Felipe 'The Flash' Torres ~ 'A Good West-Coast Kid'

[Bill Paxtom]

Felipe 'The Flash' Torres

'A Good West-Coast Kid'

Interview from 1976

> Of those '4' World Champions, who was the best at the time >

Well, Ricardo Arredondo was the same age as me {Age; 20} at the time.
We were both young and evenly matched. He was a good puncher, and
stayed busy the entire 10-Rounds. He really surprised me on how good
he was. I just underestimated him that day.
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Shozo Saijo was an accurate and pin-point puncher. He wasn't a big-puncher,
but he floored me in the 2nd Round. He jumped in and caught me with a
beautiful 'left-right' to the chin. He was the only to floor me up to that point.
He was only {Age; 22} and was a Champion already. He was a true World-Class
boxer.
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Kuniaki Shibata was really strong. He was powerfully built, and could punch
real hard. He was also {Age; 22}, and was a World-Class fighter as well. He
was good, real good. He beat me up pretty good that Night, and won just
about every Round.
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On Roberto Duran. Well, he was only {Age; 18 1/2}. He was raw, only had a
record of 15-0-0 {13 KO's}. I was his 'first' real test. We fought in Mexico City
at the Arena Coliseo.

He got off to a quick start, and won the first 2-Rounds. But I started to nail
him coming in during the 3rd-Round. He bounced back and threw everything he
had at me. Rights, lefts and combinations. But he couldn't hurt me at all.

Then I came on in Round 6, and I stunned him with a 'left-right'. Then I
smashed him good with a right-hand and he wobbled backwards. I had him
in big trouble, but he snuck away.

In Round 7, I caught him again. And he 'staggered' sideways and into the Ropes.
I tee'd off on him, but he took everything that I threw. I almost had him out.

But Roberto was tough, and had a lot of heart. He came roaring back during
the 8th and 9th Rounds, and took the play away from me.

The last Round, he played it smart, and boxed cautiously. He ended up winning
a close 10-Round Decision.
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Overall, I would have to say that Kuniaki Shibata was the best fighter of those
'4' at the time.