card Noche de Campeones DirecTV: Live or Die 'on March 3 that will headline the Mario "Quijote" Morales of Guaynabo coliseum.
"It's an important fight, but I do not want to put it at the level of everything or nothing. I have a name, a legacy although many fans do not see it that way," said Lopez to Carlos Gonzalez.
Lopez, 34, will wait for the outcome of the fight to later determine his continuation in boxing or whether or not he intends to pursue other interests.
"I have to see how I look. Sometimes you win and you do not want to see one more or on the contrary you lose looking good. I'm going to take the fights one by one," confessed the two-time world champion.
Lopez understands that having beaten Wilfredo Vázquez Jr in October 2016 represented a second wind for his career.
"I was out of boxing and I did not intend to go back, but I did it against Vázquez Jr. I started working, I have my partnership with a gym in Guaynabo and I can not say what I will do in the future until March 3," he insisted.
According to Lopez, Vélez (25-4-1, 17 KO) will try to box instead of trading in the center of the ring.
"Jayson is going to move more although he likes the fight, but I can't place my faith in that. His coaches have said that Jayson will come out boxing, but you have to wait for the bell to ring. He is more technical than Vázquez Jr. and a little bit tangled," analyzed López (35-5, 32 KO).
"I'll need four or five rounds to get me settled although I can not take too long because the fight is 12 rounds not 20 rounds. Opportunities will come, I have no doubt about that. His people know that I hit hard. I'm not worried, Jayson will not beat me."