By Mark Vester
According to manager Orlando Pineiro, Juan Manuel Lopez's first defense of the WBO featherweight title, against Bernabe Concepcion, might take place at the José Miguel Agrelot Coliseum in Hato Rey, Puerto Rico. The date of July 10 has been reserved and Showtime is likely to televise.
Pineiro says the outline he was given by Top Rank, who promote Juanma, has the fighter facing Concepcion on the July date, and then going after the winner of the fourth fight between Rafael Marquez and Israel Vazquez, which takes place on May 22. A unification meeting with WBA champion Yuriorkis Gamboa is being eyed for the middle of 2011.
"Right now we have the July 10 fight with Bernabe Concepcion," said Pineiro to Vacero. "Mr. Bob Arum has offered us some financial guarantees and we have no problems with that. 'Juanma' needs this fight for our people and and he needs to have a solid victory to go against the winner of the fight between Vazquez and Marquez."
"The promoter is thinking that 'Juanma' and Gamboa will fight in 2011 during the weekend of the 'Puerto Rican Day Parade' in New York. We know it will be another very exciting fight."
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