Yaqui López

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 of the greatest Light Heavyweights to never become world champion.[2][3]

Yaqui Lopez
Statistics
Real nameÁlvaro López
Nickname(s)Yaqui
Weight(s)Heavyweight
Cruiserweight
Light Heavyweight
Height6 ft 3 in (192 cm)
Reach77 in (197 cm)
Nationality Mexican
Born (1951-05-21) May 21, 1951
Zacatecas, Zacatecas, Mexico
StanceOrthodox
Boxing record
Total fights76
Wins61
Wins by KO39
Losses15
Draws0
No contests0

Early life

The 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.

Amateur career

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.

Professional career

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]

WBC Light Heavyweight Championship

On October 9, 1976, López lost a very disputed decision to world champion John Conteh. Many thought López had pulled off the upset. The fight was held in Denmark.[5]

WBA Light Heavyweight Championship

Álvaro met Víctor Galíndez in two installment for the WBA Light Heavyweight Championship. The fights were held in Italy and both bouts went the distance. Some boxing writers thought that Álvaro won the fights, though the decision victories went to the champion, Galindez.[6]

He was one of the very few boxers of his time to challenge James Scott at the Rahway State Prison.[7]

1980 Fight of the Year

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]

WBC Cruiserweight Championship

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]

Legacy

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]

