It wasn't that long ago that lightweight contender Juan Lazcano was the top-rated contender for the WBC crown and seemingly in line to garner his first title opportunity. But as it stands now, he's ranked third- behind Jose Luis Castillo and Stevie Johnston, with Floyd Mayweather Jr. currently holding the belt. So what does Lazcano have to do to move back up the ratings? Perhaps lose a fight or two?

"It sure looks like it," said a chagrined Don Chargin, who promotes 'the Hispanic Causin' Panic'. "Fourteen wins in a row and they keep dropping him. First he was number one, then Jose Sulaiman says, 'Oh, they made a mistake at the convention' after I guess pressure from Top Rank. It's the usual stuff."

Not-so-coincidentally Castillo, Johnston and Mayweather are all promoted by Top Rank. Castillo and Mayweather are scheduled for an October rematch and there is talk of the WBC ordering a box-off between Lazano and Johnston. So, Lazcano stays as busy as he can and this Friday night he'll be the feature performer at the Feather Falls Casino in Oroville, California on Telefutura's 'Solo Boxeo'. Is boxing's Jobe running out of patience?

"Man, you know what? If you were to ask me that question a couple of months ago I would have answered you differently," replied Lazcano. "In this case, I assess my situation and I sat down with my family, I sat down with everyone - even my pastor. We sat down and I told them the situation and we just came to a decision.

"It's a new chapter in my life, a new chapter in my career. I'm acquiring the skills, building up my arsenal so that when I meet Mayweather or Castillo, I will be at my very best and take full advantage of it. And use all these stumbling blocks and use them as stepping-stones. That's the only way we can do it, I mean we can either use it as bad or good. What am I going to do? Am I going to break or is it going to make me stronger?

"I know there's still room for growth for my skills- everything. And I'm also polishing my persona, so I'm using all this to just make me a better individual. So I'm using it as a positive."

Lazcano readily admits he wouldn't have been nearly this enlightened five years ago and he credits his faith:

"No, five years ago? Jesus, no, no, I could not have handled this and that is why things work out how they work out. And that's why I personally believe in God and he's guiding me and my career and my life and right now I'm mature enough. I thank God for that, I'm mature where I can use this and build on it."

Lazcano was to have faced Javier Juaregui but will now instead be taking on journeyman Benito Rodriguez. No, it shouldn't be too tough of a fight but according to his trainer Freddie Roach, it's the best way to prepare for a long awaited title shot.

"Yeah, because when the chance finally does come and you haven't fought in a year, then all of a sudden you try and get the title shot, it may not be available or you may be rusty when you do," explained Roach. "You wave that off by staying busy, staying sharp. He's fighting guys that he should beat but if he didn't take them seriously they could upset him easily. Juan is a very focused person and he trains as hard for this fight as he would for Mayweather."

Lazcano has had a few bouts on the big stage on both Showtime and HBO but in-between has been more than willing to take the smaller purses on ESPN2 and Telefutura. In fact his last bout was in March, an eigth round stoppage of veteran Julio Cesar Sanchez-Leon on Telefutura. Lazcano is a firm believer that no matter how much time you might spend in the gym training, nothing teaches the game like actual fights.

"Yes," affirms Lazcano. "That's so amazing, it's an amazing thing. We could be in the gym, do all kinds of things but if we don't go through the actual fight, the actual war, there's just something about the process. You have to go through the whole entire process, the gym, paying the price, running, roadwork and then the fighting. You have to go through the fight or else it just doesn't happen."

So Lazcano punches the clock again this Friday awaiting his shot at whoever will be the WBC titlist, but before he gets a crack at either Mayweather or Castillo, he could be facing Johnston in a box-off.

"I don't mind the Stevie Johnston fight," said Chargin. "Providing Juan gets paid but it shouldn't be that way. He should be in the spot now, where he should gets a shot as a mandatory. Look, I'm not hard-headed, I could see that the Castillo-Mayweather fight was a close fight, so they ordered a rematch. Well, I understand those things but he should at least have the winner of that fight."

Chargin says he will contact the WBC on Monday to discuss the matter.

Lazcano was impressed but not intimidated by Johnston's last performance against Alejandro Gonzalez, which took place underneath Castillo-Mayweather I in April.

"I thought Stevie Johnston looked real good, he looked solid, he had a solid performance. But why? Because 'Corbrita' didn't fight him how he should have but you know you can't knock him. He had a great performance and it's great for him. Now, down the line if we have to meet, you know I'll make the necessary adjustments for Stevie. It would be a nice fight, a good fight, but like I said, I'm building my arsenal for whoever comes and I will be ready for whatever may arise."

As for Castillo and Mayweather, Lazcano told me before their first bout that it would not be a cake-walk for 'the Pretty Boy' like many had forecasted.

"Like I said, I've been around boxing, I know the strengths as well as the weaknesses of both fighters," explained Lazcano, ranked by The Ring magazine as the seventh best 135-pounder in the world. "When someone is that good and he's been winning, it's hard to see the weaknesses. But when I saw Castillo I saw little things that he did that were going to off-set Mayweather. I knew he was going to make it difficult for Mayweather because Mayweather's more of a counter-puncher. The things he did, did off-set Mayweather and he didn't know what to do and that is exactly why I'm building my arsenal. Whether it be counter-punching, whether I have to box, when I have to brawl, when I have to move and dance and all these beautiful things. It's an art for me and it's a challenge."

ONE LAST THING

Chargin says that the rematch between Willie Jorrin and Oscar Larios for the WBC 122-pound title has been made for September 27th and will be televised by ESPN2.