By Mark Vester
WBO super bantamweight champion Juan Manuel Lopez (22-0, 20KOs) is going to make a September return. According to El Nuevo Dia, Top Rank is currently in talks with HBO for the date of September 27, which is already set aside for the return of Kelly Pavlik. Lopez co-headlined with Pavlik on HBO's June 7 telecast from Atlantic City. That night Lopez demolished Daniel Ponce De Leon in one-round to capture the title.
Ivan Rivera, president of Puerto Rico Best Boxing, who co-promote Lopez, says the champion is still on schedule to fight two more times in 2008 and then making his mandatory defense in March 2009. If the September fight goes as planned, he would return for a second defense in December.
"We had wanted the defense to take place in Puerto Rico, but if there is an opportunity to fight outside of the country on HBO, we prefer to do that fight", said Rivera. "The idea is to have Juanma fight two more this year. Top Rank is focused right now in the fight with Miguel Cotto and Antonio Margarito. Once that fight is done, they will tell us what they have for us. The opponenst will be determined based on the locations of fights and the dates."
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