http://www.ringsidereport.com/rsr/news.php?readmore=1706

Danny “Little Red” Lopez: The IBHOF’s Forgotten Man

By Pete “The Heat” Parry-March 11, 2009

“I only knew how to fight one way… I’d just keep punching until I knocked
my opponent out.”--Danny “Little Red” Lopez

Induction into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in Canastota, New
York, is the “championship belt” every fighter seeks. It is representative
of having left one’s mark on the sport; being recognized as one of the
greats in the annals of boxing. There a plaque is placed and the fighter
can stand tall and proud knowing his name is enshrined alongside that of
Henry Armstrong, Joe Louis, Rocky Marciano, Willie Pep, and Sugar Ray
Robinson, the legends of the sport.

More contemporary names that now appear in that hallowed hall are those of
Bobby Chacon, Ruben Olivares, Eusebio Pedroza, and Salvador Sanchez. But
missing from among those names, among those legends of the sport, is Danny
“Little Red” Lopez. In reviewing the life, career, and accomplishments of
Lopez the question arises as to why this immensely popular and legendary
former Featherweight Champion has yet to be asked to take his place among
boxing’s elite.

Of Irish, Mexican, and Native American ancestry, Danny Lopez grew up on a
Ute Indian Reservation in Fort Duquesne, Utah, one of seven brothers and
sisters. After a troubled childhood, he took an interest in boxing and
followed in the footsteps of older brother, welterweight Ernie “Indian Red”
Lopez, and turned pro at age 18. Danny began his professional boxing career
on May 27, 1971, with a first round knockout of Steve Flajole. Lopez would
reel off 21 straight wins by knockout, still recognized as one of the
longest in boxing history, and go 23-0 overall before suffering his first
defeat. During that time, Lopez would become a staple at the famed Olympic
Auditorium in Los Angeles, regularly selling out the old fight club’s
10,000 seats. For three years Danny established himself as a warrior. In
nearly every fight he would wade in, fists flying, get knocked down only to
rise and knock out his opponent. Lopez hadn’t yet learned defense and it
would show in his first defeat.

Danny’s first loss would come on May 24, 1974 at age 21 at the hands of
Bobby Chacon. After 8 rounds of what was described as a war, Chacon, who
would go on to become a legendary Featherweight and Super Featherweight
Champion, stopped Lopez 48 seconds into the ninth stanza. A little more
than 2 years later, and with knockout victories under his belt over former
or future world champions Chucho Castillo (TKO 2), Ruben Olivares (KO 7),
and Sean O’Grady (TKO 4), Lopez became a world champion. Traveling to
Accra, Ghana, Little Red faced WBC Featherweight Champion David Kotey on
November 6, 1976. In front of more than 100,000 African fans cheering for
their native champion Lopez captured the title with a unanimous decision
over 15 rounds in 100 degree heat. Unfortunately he did so in near
obscurity. With no television or radio
broadcasts of the fight, and Lopez’ 72 year old manager Howie Steindler
having been forbidden by his doctor to make the trip, it was not until
Danny returned to the United States two days later that many would learn
their man had won the world title. It wouldn’t take long before the world
knew the newly crowned champion.

After taking some time off to celebrate his victory, Danny fought 2
non-title fights less than one month apart; a knockout in 2 rounds over
Jose Olivares on July 29, 1977 and a KO in 6 over Jorge Altamirano on
August 28. Lopez’ first title defense came just 16 days later on September
13, 1977. In a nationally televised bout Lopez came off the canvas to
brutally stop Jose Torres in the 7th round. Next, Little Red would meet
David Kotey in a rematch on February 15, 1978 on the undercard of
Ali-Spinks I and this time Lopez stopped Kotey in 6 rounds. With his first
two defenses having been nationally televised Danny’s popularity, already
well established among California fans where Lopez had fought almost
exclusively before becoming champion, grew exponentially.

After a TKO win in 6 rounds over Jose Francisco De Paula in April, 1978,
Danny fought Juan Malvarez on September 15 on the undercard of Muhammad
Ali-Leon Spinks II. Again defending on a televised fight card Danny was
floored in the opening round. Dusting himself off coolly after the
knockdown, Lopez doggedly pursued his challenger as Malvarez landed lead
rights and left hooks. A stunned crowd looked on as the round ended,
becoming convinced this might be the end of the road for the title reign of
their hero Little Red. With just 44 seconds gone in the second round Lopez
countered over an attempted lead right uppercut by Malvarez with an
explosive right hand of his own. The punch separated Malvarez from his
senses and he crumpled to the floor. After the referee completed his 10
count the challenger remained on the floor for a full two minutes. Lopez
had retained his title in stirring come-from-behind fashion. This was of
course not the first time Lopez had been down in his career and he was
gaining notoriety as the kind of fighter who might get knocked down but
would come back to knock out his opponents, sometimes, as with Malvarez, in
the very next round.

