Lopez, Gamboa on collision course after victories, Arum

Puerto Rico's Lopez and United States (U.S.)-based Cuban Gamboa both posted scintillating knockout victories at Madison Square Garden on Saturday night.

Gamboa retained his World Boxing Association featherweight belt while Lopez seized the lightly regarded World Boxing Organization title.

Arum said he wants to see the two fight each other, just not too soon.

“I want these guys to go against every great featherweight out there this summer,” Arum said. “Then when everybody is panting about these guys, do a big, big blowout kind of show. I mean, I promote both of them, I owe it to them to make the biggest possible show that translates to them the biggest amount of money they can make, and then we'll see who's better.”

Lopez-Gamboa could be as far off as 2011. In the meantime Lopez could defend his title in Puerto Rico and Gamboa fight in Miami.

The featherweight ranks offer plenty of quality opponents, including John — the WBA's “Super champion.”

The Indonesian survived a late scare but emerged with a unanimous 12-round decision over American Rocky Juarez in Las Vegas last September.

He remained unbeaten, taking his record to 43 victories with one drawn and 22 knockouts.

“I've got two horses and I want them to wipe out everybody in the featherweight division and when they finally meet, people will go crazy,” Arum said.

Gamboa, a 2004 Olympic gold medalist for Cuba, improved to 17-0 with 15 wins inside the distance with his second-round knockout of Tanzanian-born Rogers Mtagwa on Saturday night.

Lopez improved to 28-0 with 25 knockouts with a seventh-round knockout of Steven Luevano.

“Don't I owe it to my two guys to build this into the biggest fight I can?” Arum said. “It will be a huge, huge fight, but not right now.”

Gamboa said Saturday he was ready to take on whoever Arum puts in front of him - the tougher the better.

“I'd love for whomever the public or maybe the press considers the number one featherweight, to have him in the ring for my next fight,” Gamboa said. “That way I can show who is the best.”

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