Danny 'Little Red' Lopez ~ Career

[Bill Paxtom]

Thursday ~ May 11, 1972

Olympic Auditorium ~ Los Angeles, California

Danny 'Little Red' Lopez - 11-0-0 {11 KO's} ~ 5' 7" ~ 122 lbs. ~ {Age; 19 years, 10 months}
vs.
Jose Luis 'Baby Bandit' Valdovinos - 39-3-1 {16 KO's} ~ 5' 5" ~ 122 lbs. ~ {Age; 24 years, 4 months}
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Danny Lopez is now ranked as the #8 WBC and #9 WBA Bantamweight, following his {KO 4} win
over Arturo 'Tury' Pineda 2 months earlier on {March 9th}.

The newspapers are playing this one up good.

~ Danny Lopez In Toughest Test Yet ~

~ 'Baby Bandit' Valdovinos To Test 'Little Red' Lopez ~

Jose Luis Valdovinos is an experienced boxer, who has campaigned 7-Years as a Professional {since; May 1965}.

The 'Baby Bandit' is a fast-handed boxer with great Ring Generalship. Valdovinos entered the Top 10 in
the Bantamweight Division in late-1968. He also won the California State Bantamweight Championship on
Aoril 30, 1970 > and successfully defended his Crown 3-Times.

In late-1970 he moved all the way up to the #3 Bantamweight. But, he suffered back-to-back losses
in early 1971, and dropped out of the Top 10, and abruptly retired.

But the 'Baby Bandit' returned in October 1971 as a Featherweight and has won '8-Straight' over the
past 7-Months.

Harry Kabakoff {Manager for Jose Luis Valdovinos} >

"Danny Lopez doesn't have 'half' the talent that Jose has. He has never faced a boxer with the
talent and skills of my guy. Jose will box circles around Lopez, then slice him and cut him up. He'll
make sure that Lopez is 'red' for sure, and will stop him on cuts in the 7th or 8th Round."

"Look, Danny is a good young fighter, but he has very little experience. He has no defense and walks
into punches. That KO win over 'Tury' Pineda 2-Months ago was nothing more than a 'lucky punch'
that 'Tury' walked in to."

"You can't hit what you can't find. Jose is a great boxer who moves and strikes quick like a 'Bandit'."

Danny Lopez >

"I know Jose was ranked as high as the #3 Bantamweight at one time. He wants to get his old rating
spot back, and the easiest way for him to get it back is to beat me."

[Bill Paxtom]

~ 'Little Red' Lopez 7-5 Pick To Beat Jose Luis Valdovinos

~ 'Little Red' Pick Over Valdovinos

Rich Roberts {Independent Press ~ Long Beach}

The longer the bout goes, the better chance for the 'smart boxing' Jose Luis Valdovinos. If the 'Baby Bandit'
can stay away or least {survive} the early assault from the rangy Danny Lopez, he may be able to out-box
'Little Red' in the middle Rounds when Lopez' punching power starts to diminish.

Valdovinos' best bet to stop 'Little Red', will be if he can slice or cut Lopez with his fast slashing-hands and
pin-point counters.

Pick Here > Is that Jose Luis Valdovinos will get dropped early, but will rally over the 2nd-Half of the bout to take
a close 10-Round Decision over 'Little Red' Lopez.

Experience over youth and power.

[Bill Paxtom]

Thursday ~ May 11, 1972

Olympic Auditorium ~ Los Angeles, California

Attendance ............. 7975
Television ............... Channel 13 {KCOP-TV}

~ Danny Lopez Knocks Out Valdovinos

Danny Lopez stopped Jose Luis Valdovinos at the end of Round 4 last night.

In the Opening Round, 'Little Red' came out firing with heavy-hands from the get go.

Jose Luis Valdovinos did well to block and counter early in the Round, but Lopez caught him
with a long right-hand to the jaw just past the {1:30 Mark}.

The 'Baby Bandit' went down to the canvas, but was up at the '3-Count', and ready to go on.

Moments later, Valdovinos and Lopez were entangled in a toe-to-toe slugfest, with both giving
as good as each other got.

