The junior lightweight division is one of the deepest, talent-wise, in boxing.

Jonathan Lopez could run the table and become a legit contender by the end of 2024.

Lopez returns to action tonight, squaring off against Jose Saant at the C. Robert Lee Activity Center in Hawaiian Gardens, California. The six-round bout will headline a five-bout ‘Super Saturday’ card that will stream live on MarvNationTV (8 p.m. ET/ 5 p.m. PT).

At Friday’s weigh-in, Lopez weighed in at 129.6 pounds. Saant came in at 129.8 pounds. 

Unbeaten junior welterweight Ernesto ‘Tito’ Mercado was originally scheduled to fight in the main event, but the bout fell through after opponent, Victor Santillan, reportedly weighed in at 157 pounds. According to father and trainer, Ernesto, Sr., the contract weight for tonight’s fight was 143 pounds.

Lopez (14-0, 10 knockouts), who resides in Orlando, Florida, excelled in 2023 against top opposition and his fights reached audiences through streaming services and social media platforms. 

In his last bout on November 18, Lopez scored a first round highlight-reel knockout win over former fringe contender Jose Gonzalez. Video from the knockout was posted, liked, and shared in large numbers hours and days afterwards.

Lopez scored the most-impressive win to date on June 2, dropping former world title challenger Eduardo Baez once en route to a unanimous decision victory. Baez was winning on two judges’ scorecards against then-WBO world featherweight titleholder Emanuel Navarrete in August 2022 before losing by knockout in round six.

The 20-year-old Lopez stopped Osvaldo Nunez Medina in the second round in a main event bout that streamed live on ProBox TV. Lopez is trained by Eddy Reynoso, who also trains undisputed super middleweight champion Canelo Alvarez, former world junior lightweight titleholder Oscar Valdez, and heavyweight contender Frank Sanchez. 

Saant (15-4-1, 5 KOs), who is originally from Gualaquiza, Ecuador and now resides in Medford, New York, last fought in December 2022, defeating Henry Maishiant by unanimous decision. The victory was a rematch from their clash in February of that year, which Maishiant won by decision. 

Within the last five years, Saant has fought as high as 140 pounds, and as recently as a bantamweight. 

In the co-feature, light heavyweight Lawrence King of San Bernardino, California will face Argentina’s Crispulo Andino (25-15-1, 12 KOs) in a six-round bout.

King (14-1, 12 KOs) has won his last 10 bouts, including knockout victories over former fringe contender Marcos Reyes (June 2) and Alex Theran (December 16). 

Andino has won five of his last eight bouts, but his three losses have been by knockout to Mikael Lawal, Deon Nicholson, and Umar Dzambekov.

Francisco A. Salazar has written for BoxingScene since September 2012 and has covered boxing in Southern California and abroad since 2000. Francisco also covers boxing for the Ventura County (California) Star newspaper. He can be reached by email at santio89@yahoo.com or on Twitter at FSalazarBoxing