Juan Manuel López (boxer)

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Juan López

López with the WBO Latino Super Bantamweight title
Statistics
Real name Juan Manuel López
Nickname(s) Juanma
Rated at Super bantamweight
Nationality Flag of Puerto Rico Puerto Rico
Birth date June 30, 1983(1983-06-30)
Birth place Juncos, Puerto Rico
Stance Southpaw
Boxing record
Total fights 22
Wins 22
Wins by KO 20
Losses 0
Draws 0
No contests 0
Medal record
Competitor for Puerto Rico
Men's Boxing
Central American and Caribbean Games
Bronze 2002 San Salvador Bantamweight

Juan Manuel "Juanma" López Rivera (born June 30, 1983) is a Puerto Rican professional boxer. As an amateur Lopez represented Puerto Rico at numerous international tournaments including the 2002 Central American and Caribbean Games, 2003 Pan American Games and the 2004 Summer Olympics. López's professional career began in 2005. As a professional he won his first nine fights by knockout before winning his first decision. On September 30, 2006 he defeated Jose Alonso to win the WBO Latino super bantamweight Championship, a regional championship sanctioned by the World Boxing Organization. On June 7, 2008, Lopez defeated Daniel Ponce de León by technical knockout to win the WBO super bantamweight championship.

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[edit] Personal life

López isn't maried however he has a relationship with Bárbara De Jesús that has lasted for several years.[1] The couple has two children, which share the house with three siblings. The couple met in a public housing project in Juncos where López's mother lived.[2] In the beginning López's family didn't support the relationship because De Jesús had three children from a previous relation.[3] They eventually moved together and established a residence in Caguas. De Jesús plays a role in López's training, preparing seven daily meals and accompining him in weight routines.[4] Several members of their family attend his daily trainings, which he considers a "tranquility provider".[5] De Jesús is also present in López's coner when a fight is in progress and receives a salary for scheluding his daily agenda.[6]

[edit] Amateur career

López started boxing when he was ten years old. As an amateur, López compiled a record of 126-24.[7] He won the Puerto Rican national title for five consecutive years (2000-04).[8] He competed at bantamweight (119 pounds (54 kg) in the amateur circuit). Internationally his success was mixed. He won bronze at the 2002 Central American and Caribbean Games, San Salvador, El Salvador. At the 2003 Pan American Games, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic he won his first fight but lost in the quarter finals. In the 2004 Summer Olympics he lost his first bout to Khavazhi Khatsigov (score 27-19).

[edit] Professional career

López turned professional in 2005 following the Olympic games, boxing in the junior featherweight division. As a professional he is promoted by Top Rank. López debuted on January 29, 2005 in Bayamon, Puerto Rico picking a quick knockout victory against also debuting boxer Luis Colón. He would go on to defeat nine straight adversaries by knockout: Ivan Cordero, Efrain Perez, Eric Nemos, Charlie Jones, Roberto Chacón, Luis Bolaño, Manuel Sanabria and Jose Luis Caro.[9] On March 4, 2006 he would win his first fight by unanimous decision against Gilberto Bolanos of Mexico.[10] He would win four more fights before the end of 2006, three of them by knockout. One of these fights was against Jose Alonso, for the WBO Latino Super Bantamweight Championship, a regional championship sanctioned by the World Boxing Organization.[11] The fight took place on September 30, 2006 in Caguas, Puerto Rico and ended in the third round when López defeated Alonso by technical knockout. His first fight of 2007 took place in Dodge Arena in Phoenix, Arizona against Cuauhtemoc Vargas, in a fight he won when Vargas was unable to continue.[12] He would compete again on March 3 on San Juan, Puerto Rico against Leivi Brea in a fight he won by technical knockout.[13] On April 28, 2007 López would have his first fight outside of Puerto Rico and the United States in a fight that took place in Barranquilla, Colombia. The fight was against Colombian boxer Jorge Otero, the fight ended when the referee stopped the fight thus giving López another technical knockout victory.[14] López's next fight took place on June 22, 2007 in Hato Rey, Puerto Rico against Giovanni Andrade of Brazil as the main event of a card presented by Puerto Rico Best Boxing.[15] López won the fight by technical knockout at 2:59 of the first round when Andrade indicated to the referee that he couldn't continue.[15] On August 4, 2007 Lopez retained his regional title in a fight where he defeated Hugo Dianzo by technical knockout.[16] López dominated throughout the fight opening wounds on Dianzo's head.[16] On the tenth round one of López's punches opened one of these wounds further which led to Dianzo losing a significant amount of blood, following this incident the referee stopped the fight.[16] López would successfully defend his regional title against Omar Adorno, in a special boxing card presented by the WBO that took place on October 31, 2007.[17] Juan scored three knockdows throughout the course of the fight, and after two minutes of the second round had passed he won the fight by knockout.[17] López's fourth title defense took place on February 23, 2008, when he defeated Jonathan Oquendo by technical knockout in the third round of an event titled Guerra Civil.[18]

