Juanma, “If I Land, He’s Going Down”

Jerry Glick reporting: Juan Manuel “Juanma” Lopez, 25-0 (23 KOs), is a hot fighter who has attracted a tremendous following and is yet another Puerto Rican star and a neighbor of the current biggest property on the beautiful island; both he and Miguel Cotto reside in Caguas, PR.

One must assume that there is something really special in their water to produce such amazing talent. On Wednesday he and others who will appear on the exciting upcoming event promoted by Top Rank, Latin Fury 9, at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, NJ, on June 27th, were at BB Kings in Midtown Manhattan to talk to the media.

Lopez, WBO Junior Featherweight Champion of the World will be defending his belt against an unbeaten challenger in Olivier Lontchi, the NABA Super Bantamweight Champion who is 18-0-2 (8) in a twelve rounder that will be Lopez’ fourth defense of his world title.

Lopez has a very professional attitude stepping into this fight. In spite of his unbeaten record and all the knockouts he has, he is not over confident.

“He’s a different fighter,” said Lopez. “He is something that I am not used to. He is a boxer, mover and it’s going to be a difficult fight for awhile but once I figure him out there is no question that I am going to beat him.”
He has a deep well of confidence that he will find a way to win as he has throughout his pro career.

“I’m the kind of fighter who will put the pressure on him,” explained the champion. “I will come after him. He needs to be careful because if I land, he’s going down.”

“I respect my opponent but I think his manager and his trainer is more confident than he is. There is a saying in Puerto Rico about medicine, sometimes the medicine doesn’t do any good, I don’t think he’s my medicine.”

Jorge Arce, 51-5-1 (39), is one of boxing’s more charming personalities. At 29 years of age he has a ready wit, and is ready with an engaging smile and to talk about boxing or music or anything you want to talk to him about.
In his last outing, against super tough Vic Darchinyan, Arce suffered a crushing defeat, but he is determined to win another world title and he is restarting his climb against Fernando “Poe” Lumacad 19-1-2 (7) in a twelve round super-flyweight affair. Lumacad is moving up from flyweight to super-flyweight.

As far as his loss to Darchinyan, he points to his hand.

“Look at my hand,” he said. “I broke my hand.”

He knows little about his opponent but he knows this, “He’s young and very strong,” he said. “But I’m ready to win by knockout.”

Andrey Tsurkan, 26-4 (17), has fought in local rings and is a well known warrior who has faced the best without asking who, only when. According to his promoter, Joe DeGuardia, Andrey’s fight is a good match on its own. DeGuardia said that the fighters in the top four fights on the show have a cumulative winning record of about 97%.

“It’s fitting that starting this card is Andrey Tsurkan against Vanes Martirosyan, 27-0 (8), in a fight that would headline anywhere out there right now,” added DeGuardia.

Tsurkan is an introspective guy, who has had a career of ups and downs and strikes this reporter as someone who believes that he would be in a better spot if the breaks had gone his way a little more. He may be right. He is a talented, strong, fearless type of fighter but finds himself on the short end of close verdicts and not always finding the right formula to beat the guy at the next level. On this show he finds himself in a position where he is the opponent, but a very live opponent. He has in front of him a young fighter who sees opportunity in Andrey. Andrey wants to make that opportunity his.

“I feel great,” said Tsurkan. “I can’t wait. He’s a young kid, 24 years old, got a good heart, good opportunity. You know, when you’re young you’re fresh, you’re hungry, but we’ll see.”

In 2007 and 2008 he lost two key fights, a heart breaking knockout to rugged, and very highly regarded Alfredo Angulo, and a close split decision to one of the participants in this show, Yuri Foreman.

“We asked many times for a rematch with Foreman,” said a very disappointed Tsurkan, “But he didn’t want to fight. But its okay, it’s done already. It’s done and we keep going and we won’t stop, we look to the future.”

He believes that there are many chances for all fighters at the 154 pound limit because there is a lot of talent available to fight.

“It’s an excellent division,” said Tsurkan. “Lots of guys, a lot of good fighters, a lot of money; there are young guys and old guys to be fought, lots of opportunities. I’m 31 years old and I work hard in the gym every day. I’m ready to go.”

When I said that he always puts up a good performance, even if he loses,
his says that when he loses he loses with heart, “I lose like man, exactly, I was like man.” Andrey Tsurkan, wins like winner, and should he lose, he loses like a winner too; too much heart for it to be any other way.

PUNCHLINES
Bob Arum intends to bring more of his Latin Fury shows to the east coast, but they may not include everyone.

“Yeah,” said Arum, “we hope to have September 26th at the theater, Latin Fury 11 because 10 is in Mexico. We’ll be bringing him back if he wins, Juan Manuel, and Gamboa.”

But not Julio Caesar Chavez Jr.

“He doesn’t belong here,” Arum insisted, “Chavez, in Arizona, or Mexico.”
Arum, whose opinion must be respected, believes that the lack of Mexicans in the eastern part of the US will make Chavez a hard sell.

“I remember when I did De La Hoya and Chavez (Sr.) on closed circuit because we didn’t do pay per view, as soon as I crossed the Mississippi I died.

“I sold out the Rose Bowl, I sold out the Coliseum, I crossed the Mississippi, I died. In New York I didn’t do 50% in the Garden, the only location.

“NO HBO PAY PER VIEW!” said Arum when Tsurkan accidentally thanked HBO for their PPV work on the event. Poor Bob Arum, it seems that every time he does the PPV, the fighters thank HBO.

In a couple of non-Latin battles, IBF #3 Yuri Foreman, 27-0 (8), fights IBF #2 Cornelius Bundrage, 29-4 (17) in a twelve round IBF junior-middleweight elimination fight with a title fight awaiting the winner; and in another junior-middleweight fight, unbeaten Vanes Martirosyan, 24-0 (15) goes ten rounds with veteran, Andrey Tsurkan, 26-4 (17).