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

[Bill Paxtom]

Felipe'The Flash' Torres

'A Good West-Coast Kid'

Interview from 1976

> After you lost those 'two' important bouts in a row, were you written off >

No. I was still the California State Lightweight Champion.

I was supposed to defend my Title against Angel Mayoral at the Devonshire Downs
in Northridge, California. I was giving him the rematch that he wanted. But he got
sick {flu}, and pulled out.

George Parnassus and Don Fraser locked up a deal to promote bouts at the
Devonshire Downs which was a run-down {25 year-old} Horse Racing Track in
Northridge.

They fixed it up, and set up a Boxing Ring with a seating capacity of about 4000.

I was to be on the 'first ever' Fight Card held there, and set for September 11, 1971

The bout was to be telecast on KTLA-TV {Channel 5}.

Once - Angel Mayoral pulled out, they scrambled around and got this scrappy kid
Juan 'Kid' Collado to come in. He was from the Dominican Republic, but had relocated
to Santa Ana, California to get some West-Coast bouts. He was also Managed by -
Angelo Dundee.

He was a pretty good Lightweight with a record of 28-9-2 {10 KO's}, and he had been
in the Ring with a 'Who's Who of Lightweights.

* Rodolfo 'El Gato' Gonzalez
* Leo DiFiore
* Ruben Navarro
* Shinichi Kadota
* Jimmy Robertson
* Antonio Gomez

I was favored {10-8}, but we knew that this would be a tough bout.

It was another 'slam-bang' affair. We went after each other right away, and rocked
each other with right-hands at Center-Ring.

The place went wild after each Round, as neither one of us would step back or
give ground, as it was toe-to-toe for most of the 12-Rounds.

In the end, he was a little busier than me, and he got the Unanimous 12-Round
Decision, and took my State Lightweight Title.

[Bill Paxtom]

Felipe 'The Flash' Torres

'A Good West-Coast Kid'

Interview from 1976

> Felipe, you lost 3-Straight bouts again in 1971. Did you want to continue. >

Well, I didn't want to give up. I was only 22 years, old and my record wasn't
all that bad at > 22-13-1. I knew that I could still give anybody a good fight.

I got an offer to go up to Kennewick, Washington on November 17, 1971 -
and to take on Al 'Scooter' Meza. We had fought once before earlier in our
careers, back in 1968 {3 1/2 years earlier}.

He was the Pacific Northwest Lightweight Champion, and he was out to salvage
his career. He really wanted to get his revenge on me, because I had beaten
him by a 10-Round Split-Decision on National Television at the Olympic Auditorium
on February 29, 1968.

He trained real hard for our rematch, and stated that he was in the best shape
of his life. He was 27 years-old, and had a record of 20-5-0 with {17 KO's}.
And boy, could he punch.

The Fight Promoter {Herman Morantes} listed my record at > 30-9-1 {19 KO's}
to make me look a little better on paper. That was OK with me and my Managers,
Larry and Memo Soto.

They built me up pretty good in the 'Tri-City Herald', and said I was one of the
Premier Lightweights, and was Rated as #11 in the World.

[Bill Paxtom]

Felipe 'The Flash' Torres

'A Good West-Coast Kid'

Interview from 1976

> You had a big win when you Knocked Out - Al 'Scooter' Meza. >

Yes, the Tri-City Herald posted our action, and I had a good write up.

'Scooter' came right at me, and threw bombs. But he came in straight ahead
and wide open.

I timed him coming in during Round 3, and side-stepped his charge and
cold-cocked him by comimg up with a right-hook.

[Bill Paxtom]

Felipe 'The Flash' Torres

'A Good West-Coast Kid'

Interview from 1976

> So Felipe, you were 'hot' again after stopping 'Scooter' Meza >

Yes. It was like I was on a Roller-Coaster ride.

Just 10-Days later {Saturday ~ November 27, 1971} - I was down in Long Beach
at the Municipal Auditorim to fight Cesar Sinda.

