Nueva York - No es común que aflore una amistad entre dos personas que están a punto de entrarse a puños. Pero eso parece haber sucedido entre Juan Manuel López y Steve Luevano, que mañana chocan en el Madison Square Garden por el título en manos del segundo.
Sus personalidades no podrían ser más disimilares. Juanma sonríe continuamente, es extrovertido, parlanchín y buen bromista. Luevano -aunque amable- es una persona callada, introspectiva y reservada.
Sus estilos de boxear tampoco se parecen: el boricua es un veloz agresor con dinamita en los guantes; Luevano usa su boxeo depurado y mayor alcance para pelear a paso calmado y a distancia.
Ahora, Luevano y López se enfrentan en un combate definitorio para ambos. Pero la cita ha hecho que entre ellos crezca un respeto y aprecio particular.
Los peleadores se toparon por primera vez de manera casual en la pelea de Oscar de la Hoya con Manny Pacquiao. Para entonces, no estaba en el panorama la pelea de mañana.
“Luevano es una buena persona. Lo conozco y no puedo decir nada malo de él”, le dijo López recientemente a El Nuevo Día. “Pero esto es boxeo, y tenemos que pelear. Yo quiero ser campeón de las 126 libras y él está en medio de mi camino”.
Aunque a primera vista son muy distintos, Juanma y Steve tienen un rol en común, que es primordial para ambos: el ser padres.
Desde su llegada el pasado viernes, Luevano ha estado acompañado en todo momento por su esposa, Marina, y sus tres hijos: Robert, de 10 años, Rebecca (8) y Raymond (2).
Igual ha sido ‘Juanma’ con su esposa e hijos. El más pequeño, Juanma Jr., hasta acude con él al gimnasio Kingsway para los entrenamientos.
López aplaudió la manera en la que su contrincante se comporta con su cría.
“Ya yo conocía a sus nenes. Lo que sí me gusta es que me parece que, como yo hago, él le demuestra a sus hijos que esto es un deporte, un trabajo, y que no tiene que haber rencilla entre nosotros”, destacó López luego de la conferencia de prensa de ayer, donde ambos grupos compartieron y hasta posaron para una improvisada “foto familiar’ juntos.
“Fue extraño”, dijo Bárbara de López, esposa del boricua. “Es la primera vez que me retrato con un boxeador que va a pelear con Juanma”.
La esposa de Luevano estuvo de acuerdo con Bárbara. “Fue incómodo al principio, porque es la primera vez que hacemos algo así”, dijo Marina, quien ha visto en persona todas excepto dos de las peleas de su marido.
“Pero mis hijos son muy sociables por naturaleza. Es bueno que vean que esto es un deporte, y que no hay enemistad entre su papá y él”.
“Luevano se portó muy bien con nosotros”, agregó Bárbara. “Es la segunda vez que lo veo y en Las Vegas también se tomó fotos con Juanma”.
Los hijos de Luevano incluso le pidieron autógrafos a López.
“Me da gracia, porque la nena me dio el afiche de la cartelera para que se lo firmara, pero por la parte de atrás. No dejaba que yo lo virara y lo viera por el frente”, explicó López sobre el peculiar encuentro de familias. “Le había dibujado un bigote a mi foto”.
Luevano y López posaron junto a sus hijos y esposas para la fotografía. Los niños de ambas parejas -confundidos entre sí- estaban sentados en las altas sillas del podio. En ambos extremos se encontraban Bárbara y Marina, respectivamente. En frente, los púgiles se bajaron en una rodilla.
Luego de la foto, los peleadores se dieron la mano. Entonces el boricua levantó con respeto al pequeño Raymond de la silla y se lo entregó a su padre, con quien peleará por el título mundial mañana.
New York - It is rare friendship emerges between two people who are about to be entered by the handful. But that seems to have happened between Juan Manuel Lopez and Steve Luevano, collide tomorrow at Madison Square Garden for the title held by the second.
Their personalities could not be more dissimilar. Juanma smiles constantly, is outgoing, talkative and a good joker. Luevano-though kind-is a quiet person, introspective and reserved.
Their styles also seem to boxing: the Puerto Rican is a fast attacker with dynamite in his gloves, boxing Luevano purified and used his greater reach to fight to calm pace and distance.
Now Luevano and Lee faced a defining fight for both. But the appointment has been made between them grow a particular respect and appreciation.
The fighters for the first time they met by chance in the fight with Oscar de la Hoya Manny Pacquiao. By then, the picture was not in the fight tomorrow.
