By Rey Colon
Former world champion Juan Manuel "Juanma" Lopez has caught a break from the Boxing Commission of Puerto Rico (CBPPR). On April 3rd, the commission punished Lopez for comments he made in March against referee Roberto Ramirez Sr. During a live televised interview, Lopez called Ramirez "a gambler" after getting stopped in ten rounds by Mexico's Orlando Salido on March 10th in San Juan.
The Puerto Rico Commission suspended Lopez for a period of one year, and he was hit with a $10,000 fine and 100 hours of community service. Last month, Lopez held a press conference to issue a public apology to Ramirez - and he stated during a hearing with an officer appointed by the Puerto Rico Commission that he didn't have any evidence to support his remarks that Ramirez had a gambling problem.
The PRBC has reduced the suspension to 10 months, eliminated the fine of $10,000 and shaved down the community service from 100 to 50 hours. Lopez can now return around March 2012, but he might still file an appeal to return at an earlier date.
