Juan Manuel López Jr.: Difference between revisions

López made his amateur debut on October 11, 2015, winning his first bout.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.quepalo.com/sube-al-ring-el-verdadero-juanma-1455/|title=Sube al ring Juanma López Jr.|author=Jonathan Gaudier|publisher=QuePalo.com|language=Spanish|date=October 11, 2015|accessdate=July 2, 2024}}</ref> He was successful during the early part of his career, during which he competed in local tournaments.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.metro.pr/pr/noticias/2016/02/27/juanmita-se-apunta-una-victoria.html?outputType=amp|title="Juanmita" se apunta una victoria|author=|publisher=Metro Puerto Rico|language=Spanish|date=February 26, 2016|accessdate=July 2, 2024}}</ref> On August 9, 2016, López won the Puerto Rico vs. Florida 9 de agosto 2016. In 2019, López finished second in his youth division at the Puerto Rico National Championships. On July 10, 2019, López won his division at the Billy Thompson Tournament. He finished the year by defeating the Dominican Representative at the República Dominicana vs. Puerto Rico tournament held on December 6, 2019. The COVID-19 pandemic halted sports in Puerto Rico for some time, during which López was a student-athlete at the Albergue Olímpico school at [[Salinas, Puerto Rico|Salinas]] from which he graduated with honors.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.elvocero.com/deportes/juanmita-l-pez-en-ruta-a-par-s-2024-cumpl-uno-de-los-sue-os/article_8d779044-f2d9-11ee-9edb-236b9d54d372.amp.html|title=Juanmita López en ruta a París 2024: “Cumplí uno de los sueños de cualquier joven”|author=Giovanny Vega|publisher=El Vocero|language=Spanish|date=April 23, 2024|accessdate=July 3, 2024}}</ref> In October 2021, López entered the XI Copa Cinturón de Oro, advancing by defeating Alan Dumacela of Ecuador (5:0).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://amateur-boxing.strefa.pl/Tournaments/GoldenBeltECU2021.pdf|title=XI COPA CINTURON DE ORO - PORTOVIEJO 2021 JUNIOR-JUVENIL MASCULINO-FEMENINA|publisher=Amateur-Boxing.Strefa.Pl|language=Spanish|date=October 23, 2021|accessdate=July 2, 2024}}</ref> He won the juvenile 48 kg division by defeating Anthony Pupiales of Ecuador (5:0). On January 25, 2022, López became the Puerto Rico Youth National Champion. At the Copa Independencia, an exhibition tournament for the national team, López finished second.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://almomento.net/rd-y-santiago-ganan-en-el-boxeo-juvenil-de-la-copa-independencia/|title=RD y Santiago ganan en el Boxeo Juvenil de la Copa Independencia| author= |publisher=AlMomento.net|language=Spanish|date= February 25, 2022|accessdate=July 2, 2024}}</ref> The first week of April 2022, he won the Torneo de Desarrollo and Torneo de Barranquitas, both local events. During the summer, López won the Puerto Rico International Cup and Copa Olímpica. López competed at the minimumweight division (46-48 kg) of the 2022 IBA Youth Boxing Championships, winning his debut over Luka Beshliogli of Georgia (5:0).<ref name=YWC2022>{{cite web|url=http://amateur-boxing.strefa.pl/Championships/WorldJuniorChamps2022.pdf|title=IBA Youth Men's and Women's World Boxing Championships '22 La Nucia - Spain|publisher=International Boxing Association|date=November 26, 2022|accessdate=July 2, 2024}}</ref> In his next fight, he defeated Csaba Zsigo of Hungary by third-round stoppage.<ref name=YWC2022/> López outpointed Talat Yagli of Turkey (5:0) to advance. He secured the bronce medal, losing to Vishvanath Suresh of India by decision 1:4.<ref name=YWC2022/> The [[Puerto Rico Olympic Committee]] (COPUR) gave him the 2022 Best Amateur Boxer Award for his performance during the year.<ref>{{cite web|url= https://wipr.pr/a-celebrar-la-excelencia-deportiva-del-olimpismo-del-2022/|title=A celebrar la excelencia deportiva del olimpismo del 2022|language=Spanish|publisher=WIPR|date=January 24, 2023|accessdate=July 2, 2024}}</ref> On February 2023, he repeated as youth national champion. In June 2023, López entered the Puerto Rico International Cup, where he represented his gym and won the flyweight division by defeating incumbent youth flyweight world champion Ari Bonilla of Mexico (3:2).<ref>{{cite web|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230609023947/https://www.lasemanapr.com/post/gran-victoria-para-juanma-lópez|title=Gran victoria para Juanma López|author=Jorge L. Pérez|publisher=La Semana|language=Spanish| date=June 9, 2023|accessdate=July 2, 2024}}</ref>