NEW YORK — Not long after Thursday’s press conference ended in a gathering room at Madison Square Garden, Puerto Rican challenger, Juan Manuel Lopez, was busily signing autographs.
The 26-year-old Lopez (pictured, left) scribbled one of his signatures on the back of a program depicting himself and WBO featherweight (126 pounds) champion, Steven Luevano (pictured, far right)– the man who will be Lopez’s opponent on Saturday night in an HBO-televised main event.
Then Lopez flipped over the booklet and saw that one of the children had drawn a black mustache on his face. The program belonged to Luevano’s two eldest of three children –10-year-old Robert, and, 8-year-old Rebecca.
“I know the kids. In different locations, Steven and I have been on the same cards. We’ve known each other for a while since we’re both with the same promotional company [Top Rank],” said Lopez (27-0, 24 KOs) .
“I know the kids. I can’t speak English with them, and they can’t speak Spanish with me, so it’s hard to communicate,” said Lopez. “But when they came up to me, I just laughed because Rebecca, the girl, she had put that mustache on my face. But she tried to turn it around so that I wouldn’t see it.”
Their 28-year-old father, Steven Luevano (37-1-1, 15 KOs), smiled and then broke into an uncontrolled chuckle upon being reminded of what his children had done.
“No, I didn’t see that, but they’re always seeming to do that,” said Luevano, of La Puente, Calif., who has been with the children’s mother, Marina, for 11 years and married to her for five.
“A couple of fights ago, I had fought on a Manny Pacquiao card when he fought against Juan Manuel Marquez, and they wanted me to go and get Manny’s autograph,” said Luevano. “And I did it. I went to go and get it for them. It doesn’t bother me that this time it’s my opponent.”
Also on hand were Lopez’s five children with his wife Barbara. They are Stephanie, 12, Ramon, 10, Alexandra, 9, Juanita, 4, and, Belisa, 2.
“I’m able to be with them a lot when I’m not training, which is good. And, of course, I have to train really hard and work really hard because there are a lot of them,” said Lopez. “I feel good when they’re around. Every time I see them, everyday, I go to the gym, I go, ‘I have to keep working hard.’ That’s why I go to the gym and train so hard because I know that it’s for them.”
When Lopez met Barbara, she had already had Stephanie, Ramon and a three-month-old Alexandra from a previous relationship.
Juanita and Belisa are theirs together. Then again, as far as Lopez is concerned, all of the children are theirs together.
“When we met, the kids were there. I was just starting out. A lot of people, when they saw that, they were like, ‘You’re going to be running away from her from her any minute,'” said Lopez, who calls Barbara Lopez “my anchor” and “the person who keeps me together.”
“Alexandra was three months old when I first met Barbara. She grew up with me. It’s been nine years, and we’re still together,” said Lopez. “From the beginning, I treated her three kids like they were mine. They have another father, but as far as I’m concerned, they’re my kids. They’re with me all of the time. They’re mine.”
It is unclear whether or not Lopez will bring his children ringside, when the former WBO super bantamweight (122 pounds) champion goes after his 25th knockout in his first fight at 126 pounds.
But when their father puts his 8-0-1 unbeaten streak on the line and makes the sixth defense of his crown, the Luevano brood will not be at ringside, but in their hotel room, including 2-year-old Raymond.
“They’ve been to every single fight, but I don’t like them to come to the real fights and actually sit ringside. They’ll be inside of the hotel with my in-laws,” said Marina Luevano, who will be at ringside “with Steven’s mother and father and everybody else.”
“The kids have watched every single fight, but they won’t be able to do that until we get home,” said Marina Luevano. “So this fight, they’ll get to watch it when we get home.”
Of Lueveno, Lopez said, “We’re friends,” adding, his children, “are very nice kids.”
But when the two fathers enter the ring, the kid gloves, as they say, will come off.
“Steven is a very sweet and respectful father, but in the ring, he’s a determined, different person. He’s tough, and he leaves it all in the ring,” said Marina Luevano.
“Steven’s been training a long time, and you know, everybody’s underestimating him. But he’s going to show everybody what he’s all about,” said Marina Luevano. “May the best man win. But I know that my husband is taking his belt home.”
