NEW YORK (AP) -Juan Manuel Lopez is doing his best to keep his attention on Saturday night, although he'd certainly be forgiven if his mind tends to wander.
The junior featherweight champion has shot to stardom over the last 16 months, ever since knocking out Daniel Ponce de Leon in the first round to earn the title - a fight that was over before anybody at Atlantic City's Boardwalk Hall had a chance to find their seat.
JuanMa has since stopped four challengers, two of them in the first round. He now finds himself headlining at Madison Square Garden against Rogers Mtagwa, a tough journeyman who isn't expected to give the Puerto Rican knockout artist any trouble.
It's a gatekeeper fight, the kind that is supposed to lead to bigger things.
And the classic example of a trap if Lopez isn't prepared.
``It's a great opportunity for me. I didn't expect it to happen so soon,'' Lopez said of fighting in the so-called Mecca of Boxing. ``It's very important for me to look great, to show everybody who shows up that I'm a good fighter.''
Not just a good fighter. Lopez wants to be the best.
He wants to be heir to Puerto Rican fighters such as Wilfredo Benitez, Samuel Serrano, his idol Felix Trinidad, and now Miguel Cotto, the welterweight champion who will fight Manny Pacquiao next month in easily the biggest event of the year.
Cotto has headlined at the Garden numerous times, often on the eve of the Puerto Rican Day parade, when thousands of his singing, cheering countrymen pour out in unwavering support.
While Cotto exudes a quiet confidence, Lopez believes he can tackle the world. Cotto is reserved, almost bashful, when he's in public. Lopez has an effervescent smile that instantly endears him to his rapidly expanding fan base.
``There are two kinds of clock with these young fighters in this business. One is their marketability clock and one is their boxing ability clock,'' said Todd duBoef of promoter Top Rank. ``When we have a guy that is in the epicenter of these big fights ... we have to take both of those things into consideration.''
Lopez (26-0, 24 KOs) was 121 pounds Friday, so unconcerned with making weight that he spent the time before stepping on the scale taking dozens of pictures and signing countless autographs for his fans. Mtagwa (26-12-2, 18 KOs) also weighed 121.
``I don't think it's going to be an easy fight,'' Lopez said. ``There are older guys that have done a lot, but I know my abilities and I know what I can do - and I know I can beat him.''
Lopez may be the brightest up-and-coming star on display Saturday night, and the crowd will certainly make him feel right at home, but there also will be a Cuban flair when featherweight Yuriorkis Gamboa and heavyweight Odlanier Solis walk to the ring.
Gamboa, the Olympic gold medalist and featherweight champion, will defend his title against Whyber Garcia in the co-main event. Solis will take on former title contender Monte Barrett on the undercard. Both Cubans defected after sterling amateur careers.
Gamboa (15-0, 13 KOs) has perhaps the most touching back story, growing up in grinding poverty that didn't change even after he earned Olympic glory. The 2004 champion had to hock his gold medal just to throw his 3-year-old daughter a birthday party, and until two years ago could only dream of plying his trade as a professional.
``It was a big risk for me to leave and take the stuff that I gook, leaving not only the boxing team but leaving my country,'' Gamboa said through a translator. ``It just goes on to prove that if I set a goal, I can accomplish it.''
Gamboa accomplished a major goal by stopping Jose Rojas in April to earn a title in only his 15th pro fight, and with another good performance against Garcia (22-6, 15 KOs), the 27-year-old could find himself staring down more lucrative paydays.
Top Rank hopes to pit Lopez against Gamboa sometime next year, although duBoef warned both fighters not to look ahead. He jokingly threatened to have a blackout in the arena so that Lopez can't watch Gamboa's fight on television monitors in the locker room.
``I have to win the fights and win convincingly to get to where I want to get, bigger fights and bigger paydays,'' Gamboa said. ``I can feel like it is on my doorstep, but first I have to pass this test on Saturday before I think about what happens next.''