"Luevano is a good person. I know I can not say anything bad about him, "Lee said recently at El Nuevo Dia" But this is boxing and we have to fight. I want to be champion at 126 pounds and he is in the middle of my path. "
Although at first glance are very different, Juanma and Steve have a role in common, which is central to both: parenting.
Since his arrival on Friday, Luevano has been accompanied throughout by his wife, Marina, and their three children: Robert, aged 10, Rebecca (8) and Raymond (2).
The same has been 'Juanma' with his wife and children. The smallest, Juanma Jr., to go with him to the gym for practice Kingsway.
Lee applauded the manner in which his opponent behaves with her offspring.
"I already knew his kids. What I like is that it seems to me, as I do, he shows your children that this is a sport, work, and that there need be no quarrel between us, "said Lee after the press conference yesterday, where both groups shared and even posed for an impromptu "family picture" together.
"It was bizarre," said Barbara Lopez, Puerto Rican wife. "For the first time I photograph with a fighter who will fight Juanma".
Luevano's wife agreed with Barbara. "It was uncomfortable at first, because it is the first time we do something," said Marina, who has seen in person all but two of the fights of her husband.
"But my children are very social by nature. It is good to see that this is sport, and there is no enmity between his dad and him. "
"Luevano was very nice to us," said Barbara. "It's the second time I see him in Las Vegas and also took photos with Juanma".
Luevano's children even asked for autographs Lopez.
"I'm funny, because the girl gave me a poster of the billboard and have it signed, but at the back. I would not let him and saw him veer from the front, "said Lopez about the peculiar meeting of families. "I had drawn a mustache on my picture."
Luevano and Lopez posed with their children and wives for photography. The children of both couples, blended together, were sitting in high chairs on the podium. At both ends were Barbara and Navy, respectively. In front, the boxers were dropped on one knee.
After the photo, fighters shook hands. Then the Puerto Rican raised with respect to the little Raymond from his chair and handed it to his father, who will make his world title tomorrow. ....Lefty
New York - It is rare that a friendship emerges between two people who are about fight. But that seems to have happened between Juan Manuel Lopez and Steve Luevano.
Their personalities could not be more dissimilar. Juanma smiles constantly, is outgoing, talkative and a good joker. Luevano-though kind-is a quiet person, introspective and reserved.
Their styles also seem to boxing: the Puerto Rican is a fast attacker with dynamite in his gloves, boxing Luevano purified and used his greater reach to fight to calm pace and distance.
Now Luevano and lopez faced a defining fight for both. But the appointment has been made between them grow a particular respect and appreciation.
The fighters they met in the fight with Oscar de la Hoya Manny Pacquiao.
"Luevano is a good person. I know I can not say anything bad about him, "Lopez said recently at El Nuevo Dia" But this is boxing and we have to fight. I want to be champion at 126 pounds and he is in the middle of my path. "
Although at first glance are very different, Juanma and Steve have a role in common, which is central to both: parenting.
Since his arrival on Friday, Luevano has been accompanied throughout by his wife, Marina, and their three children: Robert, aged 10, Rebecca (8) and Raymond (2).
The same has been 'Juanma' with his wife and children. The smallest, Juanma Jr., to go with him to the gym for practice Kingsway.
Lee applauded the manner in which his opponent behaves with her offspring.
"I already knew his kids. What I like is that it seems to me, as I do, he shows your children that this is a sport, work, and that there need be no quarrel between us, "said Lopez after the press conference yesterday, where both groups shared and even posed for an impromptu "family picture" together.
"It was bizarre," said Barbara Lopez, Puerto Rican wife. "For the first time I photograph with a fighter who will fight Juanma".
Luevano's wife agreed with Barbara. "It was uncomfortable at first, because it is the first time we do something," said Marina, who has seen in person all but two of the fights of her husband.
"But my children are very social by nature. It is good to see that this is sport, and there is no enmity between his dad and him. "
"Luevano was very nice to us," said Barbara. "It's the second time I see him in Las Vegas and also took photos with Juanma".
Luevano's children even asked for autographs Lopez.
"I'm funny, because the girl gave me a poster of the billboard and have it signed, but at the back. I would not let him and saw him veer from the front, "said Lopez about the peculiar meeting of families. "she had drawn a mustache on my picture."
Luevano and Lopez posed with their children and wives for photography. The children of both couples, blended together, were sitting in high chairs on the podium. At both ends were Barbara and Navy, respectively. In front, the boxers were dropped on one knee.
After the photo, fighters shook hands. Then the Puerto Rican raised with respect to the little Raymond from his chair and handed it to his father, who will make his world title tomorrow.
What characters they have,I hope they and their family could become friends for life.
May the best man win.
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