Boxing – 1980 – WBC Featherweight Champ – Salvador Sanchez VS Danny Lopez – Fight II – Rnds 1 – 10

DOG COMMENTARY:   

At age 20, Mexico’s Salvador Sanchez had taken the WBC World Featherweight Title from Danny “Little Red” Lopez back on February 2, 1980 at Veteran’s Memorial Coliseum in Phoenix, AZ by a 13th round TKO in an action packed fight….which was typical in most fights with Danny “Little Red” Lopez. The headlines for this fight were Little Red vs. Little Known….when before the fight….many ringside observers said “Salvador ‘who’?”  They would for sure know “who” Salvador was afterwards. Many ‘experts’ said Lopez would KO Sanchez by the fourth round….saying that Sanchez’s big jaw would be an easy target to find for Lopez….but Sanchez put on a devestating show of power….giving Lopez one of the most terrible beatings he had ever had….as Little Red was staggered many times throughout the fight….especially in the 1st round.

As color commentator for the fight….Angelo Dundee repeatedly acknowledges Salvador’s punching power….whereby when the middle rounds come around….Sanchez is willing to stand toe-to-toe with the Champ….even getting the better of the exchanges without a problem….then in the later rounds….the young Sanchez shows that he had a ton of energy left as he repeatedly goes in for the finish.  Danny shows great tenacity….but he is still repeatedly getting staggered. By the thirteenth round….Lopez’s face is a mess….whereby he is bleeding from somewhere in the face….or possibly many places….for it’s hard to know for sure….and the left side of his face is completely bruised along with his left eye almost sealed shut….that is when Sanchez landed a hard right hand-left hook combo that staggers Lopez….as the young Mexican fighter goes after him with short one-twos. The referee Waldemar Schmidt moves in to stop it while Sanchez pounds Lopez into the ropes and lands vicious uppercuts and hard right hands. As the referree signals the fight is over by TKO…. Sanchez jumps for joy….as Little Red shows great sportsmanship in congratulating the new champion.     

This 2nd fight between Sanchez vs. Lopez was fought just four months later on June 21, 1980 at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, NV….and this time the young Mexican World Champ Salvador Sanchez beat Danny “Little Red” by TKO with 1:42 in round 14 of 15 by Referee Mills Lane.  In this 2nd fight, Lopez applied constant pressure….never taking a backwards step….while attempting to hit Sanchez anywhere he could….however, the slick Sanchez would make Lopez miss….while landing counter punches with his quick hands.  In round 14, Lopez would finally wilt after being staggered from a left-right combination…. as Sanchez unleashed a series of head snapping shots…..forcing referee Mills Lane in to stop the punishment. 

For any and all boxing enthusiasts….this fight seen herewith in this video below is more than worth the price of admission….as it is a classic action packed fight between two well-respected Featherweight world champions….as we at Ima Sportsphile are happy to have this war in our boxing library.