?JUANMA? LOPEZ FACES ONE YEAR SUSPENSION BY WBO
By Ronnie Nathanielsz
PhilBoxing.com
Tue, 13 Mar 2012
The comments of former WBO featherweight champion Juan Manuel ?Juanma? Lopez about referee Roberton Ramirez claiming he was a gambler after his 10th round TKO loss to Oscar Salido in a title rematch in San Juan, Puerto Rico last Saturday has gotten him into serious trouble with the WBO.
World Boxing Organization president Francisco ?Paco? Valcarcel has announced that the WBO Executive Committee had voted on and approved a resolution against ?Juanma? Lopez because of his uncalled for comment on referee Ramirez even though Lopez apologized profusely the following day.
Valcarcel indicated the WBO resolution said Juanma Lopez should ?show cause why he should not be suspended for one year, neither appear in the WBO rankings or fight for any regional or world WBO title.?
Lopez (31-2, 28 KOs) who lost by TKO in the 10th round when referee Ramirez called a halt after Salido (38-11-1, 26 KO?s) dropped Lopez with a vicious combination with Lopez appearing in no condition to continue.
Lopez, in a post-fight interview contested the stoppage and accused referee Ramirez of being a gambler, effectively casting aspersions on the longtime international referee. However, in a press release Lopez apologized for his remarks and cited Ramirez as one of the best referees in the world.
However, Ramirez rejected the apology demanding that ?Juanma? apologize to him on ?Showtime? television which carried the fight and the interview, internationally, and also on YouTube.
Boxingscene.com quoted Ramirez as saying ?Excuses only satisfy those who say them. I heard the words of 'Juanma' [after the fight] and the arrogance with which he massacred my honesty... I have already [been involved in] 184 world title fights and this is the first time a person puts into question my honesty and my integrity," added the experienced boxing official. "I'm very upset...but to say that I gamble is attacking my integrity and my family."
Salido who won the title from Lopez in a stunning 8th round TKO in Puerto Rico on April 16, 2011 courageously returned to the hometown of ?Juanma? to defend the title after a tune-up fight against 22 year old Filipino Weng Haya last December 17.
Haya shocked the world champion by dropping him once in rounds three and four but tired out and eventually lost to Salido by an 8th round TKO.
Photo: Juanma Lopez lands on the canvas courtesy of a Salido combination in the fateful 10th round during their fight Saturday in Puerto Rico.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Ronnie Nathanielsz.
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