Ricardo López Nava (born July 25, 1966) is a Mexican former

professional boxer Professional boxing, or prizefighting, is regulated, sanctioned boxing. Professional boxing bouts are fought for a purse that is divided between the boxers as determined by contract. Most professional bouts are supervised by a regulatory autho ...

who competed from 1985 to 2001. He was a two-weight world champion, having held the WBC mini flyweight title from 1990 to 1998, defending it against a record-breaking 21 opponents; the WBA and

WBO The World Boxing Organization (WBO) is an organization which sanctions professional boxing bouts. It is recognized by the International Boxing Hall of Fame (IBHOF) as one of the four major world championship groups, alongside the World Boxing ...

mini flyweight titles between 1997 and 1998; and the

IBF The International Boxing Federation (IBF) is one of four major organizations recognized by the International Boxing Hall of Fame (IBHOF) which sanctions professional boxing bouts, alongside the World Boxing Association (WBA), World Boxing Counci ...

junior flyweight Light flyweight, also known as junior flyweight or super strawweight, is a weight class in boxing. Professional boxing The weight limit at light flyweight in professional boxing is 108 pounds (49 kilograms). When New York legalized boxing in 1920, ...

title from 1999 until his retirement in 2001. He is one of just fifteen world boxing champions to retire without a loss. He is the father of undefeated former boxer Alonso López.

Amateur career

López would win four consecutive Guantes de Oro de México Championships from 1981 to 1984. He turned pro without having ever lost an amateur bout and is now known as one of the best amateur boxers to ever step in the ring.

Professional career

On January 18, 1985, Ricardo made his professional debut at the age of 18 by scoring a third-round knockout of Rogelio Hernandez. He accumulated a record of 26–0 before receiving his first shot at a world title.

WBC mini flyweight champion

On October 10, 1990, López defeated WBC and lineal mini flyweight champion

Hideyuki Ohashi is a Japanese former professional boxer and two-time minimumweight world champion. Professional career Ohashi dropped out of college to begin a professional boxing career, and made his debut in February, 1985, with the Yonekura Boxing Gym. ...

of Japan via fifth-round

knockout A knockout (abbreviated to KO or K.O.) is a fight-ending, winning criterion in several full-contact combat sports, such as boxing, kickboxing, muay thai, mixed martial arts, karate, some forms of taekwondo and other sports involving striking, a ...

to win his first world title. In 1991, he defeated Korean former champion Kyung-Yung Lee (20–1) via Unanimous Decision. In 1992, he defended his title against Pretty Boy Lucas (22–2–2) of the Philippines via Unanimous Decision and Rocky Lin (14–0) of Taiwan via TKO. López started 1993 with a stoppage victory over amateur standout Kwang-Soo Oh and followed it with a knockout over future two-time champion

Saman Sorjaturong Saman Sorjaturong (born Saman Sriprated on 2 August 1968 in Amphoe Khlong Lan, Kamphaeng Phet province) is a Thai former world boxing champion. Early life He was born in a peasant family in Kamphaeng Phet province, upper central Thailand, with f ...

of Thailand. Sorjaturong was knocked down once in the first round and twice in the second round before the referee stopped the bout. Later that year, he knocked out

Filipino Filipino may refer to: * Something from or related to the Philippines ** Filipino language, standardized variety of 'Tagalog', the national language and one of the official languages of the Philippines. ** Filipinos, people who are citizens of th ...

former champion Manny Melchor in the eleventh round. In his tenth title defense, López defeated future champion Kermin Guardia (21–0) by

unanimous decision A unanimous decision (UD) is a winning criterion in several full-contact combat sports, such as boxing, kickboxing, Muay Thai, mixed martial arts and other sports involving striking and submission in which all three judges agree on which fighter ...

