In the ninth of a series of profiles leading up to the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, we are taking a look at some of the world’s elite boxers who will be competing at the biggest sporting event of the world this month. Here is Cuba’s Arlen Lopez, the gold medal favourite in the men’s light heavyweight division. The 31-year-old comes from a country with a rich history in Olympic boxing. Cuba has won 78 medals in Olympic boxing, including 41 gold medals. The only nation that has won more Olympic medals and gold medals in Olympic boxing is the United States. In the history of the Olympic Games, the United States have won 50 gold medals and 117 medals overall.
Two-time Olympic gold medalist
Lopez won the gold medal in men’s boxing at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro in the middleweight division, and at the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo in the light heavyweight division. Now he will be looking to defend his gold medal in the light heavyweight division.
Lopez is one of five Cuban boxers to win an Olympic gold medal in two different weight classes. The others are Angel Herrera Vera (featherweight at the 1976 Olympic Games in Montreal and lightweight at the 1980 Olympic Games in Moscow), Robeisy Ramirez (flyweight at the 2012 Olympic Games in London and bantamweight at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro), Roniel Iglesias (light welterweight at the 2012 Olympic Games in London and welterweight at the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo in 2021), and Julio Cesar La Cruz (light heavyweight at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro and heavyweight at the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo in 2021).
Middleweight Olympic Gold
At the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Lopez defeated Zoltan Harcsa of Hungary via technical knockout in the second round, Christian Mbilli Assomo of France 3-0 in the quarterfinals, bronze medalist Kamran Shakhsuvarly of Azerbaijan 3-0 in the semifinals, and Bektemir Melikuziev of Uzbekistan 3-0 in the gold medal bout. Misael Rodriguez of Mexico won the other bronze medal.
Lopez was the fourth Cuban boxer to win Olympic gold in the men’s middleweight division. He followed Jose Gomez at the 1980 Olympic Games in Moscow, Ariel Hernandez at the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona and the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta, and Jorge Gutierrez at the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney.
Light Heavyweight Olympic Gold
At the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo in 2021, Lopez beat Mohammed Houmri of Algeria 5-0 in the second round, Rogelio Romero of Mexico 5-0 in the quarterfinals, and bronze medalist Loren Alfonso of Azerbaijan 5-0 in the semifinal. Lopez then beat Benjamin Whittaker 4-1 in the gold medal final. Imam Khataev of the Russian Olympic Committee won the other bronze medal. Cesar La Cruz and Lopez are the only Cubans to win Olympic gold in the men’s light heavyweight division in Olympic boxing history.
World Champion
In addition to being a two-time Olympic gold medalist, Lopez is a world champion in the middleweight division from the 2015 World Boxing Championships in Doha. Nine years ago he beat Aljaz Venko of Slovenia 3-0 in the round of 16, Marlo Delgado of Ecuador 3-0 in the quarterfinals, bronze medalist Hosam Abdin of Egypt 3-0 in the semifinals, and Bektemir Melikuziev of Uzbekistan 2-1 in the gold medal bout. Michael O’Reilly of Ireland won the other bronze medal.
Wins as a Professional
Since 2022, Cuba has allowed its boxers to compete professionally outside of Cuba, and still compete in the Olympic Games. Lopez has won two professional fights, both in Mexico. On May 20, 2022, he knocked out Fernando Galvan of Mexico in Aguascalientes, and then on September 10, 2022, Lopez beat Francisco Rios Amezquita of Mexico in Tijuana, Mexico via technical knockout.
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