Ricardo Lopez: A Look Back at One of the Greatest Boxers Ever

By “The Commissioner” Alan J. Kindred

Mexico has a long history of producing some of the greatest world champions in boxing history. Some are remembered more than others, for various reasons. Vicente Saldivar, Rubén Olivares, Miguel Canto, Alfonso Zamora, Carlos Zárate, Carlos Palomino, Pipino Cuevas, Lupe Pintor, Salvador Sánchez, Julio César Chávez, Daniel Zaragoza, Jorge Páez, Raúl Pérez, Humberto González, Ricardo López, Manuel Medina, Miguel Ángel González, Julio César Borboa, Marco Antonio Barrera, Erik Morales, José Antonio Aguirre, Fernando Montiel, Jorge Arce, Óscar Larios, Juan Manuel Márquez, Rafael Márquez, Israel Vázquez, Isaac Bustos, Hugo Fidel Cázares, Daniel Ponce de León, Ulises Solís, Edgar Sosa, Cristian Mijares, Raúl García, Humberto Soto, Hernan Márquez, and Saúl Álvarez are among the best champions ever from Mexico, each tallying a total of 5 or more championship defenses of their titles. This long chronological list is but a portion of Mexico’s entire world champion roster. One point of consideration is that these 37 are not even counting those of Mexican descent born elsewhere, such as Oscar De La Hoya. The country of Mexico has left its stamp on the world as one of the best countries in the world at producing boxing world champions, and they are world renown in boxing circles for this reason.

Out of this group who are the elite boxers from Mexico? Many name Julio César Chávez, Juan Manuel Márquez, Salvador Sánchez, Carlos Zárate, Miguel Canto, and Rubén Olivares as the elite from Mexico, often forgetting about and leaving out the undefeated great Ricardo López. This is par for the course as far as lighter weight fighters are concerned, they often do not receive their just due. The hard core boxing pundits know who Lopez is, know he is undefeated, and know he made a slew of consecutive world championship defenses as a long time Strawweight/Minimumweight world champion. Even the hardcore boxing pundits need to put in the extra research to realize just how good he was, and that starts by analyzing his competition. The history behind the often neglected 105 pound division is a fascinating one, when you take the time to learn about it. Many think Lopez is the only notable champion from that division, or at least until the recent emergence and ascent of Roman Gonzalez. There have been many notable champions in the lower weight classes, they are just not shown to the public on TV or talked about with regularity by the boxing media very often. As we look over the undefeated López’ career, we will see he has actually defeated several of these high quality fighters.

Ricardo López, 51-0-1, 38 KO’s, was born in Cuernavaca, Morelos, Mexico, which is south of Mexico City. The details about López’ amateur career can be described as cloudy at best, after doing research at various locales throughout the internet. The reports vary from him being 37-1 to 40-1 to being undefeated at 40-0. Many claim López is the only fighter in history to be undefeated as an amateur and a professional. If his amateur loss is true, the word on the street is that it was when he was just 15 years old and still a boy basically, and in a smoker bout, which is an unsanctioned amateur bout. Without actual proof of the amateur loss, he is still regarded as an undefeated amateur by most. López would win four consecutive Guantes de Oro de México Championships from 1981 to 1984 (from ages 14 to 17) as an amateur star in Mexico.

Despite turning pro at 18 years old, with plenty of national amateur accolades, he was moved extremely slowly early on in his career, in terms of strength of opposition. He was moved to the ten round distance in his ninth fight however. His first minor step up in competition came in his 12th fight. An 11-0, 9 KO’s, López took on Eduardo Ramirez, who was 10-1-2, 2 KO’s at the time. It would go the ten round distance, the third time going the 10 round distance in twelve fights for López, and López would win a decision. Ramirez would win the regional IBC 115 lbs title later in his career. López would then continue to rack up victories, including former Mexican Flyweight champion Ubaldo Gonzalez, and Javier Juarez, who later win the WBC Continental Americas title. When López was 22-0, 16 KO’s he fought his first true contender in Jose Luis Zepeda, who was 18-7-1, 16 KO’s at the time. This fight is the earliest instance that footage of López can be found on YouTube, so be sure to check it out if you haven’t seen it. Zepeda would end up being a 3 time world title challenger, winning the WBC Continental Americas title, and the USBA title. In this fight however, López was brilliant wining the bout by TKO in round 7.

