RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — His heart in the United States and his fight for Honduras, Teofimo Lopez stood in the Olympic ring feeling like a boxer without a country.
The 19-year-old fighter was born in New York, raised in Florida, and developed into a prime candidate for the United States in the boxing tournament. With a win in the Olympic trials, Lopez certainly had the credentials to land a spot in USA Boxing.
Because of a convoluted series of circumstances, Lopez was squeezed out of a likely role fighting for his home country. Instead, he fought for the homeland of both of his parents and became the entire Olympic boxing team for Honduras.