racingmeridian.com

PUG LIFE..junior featherweight Juan Manuel Lopez (28-0, 25 KO’s) scored a convincing seventh round knockout over Steven Luevano in New York last night. Lopez represents the future of boxing and he appears to have come through his very difficult test last out, against Rogers Mtagwa, with flying colours. In that last fight, a spectacular twelve round slugfest, Lopez tired badly in the late rounds and revealed the heart of a lion to hang on and get the score. Lopez, “Juan Ma” to his fans, was the most exciting fighter to emerge in 2009 and it looks like a mouth watering showdown with the supremely talented Yuriorkas Gamboa is next. Gamboa also fought last night and he knocked out the previously mentioned Mtagwa in a chilling two round display of his skills…oh yeah, boxing in the lighter weights is as exciting as ever…Allan Green has been added to Showtime’s Super Middleweight tournament. That’s the good news for Allan. The bad news? His first fight will be against the sizzling Andre Ward on April 17^th. Bad is going to overwhelm the good on that date. Ward is coming off a convincing win over Mikkel Kessler and must be ranked as the best super - middle in the world…

PONIES..favoured Jackson Bend, a horse who had never won anywhere but Calder, was upset in the Holy Bull Stakes yesterday at Gulfstream. It was a so-so beginning to the East Coast three year old march to Kentucky, with winner Winslow Homer appearing workmanlike rather than spectacular. Highly regarded Homeboykris and Aikenite finished a disappointing fifth and sixth, respectively…