In his next fight, against Rey Hernandez who was 26-5-1, 16 KO’s at the time, López won his first regional title, the WBC Continental Americas title. Hernandez would hang tough, but ultimately would wilt late, being stopped in the 12th and final round. López was climbing the world rankings, and would defeat world title challenger Jorge Rivera, and two time world title challenger Francisco Montiel, on his way to earning his first world title shot.

At 26-0, 19 KO’s López would take on the WBC world champion Hideyuki Ohashi who sported a record 14-3, 9 KO’s. Before you readers say Hideyuki appeared to have a modest record, know that 2 of his losses came to legendary International Boxing Hall of Famer Jung-Koo Chang, in which he fought valiantly despite putting up losing efforts. López would dispatch Ohashi in 5 rounds. Some would say he did it even more impressively than Chang had some years earlier. López had become a world champion, and few knew it was the beginning of what would become one of the most impressive championship reigns in boxing history. As for Ohashi, he would become champion again, and is regarded as one of the best 105 lbs champion in history despite losing to International Boxing Hall of Famers, Chang and Lopez. I actually consider Ohashi a potential hall of famer, he is a two time world champion in a very tough era of the lower weight classes. He retired a modest 19-5, 12 KO’s, but his career is chalk full of content and great fights. If he weren’t among the lowest of weight classes, perhaps the panel would look at him more. He is now prominent on the business side of boxing in Japan.

Early in López’ reign he would face former world champion Kyung-Yung Lee, winning by decision, and 4 time world championship challenger Pretty Boy Lucas, who he would also defeat on points. López would then score 6 KO’s in a row in world championship defenses. Among these victims would include two time world title challenger Rocky Lin, and future world champion and potential hall of famer Saman Sorjaturong. Lopez would stop both of these strong opponents in just 2 rounds. Sorjaturong would, years later, knockout International Hall of Famer Humberto Gonzalez in a “Fight of the Year” performance. Sorjaturong was 11-3, 9 KO’s in world championship bouts, and defended his own title 10 times over a 4 year reign. He is considered one of the best 108 lbs champions ever, and is definitely a potential hall of famer. This streak would also include a stoppage win over normally durable former world champion Manny Melchor, in 11 rounds.

The knockout streak would come to an end in López’ 10th defense of his world championship, against Kermin Guardia. By this time, López was 36-0, 27 KO’s and Kermin Guardia was 21-0, 14 KO’s coming in. At the time Guardia wasn’t known well, and the fight wasn’t looked at for what it was, one of the better match ups in the lower weight classes’ history. Later on in his career, Guardia would end becoming a two time world champion in two different weight classes, 105 lbs and 108 lbs respectively. Guardia would be 5-3, 1 KO in world title bouts, and is a borderline potential hall of famer. The bout itself was competitive, with Guardia even winning a few rounds over the usually dominant López.

López would start a new streak of knockouts in world championship title defenses after Guardia, and this time he would reach 8 consecutive KO’s. Among these would include two time world championship title challengers Javier Varguez (TKO8), Yamil Caraballo (TKO1), Ala Villamor (KO8), and four time world championship title challenger Andy Tabanas (TKO12). The Thailand champion Mongkol Charoen would end this streak of knockout defenses, lasting the full 12 rounds, even though Lopez won nearly every round in a white wash decision. It would be López’ 19th defense.

