Yaqui López

Yaqui López
Álvaro López (born May 21, 1951, in Zacatecas, Mexico) is a Mexican former boxer and current member of the Boxing Hall of Fame. A native of Zacatecas, López is considered by many as one of the greatest Light Heavyweights to become world champion.
Early life
López was born under a bull ring in the Plaza de Toros San Pedro in Zacateca, Mexico. He grew up underneath the seats in an adobe garage of a famous Bullring in Zacatecas.
A Young López had dreams of becoming a Matador. During his very first bull fight when López was in his teens, a bull drove its horns into his ankled and shattered it. Due to his injury, López decided not to purse becoming a bull figher
Amateur career
López ended his amateur career with a record of 13–3. At the Diamond Belt Championship in Eureka, California, he knocked out the defending champion to win the title. Many Native Americans attended the event and asked his trainer Jack Cruz, if Álvaro was Native American. Cruz lied and told them that López was of Yaqui heritage.
Professional career
In April 1972, Álvaro would win his pro debut against Herman Hampton. The bout was held at the Civic Auditorium in Stockton, California. The two would rematch in Carson City, Nevada less than two months later, with Álvaro stopping the bout early by knockout in the 2nd round.
WBC Light Heavyweight Championship
On October 9, 1976, López lost a very disputed decision to world champion John Conteh. Many people in the crowd thought López had pulled off the upset. The fight was held in Denmark.
WBA Light Heavyweight Championship
Álvaro met Víctor Galíndez in two installments for the WBA Light Heavyweight Championship. The fights were held in Italy. Some boxing writers thought that Álvaro won the fights, though the decision victories went to the champion, Galindez.
He was one of the very few boxers of his time to challenge James Scott at the Rahway State Prison.
1980 Fight of the Year
López would later fight in Ring Magazine's 1980 Fight of the Year against WBC Light Heavyweight Champion, Matthew Saad Muhammad. The first half of the fight was dominated by López, with all three score cards very close up until the fourteenth round. Álvaro eventually ran out of energy to continue fighting and was stopped.
WBC Cruiserweight Championship
In Álvaro's last world title attempt, he would lose to the much younger WBC Cruiserweight Champion, Carlos De León. López would then wait almost a year before fighting Bash Ali. Following the matchh, he retired from boxing.
Legacy
Lopez is a member of both California Boxing Hall of Fame and the World Boxing Hall of Fame. He has his own gym named after him, Yaqui Lopez's Fat City Boxing. During Álvaro's career he faced Víctor Galíndez, Mike Rossman, Mike Quarry, Tony Mundine, Jesse Burnett, James Scott, S. T. Gordon, Matthew Saad Muhammad, Carlos De León, Michael Spinks, and John Conteh.
Professional boxing record
|-
|align="center" colspan=8|61 Wins (39 knockouts, 22 decisions), 15 Losses (6 knockouts, 9 decisions)
|-
| align="center" style="border-style: none none solid solid; background: #e3e3e3"|Res.
| align="center" style="border-style: none none solid solid; background: #e3e3e3"|Record
| align="center" style="border-style: none none solid solid; background: #e3e3e3"|Opponent
| align="center" style="border-style: none none solid solid; background: #e3e3e3"|Type
| align="center" style="border-style: none none solid solid; background: #e3e3e3"|Round
| align="center" style="border-style: none none solid solid; background: #e3e3e3"|Date
| align="center" style="border-style: none none solid solid; background: #e3e3e3"|Location
| align="center" style="border-style: none none solid solid; background: #e3e3e3"|Notes
|-
|Loss
|61-15
|align=left| Bash Ali
|
|
|
|align=left|
|
|-
|Loss
|61-14
|align=left| Carlos De Leon
|
|
|
|align=left|
|align=left|
|-
|Win
|61-13
|align=left| Eddie Gonzales
|
|
|
|align=left|
|
|-
|Win
|60-13
|align=left| Mike Jameson
|
|
|
|align=left|
|
|-
|Win
|59-13
|align=left| James Williams
|
|
|
|align=left|
|
|-
|Win
|58-13
|align=left| Roger Braxton
|
|
|
|align=left|
|
|-
|Win
|57-13
|align=left| Ken Arlt
|
|
|
|align=left|
|
|-
|Win
|56-13
|align=left| David Smith
|
|
|
|align=left|
|align=left|
|-
|Win
|55-13
|align=left| Alvin Dominey
|
|
|
|align=left|
|
|-
|Loss
|54-13
|align=left| Johnny Davis
|
|
|
|align=left|