. He knocked out Surachai Saengmorakot (10–0) in the first round of his next bout. In 1995, he defeated Andy Tabanas (30–2) of the Philippines via twelfth-round knockout. In his next bout, he defeated another Filipino boxer and founder of the famous "Ala Gym"

Ala Villamor Edito "Ala" Villamor (born October 10, 1970) is a Filipino former professional boxer. Competing from 1989 to 1996, he challenged twice for mini-flyweight world championships; the IBF title in 1993 and the WBC title in 1996. Biography and car ...

(29–1–1) by knockout. In early 1997, there had been a plan in the works for López to move up in weight to challenge junior flyweight champion

Michael Carbajal Michael Carbajal (born September 17, 1967) is an American five-time world boxing champion of Mexican descent. His nickname was "Little Hands Of Stone," after his favorite boxer,"Hands Of Stone" Roberto Durán. Amateur career Carbajal had an amat ...

, however, the plan was upended when Carbajal lost his title in an upset loss. López would go on to defend his title against Mongkol Charoen (20–1).

WBO and WBA mini flyweight champion

In his 20th world title bout, López unified his WBC title by defeating WBO mini flyweight champion Alex Sánchez (25–1) of Puerto Rico via fifth-round knockout. After López won the WBO title, he said he wanted to give his championship belt to his father, who is a boxing fan. His statement to Mexican newspapers prompted the organization to take away López' title and sanction a match between

Eric Jamili Eric Jamili (born May 20, 1977 in Silay, Negros Occidental, Philippines) is a retired Filipino professional boxer. He won the vacant WBO minimumweight title in December 1997 with an eighth round technical knockout of Englishman Mickey Cantwell ...

and

Mickey Cantwell Mickey Cantwell (born 23 November 1964) is a British former professional boxer who competed from 1991 to 2001. He challenged for multiple world titles; the WBO light flyweight and mini flyweight titles in 1997; and the IBF mini flyweight titl ...

to fill the vacancy. "It was enough for us," said the WBO president,

Francisco Valcarcel The World Boxing Organization (WBO) is an organization which sanctions professional boxing bouts. It is recognized by the International Boxing Hall of Fame (IBHOF) as one of the four major world championship groups, alongside the World Boxing ...

, of López' intention. "That's a public resignation." Dwight Manley, López' agent, said López should have had a hearing before the WBO took away his title. "He got no letter, he got no telephone call," Manley said. On March 7, 1998, López fought undefeated WBA mini flyweight champion

Rosendo Álvarez Rosendo José Álvarez Hernández (born May 6, 1970) is a Nicaraguan retired professional boxer. He is a former two-division champion and is well known for giving Mexican legend Ricardo López two tough fights. He is the only person to hold th ...

to a

technical draw A technical draw is a term used in boxing when a fight has to be stopped because a fighter is unable to continue from an accidental injury (usually cuts) or foul. Draws occur when the bout goes to the scorecards, and the officials cannot determin ...

after referee Arthur Mercante Sr. stopped the contest following an accidental clash of heads in the seventh round. In the rematch, Álvarez came in over the mini flyweight limit and was subsequently stripped of his title. Due to the weight disparity, the fight was in jeopardy. However, López chose to proceed with the contest against the heavier Álvarez with only López eligible to claim the now vacant WBA title. López defeated Álvarez by

split decision A split decision (SD) is a winning criterion in boxing, most commonly in full-contact combat sports, in which two of the three judges score one particular competitor as the winner, while the third judge scores for the other competitor. A split dec ...

to claim his third mini flyweight title. After the fight, he vacated his titles in order to move up in weight.

