Popular Mexican-American comedian George Lopez will serve as the master of ceremonies for the 83rd annual Boxing Writers Association of America Awards Dinner on Thursday night, May 1, at the Millennium Biltmore Hotel in downtown Los Angeles.
Lopez starred in the ABC sitcom, “The George Lopez Show,” which ran from 2001 to 2007 and still is seen in syndication on Nick at Nite. Only one television show involving Hispanic actors, “I Love Lucy,” had a longer run.
But his TV series comprises only a part of Lopez’s impressive body of work. He has released four albums of recorded stand-up comedy, was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Comedy Album in 2004, appeared in the smash 1993 movie, “Fatal Instinct,” and had his own live-broadcast HBO special, “America’s Mexican,” which was broadcast on Feb. 24, 2007.
An enthusiastic sports fan, particularly of boxing and his good friend, Oscar De La Hoya, Lopez also served as a guest commentator for the long-running HBO series, “Inside the NFL,” during its 2003 season.
De La Hoya takes on Stevie Forbes on Saturday night, May 3, in a bout that will be televised via “HBO Championship Boxing” from the Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif.
Lopez also has been frequently honored for his charity work. He received the Manny Mota Community Spirit Award and was named Honorary Mayor of Los Angeles for his extensive fund-raising efforts benefiting earthquake victims in El Salvador and Guatemala, and in Feb. 2004 he was presented the Artist of the Year and Humanitarian Award by Harvard University for his artistic work and charitable endeavors.
Among the award-winners who will be in attendance at the BWAA dinner are Floyd Mayweather Jr., Fighter of the Year for 2007; ShoBox’s Nick Charles, Broadcaster of the Year; Cameron Dunkin, Manager of the Year; brothers Lamont and Anthony Peterson, co-recipients of the Pat Putnam Award for perseverance in overcoming adversity; Steve Sneddon, the Nat Fleischer Award for excellence in boxing journalism, and Nigel Collins, editor of The Ring magazine, for long and meritorious service to boxing.
Many notable active and retired boxers also will attend the first BWAA Awards Dinner to be held in California.
The dinner – cocktail hour begins at 6:30 p.m. PDT, dinner at 7:30 — is open to the public and tickets are priced at $200. For more information, call the BWAA hotline number (212-969-0401), leave contact information and your call will be returned.