PAHOKEE, Fla. \u2014 A Pahokee man is launching what he calls the first amateur boxing promotional company of its kind, designed to create a pipeline for amateur fighters transitioning to professional boxing.<\/p>\n
Nelson Lopez Jr., whose family has deep boxing roots, founded Global Combat Amateurs after years of working as a promoter with established fighters. His father was a professional boxer in Cuba with a 7-0 record before migrating to Pahokee to pursue his career, ultimately leaving the sport to start a family and business.<\/p>\n
WATCH BELOW: New boxing company seeks to develop champions in football town<\/p>\n
New boxing company seeks to develop champions in Pahokee<\/p>\n
“My father was a boxer in Cuba. He was 7-0 as a pro,” Lopez said.<\/p>\n
While his father stepped away from boxing to start Glades Carpet, Lopez developed his own passion for the sport inside that building.<\/p>\n
“We had a bag and a jump rope in there. That’s all I needed. We sparred in there and everything,” Lopez said.<\/p>\n
As an amateur boxer from Pahokee, Lopez faced skepticism about his hometown’s boxing credentials.<\/p>\n
“Pahokee’s known for football,” Lopez said.<\/p>\n
The city has produced NFL stars like Rickey Jackson, Anquan Boldin, and Janoris Jenkins, making boxing secondary in the community’s sports identity. Despite this, Lopez compiled an impressive 25-5 amateur record before retiring from competition.<\/p>\n
In 1997, Lopez purchased the boxing gym Kommunity, which became his base for expanding into boxing promotion. He worked with notable fighters including Alycia Baumgardner and Edgar Berlanger.<\/p>\n
Now, Lopez is returning his focus to Pahokee with Global Combat Amateurs, aimed at developing the next generation of boxing talent.<\/p>\n
“This year, I told myself: if I don’t build up the foundation here, I can’t expect to get a champion,” Lopez said.<\/p>\n
The company introduces amateur fighters like Genri Macedo to a structured environment designed to guide them toward professional careers. Macedo’s journey exemplifies the program’s mission of transformation and second chances.<\/p>\n
“I was coming here on and off because first I did football and came here,” Macedo said.<\/p>\n
Macedo had taken a break from boxing as a teenager and found himself in legal trouble, spending several years in prison. After his release, he contacted Lopez to return to the gym, vowing to change his life.<\/p>\n
“I’m excited,” Macedo said about the upcoming event.<\/p>\n
Lopez emphasizes the program’s focus on discipline and respect, values that extend beyond the ring.<\/p>\n
Global Combat Amateurs will hold its first major event on Friday, marking a milestone for both the program and its fighters. The event represents not just athletic competition, but a new chapter for amateur boxing development in Pahokee.<\/p>\n