By Miguel Rivera
Former two division champion Juan Manuel "Juanma" López (33-3, 30KOs) is no longer being promoted by Top Rank, according to Juanma's co-promoter Peter Rivera of Puerto Rico Best Boxing. Rivera says Juanma was not released and there was no disagreement, stating that Juanma's promotional contract with Top Rank simply expired.
Juanma, 30-years-old, has not been in action since getting knocked out by Mikey Garcia last June. The Puerto Rican boxer was signed by Top Rank in 2004 after participating in the Pan American Games in Santo Domingo. In 2008, the became the featherweight champion of the World Boxing Organization (WBO) by knocking out Daniel Ponce de Leon in one rounds. He Later moved up and captured a world title at 126-pounds.
Lopez was also champion at 126 pounds.
"He was not released. The contract simply expired. When a boxer loses, a promotional company often gives him his release. This was not the case. This year the idea is to make two or three fights. We want him to return in the month of March," Rivera told Carlos Narvaez.