Danny 'Little Red' Lopez ~ Career

[Bill Paxtom]

Wednesday ~ April 28, 1976

The Forum ~ Inglewood, California

Danny Lopez - 29-3-0 {28 KO's} ~ 126 1/2 lbs. ~ 5' 7 1/2" ~ {Age; 23 years, 9 months}
vs.
Octavio 'Famoso' Gomez - 58-9-6 {31 KO's} ~ 127 lbs. ~ 5' 4" ~ {Age; 29 years, 5 months}
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
~ The Skinny ~

Another bout billed as a WBC Eliminator. Promoter - Don Fraser has stated that he will bring
WBC Champion - David 'Poison' Kotey here in the Summer to defend his Title against the
winner of this bout.

The fighters signed for this bout on March 18, 1976.

Danny Lopez, who last fought 2-months earlier {February 25th}. In that bout, Danny showed
an awesome display of power, and stopped 'undefeated' teenager Sean O'Grady by a {TKO 4}.

'Little Red' says that he is ready for the cagey veteran, who had beaten him easily by a 10-Round
Decision 14-Months earlier.

Octavio 'Famoso' Gomez has moved up to the #1 WBC Featherweight.

'Famoso' had 'upset' Danny Lopez back on January 18, 1975. The cagey veteran has gone 8-1-0 {1 KO}
in his last 9-Bouts, which have included wins over the following Top 10 Featherweights.
* Danny Lopez
* Art Hafey
* Bert Nabalatan
* Rafael Herrera
* Fel Clemente
* Jose Torres

In his last bout, 'Famoso' stopped {TKO 7} highly-touted Thai-fighter - Sak Lempthong on March 19th.

[Bill Paxtom]

Wednesday ~ April 28, 1976

The Forum ~ Inglewood, California

Danny Lopez - 29-3-0 {28 KO's} ~ 126 1/2 lbs. ~ 5' 7 1/2" ~ {Age; 23 years, 9 months}
vs.
Octavio 'Famoso' Gomez - 58-9-6 {31 KO's} ~ 127 lbs. ~ 5' 4" ~ {Age; 29 years, 5 months}
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
~ The Skinny ~

Another bout billed as a WBC Eliminator. Promoter - Don Fraser has stated that he will bring
WBC Champion - David 'Poison' Kotey here in the Summer to defend his Title against the
winner of this bout.

The fighters signed for this bout on March 18, 1976.

Danny Lopez, who last fought 2-months earlier {February 25th}. In that bout, Danny showed
an awesome display of power, and stopped 'undefeated' teenager Sean O'Grady by a {TKO 4}.

'Little Red' says that he is ready for the cagey veteran, who had beaten him easily by a 10-Round
Decision 14-Months earlier.

Octavio 'Famoso' Gomez has moved up to the #1 WBC Featherweight.

'Famoso' had 'upset' Danny Lopez back on January 18, 1975. The cagey veteran has gone 8-1-0 {1 KO}
in his last 9-Bouts, which have included wins over the following Top 10 Featherweights.
* Danny Lopez
* Art Hafey
* Bert Nabalatan
* Rafael Herrera
* Fel Clemente
* Jose Torres

In his last bout, 'Famoso' stopped {TKO 7} highly-touted Thai-fighter - Sak Lempthong on March 19th.

~ Lopez Eyes Vengeance, Seeks Title Shot ~

Danny 'Little Red' Lopez seeks vengeance over Octavio 'Famoso' Gomez who handily defeated him by a
lopsided 10-Rond Decision 14-Months earlier.

'Little Red', who is ranked below 'Gomez, has been listed as a slight Betting-Favorite at {7-5}.

Both fighters are guaranteed $20,000 or 25% of the Gate Receipts for Wednesday Night's bout.

Danny Lopez is ranked as the #6 WBC Featherweight.

Octavio 'Famoso' Gomez is ranked as the #1 WBC and #2 WBA Featherweight.

Benny Giorgino {Fight Manager and Odds-Maker} >
It is a 'Pick-Em' fight. The Odds are 'Even' here. If Octavio can get by the 4th Round, he'll do a
number on Danny, just like the last time they fought.

Danny Lopez >
The last time we fought, I was going through some bad times, and I wasn't at all focused. I was
just going through the motions. I guess I just wasn't experienced enough.

I plan to go fast and right at him. I won't let him get away this time.

Octavio 'Famoso' Gomez >
They have this bout as an WBC Elimination bout, but it is scheduled for 10-Rounds. I would have
preferred it to be 12-Rounds, as I am a boxer and not a puncher. The more Rounds, the better
for me.

I beat him easily before, and I'll do it again. I just want a Title bout, and soon. I'm not sure why
I have to fight in an Eliminator Bout when I'm the Top-Ranked Featherweight. But the $20,000
Fight Purse guarantee was too much to pass up.