IBF junior flyweight champion

In his first bout at

, López defeated IBF champion

Will Grigsby William Henry Grigsby (born March 19, 1970) is an American former professional boxer who competed from 1988 to 2007 and held the IBF junior flyweight title twice between 1998 and 2006. He also won the WBO junior flyweight title in 2000, but was ...

of the U.S. by Unanimous Decision. He defended his title against former champion

Ratanapol Sor Vorapin Ratanapol Sor Vorapin ( th, รัตนพล ส.วรพิน; born Preecha Charoenthara ( th, ปรีชา เจริญธารา), formerly ''Anucha Phothong'' (อนุชา โพธิ์ทอง)) is a Thai former professiona ...

by knocked out in the 3rd Round. On September 29, 2001, López knocked out

Zolani Petelo Zolani Petelo (born 21 September 1975) is a South African former professional boxer who competed from 1993 to 2005. He held the IBF mini-flyweight title from 1997 to 2000 and challenged for the IBF junior-flyweight title in 2001. Profession ...

, who had recently vacated his IBF mini flyweight title, the only mini flyweight title that López had not claimed before moving up in weight. He officially announced his retirement from boxing at a press conference on November 27, 2002, in

Mexico City Mexico City ( es, link=no, Ciudad de México, ; abbr.: CDMX; Nahuatl: ''Altepetl Mexico'') is the capital and largest city of Mexico, and the most populous city in North America. One of the world's alpha cities, it is located in the Valley o ...

Retirement

Ricardo López was the third champion in history to retire undefeated and the first to do so as both an amateur and professional fighter. He also shares with

Joe Louis Joseph Louis Barrow (May 13, 1914 – April 12, 1981) was an American professional boxer who competed from 1934 to 1951. Nicknamed the Brown Bomber, Louis is widely regarded as one of the greatest and most influential boxers of all time. He rei ...

and

Floyd Mayweather Jr. Floyd Joy Mayweather Jr. (''né'' Sinclair; February 24, 1977) is an American boxing promoter and former professional boxer. He currently owns a team in the NASCAR Cup Series named The Money Team Racing. As a professional boxer he competed b ...

the record for most consecutive title bouts without a loss (twenty-six). This streak began with his knockout of Hideyuki Ohashi to win the WBC mini flyweight title in 1990 and ended with his knockout of Zolani Petelo to defend his IBF junior flyweight title in 2001. Ricardo only had one draw, which came against Rosendo Álvarez in 1998 in López's 48th bout and was avenged in the rematch eight months later. His final record was 51 wins (38 knockouts), 0 losses and 1 draw.

Life after boxing

López now works as a boxing broadcaster for the Mexican

Televisa Grupo Televisa is a Mexican multimedia mass media company. A major Latin American mass media corporation, it often presents itself as the largest producer of Spanish-language content. In April 2021, Televisa and Univision Communications announce ...

network.

Honors

López was inducted into the

International Boxing Hall of Fame The modern International Boxing Hall of Fame (IBHOF), located in Canastota, New York, honors boxers, trainers and other contributors to the sport worldwide. Inductees are selected by members of the Boxing Writers Association of America. The I ...

and World Boxing Hall of Fame in 2007. Ricardo "El Finito" López was voted as the greatest Strawweight and Light Flyweight Champion ever by the Houston Boxing Hall Of Fame in 2014, while

BoxRec BoxRec or boxrec.com is a website dedicated to holding updated records of professional and amateur boxers, both male and female. It also maintains a MediaWiki-based encyclopaedia of boxing. The objective of the site is to document every profess ...

rates him the best Minimumweight of all time. The Houston Boxing Hall Of Fame is a voting body composed entirely of current and former fighters.

Professional boxing record

References

External links

* *
Ricardo López - CBZ Profile
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lopez, Ricardo Mexican male boxers Boxers from Morelos Sportspeople from Cuernavaca International Boxing Hall of Fame inductees World Boxing Council champions World Boxing Organization champions World Boxing Association champions International Boxing Federation champions Light-flyweight boxers World light-flyweight boxing champions Mini-flyweight boxers World mini-flyweight boxing champions Undefeated world boxing champions Boxers at the 1991 Pan American Games 1966 births Living people Pan American Games competitors for Mexico 20th-century Mexican people 21st-century Mexican people