On June 17, 1979, in what would later be named by Ring Magazine as 1979’s
Fight of the Year, Lopez faced top contender Mike “Little Cyclone” Ayala.
In a battle Sports Illustrated would tag “a mini Ali-Frazier” Lopez broke
Ayala’s nose early in the fight, floored the challenger in the seventh and
eleventh rounds, and stopped Ayala in the 15th and final round. Lopez had
proven his mettle as a champion this night and cemented his legacy in this,
his seventh title defense. Walking through punishment to deliver some his
own brand of mayhem upon the body of an opponent Lopez had succeeded in
bringing attention to the Featherweight division and garnering a level of
popularity that perhaps no Featherweight Champion in history had enjoyed.

After one more successful title defense, a 3rd round TKO over Jose Caba on
September 25, 1979, Lopez defended his WBC title on February 2, 1980
against young up-and-coming featherweight Salvador Sanchez. The legend that
would become Salvador Sanchez was born that night in Phoenix, Arizona as
Sanchez stopped the popular Champion in the 13th round to claim the title.
The two would fight again a little more than four months later on June 21,
and Lopez would last one round longer, succumbing to the young phenom in
the 14th round. After the fight Lopez would hand Sanchez the Indian
headdress he wore into the ring, a symbolic gesture of the passing of the
torch, and a display of the kind of champion Danny Lopez had been.

Little Red retired after the rematch with Sanchez. Nearly 12 years later,
after witnessing the success of George Foreman’s comeback, Danny made an
ill-advised comeback attempt of his own on February 27, 1992, losing by
knockout to Jorge Rodriguez in 3 rounds. Danny hung up the gloves for good
following the loss.

Lopez’ final career mark was 42-6, 39 KO’s, an incredible 81.25 knockout
percentage. Looking inside the numbers is the best argument for why Danny
Lopez belongs in the International Boxing Hall of Fame. Lopez made eight
successful defenses of the WBC Featherweight Championship, holding the
title from November 1976 until February, 1980. Little Red fought six
former, current, or future champions during his career. Two of his six
losses were to the legendary Sanchez, one to another legend Bobby Chacon,
both Hall of Fame inductees. Still another, a 10 round points loss to
Octavio Gomez in 1975, was later avenged with a knockout of Gomez in three
rounds a year later. He is currently a member of the World Boxing Hall Of
Fame, was inducted in 2005 to the California Boxing Hall Of Fame, and was
inducted in 2008 to the WBC Legends of Boxing Museum along with such
luminaries as Lennox Lewis, Ken Norton, and Diego Corrales.

With a career filled with excitement, a record as respectable as any
current members, and with all the various Halls Of Fame that have already
inducted Danny “Little Red” Lopez, the question still remains: When will
Lopez be included on the ballot for the International Boxing Hall Of Fame
in Canastota, New York? When will his plaque be hung on those hallowed
halls among his fellow legends? In a sport plagued with legitimacy issues
over everything from loaded hand wraps to steroid use, the enshrinement of
a man who reached the pinnacle of his profession through hard work,
dedication, and determination would go a long way in restoring a measure of
respectability and legitimacy. Danny Lopez has appeared several times at
the IBHOF through the years, giving freely of himself and spending
countless hours greeting and signing autographs for the many thousands of
boxing fans in attendance. Always the bridesmaid, and never the bride,
still Danny comes. It is the measure of the man and the champion.

I am one of the many thousands of boxing fans who had both the pleasure and
the honor of watching Little Red fight and defend his title those many
years ago. I am also among those who have had the distinct honor of meeting
him at the Hall of Fame. He is a warm and genuine human being, one who
deserves to be on the podium giving his acceptance speech instead of in the
gymnasium of a high school working like a greeter at a Wal-Mart.

Danny “Little Red” Lopez will turn 57 years old this year. It is this
writer’s opinion as a fan and supporter of the International Boxing Hall of
Fame that Danny should not turn 58 before he gets that call that says
“Danny, you have been inducted.” He earned it, he deserves it…..it is past
due!