As a kid growing up in Los Angeles, I was so excited for this fight to take place. Because he fought on the weekly televised Olympic Auditorium cards I had seen much more of Lopez but I had read a lot about Chacon. Also, I had seen the Schoolboy take out fellow up and comer Tury Pineda and I knew he could really fight. I was sad that the fight was not televised on regular TV and didn't get to watch it live but I was glued to the television to watch for the results on the 11 o' clock news. I had bet my dad a dollar and was thrilled when I heard Chacon had won. @Jaymz8604 I am looking forward to watching this fight again. Thank you for posting.
Here’s my scoring/account from a few years ago: Bobby “Schoolboy” Chacon vs. Danny “Little Red” Lopez, scheduled for 12 rounds at Los Angeles Sports Arena on May 24, 1974. Lopez is 23-0 (22), stands 5-8 and weighs 123 1/2 pounds at age 21. He is ranked No. 4 by the WBC. Chacon is 23-1 (21), is 5-5 and weighs 126 at age 22. He’s won four in a row since sustaining his only loss, to Ruben Olivares by stoppage for the NABF featherweight crown. Ranked No. 6, he’s a 10-8 favorite. The bout draws a crowd of more than 16,000 plus some 2,700 who pay to watch via closed circuit at the nearby Olympic Auditorium. The gate is nearly $250,000. Each fighter is paid $56,000 according to the Los Angeles Times — per an online inflation calculator that’s more than $300,000 in today’s dollars for a non-title fight. That’s how big this fight was. Median family income in the U.S. in 1974 was $11,100 per the Census Bureau. A brand new Cadillac convertible cost $7,800. This fight should have come with a Surgeon’s General warning — if your doctor has advised you to avoid excitement, do not watch. My scoring: Round 1: Chacon 10-9 — It starts as a jabbing contest and surprisingly the shorter Chacon’s is better. By mid-round he’s hitting home with laser-guided right hands and can’t seem to miss with the punch. Round 2: Lopez 10-9 — Blistering shots traded, Lopez gets through with some hard rights and works over the Schoolboy on the ropes. Danny is cut over the right eye but it doesn’t appear to be serious. Round 3: Chacon 10-9 — Bobby hurts Danny with a right early and out jabs him most of the round, then pours it on with more rights late in the round. Round 4: Lopez 10-9 — Danny is relentless, comes on strong and seems to be turning the tide. Looks the stronger man. Round 5: Chacon 10-9 — Again, Bobby can’t miss with the right hand. And he throws a bunch of them. Round 6: Even, 10-10 — Lopez rakes Chacon along the ropes but Bobby rallies late. Lopez’s eye cut reopens. Bobby is bleeding from the nose by round’s end. Round 7: Chacon 10-9 (close) — Both land big rights, Bobby’s body work especially with the left hook edges it on my card. Round 8: Chacon 10-9 — Danny is starting to look ragged, all those rights taking their toll. Round 9: Chacon rocks Lopez with a big right that drives him to the ropes, then a series of rights with a good left hook mixed in drops Danny to the canvas. Chacon is all over him and referee John Thomas stops it 48 seconds into the round with Lopez sagging along the ropes after being battered all the way across the ring. EDIT: I forgot the include the scoring. I used the 10-point must system above but California was using the round system at the time. I had it 5-2-1. A few rounds each way were close. Official cards: 7-1 and 6-2 (twice) but that doesn’t reflect how competitive this bout was. This is an action fight all the way. Lived up to its billing. It’s a throwback to the days when up-and-comers and contenders would face off and people would pay to make it worth their while. I think if they’d have fought two or three more times each would win at least once. Bobby would win the vacant WBC featherweight title in his next fight but lose it to Olivares in his second defense. Lopez would lose two of his next three then reel off seven wins in a row before taking that same WBC championship off David Kotey … and never lose again until Salvador Sanchez comes along.
I wonder if the old boxing television programs came back as a subscription exclusive/free online show in the internet,will they bring back the up and comers wars like the ones back then? Or does the modern fan simply don't put the road warriors today in a spot light? Hmmm...
