Ernie Lopez boxer

Ernie Lopez boxer
bouts
62
won
49
lost
12
draw
1
Status
inactive
Division
welterweight
Debut
1963-06-24
Height
5′ 8″/173cm
Reach
-
Age
64
Born
1945-09-23
Death
2009-10-03
Nationality
USA

Ernie "Indian Red" Lopez (September 24, 1945 – October 3, 2009), was an American professional boxer. He twice fought for the world welterweight boxing title, losing title bouts to José Nápoles in 1970 and 1973. He was a missing person from 1992 to 2004 and was the subject of extensive press coverage in early 2004 when, after being selected for induction into the California Boxing Hall of Fame, he was found at a homeless shelter in Fort Worth, Texas.Lopez was born on the Uintah and Ouray Indian Reservation in Fort Duchesne, Utah. His mother was a Ute Indian, and his father was a Juaneño.Lopez attended Orem High School in Orem, Utah, where he chose boxing over football. He married as a teenager and moved to Pasadena, California, where he boxed out of the Pasadena YMCA. He later recalled that he learned to box from his father and added, "But sometimes I learned when I watched my father hit my mother."Lopez became a popular boxer in Los Angeles during the late 1960s and early 1970s, fighting out of the Los Angeles Main Street Gym for much of his career. His brother, Danny "Little Red" Lopez, also went into boxing and became the world featherweight champion. Both of the Lopez brothers were managed by Howie Steindler.Lopez was given the nickname "Indian Red" because of his flaming red hair and Native American heritage. In 1968, when Lopez became the first Native American boxer to be ranked as the No. 1 contender in any weight class, Pulitzer Prize winning sports writer Jim Murray wrote:I don't know how he is as a prize fighter, but Ernie (Indian Red) Lopez certainly is disappointing as an Indian. I mean, he doesn't look like something John Wayne would chase down the street shouting something about 'damned redskin.' 'Damned redhead,' maybe. But, Lordy, the skin is even freckled! Now, whoever heard of a red-headed, freckle-skinned Indian? ... 'What was your Indian name?' I asked Indian Red? 'Ernie,' he told me.Lopez had a career record of 51-10-1, and fought bouts in England, Hawaii, Japan and Mexico. In 1967, Lopez wore an Indian chief's headdress into the ring in a match against Musahi Nakano in Japan. Lopez said, "I bought the thing at Disneyland to take over with me. ... I liked it so much I was going to keep it. But it turned out they have this custom in Japan where the fighters exchange gifts before the fight. Nakano gave me a samurai warrior's jacket and I gave him the headpiece."