In Rounds 2 and 3, it was Lopez throwing heavy-punches and Valdovinos firing in with fast
counters. Again it was a 'trade-fest', with both fighters landing good punches on each other.

While 'Little Red' was the heavier puncher, the smooth-boxing Valdovino stood right there and
traded with the taller Lopez.

In Round 4, Valdovinos got off first, and caught Lopez with a 'jarring' left-right to the chin, and
then scored with a quick-salvo that drove Lopez reeling backwards.

But the tough Lopez came back at the {0:45 Mark} when he tagged Valdovinos with a left-hook
and big right-hand that shook him up.

But Valdovinos would not give ground, and moved in to slug-it-out with Lopez. With the Olympic
crowd of {7975} roaring, both fighters again traded blow-for-blow at Center-Ring.

The smaller Valdovinos was holding even ground with Lopez until the {2:35 Mark}, when he was
forced to back up to the Ropes after taking a '2' left-hooks the head, and a short right-hand to the
chin.

Lopez then moved in, and fired with both hands, as Valdovinos moved back to the right-side Ropes.

Then with 8-Seconds left in the Round, Lopez scored with a hard left-hook to the chin, and
Valdovinos was sent through the lower Ropes.

Referee - Rudy Jordan moved in to give the count, as Valdovinos got up at the '6-Count'. The
Bell sounded ending Round 4, saving Valdovinos.

In between Rounds 4 and 5, Manager - Harry Kabakoff informed Referee - Rudy Jordan that
his fighter could not make it out for Round 5.

It goes down as a KO 4 for Danny 'Little Red' Lopez.

Danny Lopez >
"Wow, that was a tough fight. I thought for sure that I had Jose in trouble after I knocked him
down in the 1st-Round. But he showed heart for sure, as he gave me 'Hell' for the rest of the fight
until the end of the 4th Round when I caught him."

[Bill Paxtom]

Thursday ~ July 20, 1972

Olympic Auditorium ~ Los Angeles, California

Danny 'Little Red' Lopez - 12-0-0 {12 KO's} ~ 5' 7 1/2" ~ 122 1/2 lbs. ~ {Age; 20 years, 0 months}
vs
Bennie 'Mermin' Rodriguez - 13-0-0 {9 KO's} ~ 5' 5" ~ 121 lbs. ~ {Age; 25 years, 7 months}
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

~ Unbeaten's Put Their Record On The Line ~



Danny 'Little Red' Lopez goes for his 13th straight win. Danny is listed as a 7-5 Betting-Favorite.

Mexico's Benny Rodriguez is a quick and strong boxer-puncher. Benny is coming off upset wins over
highly-talented and undefeated Johnny Moreno, Japan's - Go Mifune and Arturo Hernandez.
March 2, 1972 ...... TKO 8 - Johnny Moreno
April 20, 1972 ...... TKO 8 - Go Mifune
June 1, 1972 ........ W Dec 10 - Arturo Hernandez

Bennie Rodriguez >
"I know that Danny is a dangerous puncher. You have to watch for both his right-hand and
left-hook. I will have to be careful early, and then get into a rhythm during the middle-Rounds."

Danny Lopez >
"I have to get past his jab. So, I will come out pressing right away to prevent him from getting
into a groove. He likes to box, but does not like to trade."

[Bill Paxtom]

Thursday ~ July 20, 1972

~ Danny Lopez Scores Sensational 1st Round Knockout ~

20 year-old sensation Danny Lopez scored a sensational 1st-Round Knockout over unbeaten Bennie Rodriguez
of Mexico tonight.

The bout was called over by Referee - Lee Grossman at {2:25}, after Rodriguez was sent to the canvas for the
3rd-time.

Lopez {122 1/2 lbs.} came out as usual, with fists blazing. 'Mermin' Rodriguez {121 lbs.} attempted to jab and
slide away from Lopez, but he was tagged by a straight right-hand and left-hook to the head, and toppled to the
canvas at the {0:51 Mark}.

After Rodriguez was up, he was on skates, trying to doge and duck Lopez' flying fists. But, Lopez was again able
to reach Rodriguez with a hard '2-punch' combination to the head, dropping him again at the {1:37 Mark}.