[Bill Paxtom]

Wednesday ~ April 28, 1976

The Forum ~ Inglewood, California

Attendance .......... 7600
Gate Receipts ...... $78,000

~ 'Little Red' Kayo's Octavio Gomez In 3 ~

~ Lopez Rips Foe In Coast Bout ~

[Bill Paxtom]

Wednesday ~ April 28, 1976

The Forum ~ Inglewood, California

Attendance .......... 7600
Gate Receipts ...... $78,000

~ 'Little Red' Kayo's Octavio Gomez In 3 ~

~ Lopez Rips Foe In Coast Bout ~

~ Lopez Scores 3rd Round Kayo Over Gomez ~

~ 'Little Red' Avenges Defeat To Gomez 15-Months Earlier ~

This bout was a 'Pick-Em' bout when first announced on March 18th. One-Week before the bout,
Danny Lopez was a 'slight-favorite' at {7-5}. But by fight night, the Lopez supporters had put
'Little Red' as a {2-1} Betting-Favorite.

'Favored' Danny Lopez took command from the out-set and put heavy-pressure on the cagey
29 year-old veteran Octavio 'Famoso' Gomez. From the 'get-go', Lopez had the 'nifty-veteran'
figured out this time.

Gomez did use his clever skills and unorthodox-style to avoid the early attack by Danny Lopez.
But by the {2:00 Mark} the Mexican was starting to wilt.

Danny used his pulverizing right-hand to stun the over-matched Gomez, when he delivered a
punch to the veterans 'heart' at the {2:15 Mark}. Danny then battered Gomez to the right-side
Ropes by catching him with '2' hard right-hand leads to the head, that drove the veteran Mexican
scampering backwards.

In Round 2, 'Little Red' continued with pressure, and delivered a series of 'left-and-right' hands to
the upper-body, that had Gomez in trouble throughout.

By the {1:30 Mark}, Gomez had slowed down noticeably and was now flat-footed. Danny continued
with his relentless pursuit of his 'older foe'. After receiving a hard combination to the body late in
the Round, Gomez dropped his hands and turned away in pain, then after a few-seconds he put
up his guard and backed away.

In Round 3, it was all Lopez as he hammered the over-matched Mexican with hard-punches.

Danny caught Gomez with a 'jarring' right-hand to the head, followed by a flurry of lefts-and-rights
that sent the Mexican reeling. Then Danny stepped in a delivered a solid left-hook to the head,
and came back with a 'sizzling' right-cross to the jaw.

Gomez then collapsed to the canvas and rolled on his stomach. He lay there as he was counted out
by Referee - Dick Young at {1:15} of Round 3.

Each fighter received a Fight Purse of $20,000.

Danny Lopez >
This was kind of a revenge bout for me, as Octavio really 'embarrassed' me last time we fought.
But now, I'm a much better fighter.

Now it's time for David 'Poison' Kotey. We're hoping to get him here in June or July. He has 'one'
more Title Defense lined up against {Shig Fukuyama}. He should win that bout, then I'm next.

I think I can 'Knockout' David Kotey, and win the Title. I've seen him fight, and I think that I
can knock him out early. I have to put a lot of pressure on him early, and not let him get into
his rhythm.

My best chance to win the Title is by an early knockout. He is a very good athlete who has
tremendous physical abilities, and that will be the hurdle to overcome. He gets better as
the fight goes on, and he would be really tough over the 2nd-Half of a bout.

[Bill Paxtom]

Danny Lopez Scores KO 3 Over Octavio 'Famoso' Gomez ~

[Bill Paxtom]

June 29, 1976

~ Art Hafey and Danny Lopez Sign For WBC Eliminator ~

~ Hafey and Lopez, Both Predict Knockouts ~

~ Bout Set for August 6th, Winner Gets Title Bout ~

[Bill Paxtom]

Danny Lopez vs. Art Hafey

Set for Friday ~ August 6, 1976

The Forum ~ Inglewood, California

Promoter ..... Don Fraser

Danny 'Little Red' Lopez - 30-3-0 {29 KO's} ~ 5' 7 1/2" ~ 126 lbs. ~ Reach; 70" ~ Age; 24 years, 1 month}
vs.
Art 'Toy Tiger' Hafey - 53-7-4 {36 KO's} ~ 5' 3" ~ 126 lbs. ~ Reach; 63" ~ Age; 25 years, 7 months}
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
~ The Skinny ~

This bout is scheduled for 12-Rounds, and is billed as a WBC Elimination Bout.

The winner will get to Challenge WBC Featherweight Champion - David Kotey in the Fall.

The bout is also billed as a 'Sudden Death Bout'. Meaning that if the bout is 'All Even' after 12-Rounds,
and additional Round will be added.

Both fighters will receive a Fight Purse Guarantee of $25,000 or 30% of the Gate Receipts {whichever is larger}.

Both fighters received $4000 in up-front Training Expenses on June 29, 1976.

Art Hafey is ranked as the #1 WBC and #3 WBA Featherweight.

Danny Lopez is ranked as the #2 WBC and #4 WBA Featherweight.