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

[Bill Paxtom]

Felipe 'The Flash' Torres

'A Good West-Coast Kid'

Interview from 1976

> Felipe, were you hoping for a bout with Rodolfo 'El Gato' Gonzalez. >

Yes. He was ranked as the #8 WBC Lightweight. We were supposed to fight
on March 4, 1972 at the Municipal Auditorium in Long Beach. It was to be for
the California State Lightweight Championship.
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> What happened. >

Well, 5-days before our Saturday Night bout he pulled out. He said it was because
he got 'a better offer' from the Olympic. But I highly doubt that. He just didn't want
to fight me because I was too much of a risk for his #8 WBC ranking.
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> Did the Fight Promters get a replacement opponent that was acceptable for you. >

I was willing to fight the Filipino - Vil Tumulak in a rematch, but he had a bout down
in Mexicali. So he was locked up.

Then they got a hold of the African - Cesar Sinda. He was willing to fight me again,
and on short notice. He had been training with Johnny Flores, so he was in shape and
ready for a rematch.

Cesar hadn't fought since I beat him {KO 10} back in late-November 1971. So he had
not been in the Ring for 3 1/2 months. I figured that he'd be rusty.
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