Top Rank Signs Blue Chip Prospect Juanmita Lopez To Multiyear Deal

Top Rank has officially signed Puerto Rican amateur standout and 2024 Olympian Juanmita López De Jesús to a long-term professional contract. The highly touted 18-year-old will make his professional debut as a junior bantamweight in early 2025, marking the next chapter of a promising career that has already generated significant buzz in the boxing world.

Juanmita, the son of former two-division world champion Juan Manuel “Juanma” Lopez, comes from a rich boxing lineage. Juanma Lopez (36-6, 32 KOs), a fan-favorite known for his explosive power, fought under the Top Rank banner during the 2000s and early 2010s. Over his career, the elder Lopez shared the ring with world-class opposition, including Mikey García, Daniel Ponce de León, Orlando Salido, and International Boxing Hall of Famer Rafael Marquez, cementing his legacy as one of Puerto Rico’s greatest fighters. He retired in 2019 after a storied career filled with highlight-reel knockouts and memorable battles.

In an official statement, Top Rank Chairman Bob Arum expressed his excitement at adding Juanmita to the Top Rank roster: “Juan Manuel Lopez is one of Puerto Rico’s great champions, and it brings me great pleasure to welcome Juanmita to the Top Rank family. Juanmita is an exceptional talent, someone we feel will excel in the ring and, like his father, bring many championships to the great fighting nation of Puerto Rico.”

Juanmita echoed that sentiment, speaking with pride about the opportunity: “I thank God and Top Rank for the incredible opportunity to walk this path alongside them, following in my father’s footsteps. This marks the beginning of something truly extraordinary. Thank you, Puerto Rico, for your unwavering support. I am thrilled to embark on this journey filled with passion and dedication. I am ready to give it my all to achieve greatness and create my own story.”

Juanmita’s signing represents the continuation of a family legacy, as he and his father are the first father-son duo from Puerto Rico to compete in the Olympics. A native of Caguas, Juanmita enjoyed a stellar amateur career, which saw him reach the semifinals of the 2022 IBA Youth World Championships and capture a Puerto Rican National Championship in 2023.

In 2024, twenty years after his father fought at the Athens Olympics, Juanmita entered the Paris Games as one of the youngest boxers in the tournament. Despite a difficult draw, he put up a valiant effort in the flyweight bracket, ultimately falling to eventual gold medalist Hasanboy Dusmatov by decision in his opening bout.

Now, with his sights set on the professional ranks, Juanmita aims to build his own legacy while continuing to honor the Lopez family name. As he prepares for his 2025 debut, there is growing anticipation for what the future holds for this blue chip prospect.

Puerto Rico, a nation with a proud and storied history of boxing champions, now has another rising star to watch as Juanmita Lopez takes the next step in his career, hoping to follow in his father’s footsteps and become a world champion. The Lopez family will look to join Wilfredo Vasquez and Wilfredo Vasquez Jr. as the only other Puerto Rican father-son duo to become world champions.

Subscribe to the Brunch Boxing website, Twitter and Podcast for more updates and in-depth coverage of the world of boxing in and out of the ring.

Brunch Boxing Support Links:
🔗 https://linktr.ee/brunchboxing