Ricardo López (boxer)
Ricardo "El Finito" López Nava is a retired Mexican professional boxer. As a professional, he defended the Lineal and WBC Strawweight Championship against record-breaking 21 boxers. He also won the WBA and WBO Championships in the same weight class. López later won the IBF Light Flyweight Championship and defended it twice before retiring. He is one of just fifteen world boxing champions to retire without a loss. He is also the father of undefeated Flyweight 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 Minimumweight Championship
On October 10, 1990, López defeated Lineal and WBC Minimumweight Champion Hideyuki Ohashi of Japan via a fifth round knockout to win his first world title. In 1991, he defeated Korean former champion Kyung-Yung Lee. In 1992, he defended his title againstPretty Boy Lucas of the Philippines and Rocky Lin of Taiwan. 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 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, López defeated future champion Kermin Guardia by unanimous decision. He knocked out Surachai Saengmorakot in the first round of his next bout. In 1995, he defeated Andy Tabanas 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 Villamor by knockout. In early 1997, there had been a plan in the works for López to move up in weight to challenge light flyweight champion Michael Carbajal, 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.
WBO and WBA Minimumweight Championship
In his 20th world title bout, López unified his WBC title by defeating WBO Minimumweight Champion Alex Sánchez of Puerto Rico via 5th round knockout. After Lopez 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 Lopez's title and sanction a match between Eric Jamili and Mickey Cantwell to fill the vacancy. "It was enough for us," said the WBO president, Francisco Valcarcel, of Lopez's intention. "That's a public resignation." Dwight Manley, Lopez's agent, said Lopez 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 Minimumweight Champion Rosendo Álvarez to a technical draw after referee Arthur Mercante Sr. stopped the contest following an accidental head butt in the seventh round. In the rematch, Álvarez came in over the minimumweight 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 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, López defeated IBF Champion Will Grigsby of the United States.. He defended his title against former champion Ratanapol Sor Vorapin. On 29 September 2001, López knocked out Zolani Petelo, who had recently vacated his IBF Minimumweight title, the only Minimumweight title that López 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 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 and Floyd Mayweather Jr. the record for most consecutive title bouts without a loss. This streak began with his knockout of Hideyuki Ohashi to win the WBC Minimumweight title in 1990 and ended with his knockout of Zolani Petelo to defend his IBF Light 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, 0 losses and 1 draw.Life after boxing
López now works as a boxing broadcaster for the Mexican Televisa network.Honors
López was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame 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 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
| No. | Result | Record | Opponent | Type | Round, time | Date | Location | Notes |
| 52 | Win | 51–0–1 |  Zolani Petelo | KO | 8, 1:32 | Sep 29, 2001 |  Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York, United States | Retained IBF light flyweight title |
| 51 | Win | 50–0–1 |  Ratanapol Sor Vorapin | TKO | 3, 2:11 | Dec 2, 2000 | Mandalay Bay, Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | Retained IBF light flyweight title |
| 50 | Win | 49–0–1 | Will Grigsby | UD | 12 | Oct 2, 1999 | Hilton Hotel, Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | Won IBF light flyweight title |
| 49 | Win | 48–0–1 |  Rosendo Álvarez | SD | 12 | Nov 13, 1998 | Hilton Hotel, Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | Retained lineal minimumweight title Won WBA minimumweight title |
| 48 | Draw | 47–0–1 | Rosendo Álvarez | TD | 8 | Mar 7, 1998 |  Plaza de Toros México, Mexico City, Mexico | Retained WBC and lineal minimumweight titles. For WBA minimumweight title |
| 47 | Win | 47–0 |  Alex Sánchez | TKO | 5, 1:58 | Aug 23, 1997 | Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York, United States | Retained WBC and lineal minimumweight titles Won WBO minimumweight title |
| 46 | Win | 46–0 | Mongkol Charoen | UD | 12 | Mar 29, 1997 | Hilton Hotel, Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | Retained WBC and lineal minimumweight titles |
| 45 | Win | 45–0 |  Myung-Sup Park | TKO | 1, 2:22 | Dec 7, 1996 | Fantasy Springs Casino, Indio, California, United States | Retained WBC and lineal minimumweight titles |
| 44 | Win | 44–0 | Morgan Ndumo | TKO | 6, 0:55 | Nov 9, 1996 | MGM Grand Garden Arena, Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | Retained WBC and lineal minimumweight titles |
| 43 | Win | 43–0 | Kitichai Preecha | TKO | 3, 1:46 | Jun 29, 1996 | Fantasy Springs Casino, Indio, California, United States | Retained WBC and lineal minimumweight titles |
| 42 | Win | 42–0 |  Edito “Ala” Villamor | TKO | 8, 0:40 | Mar 16, 1996 | MGM Grand Garden Arena, Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | Retained WBC and lineal minimumweight titles |
| 41 | Win | 41–0 | Andy Tabanas | TKO | 12, 2:45 | Apr 1, 1995 | Buffalo Bill's Star Arena, Primm, Nevada, United States | Retained WBC and lineal minimumweight titles |
| 40 | Win | 40–0 |  Yamil Caraballo | TKO | 1, 1:10 | Dec 10, 1994 | Estadio de Béisbol Monterrey, Monterrey, Mexico | Retained WBC and lineal minimumweight titles |
| 39 | Win | 39–0 | Javier Varguez | TKO | 8, 1:33 | Nov 12, 1994 | Plaza de Toros México, Mexico City, Mexico | Retained WBC and lineal minimumweight titles |
| 38 | Win | 38–0 | Surachai Saengmorakot | TKO | 1, 1:53 | Sep 17, 1994 | MGM Grand Garden Arena, Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | Retained WBC and lineal minimumweight titles |
| 37 | Win | 37–0 | Kermin Guardia | UD | 12 | May 7, 1994 | MGM Grand Garden Arena, Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | Retained WBC and lineal minimumweight titles |
| 36 | Win | 36–0 | Manny Melchor | KO | 11, 2:00 | Dec 18, 1993 |  Stateline, Nevada, United States.png" /> | Retained WBC and lineal minimumweight titles |
| 35 | Win | 35–0 | Toto Pongsawang | TKO | 11, 2:30 | Sep 19, 1993 |  Bangkok, Thailand.png" /> | Retained WBC and lineal minimumweight titles |
| 34 | Win | 34–0 | Saman Sorjaturong | TKO | 2, 2:45 | Jul 3, 1993 |  Parque la Junta, Nuevo Laredo, Mexico.png" /> | Retained WBC and lineal minimumweight titles |
| 33 | Win | 33–0 |  Kwang-Soo Oh | TKO | 9 | Jan 31, 1993 |  Pohang City, South Korea.png" /> | Retained WBC and lineal minimumweight titles |
| 32 | Win | 32–0 |  Rocky Lin | TKO | 2 | Oct 11, 1992 |  Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan.png" /> | Retained WBC and lineal minimumweight titles |
| 31 | Win | 31–0 |  Singprasert Kittikasem | TKO | 5 | Aug 22, 1992 |  Ciudad Madero, Mexico.png" /> | