Former world champion and Olympic gold medal winner Yuriorkis Gamboa (28-2, 17 KOs) is very eager to secure an eventual showdown with WBA lightweight champion Vasiliy Lomachenko (11-1, 9 KOs).
On November 10 at Marlins Park in Miami, Florida - Gamboa will face Miguel Beltran of Mexico.
If all goes well, Gamboa will next get in the ring with former two division champion Juan Manuel Lopez (35-6, 32 KOs), who appears on the November 10 undercard against Cristian Mino.
Juanma, who back in 2010 was being lined up to face Gamboa, believes the Cuban boxer is going to run from their fight
He feels the twice-beaten boxer will instead try to beat Beltran and then go straight to a fight with Lomachenko.
Gamboa has hit back at Juanma's claims.
"There have been a lot of things that have happened in my career and my career is far from over. I am here to be the best, which is what I have always felt I am. With the right people around me I am looking forward to having a great fight on November 10th and not only a great fight, but a great event in and of itself," Gamboa said.
"The comment that JuanMa had made earlier that I may be running or I may be ducking – that is false. He knows he is contractually obligated to New Champions for two fights – the second fight would be, if we both win, a fight between me and him. The fact that my goal is to fight Lomachenko or someone else in the division does no mean that I am trying to duck him. By all means I know my obligation and I know his obligation. My obligations right now it to win on November 10. After winning November 10, I want JuanMa.
"I understand the challenge that [Beltran] poses but I don’t see him as too much of an obstacle towards the goals that I have set for myself – in the near future is JuanMa and then after JuanMa, going up against Lomachenko. Those are my objectives and I want to share this ride with Miami."