Prime Danny Little Red Lopez 1978 vs Prime Eusebio Pedroza, 1981, 126 lbs, 15 rounds

I thought a lot about this possibility back in '81 and leaned towards Lopez. Danny was a slow starter, which was why he had that tendency to get dropped early and had a real issue with overhand rights. However, in this instance, he would not have that dire issue as Pedroza wasn't that kind of a puncher. He was a boxer who also liked to work the body. I see Pedroza getting off to a flying start and taking most, if not all, of the first third of the fight before Danny is warmed to the task. The next third Danny is warmed and finding the range, but Eusebio is still whipping in those uppercuts as he is really feeling Danny going neck and neck now with that jab and right hands. Rounds 11-15 I think Danny really starts to put the hurt on Pedroza, even to the point of battering him those last three rounds. A close but solid win for Lopez over 15.

Regarding the Lopez jab, it's funny, but from TV it never looked awe-inspiring to me until the day I was talking to a couple of guys who used to spar extensively with Danny. I said to them the Lopez jab didn't look too awesome from TV and their mouths simultaneously dropped (I wish I had a vid of that). They told me it felt like a two-by-four being continually rammed in their face. Good to know.

 

I love Danny but I believe Pedroza takes a close decision due to Eusebio's roughousing causing a late fade by Danny. I hope I could be wrong, though.

 

Yeah, another vote for El Alacran

 

Hope ur right

 

I think Pedroza is simply to crafty for Danny. Pedroza wide UD. Maybe even a late TKO. Danny just is too easy to hit.

 

I love Lopez, but can't see him winning this. I've rarely seen a fighter as gifted as Pedroza in the art of upper-body movement, and his feet were very good too. Even when you got him on the ropes, you couldn't touch him, and he counter punched like a dream. Exactly the wrong thing for Lopez to seek out. To beat a Pedroza you MUST be able to move side to side. Danny, God bless him, just couldn't do that.

 

I think the fight would be close for a while but Pedroza would bust Danny's face as the rounds go by.

 

Pedroza, way to slick for Lopez, esp over 15rds. I like Pedroza by a close but unanimous dec in this one.

 

Pedroza by UD or late stoppage is the most likely outcome. But admittedly, Little Red has a legit puncher's chance.

 

That's a hard one, I can't see this one ending by Ko (despite the great punching power of Lopez because pedroza was nearly impossible to KO at featherweight) so if it goes to a decision it could depend on who wins the early rounds, both were terribly slow starters usually losing the first half of every single fight. I think the judges are likely to give a slight edge to Lopez early due to his aggressiveness thus after eight he would probably be up about 5 to 3 in rounds.
From that point on both fighters would be at their best and I think these rounds would be very close possibly with a knockdown for Lopez.
I think the fight would likely be determined on the two or three points that would likely be taken from pedroza for various fouls thus giving Lopez a decision win by a few points with a score of around 142-140

 

I love watching him just to see what he could get away with. He always knew where the ref was, and would foul in a place were it would be hard for him to see.

 

Great matchup. Superb. I can not comment because they are my 2 favorite Featherweight Champions ever and both top 10 fav fighters ever.

 

Bernard Taylor who fought Pedroza grew up in my neck of the woods , he said that Pedroza was sneaking as snot fouling you, like he wanted to see if you'd retaliate.The BT express fought him tooth and nail.