Fel Clemente 'The Philippine Fireball' From - Mindanao, Philippines A fast handed boxer, who had razor-sharp punches. Fighting in The Philippines, and with little recognition. Burst upon the scene, when in March 1975 and visiting Tokyo, Japan - sliced-up and 'upset' OPBF Featherweight Champion - Zensuke Utagawa in 6-Rounds, to capture the OPBF Championship. The 22 1/2 year-old - now with a record of 35-0-0 (16 KO's), entered the Top 10 of the WBC (#6 Ranked), and was looking for some 'west-coast' Featherweights, named - Danny 'Little Red' Lopez, Ruben 'KO' Olivares or 'Schoolboy' Bobby Chacon. Unable to get anyone to come the Philippines, Manager David Thompson brought 'The Philippine Fireball' to Honolulu, Hawaii to get 'some exposure'. This content is protected
Honolulu, Hawaii August 6, 1975 No harm in losing for the 'first time', and by Decision to Octavio 'Famoso' Gomez, the #3 Ranked Featherweight. Octavio had just come off wins over 'Top-Ranked Featherweights' - Rafael Herrera, Art Hafey and Danny 'Little Red' Lopez.
Fel Clemente, The 'second-half' of 1975 was not kind to 'The Philippine Fireball' Losses in Hawaii to the following; * August 6........... (L Dec 10)..... Octavio 'Famoso' Gomez... (51-13-6) * September 3...... (L Dec 10)..... Ronnie McGarvey............. (25-0-0) * October 7.......... (L Dec 10).... Gerardo Aceves................ (16-0-0) * November 18...... (L TKO 5)..... 'Schoolboy' Bobby Chacon.. (26-2-0) From the #6 WBC Featherweight, to the bottom of the Top 30 by the years end, and seeing his record go to 36-4-0, after '35' straight wins. The (TKO 5) 'loss' to Bobby Chacon was disheartening. As the 'Schoolboy' was considered 'badly damaged goods', as this was his first bout since getting demolished by Ruben Olivares. And Bobby was coming in at 133 1/2 lbs., with rumors of him being in 'bad shape'. 'Fel' fought well for the first '3-Rounds' but was floored and cut up in the 5th Round, and soon thereafter the bout was stopped by the Referee.
Fel Clemente 'The Philippine Fireball' seemed turned it around a bit in 1976, and in 1977 moved from Hawaii to Stockton, California. By April 1978, Fel Clemente had brought his record to 43-6-1 (16 KO's), and had gotten back to the #10 WBC Featherweight. The 25 year-old Filipino, with the powerful left jab, and lightning fast footwork was seeking a bout with WBC Featherweight Champion - Danny 'Little Red' Lopez. But, in a tune-up on May 15, 1978 - 'Fel' was 'upset' (L Dec 10) by Mexican - Raul Tirado.
August 6, 1978 Stockton, California 26 year-old - Fel Clemente scored a victory (W Dec 10) over Mexican Featherweight Champion - Ernesto Herrera. 'Fel'' used his powerful left jab, and kept it working overtime to keep the hard-punching Herrera on the defensive thoughout much of the bout. The 25 1/2 year-old - 5' 7" Mexican who came in with a record of 43-4-2 (28 KO's) was only able to land his hard punches, when he trapped 'Fel' along the ropes, which was infrequent. Otherwise he was chasing 'Fel' in much of the fight, but not landing any of his hard blows. Ernesto Herrera had been 'guaranteed' a bout with Danny 'Little Red' Lopez had he won here tonight. Scorecards { 6-3-1 / 7-3-0 / 6-2-2 } The win now puts the Filipino-American back in-line for a Featherweight Championship bout versus WBC -Danny Lopez or WBA - Eusebio Pedroza. Ernesto Herrera, the #7 WBC / #6 WBA Featherweight had just gone 12 'good' Rounds with WBA Champion - Eusebio Pedroza only 5-weeks earlier {on July 2, 1978}. Fel Clemente, now at 44-7-1, is ranked as the #9 WBC / #7 WBA Featherweight.
September 19, 1978 Stockton, California 'The Philippine Fireball' upset by Francisco 'The Flame' Flores. Fle Clemente, who had a signed contract to fight for the WBC Featherweight Championship versus Danny 'Little Red' Lopez next month in Italy, may have seen the opportunity go away. 'Fel' fightting for the California State Featherweight Championship, lost a razor thin and heart-breaking 12-Round Decision to 21 year-old Franciso Flores of Los Angeles last night. The 21 year-old Flores, a 5' 6" 'lightning bolt', used his fast hands to box his way to big lead over the first half of the bout, as 'Fel' was unable to land his powerful left hand. 'Fel' behind on points, tried to score hard blows on the speedy Flores in the later rounds, but could not trap the younger and quicker Francisco. 'Fel' put on a strong charge in Rounds 11 and 12, but his effort came up short, as Flores had built up too big a lead in the earlier rounds. Scorecards { 6-5-1 / 7-5-0 / 6-4-2 } - all for Francisco Flores Francisco Flores improves to 13-2-2, and his manager will ask for the chance to replace Fel Clemente as the opponent for Danny 'Little Red' Lopez. Fel Clemente, falls to 44-8-1. He was ranked as the #7 WBC and #5 WBA Featherweight.
