There was a moment in time when the rising Puerto Rican boxing superstar, Juan Manuel "Juanma" Lopez was building an impressive and solid career. Winning world titles in the 122 & 126 pound divisions. KO wins versus Daniel Ponce De Leon, Gerry Peñalosa, Steve Leuvano, Bernabe Concepcion, Rafael Marquez to name a few, and a unification SUPER FIGHT with Yuriorkis Gamboa in the featherweight division looming about, Juanma's foundation practically was as hard as granite. But on April 16th, 2011, Orlando Salido brought a couple of jack hammers in his fists and caused some serious cracks, taking Juanma's WBO Featherweight title and pride in TKO fashion in the 8th round. Less than a year later, March 10th, 2012, Salido returned to Juanma's turf. In a hellacious fight, where both fighters hit the canvas, Salido stopped Juanma again and more convincingly this time around with another TKO in the 10th.

Then the foundation gave way and became unstable. After the fight, in the post fight interview conducted in the ring, Juanma accused the ref, Roberto Ramirez Sr. of being a gambler and that in some way, shape or form that influenced the outcome of the fight. He included Roberto Ramirez Jr., who was the ref in his previous loss to Salido, in the accusation to boot. These accusations didn't go over well with the Puerto Rican boxing commission and they in turn suspended him. Throw in a difficult divorce, then again is there such a thing as an "easy" divorce, and everything Juanma had built with his heart, skill and fists was crumbling around him. Now, 11 months later, suspension lifted, Juan Manuel Lopez is looking to rebuild his... empire?... his credibility?... his pride? ... All of the above??? It all depends on Saturday's performance versus the Brazilian boxer Aldimar Silva Santos (18-3, 9 KOs).

Juan Manuel Lopez (31-2, 28 KOs) vs. Aldimar Silva Santos (18-3, 9 KOs)
128 lbs. - 10 Rounds

In the first two rounds of action Juanma was the tentative aggressor, trying to set his pace for the fight. Halfway through the 2nd, Silva Santos clocked Juanma with a left to the side of the head but the former champ wasn't fazed. I'm pretty sure that was the reaction that Lopez, Team Juanma and the fans were expecting and wanted to see after the two TKO losses suffered at the hands of his Mexican nemesis, Orlando Salido.

He returned the favor in the 3rd round as his left found a home on the side of Aldimar Silva Santos's face, slightly wobbling him in the process. Shades of the powerhouse Juanma were beginning to make presence in the bout. Not wanting to be intimidated, the Brazilian challenger came out aggressive in the 4th, but Lopez began to put his punches together and finished the round strong. The Juanma of old finally showed up in the 5th as he began to outgun and overpower Silva, scoring a knock down on a left, right combo with his right breaking through the Brazilian's defense.

Trying to finish what he started in the 5th, the 6th had Juanma charging ahead but Silva would fight back, stirring the crowd into a frenzy. Another straight left floored Silva Santos in the 7th but he picked himself up off the canvas and fought back effectively. For the remainder of round 7 and including the 8th, as Silva Santos fought back, Juanma threw caution to the wind and began to exchange furiously but wildly at times, getting countered unnecessarily.

Entering the 9th a Juanma left staggered Silva, he followed up with a quick flurry and knocked him down a third time with another straight left. Now Juanma, with his killer instinct intact and set on high, came in for the finish but the ref stepped in for the merciful save. The end came in TKO fashion at 1min:04sec. of the 9th round. Juan Manuel "Juanma" Lopez improves to 32-2 with 29 KOs.

Juan Manuel "Juanma" Lopez made his triumphant return to the ring and did what he was supposed to do, destroy the opponent placed in front of him in the ring. So the process of re-construction has begun. What is new? His weight, he weighed 128 pounds for the fight, two pounds over the division he reigned as WBO champion and two shy of the 130 pound division. But everything seems to indicate that he will be heading back to the 126 pound division where a match-up with another former Puerto Rican champion, Wilfredo Vazquez Jr., who was in attendance, is highly probable.

What is improved? His "new" approach to boxing, taking the fight round by round and not getting greedy on the attack, sacrificing his defense in the process. Well that seemed to work in the first few rounds but in the later rounds of this fight either he forgot to stick to the gameplan or he got over zealous and went toe to toe as he used to before. He was offered the luxury of getting away with it with Aldimar Silva Santos, who is not a heavy puncher to begin with. He will need a few more fights to fine tune the adjustments to his defense.

The definition of reconstruction is to be rebuilt after being damaged or destroyed. This fight, the first after his 11 month suspension was lifted, was just the first phase in drawing the comparison between the original and the reconstruction.