Danny 'Little Red' Lopez ~ Career

[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.