NEW YORK (AP) -Every second must have been like an eternity for Juan Manuel Lopez.
The WBO super bantamweight champion was expected to easily dispatch Rogers Mtagwa on Saturday night, continuing his ascension into boxing's upper echelon.
It didn't turn out that way.
After building a big early lead, Lopez suddenly found himself in survival mode against the hardheaded, Tanzania-born journeyman. The final three rounds went by so slowly that the 24-year-old champ was stealing glances at the clock, almost willing the seconds to tick away, his legs rubber and his face swelling up under Mtagwa's relentless attack.
``A lot of people think I'm Superman. I get hurt just like everybody else,'' said Lopez, who survived for a unanimous decision. ``I guess that answers the question when something in the ring happens to me. I showed you tonight, I was resilient.''
Resilient, yes, but the fight provided as many questions as answers.
Lopez had been on a steep trajectory since knocking out Daniel Ponce de Leon in the first round to win the title less than two years ago. Puerto Rico's 2008 Fighter of the Year hadn't gone the distance in more than three years, and with a crowd-pleasing style and winning personality, promoter Top Rank had him earmarked for much bigger things.
The plan was for Lopez (27-0, 24 KOs) to make another defense of his 122-pound belt early next year, perhaps against fellow titleholder Celestino Caballero, before moving up in weight for a megafight with Cuban knockout artist Yuriorkis Gamboa.
Top Rank chief Bob Arum believes that's still feasible, although even he was screaming at ringside as Lopez struggled to hang on against Mtagwa.
``(Mtagwa) stayed in there, he didn't get discouraged, and at the end he had Juanma reeling, so you have to give him all the props,'' Arum said. ``But Juanma didn't have to make it that difficult.''
Caballero has been calling out Lopez for weeks, but the two sides are far apart on money, which means Lopez could instead move up in weight immediately to face featherweight titlists Steven Luevano or Elio Rojas. Either way, Lopez is expected to fight on Jan. 23.
``Caballero is being very, very difficult - his people are being very, very difficult - as to the amount of money he wants for the fight,'' Arum said. ``We've offered him $150,000, and if he doesn't want it, that's fine. I got no problem with that. Maybe he's worth more.''
As for Gamboa, who stopped Whyber Garcia in the fourth round Saturday night, Arum hopes that he'll fight Lopez in June - likely on the eve of the national Puerto Rican Day parade, a date that has traditionally gone to Lopez's countryman Miguel Cotto.
Gamboa, a former Olympic gold medalist who defected a few years ago, was downright indignant after his brutally efficient victory. Gamboa (16-0, 14 KOs) believed he should have received top billing on the card instead of Lopez, pointing to his sterling amateur record and his rapid rise since joining the professional ranks.
``I want to prove I am the best in the world,'' Gamboa said, when asked about facing Lopez. ``Whoever thinks they are better than me, I want to fight them.''
Gamboa is co-promoted by Top Rank and Germany-based Arena Box, which signed him after he fled Cuba with amateur teammates Odlanier Solis and Yan Barthelemy. That means a fight against Lopez would be easy to make.
``There have been discussions about fighting Juan Manuel Lopez,'' said Arena Box chief executive Ahmet Oner. ``Why not? We'll take him.''
Solis (15-0, 11 KOs) also appeared on the card Saturday night and made quick work of former heavyweight contender Monte Barrett, knocking him out in the second round. Arum sounded giddy about the future of the three-time world amateur and 2004 Olympic gold medalist, who came in at a rotund 271 pounds but looked sprightly on his feet.
``I'd be willing to put him in with anybody right now,'' said Arum, who has generally ignored boxing's most visible division over the years.
``I'm back in the heavyweight business,'' he added.
