Adam Lopez, a 28-year-old junior lightweight, hopes to accomplish what his father, Hector Lopez, a 1984 Olympic silver medalist who never won a world title, failed to accomplish.
But Lopez, who faces Jonhatan Cardoso on Wednesday at a Probox TV event in Plant City, Fla., as part of Probox TV's Wednesday Night Fights, said the business of boxing is one of his toughest opponents. I realized that it was.
Lopez (17-5, 6 KOs) knows his father's story well. Hector competed in the 1984 Olympics as the youngest Olympian at the age of 17. He won the bantamweight silver medal, losing in the final to Italy's Maurizio Stecca, but Hector was an unlucky fighter as a professional, and that may have had something to do with it. his son.
“That's one thing for him.” [Hector Lopez] I had never won a world title,” Lopez said. “So winning the world title would bring a lot of praise and glory to us and my family.
Lopez, who got his first tattoo at age 15 and now runs a children's boxing class, believes winning world titles is as much about politics as it is about talent. Eager to put on the best fight possible, Lopez, who will make his Pro Box TV debut against Cardoso, who is 16-1 (15 KOs), is passionate about the sport but not about the business. I have anxiety.
“My love for this sport is what keeps me going,” Lopez said. “But I've never been in a good place when it comes to the boxing business.”
Lopez fought seven undefeated fighters in his first nine bouts. In 2019, he replaced Andres Gutierrez, who showed up to fight an overweight Oscar Valdez, and Lopez gave a great performance that gave him his big break. Despite losing, Lopez was awarded a contract with Top Rank, but the relationship never really took off.
“At the end of the day, I love boxing and I do it because I love it,” Lopez said. “I'm not going to do any of that because I'm trying to be a businessman. I love boxing and I love what it does to people and I love how it changes people's lives.”
He hopes his life and career can now take that turnaround.
“I have about four or five years left,” Lopez said. “My love for this sport keeps me going.”