[edit] WBO super bantamweight title

On June 7, 2008, López fought in his first world championship match when he challenged Daniel Ponce de León for the World Boxing Organization's super bantamweight title in a card organized by Home Box Office at the Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, New Jersey.[19] He won by technical knockout in the first round, when the referee stopped the fight after Ponce de León failed to respond following two consecutive knockdowns.[20]

[edit] Professional championships

Preceded by
Daniel Ponce de León		 World Boxing Organization Super Bantamweight Champion
June 7, 2008–present		 Succeeded by
Incumbent

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ Yaritza Rivas (2008-05-10). Premiado por el amor unánime (in Spanish). Puerto Rico: El Nuevo Día. “Los hijos del dúo, que aún no se ha casado, van hasta a la pista en las noches.” 
  2. ^ Yaritza Rivas (2008-05-10). Premiado por el amor unánime (in Spanish). Puerto Rico: El Nuevo Día. “El éxito familiar y profesional del joven boxeador descansa en gran parte sobre los hombros de su pareja Bárbara. Se conocieron hace ocho años cuando ella vivía en el residencial Antulio López en Juncos. “La mamá de ‘Juanma’ era mi vecina”, dice Bárbara” 
  3. ^ Yaritza Rivas (2008-05-10). Premiado por el amor unánime (in Spanish). Puerto Rico: El Nuevo Día. “Al principio la familia de ‘Juanma’ no vio la relación con buenos ojos. “Yo tenía tres hijos”, recuerda la joven madre sobre la reacción de la familia del boxeador, la cual aseguró entendió en su momento.” 
  4. ^ Yaritza Rivas (2008-05-10). Premiado por el amor unánime (in Spanish). Puerto Rico: El Nuevo Día. “En la mañana inicia el circuito que empieza por llevar los chicos a la escuela, hacerle cada una de las comidas y meriendas a ‘Juanma’ (cerca de siete). Tres veces por semana Bárbara se une a ‘Juanma’, en la rutina de pesas. Las tardes en el gimnasio, la cena, pista... en fin una carrera de campeonato.” 
  5. ^ Yaritza Rivas (2008-05-10). Premiado por el amor unánime (in Spanish). Puerto Rico: El Nuevo Día. ““Yo creo que eso es lo que me distrae. No me hace pensar tanto y estar tan tenso en el deporte”, confiesa ‘Juanma’. ¿Son un relajante? le pregunta El Nuevo Día. “Definitivamente”, contesta.” 
  6. ^ Yaritza Rivas (2008-05-10). Premiado por el amor unánime (in Spanish). Puerto Rico: El Nuevo Día. “Además de cuidar de su familia y hacer sus dietas. Bárbara recibe un sueldo por llevar la agenda del púgil y ayudarle en todos los compromisos. ‘Juanma’ la busca como su amuleto cada vez que sube al ‘ring’ para una cartelera.” 
  7. ^ Unbeaten Lopez Scores 6th Round TKO Over Vargas. East Side Boxing (2007-01-20). Retrieved on 2008-06-13.
  8. ^ Championship Action on the Broadwalk: Kelly Pavlik vs. Gary Lockett and Daniel Ponce De Leon vs. Juan Manuel López. HBO Boxing. Retrieved on 2008-06-13.
  9. ^ John Gregg (2006-01-21). Castillo Edges Munoz Retains Title. The Boxing Times. Retrieved on 2007-09-16.
  10. ^ Sigue invicto.. y cuidado (Spanish). ESPN Deportes (2006-03-04). Retrieved on 2007-09-16.
  11. ^ Omar Marrero (2007-01-17). Juanma López recibe la correa de campeón Latino (Spanish). La Voz. Retrieved on 2007-09-16.
  12. ^ John Gregg (2007-01-19). Puerto Rican Sensation Lopez Grinds Down Vargas. The Boxing Times. Retrieved on 2007-09-16.
  13. ^ Bad Brad (2007-03-04). Miguel Cotto and Edison Miranda Win in Dominant Fashion on HBO. The Ringside Report. Retrieved on 2007-09-16.
  14. ^ Carlos Narváez Rosario. Incómoda la victoria de Juan Manuel López (Spanish). El Vocero. Retrieved on 2007-09-16.
  15. ^ a b Carlos González (2007-06-23). Juanma lo hizo ver facilito (Spanish). Primera Hora. Retrieved on 2007-06-23.
  16. ^ a b c Retiene Juan Manuel López título Latino de la OMB (Spanish). El Diario (2007-08-04). Retrieved on 2007-09-24.
  17. ^ a b Carlos González (2007-11-01). Contundente 'Juanma' López. Primera Hora. Retrieved on 2007-11-16.
  18. ^ ‘Juanma’ López pulveriza a Jonathan Oquendo en PR. El Diario (2008-02-25). Retrieved on 2008-04-28.
  19. ^ Carlos González (2008-06-07). Fulminante Juanma (Spanish). Primera Hora. Retrieved on 2008-06-08.
  20. ^ Carlos González (2008-06-07). Round x Round: Juan Manuel "Juanma" López vs. Daniel Ponce de León (Spanish). Primera Hora. Retrieved on 2008-06-08.

[edit] External links