WHAT FIGHTER IS WORTHY OF SUCH AN HONOR?
San Francisco, CA– During a conversation with Roberto Duran’s one-time manager Hector Martinez about the 30th anniversary of Duran-Ray Leonard I, we were talking great fighters when he asked, “Who would be on the cover of the bible of boxing, if there was one?” The name he came up with, Ricardo Lopez, 51-0-1, 38 KOs, fought from 1986 to 2001 at 105 and later at 108 lbs.
NEAR “PERFECT BOXER” AS SMALL AS THEY COME
Lopez was one of the most disciplined fighters in history. He would have his hands up, elbows in, chin tucked, feet in position at all times, and this before the bell even rang to start the round. Winning the WBC 105 lb. diadem in 1990, Lopez defended that trinket 19 times before ascending to 108, beating Will Grigsby for an IBF belt and defended twice before retiring. At the end of his 105 lb. run, Lopez was being beaten in a fight with Rosendo Alvarez in 1998. A cut brought about a Technical Draw 8 that was inappropriate seeing Alvarez was in control. Some knock him claiming he ducked Michael Carbajal and Chiquita Gonzalez circa 1993, this when they were making a million bucks each per fight.
WHO SHOULD BE ON “COVER” OF BOXING’S BIBLE?
Joe Louis, Muhammad Ali, Ray Robinson, Jack Johnson, Henry Armstrong, Larry Holmes, Gene Tunney, Rocky Marciano, there’s some names to feed off of. Seeing we are only talking about mainly retired fighters here, Manny Pacquiao, Asia’s greatest boxer and the sport’s current rage, he and his nemesis Floyd Mayweather certainly have their spot, but tell me fight fans, who, what fighter belongs on the cover?
Pedro Fernandez