Ricardo Lopez fights on boxing DVDs

Ricardo 'El Finito' Lopez Nava (born July 25, 1966) is a retired Mexican professional boxer. As a professional, he defended the WBC Strawweight Championship a record 21 times. He also won the WBA and WBO Championships in the same weight class. Lopez later won the IBF Light Flyweight Championship and defended it twice before retiring. He is also the father of undefeated flyweight prospect Alonso Lopez.

Amateur career

Lopez would win four consecutive Guantes de Oro de Mexico Championships from 1981 to 1984. Lopez turned pro without having ever lost an amateur bout.

Professional career

On January 18, 1985, Ricardo made his professional debut at the age of 20 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 Minimum weight Championship

On October 10, 1990, Lopez defeated WBC Minimumweight Champion Hideyuki Ohashi of Japan via a fourth round knockout to win his first world title. In 1991, he defeated Korean former champion Kyung-Yun Lee (20-1-0). In 1992, he defended his title against Pretty Boy Lucas (22-2-2) of the Philippines and Rocky Lin (14-0) of Taiwan. In 1993, Lopez defeated future two time champion Saman Sorjaturong of Thailand. Sorjaturong was knocked down once in the 1st round and twice in the 2nd round when the referee stopped the bout.

Later that year, he knocked out Filipino former champion Manny Melchor in the 11th round. In his tenth title defense, Lopez defeated future champion Kermin Guardia (21-0-0) by unanimous decison> He knocked out Surachai Saengmorakot (10-0) in the first round of his next bout. In 1995, he defeated Andy Tabanas (30-2-0) of the Philippines via 12th round knock out. In his next bout, he defeated another Filipino boxer and founder of the famous "Ala Gym" Ala Willamor (29-1-1) by knockout. In 1997, Lopez defended his title against Mongkoi Charoen (20-1-0).

WBO and WBA Minimumweight Championship

In his 20th world title bout, Lopez unified his WBC title by defeating WBO Minimiumweight Champion Alex Sanchez (25-1-0) of Puerto Rico via 5th round knockout. On March 7, 1998, Lopez fought undefeated WBA Minimum weight Champion Rosendo Alvarez to a technical draw after referee Arthur Mercante Sr. stopped the contest following an accidental head butt in the seventh round. In the rematch, Alvarez came in over the minimumweight limit and was subsequently stripped of his title. Due to the weight disparity, the fight was in jeopardy. However, Lopez chose to proceed with the contest against the heavier Alvarez with only Lopez eligible to claim the now vacant WBA title. Lopez defeated Alvarez by split decision to claim his third Minimumweight title. After the fight, he vacated his titles in order to move up in weight.

IBF Light Flyweight Championship

In his first bout at light flyweight, Lopez defeated IBF Champion Will Grigsby of the United States. He defended his title against former champion Ratanapol Sor Vorapin. on September 29, 2001, Lopez knocked out Zolani Petelo, who had recently vacated his IBF Minimumweight title, the only Minimumweight title that Lopez had not claimed before moving up to light flyweight. he officially announced his retirement from boxing at a press conference on November 28, 2002 in Mexico City.

Retirement

Ricardo Lopez 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 and Floyd Mayweather Jr. the record for consecutive title bouts without a loss (twenty-six). This streak began with his knockout of Hideyuki Ohashi to win the WBC Minimumweight title in 1990 and ended with his knockout of Zolani Potelo to defend his IBF Light Flyweight title in 2001.