My Managers {Larry and Memo Soto} got me a decent fight purse {$2000} to take
on African - Cesar Sinda.
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> Did the Promoters list you with your 'new-and-improved' record. >

Yes, they had me listed with a record of > 31-9-1 with {17 KO's}.
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> Who was Cesar Sinda. >

Well, he was a 20 year-old Lightweight from Congo in Africa. And he was managed
by Mexican - Cuco Conde and trained by - Johnny Flores.

He had a record of 14-2-2 {10 KO's}, and was the African Amateur Champion {60 Kg}
back in 1968.

He was also in the 1968 Olympics at Mexico City. He stayed in Mexico City after the
Olympics, and turned professional where he went 6-2-0 {6 KO's}. Then he moved to
Long Beach, California at the end of 1970, and had gone 'unbeaten' at 8-0-2 with
{4 KO's} while campaigning here in the States.

Cesar was powerfully-built, and was an extremely fast-handed fighter who had
excellent footwork. He too, was another really good fighter.

We were supposed to fight for the California State Lightweight Title, but for some
reason I could not make weight and get down to 135 lbs. I ended up coming in
at 137 lbs.

[Bill Paxtom]

Felipe 'The Flash' Torres

'A Good West-Coast Kid'

Interview from 1976

> I saw that bout with Cesar Sinda. You made a tremendous comeback to win. >

Well, Cesar was really fast. He would come in and unload a barrage, and then
slide outside.

He won the first 4-Rounds easy. Then he cut me 'bad' under my left-eye in
Round 5 with a sharp 'left-right'.

He thought that he was on his way for an easy win, and he got a little too confident.

I started to come on in Rounds 7 and 8, as I worked his body with some of my
left-hooks. He started to slow down.

But, he came back in Round 9, and he boxed me silly. But at the end of the Round,
I sunk a great look-hook into his mid-section, and he nearly caved in.

When he came out for Round 10, he was up by {3, 3, and 4 Points} on the Scorecards.

In Round 10 > He tried to move and circle, but I hunted him down. Then real late, I
caught him with a great left-hook to the ribs, and I came over the top with a big
right-hand to his chin. He went down and out.

There were only 13-Seconds left in the bout. It was an unbelievable comeback to win.

[Bill Paxtom]

Felipe 'The Flash' Torres

'A Good West-Coast Kid'

Interview for 1976

> Felipe, you got a lot of good press from that win over Cesar Sinda. >

Yes, the 'Independent-Press' in Long Beach gave me a nice write up. That
got me some more attention in the Lightweight rankings.

I was hoping for a big money bout with Rodolfo 'El Gato' Gonzalez at the
Olympic Auditorium after that.

There was talk and some preliminary negotiations, but they stalled.

[Bill Paxtom]

Felipe 'The Flash' Torres

'A Good West-Coast Kid'

Interview from 1976

> Felipe, after you beat Cesar Sinda you back near the Top 10 World Ratings. >

Yes, the WBA and WBC both listed me as their #11 Lightweight in the December 1971
Ratings.

Then I got another good offer for a bout at the Muncipal Auditorium Long Beach.

I signed a contract on Friday ~ December 17, 1971.

It was set for Saturday - January 15, 1972. And it was to broadcast by KTLA-TV
Channel 5.
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> Who was your opponent. >

They had me take on Vil Tumulak, who was the former Philippine Lightweight
Champion.

He was a pretty good fighter, and had a style similar to mine. He was an aggressive
puncher who was tough-nosed.

He was 28 years-old, and had been around for a while {since 1963}. He brought in a
record of 32-7-1 with {16 KO's}. He had just relocated to Long Beach from
Manila, Philippines.

The boxing program listed me with a record of 35-10-3 {18 KO's}.

I was made the Betting-Favorite at {10-7}, but then they changed it to {9-5}.
But I knew that this would be a tough battle.