Date Opponent Last Opponents' Results Place Result
1987-07-07 Kenny Louis WWWLWW Omni New Daisy Theater, Memphis LOST
KO
1974-10-29 John H Stracey WLWWWW Royal Albert Hall, Kensington LOST
Technical knockout
1973-07-26 Armando Muniz LWLWWW Olympic Auditorium, Los Angeles LOST
Corner retirement
1973-02-28 Jose Napoles WWWWWW Forum, Inglewood LOST
KO
1972-11-10 Jose Luis Baltazar WLLWLL Sports Arena, Los Angeles WIN
Technical knockout
1972-10-12 Manuel Gonzalez LLLLWW Sahara Tahoe Hotel, Stateline WIN
Corner retirement
1972-03-30 Emile Griffith WWLWWW Olympic Auditorium, Los Angeles LOST
Unanimous decision
1972-01-20 Sal Martinez WWLWLL Olympic Auditorium, Los Angeles WIN
Technical knockout
1971-10-28 Oscar Albarado LWDWWW Olympic Auditorium, Los Angeles WIN
Unanimous decision
1971-09-16 Manuel Fierro WWLWWW Olympic Auditorium, Los Angeles WIN
Unanimous decision
1971-07-08 Danny Perez LLLLLL Olympic Auditorium, Los Angeles WIN
Technical knockout
1971-05-03 Emile Griffith WWWWWW Nevada Sports Palace, Las Vegas LOST
Majority decision
1971-01-20 Peter Cobblah WWLLWW Silver Slipper, Las Vegas WIN
Majority decision
1970-10-10 Cipriano Hernandez WWLLLW Valley Music Theatre, Woodland Hills WIN
Unanimous decision
1970-08-03 Ruben Rivera DWLWWL Memorial Auditorium, Sacramento WIN
Technical knockout
1970-07-08 Manuel Avitia WLWWWW Silver Slipper, Las Vegas WIN
Technical knockout
1970-02-14 Jose Napoles WWWWWW Forum, Inglewood LOST
Technical knockout
1969-10-04 Hedgemon Lewis WWWWWW Sports Arena, Los Angeles WIN
Technical knockout
1969-07-10 Hedgemon Lewis LWWWWW Olympic Auditorium, Los Angeles LOST
Unanimous decision
1969-03-13 Chucho Garcia WWWWWW Olympic Auditorium, Los Angeles WIN
Unanimous decision
1969-02-18 Brad Silas LLLWLL Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles WIN
KO
1969-01-30 Raul Soriano WWWWWW Olympic Auditorium, Los Angeles WIN
Technical knockout
1968-12-18 Benny McCorvey LLLWWL Silver Slipper, Las Vegas WIN
Technical knockout
1968-07-31 Polo Corona LLLLLL Silver Slipper, Las Vegas WIN
Unanimous decision
1968-07-18 Hedgemon Lewis WWWWWW Olympic Auditorium, Los Angeles WIN
Technical knockout
1968-04-30 Gabe Terronez LWWWWL Selland Arena, Fresno WIN
Unanimous decision
1968-03-03 Raul Soriano WLWWWW Mexicali LOST
Unanimous decision
1968-02-08 Bob Murray WWWLWW Olympic Auditorium, Los Angeles WIN
Unanimous decision
1967-11-20 Doug McLeod LWWWLW Silver Slipper, Las Vegas WIN
KO
1967-10-12 Jose Valenzuela WWLLLL Olympic Auditorium, Los Angeles WIN
Technical knockout
1967-08-08 Musashi Nakano WWWWWW Nagoya WIN
KO
1967-07-06 Andy Gonzalez LLWWWW Olympic Auditorium, Los Angeles WIN
KO
1967-06-13 Phil Robinson DWLWL Honolulu International Center, Honolulu WIN
Unanimous decision
1967-05-22 Ed McGruder LLLLWL Fremont Hotel, Las Vegas WIN
Points
1967-04-20 Frank Jennings LWWLWW Olympic Auditorium, Los Angeles WIN
Technical knockout
1967-03-27 Johnny Brooks LWWLWW Silver Slipper, Las Vegas WIN
Split-decision
1967-03-06 Benito Juarez LLLWWW Silver Slipper, Las Vegas WIN
Unanimous decision
1966-12-12 Adolph Pruitt WWWWWL Silver Slipper, Las Vegas LOST
Unanimous decision
1966-09-19 Johnny Brooks WDWWWL Silver Slipper, Las Vegas LOST
Majority decision
1966-08-22 Johnny Brooks LWDWWW Silver Slipper, Las Vegas WIN
Majority decision
1966-06-21 Tito Marshall LWWLDD Convention Center, Las Vegas WIN
Unanimous decision
1966-05-09 Jose Stable LLLDLW Hacienda Hotel, Las Vegas WIN
Unanimous decision
1966-04-04 Johnny Brooks WWWLWL Hacienda Hotel, Las Vegas WIN
Unanimous decision
1966-02-28 Al Grant WWWWLD Hacienda Hotel, Las Vegas WIN
Unanimous decision
1966-02-14 Mel Fields WDLDLW Hacienda Hotel, Las Vegas WIN
Technical knockout
1966-01-31 Memo Lopez LLWLLL Convention Center, Las Vegas WIN
KO
1966-01-10 Al Andrews LLDDWL Hacienda Hotel, Las Vegas WIN
Unanimous decision
1965-12-20 Pulga Serrano WDLWDL Hacienda Hotel, Las Vegas WIN
Technical knockout
1965-12-06 Armand Lourenco WLWWWD Hacienda Hotel, Las Vegas WIN
KO
1965-11-08 Armand Lourenco WWLWWW Hacienda Hotel, Las Vegas DRAW
Points
1965-11-01 Billy Marsh WWLLWL Hacienda Hotel, Las Vegas WIN
Unanimous decision
1964-12-22 Don Minor WLWWWW Hacienda Hotel, Las Vegas LOST
Unanimous decision
1964-10-19 Chappell Funnye DWWWLW Civic Auditorium, Santa Monica WIN
KO
1964-09-29 Bernie Magallanes WWWWW Castaways Hotel, Las Vegas WIN
Points
1964-06-12 Joe Clark WWWL Convention Center, Las Vegas WIN
Points
1964-03-30 Andres Herrera LLDDLL Civic Auditorium, Santa Monica WIN
Points
1964-03-10 George Green LL Castaways Hotel, Las Vegas WIN
Technical knockout
1964-03-03 Trini Lopez debut Valley Garden Arena, Los Angeles WIN
Points
1964-02-13 Mickey Davitt WLWLLD Olympic Auditorium, Los Angeles WIN
KO
1964-02-04 Carl Moore DWDWDW Castaways Hotel, Las Vegas WIN
KO
1964-01-21 Armand Lourenco W Castaways Hotel, Las Vegas WIN
Points
1963-06-24 John Coopride debut Fairgrounds Coliseum, Salt Lake City WIN
KO