By Ryan Burton
BoxingScene.com spoke to Celestino "Pelenchin" Caballero about his rival Juan Manuel Lopez's recent victory over Rafael Marquez. The Panamanian and Puerto Rican have had bad blood the past few years but so far have not faced each other in the ring.
BoxingScene reported the confrontation between Team Lopez and Caballero following this past Friday's weigh-in. Lopez weighed in after Marquez, and when he left the stage Caballero claims that he merely asked Juanma to fight him. Two members of Team Lopez then rushed Caballero with one of them throwing a punch at the Panamanian.
Caballero said that Lopez put on a good performance but that he had predicted that Lopez would win months ago. "I knew Juanma would win. To tell you the truth I am surprised he wasn't able to end the fight earlier," Caballero told BoxingScene.
When asked for his thoughts on the 4th round of the fight when Lopez was staggered by Marquez, Pelenchin said he will remember that sequence for future reference. "That was an interesting moment in the fight. That is definitely something that I will keep in my memory bank."
Caballero is still holding out hope that he will get his wish and finally get in the ring with Lopez. "Juanma has to fight me. He said he wants to be like his idol Tito Trinidad. Tito fought everybody. He didn't worry about how much money he was getting or anything like that. He didn't duck anyone."
Lopez is scheduled to return to the ring in March and hoped for a rematch with Marquez or a bout with WBA Super Champion Chris John. Sampson Lewkowicz who advises both John and Caballero recently told BoxingScene's Rick Reeno that he will pursue a fight between Chris John and WBA featherweight champion Yuriorkis Gamboa as it has been ordered by the WBA.
NotiFight's Alfredo Jaime Gomez recently reported that Rafale Marquez has a hairline fracture in his injured shoulder and will need at least 6 months to recover. That leaves Lopez without a dance partner for March. It seems very unlikely Top Rank would put Lopez in the ring with Caballero one fight before a mega-bout is set to take place with his stablemate Yuriorkis Gamboa. Caballero doesn't see why that should be an issue.
"I had already said a long time ago that I would fight him Puerto Rico. All he has to do is sign up to fight me. If he is better than me then he should beat me and then fight Gamboa. It would make that fight bigger."
Caballero, the former WBA and IBF junior featherweight champion ended our conversation by saying that the people of Puerto Rico won't hold Juanma in the same regard as past Boricua legends until he finally faces him in the ring.
"Wlifredo Gomez, Benitez, and Tito all fought everybody. They fought all challengers. Juanma picks and chooses his opponents. Puerto Ricans won't see him as a great champion like them unless he fights me."
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