By Lee Bates
The pay per view numbers indicate that PPV debut of WBO junior featherweight champion Juan Manuel López now (26-0, 24 KOs) was a big hit last Saturday. “Juanma” stopped challenger Oliver Lontchi now (18-1-2, 8 KOs) in nine rounds. There were approximately 20,000 pay-per-view buys in residential homes in Puerto Rico and at least 100 local commerical business establishments purchased the event via closed circuit. The U.S. numbers have not been made available as of yet. PR Best Boxing Promotions President Ivan Rivera shared his thoughts on the event. “We are very proud of the success of the entire event and thankful to Top Rank for an outstanding job of promoting ‘Latin Fury 9.’ The numbers truly show the growing popularity of Juanma,” stated Rivera. Lopez is expected to return in September or October to defend his title in the U.S. and then move up to the featherweight division afterward.