Rodriguez, after taking the '8-Count', was on the complete defensive until getting dropped a 3rd-Time at the
{2:25 Mark}, after taking a solid 3-Punch combination.

The 3-Knockdown Rule was in effect, and it goes down as a 1st Round Knockout win for Danny 'Little Red' Lopez
who scored his 13th straight win, with all coming by way of Knockout.

[Bill Paxtom]

Thursday ~ July 27, 1972

Olympic Auditorium ~ Los Angeles, California

Danny Lopez - 13-0-0 {13 KO's} ~ 121 1/4 lbs. ~ 5' 7 1/2" ~ Age; 20 years, 0 months}
vs.
Yoshinobu Goto - 15-7-3 {4 KO's} ~ 122 1/4 lbs. ~ 5' 7 1/2" ~ {Age; 22 years, 11 months}

Danny takes on Japan's #3 Super-Bantamweight - Yoshinobu Goto.

Danny, who is now the #7 WBC Bantamweight, fought only 7-Days earlier here at the Olympic
Auditorium.

Yoshinobu Goto, a 3-Year Professional, is a tough and spirited boxer, who has never been stopped or
floored in his 25-Bout career.

~ 'Little Red' Lopez Scores TKO 8 Over Nobu Gotu ~

Danny Lopez scored his 14th straight victory, with all coming by Knockout, as he stopped Japan's
Yoshinobu Goto, as the bout was stopped at the end of the 8th Round due to an injury on the
Japanese opponents right-hand.

Lopez took control during the out-set, as he used a combination of left-jabs, left-hooks and straight
right-hands to take the first 2-Rounds easily over his out-gunned opponent.

But Goto showed solid toughness, and came back with a good attack in Round 3, as he slammed away
at Lopez' thin-body with left-hooks to the ribs and mid-section. Lopez was bothered by the body attack
and was forced to move back and cover up.

In Round 4, Goto found a home for his right-hand, as he repeatedly tagged Lopez with right-hands to
the head, rocking Lopez several times with jarring blows.

In Round 5, Goto continued to use his right-hand, and again jarred Lopez with sharp right-hand leads
over Lopez' low-guard. But, Lopez withstood the blows, and put together a late-rally with a non-stop
left-right attack that stalled his Japanese opponent's offense.

Both fighters went to a box-and-jab session in Round 6, as each fighter went to slowing down the pace
to save energy. Goto put in a late-charge, as he again tagged Lopez with right-hand leads.

In Round 7, again it was a steady pace early, until the second-half of the Round where both traded with solid
blows at mid-Ring. Both gave as good as they got in an action packed rally, especially over the last 40-Seconds.

Coming out for Round 8, Nobu Goto tried to surprise Lopez with a fierce attack, as he slammed away with
a series of 'left-right' combinations into Lopez' head and body, sending Lopez back to the left-side Ropes.

But by the mid-way point in the session, Lopez was able to get some distance by using his left-jab to thwart
the Japanese fighter's attack.

Lopez then started to land good left-hooks and straight right-hands to the head, as Goto slowed down
significantly over the second-half of the Round. Goto was now not punching back, and appeared to be
favoring his right-hand.

At the end of the 8th Round, Yoshinobu Goto's corner informed Referee - George Latka that their fighter
had injured his right-hand, and could not continue.

[Bill Paxtom]

Danny 'Little Red Lopez vs. Yoshinobu 'Nobu' Goto

This was the first fighter that Danny had ever faced who was as a tall as him at 5' 7 1/2".

'Nobu' Goto took Danny 8-Rounds, which was the longest that the 20 year-old Lopez had
ever gone in his career up to that point.

After the bout >

Danny Lopez >
"He took everything that I could offer. He {Goto} is incredible. I hit him with everything,
and I couldn't hurt him. He hurt his right-hand, and they called it off. I don't think I
would have stopped him without his injury. He was/is the toughest guy I ever fought."

Yoshinobu Goto >
"He {Lopez} hits very hard. I was never hurt, but I felt his power. He's very good and
is the best fighter that I have ever faced."

"I hurt my right-hand late in Round 5. It's broken. I tried to use it after that, but it
was no good."