By "Mr. Boxing" Giancarlo Oquendo

As previously reported, former two-division champion Juan Manuel "Juanma" Lopez believes Nonito Donaire (31-1, 20KOs) will defeat Guillermo Rigondeaux (11-0, 8KOs) in their upcoming super bantamweight unification on April 13th in New York City. Lopez would like to fight the winner at a catchweight of 128 pounds.

 

Caribe Promotions CEO, Boris Arencibia, who co-promotes Rigondeaux with Top Rank, would respond to Juanma's comments:

"I think we have to respect Juanma"s opinion, but Rigondeaux will win easier than most people think because he will put Nonito to work and fight him. Nonito will feel the power of his punches. Rigondeaux is a stylist who breaks his opponents down. And when Nonito starts to get frustrated, that's the moment where Rigondeaux wil push his attack," he told Mr.Boxing/BoxingScene.com.

 

Regarding Juanma's position for a catch-weight of 128 - Arencibia said that won't happen. If anything, Rigondeaux would consider the possibility of facing someone at 118 before he would ever consider the possibility of going to 128.

"Right now Rigondeaux is focused on this fight [against Donaire], which is super important. [After Donaire], we would then be willing to go against anyone at 126 - where we wouldn't give away too much weight - and also against anyone at 118, but I think right now we can't think of anything more than the fight with Nonito," stated Arencibia to Mr.Boxing/BoxingScene.

Giancarlo Oquendo is a TV Boxing Analyst for the PRSN Network and WQBN 1160am. Follow him on Twitter @mrboxingtab