Top Rank adds 19-year-old Olympian Teofimo Lopez

Dan Rafael
ESPN Senior Writer

Top Rank added a third 2016 Olympian to its stable on Monday, signing 19-year-old lightweight Teofimo Lopez Jr. to a multiyear promotional contract, promoter Bob Arum told ESPN.com.

Terms of the agreement were not disclosed but Arum said the 5-foot-8 Lopez will make his professional debut in a four-round bout against an opponent to be determined on the Manny Pacquiao-Jessie Vargas undercard on Nov. 5 at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas.

Lopez, who was born in Brooklyn, New York, lives in Davie, Florida, and came up through the USA Boxing amateur program, represented his parents’ home country of Honduras in the Rio de Janeiro Olympics.
Teofimo Lopez, right, gets in a shot on France’s Sofiane Oumiha during their bout in Rio in August. Oumiha won the fight. YURI CORTEZ/AFP/Getty Images
“He’s one of my homies,” Arum joked, because they are both originally from Brooklyn. “I think this kid is a real talent. The [matchmakers] are really high on him. He’s a real strong kid and has a really big future as a professional. He can fight. He’s a good fighter. If he wasn’t we wouldn’t have signed him, but it’s a shame he wasn’t part of the U.S. Olympic. There’s amateur boxing politics.”

Lopez earned a spot on the 2016 U.S. Olympic team by winning the U.S. Olympic trials in December. However, instead of that victory giving him a spot on the team, as it normally would, the International Boxing Association [AIBA], which oversees amateur boxing, for the first time used the winner of a different tournament to fill the slot. That turned out to be Carlos Balderas, who instead boxed in the Rio tournament.

Lopez, who is trained by his father, Teofimo Lopez Sr., and managed by David McWater, instead opted to fight for his parents’ home country. In the Olympics, Lopez lost his opening bout, 3-0, to Sofiane Oumiha of France.

Besides winning the 2015 Olympic trials, Lopez, who was introduced to boxing at age six by his father, won a gold medal at 132 pounds at the 2015 National Golden Gloves Championships. His amateur record was approximately 150-20. He also has ample experience sparring with quality professionals.

“I’ve sparred with a lot of pros,” Lopez said. “Sometimes they would invite me to go to their training camps, sometimes they were here in my area [in Florida]. I’ve been in training camp with Shawn Porter at the time he was fighting Keith Thurman, and Brad Solomon, helping them get ready for their fights, and they were both 20 pounds bigger than me.
“I also sparred with Guillermo Rigondeaux and Luke Campbell, the 2012 Olympic gold medalist. I’ve sparred with many, many, many professionals since I was 13 years old. I’m an entertainer — got to entertain! My style — I’m technical, very technical. I’m very smart when I’m in the ring, like Albert Einstein. I’m like a Sugar Ray [Leonard], Floyd Mayweather. I’m a boxer, but if the knockout comes, it comes.”

Lopez is the third 2016 Rio Olympian Top Rank has signed so far. Arum has also signed Michael Conlan, a two-time Olympian from Ireland, who will fight as a junior featherweight, and lightweight gold medalist Robson Conceicao, a three-time Olympian, who thrilled the home fans in Rio by becoming the first Brazilian boxer in history to win an Olympic gold medal.

Conceicao’s pro debut will also be on the Pacquiao-Vargas card.

Arum said he might not be done yet signing 2016 Olympians.

“We may do a deal with one or two others but we’re not actively looking,” Arum said.