|
|-
|Win
|54-12
|align=left| Tony Mundine
|
|
|
|align=left|
|
|-
|Loss
|53-12
|align=left| ST Gordon
|
|
|
|align=left|
|align=left|
|-
|Win
|53-11
|align=left| Willie Taylor
|
|
|
|align=left|
|
|-
|Win
|52-11
|align=left| George O'Mara
|
|
|
|align=left|
|
|-
|Win
|51-11
|align=left| Grover Robinson
|
|
|
|align=left|
|
|-
|Win
|50-11
|align=left| Carl Ivy
|
|
|
|align=left|
|
|-
|Loss
|49-11
|align=left| Michael Spinks
|
|
|
|align=left|
|
|-
|Loss
|49-10
|align=left| Matthew Muhammad
|
|
|
|align=left|
|align=left|
|-
|Win
|49-9
|align=left| Bobby Lloyd
|
|
|
|align=left|
|
|-
|Win
|48-9
|align=left| Pete McIntyre
|
|
|
|align=left|
|
|-
|Loss
|47-9
|align=left| James Scott
|
|
|
|align=left|
|
|-
|Win
|47-8
|align=left| Bash Ali
|
|
|
|align=left|
|
|-
|Win
|46-8
|align=left| Andros Ernie Barr
|
|
|
|align=left|
|
|-
|Win
|45-8
|align=left| Ivy Brown
|
|
|
|align=left|
|
|-
|Win
|44-8
|align=left| Wilbert Albers
|
|
|
|align=left|
|
|-
|Loss
|43-8
|align=left| Matthew Muhammad
|
|
|
|align=left|
|align=left|
|-
|Win
|43-7
|align=left| Jesse Burnett
|
|
|
|align=left|
|
|-
|Loss
|42-7
|align=left| Victor Galindez
|
|
|
|align=left|
|align=left|
|-
|Win
|42-6
|align=left| Mike Rossman
|
|
|
|align=left|
|
|-
|Win
|41-6
|align=left| Fabian Falconette
|
|
|
|align=left|
|
|-
|Win
|40-6
|align=left| Clarence Geigger
|
|
|
|align=left|
|
|-
|Win
|39-6
|align=left| Chuck Warfield
|
|
|
|align=left|
|
|-
|Loss
|38-6
|align=left| Victor Galindez
|
|
|
|align=left|
|align=left|
|-
|Win
|38-5
|align=left| Benny Barra
|
|
|
|align=left|
|
|-
|Win
|37-5
|align=left| Manuel Fierro
|
|
|
|align=left|
|
|-
|Win
|36-5
|align=left| Bobby Lloyd
|
|
|
|align=left|
|
|-
|Loss
|35-5
|align=left| Lonnie Bennett
|
|
|
|align=left|
|
|-
|Win
|35-4
|align=left| Larry Castaneda
|
|
|
|align=left|
|
|-
|Win
|34-4
|align=left| Danny Brewer
|
|
|
|align=left|
|
|-
|Win
|33-4
|align=left| Pete McIntyre
|
|
|
|align=left|
|
|-
|Win
|32-4
|align=left| Clarence Geigger
|
|
|
|align=left|
|
|-
|Loss
|31-4
|align=left| John Conteh
|
|
|
|align=left|
|align=left|
|-
|Win
|31-3
|align=left| Larry Castaneda
|
|
|
|align=left|
|
|-
|Win
|30-3
|align=left| Karl Zurheide
|
|
|
|align=left|
|
|-
|Win
|29-3
|align=left| David Smith
|
|
|
|align=left|
|
|-
|Win
|28-3
|align=left| Terry Lee
|
|
|
|align=left|
|
|-
|Win
|27-3
|align=left| Jesse Burnett
|
|
|
|align=left|
|align=left|
|-
|Loss
|26-3
|align=left| Jesse Burnett
|
|
|
|align=left|
|align=left|
|-
|Win
|26-2
|align=left| Gary Summerhays
|
|
|
|align=left|
|
|-
|Win
|25-2
|align=left| Mike Quarry
|
|
|
|align=left|
|
|-
|Win
|24-2
|align=left| Lee Mitchell
|
|
|
|align=left|
|
|-
|Win
|23-2
|align=left| Terry Lee
|
|
|
|align=left|
|align=left|
|-
|Win
|22-2
|align=left| Hildo Silva
|
|
|
|align=left|
|
|-
|Win
|21-2
|align=left| Bobby Rascon
|
|
|
|align=left|
|
|-
|Win
|20-2
|align=left| Joe Cokes
|
|
|
|align=left|
|
|-
|Win
|19-2
|align=left| Hildo Silva
|
|
|
|align=left|
|align=left|
|-
|Win
|18-2
|align=left| Willie Warren
|
|
|
|align=left|
|
|-
|Win
|17-2
|align=left| Andy Kendall
|
|
|
|align=left|
|
|-
|Win
|16-2
|align=left| Al Bolden
|
|
|
|align=left|
|
|-
|Win
|15-2
|align=left| Alfonso Gonzalez
|
|
|
|align=left|
|
|-
|Win
|14-2
|align=left| Charlie Brooks
|
|
|
|align=left|
|
|-
|Win
|13-2
|align=left| Herman Hampton
|
|
|
|align=left|
|
|-
|Win
|12-2
|align=left| Ron Wilson
|
|
|
|align=left|
|
|-
|Win
|11-2
|align=left| Dave Rogers
|
|
|
|align=left|
|
|-
|Win
|10-2
|align=left| Ron Wilson
|
|
|
|align=left|
|
|-
|Win
|9-2
|align=left| Hildo Silva
|
|
|
|align=left|
|
|-
|Loss
|8-2
|align=left| Al Bolden
|
|
|
|align=left|
|
|-
|Win
|8-1
|align=left| Polo Ramirez
|
|
|
|align=left|
|
|-
|Win
|7-1
|align=left| Van Sahib
|
|
|
|align=left|
|
|-
|Win
|6-1
|align=left| Herman Hampton
|
|
|
|align=left|
|
|-
|Win
|5-1
|align=left| Mark Hearn
|
|)
|
|align=left|
|
|-
|Win
|4-1
|align=left| Henry Tavake
|
|
|
|align=left|
|
|-
|Loss
|3-1
|align=left| Jesse Burnett
|
|
|
|align=left|
|
|-
|Win
|3-0
|align=left| Cisco Solorio
|
|
|
|align=left|
|
|-
|Win
|2-0
|align=left| Herman Hampton
|
|
|
|align=left|
|
|-
|Win
|1-0
|align=left| Herman Hampton
|
|
|
|align=left|
|
|}
References
External links
Homepage of Fat City Boxing Club
1951 births
Living people
Boxers from Zacatecas
People from Zacatecas City
Light-heavyweight boxers
Cruiserweight boxers
Mexican male boxers