by David P. Greisman
Erislandy Lara need not be in any rush to leave the junior middleweight division just yet, according to his trainer, Ronnie Shields. Though the decision would ultimately rest with Lara and his management team, Shields said his fighter is still comfortable at 154, where there are plenty of options available.
“If Erislandy was having a problem making 154 pounds, I’d be the first one to suggest and say I think it’s time for us to go up,” Shields said. “But as long as he doesn’t have a problem, then I don’t see a need for him to go up — at least right now. “But if he was to run out of opponents, which is almost impossible to run out of opponents right now at 154, then he’s good. But as long as he can make the weight and stay strong, he’s going to be fine at 154.”
Lara, 32, is the World Boxing Association’s “regular” titleholder at junior middleweight, a secondary belt until the WBA decides to strip the retired Floyd Mayweather Jr. of its “super” title. Lara will defend that belt against Jan Zaveck on a Nov. 25 “Premier Boxing Champions” card on ESPN from Hialhea, Florida, near Miami.
While middleweight has fighters such as his Al Haymon-signed stablemates Peter Quillin and Daniel Jacobs, who will fight in December, the ranks at junior middleweight are packed full of Haymon boxers and others who could be available as foes.
“There’s a lot of guys there,” Shields said. “Obviously I don’t want to see him in with Jermall Charlo [who Shields also trains]. I would love to see him in with, he has Demetrius Andrade there. Liam Smith, he’s there. He’s been calling names. That’s two names right there. If Liam Smith wants to engage, that’s a strong possibility there. There’s a lot of other names that’s out there. He can fight Vanes Martirosyan again. Their fight was so-so the first time. I think it’ll be so much better the second time. Vanes just beat Ishe Smith, and of course Lara beat Ishe. Willie Nelson, he’s there. There’s still a few big fights there.”
Andrade and Smith aren’t with Haymon. Martirosyan, who fought to a technical draw with Lara in 2012, is. So are Julian Williams, Austin Trout and brothers Jermall and Jermell Charlo. While Shields wouldn’t want Lara to face Jermall, there’d be no objection to Lara facing Jermell, with whom Shields parted a few months back.
“That’s not up to me, but it’s a possibility now since I don’t work with him,” Shields said.
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