That is what is at stake when Lopez and Cruz square off in the 10-round main event of a Premier Boxing Champions tripleheader on April 28 (Fox, 8:30 p.m. ET) at the Don Haskins Center in El Paso, Texas.

"Miguel Cruz is a talented rising contender who will be taking a major step up against a hardened veteran in Josesito Lopez," Promoter Tom Brown of TGB Promotions said Wednesday while announcing the fight.

The relatively inactive Lopez (35-7, 19 KOs), 33, of Riverside, California, has won two fights in a row since a sixth-round knockout loss to Andre Berto in an interim welterweight title bout in March 2015.

Lopez, as battle-tested as they come, has also lost to Canelo Alvarez by knockout in a junior middleweight world title fight, as well as to former world titleholders Marcos Maidana and Jessie Vargas. But Lopez became known as the "Riverside Rocky" for his major ninth-round upset knockout of Victor Ortiz in 2012.

"Miguel Cruz has not faced a fighter on my level," Lopez said. "I'm the most experienced fighter that Cruz will have fought. I'm confident in my abilities and the fact that I will come out with a victory. I'm ready to go straight through Miguel Cruz and prove I'm one of the best welterweights in the world."

Indeed Cruz (17-0, 11 KOs), 27, of Lake Mary, Florida, will be taking a major step up in competition level.

"I am incredibly excited to have a fight of this magnitude because this is what I've always worked for," Cruz said. "I'm so ready to test my skills against somebody like Josesito Lopez. I belong to a new era in boxing, and I'm going to shine for the world on April 28. This is going to be an amazing fight for the fans and I'm ready for everyone to enjoy my performance."

In the co-feature, former super middleweight world titleholder Anthony Dirrell (31-1-1, 24 KOs), 33, of Flint, Michigan, will face Abraham Han (26-3-1, 16 KOs), 33, of El Paso, in a 10-rounder. Dirrell has won four fights in a row since losing his world title by majority decision to Badou Jack in April 2015 and figures to be a prohibitive favorite against Han.

"Abraham Han is a good fighter coming off of a tough draw with J'Leon Love, and a guy you can't look past," Dirrell said. "He's a tall, switch-hitter who comes straight forward, but that's nothing I can't handle because I'm always ready and in shape to stick to my game plan and execute. I'm always looking for the knockout, and if it comes, then it comes, and I'll get him out of there."

Han had won three fights in a row until an eight-round technical draw with Love in September that was the result of Han being unable to continue after suffering a bad cut from an accidental head-butt.

"Anthony Dirrell probably sees me as someone that he can beat while he waits for a title shot, but I'm looking to mess up his plans," Han said. "I felt like I won my last fight with J'Leon and would have easily beat him if it wasn't stopped. This is another great opportunity to fight in my hometown of El Paso."

The opening bout will be a 10-round clash between southpaw featherweights Jorge Lara (29-0-2, 21 KOs), 27, of Mexico, and Claudio Marrero (22-2, 16 KOs), 29, of the Dominican Republic.

"I know that this is a very important fight, and that Marrero is a very tough opponent, but I am going to be the winner because I am determined to continue on my road toward winning a world title," Lara said. "After that, we'll see which champion will be ready to give me the opportunity."

Marrero is coming off a seventh-round knockout loss to Jesus M. Rojas in September in an interim title bout.

"I'm fighting an undefeated, tough Mexican fighter, but this is the type of fight I wanted to put myself back into title contention," Marrero said. "I'm really excited to get in there. Come fight night, you will see 'The Matrix' in full effect."