Junior lightweight Adam Lopez, 28, hopes to achieve what evaded his father, Hector Lopez, a 1984 Olympic silver medalist who could not go on to win a world title.
But Lopez – who faces Jonhatan Cardoso on Wednesday, as a part of ProBox TV’s Wednesday Night Fights, at the ProBox TV Events in Plant City, Florida – has found the business of boxing to be one of his most formidable adversaries.
Lopez (17-5, 6 KOs) knows his father’s story well. Hector entered the 1984 Olympics as the youngest Olympian at 17. He went on to win a bantamweight silver medal, losing to Italy’s Maurizio Stecca in the final, but as a pro Hector was a hard-luck fighter, something that might have rubbed off on his son.
“That is one thing he [Hector Lopez] never did was win a world title,” said Lopez. “So winning a world title would bring a lot of praise and glory to our name and to my family.
Lopez, who got his first tattoo at the age of 15 and today runs kids’ boxing classes, believes winning a world title is as much political as it is about talent. Keen on making the best fights possible, Lopez who is making his ProBox TV debut against the 16-1 (15 KOs) Cardoso, has a passion for the sport, but angst for the business.
“The love I have for the sport is what keeps me going,” said Lopez. “But the boxing business, I have never been on the good side of it.”
Lopez fought seven undefeated fighters in his first nine fights. In 2019 he replaced Andres Gutierrez, who showed up for his fight with Oscar Valdez overweight, and Lopez got his big break when performing admirably. Even though he lost, Lopez earned 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,” said Lopez. “I don’t do it, because I am trying to be a businessman. I love boxing, I love what it does for people, I love how it changes people’s lives.”
He hopes his life, and career, can now get that upswing.
“I have about four to five years left,” said Lopez. “The love I have for the sport is what keeps me going.”
Read the full article here
