| Yaqui Lopez | |
|---|---|
| Statistics | |
| Real name | Álvaro López |
| Nickname(s) | Yaqui |
| Rated at | Heavyweight Cruiserweight Light Heavyweight |
| Height | 6 ft 3 in (192 cm) |
| Reach | 77 in (197 cm) |
| Nationality | Mexican |
| Born | May 21, 1951 Zacatecas, Zacatecas, Mexico |
| Stance | Orthodox |
| Boxing record | |
| Total fights | 76 |
| Wins | 61 |
| Wins by KO | 39 |
| Losses | 15 |
| Draws | 0 |
| No contests | 0 |
Álvaro López (born May 21, 1951 in Zacatecas, Zacatecas, Mexico) is a former Mexican boxer and current member of the Boxing Hall of Fame.[1] A native of Zacatecas, Zacatecas, López was very popular among Mexicans and is considered by many as one the greatest Light Heavyweights to never become world champion.[2][3]
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The fascinating story of López starts with his birth under a bull ring in the Plaza de Toros San Pedro in Zacatecas, Zacatecas, Mexico. He was raised for 14 years underneath the seats in an adobe garage of a famous Bullring in Zacatecas.
A Young López had dreams of becoming a Matador, but those dreams were shattered when in his teens, he got a shot at fighting a bull. After about four or five passes, the bull drove his horn into his ankle which shattered it. With that shattered ankle came shattered dreams of becoming a bullfighter.
López ended his amateur career with a record of 13-3. At the Diamond Belt Championship in Eureka, California, he knocked out the defending champion to win the title. A lot of Native Americans were at the event and asked his trainer Jack Cruz, if Álvaro was Native American. Cruz lied and told them that López was of Yaqui heritage.
In April 1972, Álvaro faced the veteran Herman Hampton to win his pro debut. The bout was held at the Civic Auditorium in Stockton, California.[4]
On October 9, 1976, López lost a very disputed decision to world champion John Conteh. Many thought López had pulled off the upset, but the fight was held in Denmark.[5]
Álvaro met Víctor Galíndez in two installment for the WBC Light Heavyweight Championship. Unfortunately for López the fights were also held in this champions home, Italy. Both bouts went the distance and Álvaro was robbed again in the eyes of most boxing writers.[6]
He was one of the very few boxers of his time to challenge James Scott at the Rahway State Prison.[7]
López would later fight in the Ring Magazine's 1980 Fight of the Year against WBC Light Heavyweight Champion, Matthew Saad Muhammad. The first half of the fight was dominated by López, with all three score cards very close up until the fourteenth round. When Álvaro ran out of gas and was stopped.[8]
In Álvaro's last world title attempt, he would lose to the much younger WBC Cruiserweight Champion, Carlos De León.[9] López would then wait almost a year and fight Bash Ali, before retiring from boxing.[10]
Lopez is a member of both California Boxing Hall of Fame and the World Boxing Hall of Fame.[11][12] He has his own gym named after him, Yaqui Lopez's Fat City Boxing.www.yaquilopezsfatcityboxing.com During Álvaro's career he faced Víctor Galíndez, Mike Rossman, Mike Quarry, Tony Mundine, Jesse Burnett, James Scott, S. T. Gordon, Matthew Saad Muhammad, Carlos De León, Michael Spinks, and John Conteh.[13][14]