Danny 'Little Red' Lopez ~ Career

[Bill Paxtom]

Saturday ~ November 6, 1976

~ WBC Featherweight Championship ~

Accra Sports Stadium ~ Accra, Ghana

* WBC - David 'Poison' Kotey ~ 33-2-2 {20 KO's} ~ 5' 7" ~ 126 lbs. ~ Reach; 69" ~ {Age; 25 years, 11 months}
vs.
#1 WBC - Danny 'Little Red' Lopez - 31-3-0 {30 KO's} ~ 5' 7 1/2" ~ 126 lbs. ~ Reach; 70 1/2" ~ {Age; 24 years, 4 months}
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~ Pre-Fight Skinny ~

The Betting-Odds dropped from {2-1} to {10-8} for the Champion - David Kotey.

The Bout was 'originally' scheduled for 8:00 PM. But there was an 'over-flow' of Ghanan's
rushing the Stadium, and the bout was pushed back 5-Hours.

At 'final-count', there were 122,000 in attendance inside the Accra Sports Stadium, with
an additional 60,000 outside the perimeter of the Stadium.

The Ghanan Military brought in 'large' portable PA Systems, to transmit the Audio to the
Ghanan people outside the stadium.

The bout did not get started until 1:00 AM.

The Temperature level was 106* during the day of the bout, and was 90* at 8:00 PM. By fight
time {1:00 AM}, the Temperature level only dropped a few degree's to 86*.

Humidity-Levels were above the 90% range, creating a 'steam-bath' type climate.

Danny Lopez only had '3' associates in his Camp.
* Trainer ................. Teddy Betham
* Cut-Man ............... Chickie Ferrara
* Sparring Partner .... David Sotello {who acted as an assistant corner-man}.

There were approximately '30' United States Military personnel who attended the bout,
along with a few people from the American Embassy. That is all that Danny Lopez had
for support.

There was no Live Broadcast Transmission of the bout. The bout was filmed by an
independent African-based production company, which was hired by the Ghanan
Government.

A Sports Production Company from Japan also 'filmed' the bout. They paid $14,000
for the rights.

'2' Boot-Leg tapes of the bout exist. One was filmed by a British Group {who used
a hand-held Cam-Recorder}, and the other by an Italy-based film company who
bribed Ghanan Officials with a $5000 pay-off.

A Radio Broadcast of the bout was to be transmitted by the BBC, as well as the
Ghanan Government controlled radio air-waves.

Also, the Associated Press was to provide a Round-by-Round wire service as well.

One-Hour before the bout {Midnight}, the Ghanan Military called for a 'communications
black-out', preventing any Radio Transmission or Wire Transmission of the bout.

The 'black-out' would last for 40-Hours {nearly 2-days} and was not lifted until
5:00 PM on Monday ~ November 8th.