Juanmita Lopez, the son of a former Puerto Rican number one, signs a promotional deal with Top Rank

Juanmita López De Jesús, a 2024 Olympian, has signed a long-term professional contract with Top Rank and will make her debut as a junior bantamweight in early 2025.

18-year-old Juanmita is the son of former two-division world champion Juan Manuel “Juanma” Lopez, an explosive puncher who fought under the Top Rank banner in the 2000s and early 2010s.

“Juan Manuel Lopez is one of Puerto Rico’s greatest champions, and it brings me great joy to welcome Juanmita to the Top Rank family,” said Top Rank Chairman Bob Arum. “Juanmita is a unique talent, someone we feel will be successful in the ring and, like his father, will bring many championships to the great fighting nation of Puerto Rico.”

Juanmita said, “I thank God and Top Rank for the wonderful opportunity to walk this path with 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 very happy to start this journey full of passion and dedication. I am ready to give everything to achieve greatness and make my own story.”

Juanmita and his father made history as the first father and son Olympians in Puerto Rican boxing. A native of Caguas, Juanmita had a decorated amateur career at a young age, reaching the semifinals of the IBA Youth World Championships in 2022 and winning the Puerto Rican National Championship the following year. Twenty years after her father fought in the 2004 Athens Olympics, Juanmita entered the Paris Games as one of the youngest boxers ever. He had a tough matchup in the flyweight bracket and fell by decision in his opening match to eventual gold medalist Hasanboy Dusmatov.

A press release by Top Rank was used in this article.