In López’ 20th defense he would meet fellow world champion Alex Sanchez in a world championship title unification fight, in perhaps his career best performance. Sanchez was the WBO champion. Over a 4 year reign he had made 6 successful defenses of his title, and was 25-1, 18 KO’s. Ricardo López was a perfect 46-0, 35 KO’s. This would be another excellent continuation of the Mexico versus Puerto Rico rivalry. The fight, to this writer anyway, is a prime example of pugilistic brilliance, and is one of the best performances, by any fighter, I’ve ever seen. López’ rhythm and timing was masterful, not to mention the speed, power, and precision he used in breaking Sanchez down, flooring him multiple times in route to a 5th round stoppage victory. If you readers have not had the privilege of witnessing this fistic masterpiece of a performance, please head to YouTube and check it out, this was López in his absolute prime in my opinion.

The 21st defense would be yet again, another world championship title unification. This time against the WBA world champion Rosendo Alvarez. Alvarez was 24-0, 17 KO’s coming in, and is arguably the best and toughest opponent of López’ career. Alvarez would end up being a two division world champion in his own right, and a potential hall of famer. This fight would be the closest López would ever be to tasting defeat his entire career, getting dropped hard in the 2nd round in what would be a war. A clash of heads would cause a bad cut on López, furthering his troubles. Alvarez was up on the judges’ scorecards early in the fight. This would be the first and only time López would ever experience adversity in his career. The two great combatants would lay leather on each other back and forth, until finally the cut became so bad they had to stop it. López had battled back, and had seemed to have had figured Alvarez’ rhythm out by the time it was stopped. The judges scored the fight a draw, but it is of my opinion that if it weren’t for the bad cut, López was on his way to winning the fight on a decision. There were 5 rounds left and López had regained the momentum after the early knockdown he suffered as well as the severe cut he obtained from the head clash. As it is in the books however, a Technical Draw after 7 rounds scored. It is the only blemish on an otherwise perfect record. With such a close and controversial fight, it was only logical they would meet again.

López would next meet Alvarez in a rematch to square their rivalry. It was to be López’ 22nd defense, but this fact was denied due to Alvarez coming in well over the 105 lbs weight limit. So while López could win Alvarez’ WBA world championship title, his own WBC title was not actually on the line. Lopez would exact revenge for the blemishing draw, earning a split decision win over Alvarez, and also earning the WBA 105 lbs world championship. While the fight was again, fought closely, I feel López should have earned a unanimous decision. He remained a step ahead of the tough and determined Alvarez. This would be the last fight López would fight at the 105 lbs weight limit. He had been the world champion for over 8 years making 21 successful world championship title defenses. He now would move up to Junior Flyweight at 108 lbs, in search of a second weight class world title.

In his first bout at 108 lbs Lopez would fight IBF world champion Will Grigsby who was 14-1-1, 6 KO’s coming in at the time, with his only loss a disputed one, to International Boxing Hall of Famer Michael Carbajal. López would win a unanimous decision over the skillful Grigsby, to earn a world championship title in his second weight class. Griggs would go on to become a two time world champion. He would have been a world champion a third time, but he tested positive for Marijuana, so they rescinded his world championship title. Although Marijuana isn’t exactly a performance enhancing drug, or PED, it is on the illegal substance list for many boxing commissions.

Next up would be López’ 1st defense of his new crown against a lesser known but a great and legendary fighter in his own right, Ratanapol Sor Vorapin. The fight was perhaps late in coming, as it was on the tail end of both fighter’s careers. Vorapin had been a 105 lbs champion like López. Also like López he had made a very high number of defenses. It is unfortunate they didn’t meet in a world championship title unification bout some years earlier. From 1992 to 1995 Vorapin went 20-0, 17 KO’s in world title bouts, broke up over two separate reigns as IBF champion, making 18 total defenses. He would have likely had 20 consecutive world championship title defenses if he had not lost his world championship title on the scales in the middle of his reign. Even though both were on the tail end of their careers, it was clear to see that the fight meant a lot to López, as he came out guns blazing stopping the great former champion Vorapin in three rounds. Vorapin had been the one great fighter at López’ weight that he had missed during his reign and he was excited that they could finally fight, even if they were passed their primes a bit and fighting a weight division up. Vorapin was a two time world champion with a long reign and is a definite potential hall of famer.

