Lopez, Rivera to be suspended for punches, advisor says

Photo by: Naoki Fukuda

Nov

Juan Manuel Lopez and trainer Albert Rivera will pay for their post-fight fisticuffs that amounted to a walk-out bout after Lopez knocked out Rivera’s fighter, Wilfredo Vazquez Jr. Saturday in Puerto Rico.

Both Lopez and Rivera will soon be suspended pending a hearing by the Puerto Rico Boxing Commission for their brief melee, Gaby Penagaricano, who advised Black Tiger Promotions for Saturday’s card, told RingTV.com. While Lopez and Rivera have not yet been formally notified of their suspensions, Penagaricano said the paperwork should be arriving “any moment.”

The pending suspensions provide a capper to a wild evening at the Roberto Clemente Coliseum in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Lopez and Vazquez, the son of former three-division titleholder Wilfredo Vazquez, pounded each for 10 rounds until Lopez caught Vazquez with a straight left that caused Vazquez to reel against the ropes and collapse to the canvas.

Referee Ramon Pena waved off the fight at 2:29 of the 11^th round; Lopez turned around to celebrate a victory over a bitter rival when he saw Rivera, a cornerman for Vazquez, entering the ring. Lopez charged toward Rivera, who landed a solid left-hook. Lopez, a former two-division champion, fell into the ropes, regained his balance and fired back before the fracas was broken up.

It’s not the first time Lopez has been in hot water with the Puerto Rico Boxing Commission. He was punished by the commission in April of 2012 after he said referee Roberto Ramirez “has gambling problems” after he was stopped by Orlando Salido, suggesting that Ramirez had money riding on the bout. Lopez was fined $10,000, suspended for a year and mandated to complete 100 hours of community service.

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