DiBella Entertainment has signed 19-year-old juniorwelterweight prodigy “Dynamite” David Lopez (3-0, 2 KOs) to an exclusive promotional contract.
Coming from a family of fighters, Lopez, a southpaw who is of Black and Filipino heritage, is trained by his father and former pro boxer, Kris Lopez. In addition to his father, David’s older brother, great-grandfather and great-great-grandfather were all boxers. When David was just five years old, his father opened Lightning’s Boxing Club in 2009, in their hometown of Oakland, CA. Surrounded by the sport throughout his childhood, Lopez had his first amateur bout at age nine in 2013. Amassing an overall amateur record of 34-4, he won the Desert Showdown World Amateur Boxing Championships, Puerto Rican National Championships, and a bronze medal at the Junior Olympics, in 2015. Earning key victories against notable fighters such as Justin Viloria, Floyd Diaz, and Akeem Cheatem, all multi-National champions, Lopez was rated #1 at bantamweight by USA Boxing in 2015 and 2016.
While preparing for a fight in 2016, Andre Ward, then a light heavyweight contender, visited the Lopez gym and was challenged by a brash 12-year-old David to a sparring session. Reflecting on the experience, Ward complimented the young amateur telling reporter Brin-Jonathan Butler, “He [David Lopez] is the best fighter in the world under 13.”
During his teenage years, the athletic Lopez also excelled at other sports, such as basketball and varsity football.
Lopez turned pro at age 17 while still a student at Alameda High School in California. Following two first-round knockout wins, Lopez made his DiBella Entertainment debut on April 27, facing Nelson Morales at Sony Hall in Times Square, New York City. Seven years after their initial encounter, Andre Ward, by then a Lopez family friend, once again sparred with David to help him get ready for this fight. Opening up the Broadway Boxing event, which was live streamed globally on DAZN, Lopez earned a four-round unanimous decision victory.
“This is a great signing for DBE. I was impressed with what I saw from David at Sony Hall and I believe he has tremendous potential. The father-son dynamic is a longstanding tradition in boxing and I can see that Kris has taught David very well. A working model, David is a good-looking, polished prospect in and out of the ring. I look forward to guiding David’s career and helping him fulfill his promise,” said Lou DiBella, President of DiBella Entertainment.
“Lou DiBella is a Hall-of-Fame promoter and I know I’m in good hands,” said Lopez. “I took care of business last month and can’t wait to get back in the ring to do it again. I have been training my whole life in this sport and the goal has always been to become a world champion. Having my father in my corner from day one has been a blessing. With DiBella Entertainment, our team is now complete and I know my future is bright.”
“I have observed Lou DiBella for years and said to myself, ‘That’s the guy I want to sign my son to,’ and it happened,” said David’s father and trainer, Kris Lopez. “Let the good times roll.”
“I have known Lou DiBella for many years. He’s a legendary promoter and I have all the confidence in him and DiBella Entertainment to get David Lopez the opportunities to become a future world champion,” said Lopez’s advisor Alonzo Benezra.
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