Juanmita López De Jesús Makes Pro Debut 15 Years After His Father Captured 126 Pound Title

“I always told myself growing up that I would become a world champion, so when I was accepted into that Olympic school and realized I only had to focus on boxing and my education, that’s when it became serious for me.”

Naturally, his father’s early training complicated their father/son dynamic. Lopez admitted that once they arrived at the gym and trained, all of the worry a father has for his son went out the window, and it was time to work.

The Son of A Former Two-Time World Champion Debuts In A Familiar Place

Friday night live on ESPN from MSG will be important for Lopez as his father added to his own legacy in that same building a little over 15 years ago. Lopez Sr. earned his second world title by stopping Steve Luevano (37-1-1) for the WBO featherweight strap. Lopez Sr. was an all-action fighter who threw caution to the wind, and could afford to do so because of the power he possessed in both hands. That would cost him in fights later on, but at his peak, Lopez Sr. was a fan favorite, especially within the Puerto Rican community.

Now, his son has the opportunity to create new memories as he carries the family name as a pro fighter. Juanmita Lopez is naturally emotional about it all, as he knows what it means to his father and to his own career to begin in this fashion. “It makes me very emotional,” Lopez told FightsATW, “as I have always dreamed of fighting at Madison Square Garden, and that dream has come true. I have this huge opportunity to fight there on such an important date as Valentine’s Day.”

Carving Out His Legacy But Doing It With A Familiar Vehicle

With all of the different promoters out there, Top Rank is the company that Juanmita ended up signing with. 

For Lopez, Top Rank feels like a natural fit, not only because it’s where his father was signed, but also because Top Rank helped build the careers of some of the biggest Puerto Rican legends like Felix Trinidad , and Miguel Cotto . Signing with Top Rank shows he’s ready to make a name for himself among the greats.

On Friday night, Juanmita makes his pro debut against Bryan Santiago (1-1-1) in a four round fight but more importantly, he begins a journey to become a world champion and a fighter who hopes to bring even more notoriety to the Lopez family name.