Power and Heart – The unforgettable Danny “Little Red” Lopez

In 1971, at the legendary Olympic Auditorium in Los Angeles, CA, Danny Lopez debuted by knocking out Steve Flajole a minute into the opening round.

The knockout was a foreshadowing of what was to come.

In early 72, Lopez fought fellow hotshot Arturo “Tury the Fury” Pineda in what was billed as the “Battle of the Teeny-boppers.”

Lopez entered the fight against Pineda with 10 knockouts in 10 fights. He exited it with his 11th KO.

Along the way, he was wobbled a few times before sending Pineda to dreamland.

This pattern would recur numerous times throughout his career. Danny would get staggered, go down, get up, and almost always knock out his opponent. It was as if getting knocked down woke him up.

The spectacle was amazing to watch.

Despite standing just over 5-foot-7 and weighing 126 pounds soaking wet, Lopez, who resembled a scarecrow with red hair, packed outrageous power in his right gun. Several times, the minute the right touched an opponent’s chin, they went down like they were shot.

He was impassive in the ring, stalking his prey, looking to launch his murderous punch.

Even though it’s been years since I’ve seen a Lopez fight live, his fights are hard to forget. At the time, Lopez was can’t-miss TV. Most of his fights were wars. He often said if he could hit a guy, he’d knock him out. So true. Lopez was old school.

He’d take three to land one.

But that one would often end things. Exciting and deadly to watch, especially for boxing fans.

In 1974, Lopez fought fellow unbeaten featherweight Bobby “Schoolboy” Chacon. The sold-out crowd at the Los Angeles Sports Arena was buzzing with excitement as the two phenoms squared off. Their records were close to identical. Lopez was 23-0, with 22 knockouts. Chacon had picked up 23 wins in 24 fights, knocking out 21 foes. His single loss was to Hall of Famer Rubén Olivares.

In 2013, Chacon told me about fighting Danny.

“I used to spar with Danny and he’d whip me all the time,” remembered Chacon. “Then my manager said we were going to fight him. When we were sparring, I was learning so much about Danny. All that sparring made me a better fighter. So, when we fought, I was ready. I knew where he was. My right hand kept finding him.”

Yes, it did—and his left. Chacon, smaller but quicker, toppled Lopez in round nine.

The loss could have been devastating to Lopez’s career. But the skinny redhead with the big heart shook it off.

Lopez sustained two more losses (one avenged) but was improving with every fight. He knocked out former champions Chu Chu Castillo and, after going down, Rubén Olivares.

He wouldn’t lose another fight for five years.

In 1976, Lopez traveled to Accra, Ghana, to face WBC featherweight champion David Kotey. The odds seemed against him, but Lopez stalked and rocked, winning the title by unanimous decision. He gave Kotey a rematch and stopped the former champ in round six.

He successfully defended his title eight times,  winning each fight by knockout. In 1978, underdog Juan Domingo Malvarez, winner of 26 consecutive fights, shocked Lopez and the crowd at the Louisiana Superdome by flooring the champion early in the fight. Lopez got up quickly, shook out the cobwebs, and after being tattooed with half a dozen right hands, knocked the Argentinian out a few minutes later.

In 1979, Lopez engaged in “The Ring Fight of the Year” with tough Mike Ayala. The battle was a war of attrition as each fighter landed hellacious blows. Lopez broke Ayala’s nose, winning by stoppage in the 15th and final round.

His reign as featherweight champion ended in 1980 when he faced future Hall of Famer Salvador Sanchez. The fight was brutal, with Sanchez stopping Lopez. Sanchez repeated the feat four months later.

Lopez retired. He was 27 years old. Lopez won 42 of 48 fights, winning 39 by knockout.

Danny Lopez was the ultimate warrior, who put it on the line in every one of his fights.

He was unforgettable to all who saw him go to war.