October 1978 'Controversy In Italy' Pesaro, Marche, Italy WBC Featherweight Champion - Danny 'Little Red' Lopez was supposed to defend his Championship versus Italian Featherweight Champion - Salvatore Melluzzo, on Saturday Night - October 21, 1978. Danny Lopez, the 26 year-old Champion from California, was supposed to make his '5th' title defense in Italy, for Italian Promoter - Umberto Branchini. Lopez was to receive $100,000 as a fight purse. His opponent, 26 year-old Salvatore Melluzzo (a fighter managed by Umberto Branchini), is a 'tricky' 5' 7" southpaw, with a record of 19-0-0 {8 KO's}. The Italian Featherweight Champion, is the #8 WBC-ranked Featherweight. The controversy is that Salvatore Melluzzo has had all his bouts here in Pesaro, Marche, Italy - leading some in the Lopez Camp to believe that the Champion might not be able to get a fair decision here at the Palazzetto Dello Sport. Salvatore Melluzzo last fought in May 1978, and has been idle for the past 5-months, while waiting for his 'Championship Title' opportunity. The Champion - Danny Lopez may pull out of this bout, due to these issues. Fight Promoter - Umberto Branchini said that if he has to, he will find a replacement challenger, to keep the promotion intact. The Promoter and the WBC Representative, have put out a call to 'two' California Featherweights, the #9 WBC-ranked Francisco Flores, and the #10 WBC-ranked Fel Clemente. Both opponents have been approved by the Champion and his Manager.
Saturday Night - October 21, 1978 "A Wild and Unruly Bout in Pesaro, Italy" WBC Feathweight Champion - Danny 'Little Red' Lopez was awared a 'very controversial' Disqualification Win over Challenger - Fel Clemente last night. The 26 year-old Champion, at 38-3-0 (36 KO's) was making the '5th-Defense' of his WBC Featherweight Championship. His opponent, a one-week replacement fighter, was Stockton, California based Filipino - Fel Clemente. Clemente, a 26 year-old 5' 5" dynamo, came in as the #10 WBC-ranked Featherweight, with a record of 44-8-1 (17 KO's). In the opening moments of the bout, the Challenger immediately attacked the 5' 7 1/2" Champion, and caught him off guard by landing powerful left jabs. In Round 2, 'The Philippine Fireball' rocked the Champion with hard punches, and opened cuts over both of Danny Lopez' eyes. The Champion tried to press to land his hard punches, but Clemente exhibited fast footwork to move out of harms way. In Round 3, things got wild, as both combatants were very rough during close exchanges. Fel Clemente did head-butt the Champion, opening one of the cuts deeper. Mexican Referee - Gujelmo Ajon warned the Challenger for head-butting, but did not deduct any points. Late in Round 3, the Champion was able to deliver some precise punching, which opened a cut beneath the Challenger's right eye. In between Rounds, the Champion's cornermen worked feverishly to stem the flow of blood coming from the cuts over both of Lopez' eyes. Through '3-Rounds', Fel Clemente was ahead on the scorecards {30-28 / 29-28 / 29-28 } In Round 4, Lopez realizing that the bout may be stopped, went on an 'all-out blitz' attempting to land a heavy blow on the swift-Challenger. The Champion was able to land several hard punches, but Fel Clemente came right back at Lopez with his own sharp left jab and right hand lead. Midway through the round, in another intense close exchange, the combatants banged heads, which further damaged the Champion's cuts. The action resumed, but Danny Lopez was now bleeding badly from the cuts over his eyes. Suddenly, at the 2:15 Mark of Round 4, Referee - Gujelmo Ajon awarded the bout to the Champion - Danny 'Little Red' Lopez by Disqualification. The Palazetto Dello Sports fans immediately boo'ed the referee's decision, and cries of 'Fix' were heard throughout the arena. Aftermath Danny Lopez was a pre-fight 3-1 Betting-Favorite. The Champion and his Manager Bennie Georgino said very little after this bout, and minimal press information was released. Fel Clemente, and his Manager Danny Thompson complained, that the Referee had only issued 'one' warning for head-butting, and did not penalize Fel at any time during the bout. Danny Thompson, 'Look, they brought us in as a replacement challenger, with 10-day's notice. Nobody expected Fel to beat Danny Lopez. Fel outboxed him, and within '2-Rounds' they would have had to stop it because of the cuts Fel inflicted over Lopez' eyes. The Referee saved Lopez from a certain TKO stoppage defeat.'
There was controversy over that DQ 4 victory for 'Little Red'. It should have been a 'No Contest' or 'Techical Decision' win for Fel Clemente. Nobody expected 'The Philippine Fireball' to perform so well. He busted up Danny's eyes pretty good with his powerful and slashing left hand.
I trained with Fel the other day. He holds mits for my friends at a gym in Manteca, CA. I just started getting into boxing and am going to start trying to train with him as much as possible.
Zach Mac, Maybe you can get some details from Fel on the 'controversy' in Italy versus Danny 'Little Red' Lopez.
