By Ryan Burton

Lightweight contender Angelo Santana (14-0 11 KO's) will take a step up in class when he faces Bahodir “Baha” Mamadjonov (11-1, 7 KOs), of Houston, Texas by way of Uzbekistan in the main event of Friday night's ShoBox card in Las Vegas.

Mamadjonov's only loss came land year at the hands of Darley Perez (28-0) in a fight that some obsevers felt Mamadjonov did enough to win.  Santana isn't bother by the fact that he is now on his third opponent for this fight and said that he will take care of business on Friday. 

"The opponent changes didn't effect me at all. Its part of the sport.  I just kept training and doing what I do. Hopefully he gives a good fight," Santana explained.

I also asked Santana for his take on the upcoming super bantamweight unification clash between Nonito Donaire and Guillermo Rigondeaux.  Santana and Rigondeaux both live in Miami so naturally Santana will be pulling for his countryman.

"I'm Cuban so of course I'm pulling for Rigondeaux. But putting that aside, as a boxer I know that Rigondeaux is the better fighter and has what it takes to win the fight."

The WBA interim lightweight title will likely be on the line when the two fighters enter the ring (the WBA hasn't announced if it will approve Mamadjonov as an opponent for the interim title).  If the interim title is on the line then the winner would become the mandatory challenger for the WBA lightweight champion Richard Abril who also lives in Miami and is from Cuba. Santana said he would have no problems facing Abril if that was the only way to the title.

"If I have to fight Richard Abril then I will be ready. Hopefully he (won't reject the fight and) will fight me. I've known him for a long time. At the same time I am not looking ahead. I'm just concentrating on this fight on Friday," Santana told Boxingscene.com.

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