After this fight López had little left to prove. The two big name Junior Flyweights, International Boxing Hall of Famers Michael Carbajal and Humberto Gonzalez, had either already retired or were on the down side by the time López moved up from 105 lbs. Some boxing pundits knock López for not moving up sooner so he could have challenged Gonzalez and Carbajal in their heyday of 1993-1995, but Lopez was still weighing in as low as 103 lbs in 1998. Perhaps López or his team thought he wasn’t ready to move up in the mid-1990s. Lopez had destroyed Sorjaturong, who would go onto retire the great Gonzalez, so it is likely López would have fared well against either Gonzalez or Carbajal, if not flat out dominated them. It is highly unfortunate these three didn’t get to have López join them in what would have been a triangle of sheer greatness. We can only imagine the great battles it would have produced. With no other great challenges on the horizon, Gonzalez had been retired for 5 years, and Carbajal retired for about 2, López decided to have one more fight and retire.

López’ final fight would be against former IBF 105 lbs champion, with 5 world championship title defense, Zolani Petelo. Petelo, who had a win over the great Vorapin, would fight a competitive bout, winning a couple of rounds, before being caught with a huge knockout shot, ending matters in round 8. In an interesting twist of fate the great referee Arthur Mercante and the great boxer Ricardo López would share their last time in the ring together, as they both would retire from boxing afterwards.

It is easy to see why Ricardo López should be considered one of the elite fighters from Mexico, and one of the elite fighters from anywhere in the world. I believe he should be regarded as the best fighter ever from Mexico. While Julio César Chávez has more total defenses, López has more consecutively, and was overall, a more dominant fighter. I also believe López is a top 10 all time, or higher, pound for pound fighter. Just watching his brilliance in the ring on film, makes me wonder what would have happened had this guy been bigger? He has the film (many great YouTube fights), strength of opposition (as this article goes over) and the numbers to back his greatness up. In world championship fights, his record is 25-0-1, 19 KO’s. Against world champions his record is 10-0-1, 6 KO’s. Against fighters I believe will one day be (or should be at least) International Boxing Hall of Famers, his record is 5-0-1, 3 KO’s. He made 21 successful consecutive world championship title defenses, and a total of 23 altogether when adding in his 108 lbs world championship reign. Another interesting fact is that out of 50 opponents (2 had rematches) 12 of them never fought again after fighting him. It was as if it was so terrible to fight him, they lost their love for the sport and retired never to return. He was undefeated over 52 bouts and scored 38 stoppages, giving him a 73% knockout ratio.

Readers, I hope you have enjoyed this look back article on Ricardo Lopez as much as I did researching it and writing it. For those that haven’t had the pleasure of seeing this powerful precision pugilist in action, I am including a list of all the fights of his that are available on YouTube below, you just need to look them up and watch. Thanks for reading.

(1) Ricardo Lopez 22-0, 16 KO’s vs Jose Luis Zepeda 18-7-1, 16 KO’s (Lopez TKO7)
(Represented the first real contender Lopez faced. Zepeda was a 3 time world championship title challenger)

(2) Ricardo Lopez 26-0, 19 KO’s vs Hideyuki Ohashi 14-3, 9 KO’s (TKO5)
(Lopez becomes world champion against 2 time world champion and potential hall of famer Ohashi)

(3) Ricardo Lopez 27-0, 20 KO’s vs Kimio Hirano 9-3-3, 1 KO (Lopez TKO 8)
(Lopez’ 1st defense)

(4) Ricardo Lopez 28-0, 21 KO’s vs Kyung-Yung Lee 20-1, 8 KO’s, (Lopez UD12)
(Lopez’ 2nd defense against former world champion Lee)

(5) Ricardo Lopez 29-0, 21 KO’s vs Pretty Boy Lucas 27-2-2 (Lopez UD12)
(Lopez’ 3rd defense against 4 time world championship title challenger)

(6) Ricardo Lopez 30-0, 21 KO’s vs Singprasert Kittikasem 10-2-1, 6 KO’s (Lopez KO 5)
(Lopez’ 4th defense)