Professional boxing record
61 Wins (39 knockouts, 22 decisions), 15 Losses (6 knockouts, 9 decisions)
Res. Record Opponent Type Round Date Location Notes
Loss 61-15 Bash Ali SD 12 12-09-1984 Stockton, California, United States
Loss 61-14 Carlos De Leon TKO 4 (12) 21-09-1983 San Jose, California, United States For WBC cruiserweight title
Win 61-13 Eddie Gonzales UD 10 07-05-1983 Stateline, Nevada, United States
Win 60-13 Mike Jameson UD 10 19-02-1983 Incline Village, Nevada, United States
Win 59-13 James Williams UD 10 27-11-1982 Incline Village, Nevada, United States
Win 58-13 Roger Braxton UD 10 09-09-1982 Stateline, Nevada, United States
Win 57-13 Ken Arlt UD 10 31-07-1982 Incline Village, Nevada, United States
Win 56-13 David Smith UD 12 01-06-1982 Sacramento, California, United States Won California cruiserweight title
Win 55-13 Alvin Dominey TKO 6 (10) 05-05-1982 Stockton, California, United States
Loss 54-13 Johnny Davis UD 10 14-01-1982 Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States
Win 54-12 Tony Mundine TKO 3 (12) 27-11-1981 Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia
Loss 53-12 ST Gordon TKO 7 (12) 24-07-1981 Reno, Nevada, United States For WBC-NABF cruiserweight title
Win 53-11 Willie Taylor KO 7 (10) 27-05-1981 Stockton, California, United States
Win 52-11 George O'Mara TKO 10 (10) 18-03-1981 San Carlos, California, United States
Win 51-11 Grover Robinson KO 4 (10) 14-02-1981 Incline Village, Nevada, United States
Win 50-11 Carl Ivy KO 3 (10) 29-11-1980 Incline Village, Nevada, United States
Loss 49-11 Michael Spinks TKO 7 (10) 18-10-1980 Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States
Loss 49-10 Matthew Muhammad TKO 14 (15) 13-07-1980 McAfee, New Jersey, United States For WBC light heavyweight title
Win 49-9 Bobby Lloyd KO 8 (10) 20-05-1980 Fresno, California, United States
Win 48-9 Pete McIntyre KO 8 (12) 16-04-1980 Fresno, California, United States
Loss 47-9 James Scott UD 10 01-12-1979 Woodbridge, New Jersey, United States
Win 47-8 Bash Ali UD 10 04-10-1979 Redwood City, California, United States
Win 46-8 Andros Ernie Barr KO 4 (10) 12-09-1979 Stockton, California, United States
Win 45-8 Ivy Brown KO 3 (10) 27-02-1979 Sacramento, California, United States
Win 44-8 Wilbert Albers KO 3 (10) 18-01-1979 Stockton, California, United States
Loss 43-8 Matthew Muhammad TKO 11 (12) 24-10-1978 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States For WBC-NABF light heavyweight title
Win 43-7 Jesse Burnett UD 15 02-07-1978 Stockton, California, United States
Loss 42-7 Victor Galindez UD 15 06-05-1978 Viareggio, Toscana, Italy For WBA light heavyweight title
Win 42-6 Mike Rossman TKO 6 (10) 02-03-1978 New York City, United States
Win 41-6 Fabian Falconette TKO 2 (10) 12-01-1978 Los Angeles, California, United States
Win 40-6 Clarence Geigger KO 4 (10) 15-12-1977 Stockton, California, United States
Win 39-6 Chuck Warfield KO 4 (10) 27-10-1977 Stockton, California, United States
Loss 38-6 Victor Galindez UD 15 17-09-1977 Rome, Lazio, Italy For WBA light heavyweight title
Win 38-5 Benny Barra KO 5 (10) 27-07-1977 Las Vegas, Nevada, United States
Win 37-5 Manuel Fierro KO 3 (10) 20-07-1977 Stockton, California, United States
Win 36-5 Bobby Lloyd KO 5 (10) 17-06-1977 Miami Beach, Florida, United States
Loss 35-5 Lonnie Bennett TKO 3 (10) 22-04-1977 Indianapolis, Indiana, United States
Win 35-4 Larry Castaneda KO 8 (10) 07-03-1977 Stockton, California, United States
Win 34-4 Danny Brewer TKO 6 (10) 17-02-1977 Stateline, Nevada, United States
Win 33-4 Pete McIntyre KO 6 (10) 08-12-1976 Stockton, California, United States
Win 32-4 Clarence Geigger TKO 5 (10) 18-11-1976 Stateline, Nevada, United States
Loss 31-4 John Conteh UD 15 09-10-1976 Copenhagen, Denmark For WBC light heavyweight title
Win 31-3 Larry Castaneda KO 9 (10) 17-07-1976 Stockton, California, United States
Win 30-3 Karl Zurheide TKO 6 (10) 30-06-1976 Stockton, California, United States
Win 29-3 David Smith UD 10 03-05-1976 Stockton, California, United States
Win 28-3 Terry Lee UD 10 12-02-1976 Portland, Oregon, United States
Win 27-3 Jesse Burnett SD 12 24-09-1975 Stockton, California, United States Won California light heavyweight title
Loss 26-3 Jesse Burnett MD 12 31-07-1975 Stockton, California, United States Lost California light heavyweight title
Win 26-2 Gary Summerhays UD 10 03-07-1975 Gardnerville, Nevada, United States
Win 25-2 Mike Quarry UD 10 14-05-1975 Stockton, California, United States
Win 24-2 Lee Mitchell KO 6 (10) 08-04-1975 Sacramento, California, United States
Win 23-2 Terry Lee TKO 9 (12) 04-03-1975 Sacramento, California, United States Retained California light heavyweight title
Win 22-2 Hildo Silva UD 10 13-11-1974 Stockton, California, United States
Win 21-2 Bobby Rascon KO 6 (10) 11-10-1974 Portland, Oregon, United States
Win 20-2 Joe Cokes MD 12 07-07-1974 Gardnerville, Nevada, United States
Win 19-2 Hildo Silva UD 12 10-05-1974 Stockton, California, United States Won California light heavyweight title
Win 18-2 Willie Warren UD 10 06-03-1974 Reno, Nevada, United States
Win 17-2 Andy Kendall RTD 4 (10) 14-02-1974 Portland, Oregon, United States
Win 16-2 Al Bolden UD 10 06-12-1973 Portland, Oregon, United States
Win 15-2 Alfonso Gonzalez KO 2 (10) 01-11-1973 Portland, Oregon, United States
Win 14-2 Charlie Brooks KO 5 (10) 20-09-1973 Stockton, California, United States
Win 13-2 Herman Hampton KO 4 (10) 22-08-1973 Tacoma, Washington, United States
Win 12-2 Ron Wilson TKO 6 (10) 03-08-1973 Reno, Nevada, United States
Win 11-2 Dave Rogers TKO 5 (10) 06-07-1973 Gardnerville, Nevada, United States
Win 10-2 Ron Wilson UD 10 09-06-1973 Santa Rosa, California, United States
Win 9-2 Hildo Silva UD 10 21-04-1973 Santa Rosa, California, United States
Loss 8-2 Al Bolden UD 10 15-03-1973 Seattle, Washington, United States
Win 8-1 Polo Ramirez KO 7 (8) 08-02-1973 Stockton, California, United States
Win 7-1 Van Sahib KO 1 (10) 11-12-1972 Eugene, Oregon, United States
Win 6-1 Herman Hampton KO 7 (8) 29-11-1972 Stockton, California, United States
Win 5-1 Mark Hearn TKO 2 (6) 06-11-1972 Eugene, Oregon, United States
Win 4-1 Henry Tavake UD 6 24-10-1972 San Carlos, California, United States
Loss 3-1 Jesse Burnett SD 8 01-07-1972 Stockton, California, United States
Win 3-0 Cisco Solorio TKO 6 (8) 16-06-1972 Stockton, California, United States
Win 2-0 Herman Hampton KO 2 (8) 02-06-1972 Carson City, Nevada, United States
Win 1-0 Herman Hampton UD 6 24-04-1972 Stockton, California, United States

References
  1. http://boxrec.com/media/index.php/Yaqui_Lopez
  2. http://www.ibroresearch.com/?p=4466
  3. http://bleacherreport.com/articles/311811-down-memory-lane-paul-malignaggi-a-new-age-yaqui-lopez
  4. http://boxrec.com/show_display.php?show_id=21103
  5. http://boxrec.com/show_display.php?show_id=21066
  6. http://www.recordnet.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050901/SPECIALREPORTS03/509010315
  7. http://boxrec.com/show_display.php?show_id=21055
  8. http://boxrec.com/show_display.php?show_id=16950
  9. http://boxrec.com/show_display.php?show_id=21038
  10. http://www.zacatecasonline.com.mx/index.php/deportes/noticias/10630-boxeador-zacatecano-gimansio
  11. http://www.boxingscene.com/-they-now-alvaro-yaqui-lopez--1600
  12. http://www.recordnet.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071007/A_SPORTS0202/710070328/-1/A_SPORTS02
  13. http://ringtalk.com/where-are-they-now-indian-yaqui-lopez
  14. http://www.thesweetscience.com/news/articles/1677-yaqui-lopez-never-took-a-backwards-step
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