Juan Manuel Lopez was supposed to handle Rogers Mtagwa with ease back in October, one of those fights designed to set up bigger and more lucrative fights.

It didn't turn out that way.

Lopez spent the final two rounds staggering around the ring while Mtagwa tried to put him away. If it weren't for a big points lead, and the merciful sound of the final bell, Lopez would have lost the fight and all the momentum that has carried him into yet another marquee date.

Lopez will return to Madison Square Garden on Jan. 23, moving up in weight to challenge WBO titleholder Steven Luevano in the co-main event of a featherweight doubleheader.

In the other bout, unbeaten WBA champion Yuriorkis Gamboa defends his title against Mtagwa.

"Someone is going to lose, but at least we can say we're doing what's best for them," said Top Rank president Todd duBoef, who promotes both Lopez and Luevano. "For JuanMa, that means going up in weight and challenging for another title."

Whether he's deserving of that shot is up for debate. What is not is that Lopez creates exciting fights, even when they probably shouldn't have been.

After winning the title from Daniel Ponce de Leon in a spectacular first-round knockout, then running roughshod through four straight defenses, Lopez appeared to be having no problem with No. 5. He was peppering Mtagwa, a granite-chinned Tanzanian, and was well ahead on all three scorecards with six minutes to go.

Lopez (27-0, 24 KOs) admitted those last two rounds were the toughest he's ever faced, his eyes glazed and his battered body unable to do anything but try to hang on.

"I didn't have much patience," Lopez said Thursday said during a news conference at the Garden to announce the card. "My corner kept asking me to be patient and that's why I got in trouble. I didn't listen to my corner."

He'd better do that against Luevano, who went to England two years ago and won his title with an 11th-round knockout of Nicky Cook. Luevano (37-1-1, 15 KOs) doesn't have as much power as Lopez, but he has plenty of skill and has fought some of the best.

He's coming off an impressive defense against Bernabe Concepcion in August.

"I'm just going to fight, you know?" said Luevano, a product of East Los Angeles. "I'll be ready, and I'll always be two steps ahead, no matter what he brings to the table."

While the rugged Mtagwa (26-13-2, 18 KOs) didn't earn a win against Lopez, his gutsy effort did earn him another title shot. Gamboa (16-0, 14 KOs) had walked by duBoef and HBO executive Kery Davis during the Lopez-Mtagwa fight and brashly predicted that he'd have no problems with the gritty guy Mtagwa.

It made the fight that much easier to put together.