(7) Ricardo Lopez 31-0, 22 KO’s vs Rocky Lin 14-0, 3 KO’s (Lopez KO 2)
(Lopez’ 5th defense, a particularly vicious KO of 2 time world championship title challenger)

(8) Ricardo Lopez 32-0, 23 KO’s vs Kwang-Soo Oh 6-0, 3 KO’s (Lopez TKO 9)
(Lopez’ 6th defense)

(9) Ricardo Lopez 33-0, 24 KO’s vs Saman Sorjaturong 15-1-1, 13 KO’s (Lopez TKO 2)
(Lopez’ 7th defense against future world champion and potential hall of famer)

(10) Ricardo Lopez 34-0, 25 KO’s vs Toto Pongsawang 4-0, 3 KO’s (Lopez TKO 11)
(Lopez’ 8th defense)

(11) Ricardo Lopez 35-0, 26 KO’s vs Manny Melchor 25-19-4, 6 KO’s (Lopez KO 11)
(Lopez’ 9th defense against former world champion)

(12) Ricardo Lopez 38-0, 28 KO’s vs Javier Varguez 37-16-1, 27 KO’s (Lopez TKO8)
(Lopez 12th defense against 2 time world championship title challenger)

(13) Ricardo Lopez 39-0, 29 KO’s vs Yamil Caraballo 13-4-1, 5 KO’s (Lopez TKO 1)
(Lopez’ 13th defense against 2 time world championship title challenger)

(14) Ricardo Lopez 40-0, 30 KO’s vs Andy Tabanas 30-2, 19 KO’s (Lopez TKO 12)
(Lopez’ 14th defense against 4 time world championship title challenger)

(15) Ricardo Lopez 41-0, 31 KO’s vs Ala Villamor 29-1-1, 26 KO’s (Lopez KO 8)
(Lopez’ 15th defense against 2 time world championship title challenger)

(16) Ricardo Lopez 42-0, 32 KO’s vs Kitichai Preecha 7-3, 1 KO (Lopez KO 3)
(Lopez’ 16th defense)

(17) Ricardo Lopez 43-0, 33 KO’s vs Morgan Ndumo 10-2-1, 4 KO’s (Lopez TKO 6)
(Lopez 17th defense)

(18) Ricardo Lopez 44-0, 34 KO’s vs Myung-Sup Park 11-4, 10 KO’s (Lopez TKO 1)
(Lopez’ 18th defense)

(19) Ricardo Lopez 45-0, 35 KO’s vs Mongkol Charoen 20-1 (Lopez UD12)
(Lopez’ 19th defense)

(20) Ricardo Lopez 46-0, 35 KO’s vs Alex Sanchez 25-1, 18 KO’s (Lopez TKO 5)
(Lopez’ 20th defense, a world championship title unification bout against WBO world champion, one of Lopez’ finest performances)

(21) Ricardo Lopez 47-0, 36 KO’s vs Rosendo Alvarez 24-0, 17 KO’s (TD 8)
(Lopez 21st defense, a world championship title unification bout against WBA world champion, 2 division world champion, and potential hall of famer)

(22) Ricardo Lopez 47-0-1, 36 KO’s vs Rosendo Alvarez 24-0-1, 17 KO’s (Lopez SD12)
(A world championship title unification bout against WBA world champion, 2 division world champion, and potential hall of famer. Lopez’ world championship not on the line due to Alvarez weighing in over the limit)

(23) Ricardo Lopez 48-0-1, 36 KO’s vs Will Grigsby 14-1-1, 6 KO’s (Lopez UD12)
(Lopez wins the IBF 108 lbs world championship, becoming a champion in two different weight classes against two time world champion)

(24) Ricardo Lopez 49-0-1, 36 KO’s vs Ratanapol Sor Vorapin 38-5-1, 30 KO’s (Lopez TKO 3)
(Lopez’ 1st defense against great former two time world champion and potential hall of famer)

(25) Ricardo Lopez 50-0-1, 37 KO’s vs Zolani Petelo 17-2-2, 9 KO’s (Lopez KO 8)
(Lopez’ 2nd defense and final fight of his career against former world champion)

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