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

[Bill Paxtom]

Felipe 'The Flash' Torres

'A Good West-Coast Kid'

Interview from 1976

> Felipe, you did come back for one more bout. >

Yes, I was just working out in the Gym to stay in shape. Then I got a call
for an offer to go to Portland, Washington for a bout on June 22, 1972.

It was to take on 'Lightning' Ray Lampkin who was managed by Mike Morton.

The Fight Promoter - Sam Singer offered me a nice fight purse, so I took it.

At the time, Ray was 16-0-1 {6 KO's} and he was the #7 WBA Lightweight.
They were expecting big things from Ray. He was lightning-fast, and was a
well-schooled 24 year-old boxer.

I hadn't fought in 3 1/2 months, so I was a bit rusty. But I figured that I just
might get lucky, and catch him late.

Well that was foolish thought. Ray was too good, and he boxed my ears off.
I never laid a glove on him, and he won 9 of 10 Rounds.

[Bill Paxtom]

Felipe 'The Flash' Torres

'A Good West-Coast Kid'

Interview from 1976

> Felipe, everyone will remember you as 'The Flash' >

Well, that is nice. But I would like to be remembered as the 'tough little fighter'
from East Los Angeles.

I'm most proud of campaigning for 5-Years, and never being stopped in '40-Bouts'.

My overall record is not overly impressive at 25-14-1 with {11 KO's}, but I gave it
'my all' everytime that I stepped into the Ring. And I was a crowd favorite that was
always in an entertainging bout.
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> What were your toughest opponents. >

Well, I fought one World Champion {Shozo Saijo}, and '3' fighters who went on to
become World Champions {Ricardo Arredondo, Kuniaki Shibata and Roberto Duran}.

I fought those guys all in-a-row, and none of them could stop me. Only Shozo Saijo
'dropped me', but that was a 'flash knockdown'.

They were all tough and very good fighters.

I also can lay claim, to being the 1st-fighter to hurt {stagger} Roberto Duran. I really
had him in 'bad-shape' several times in our bout.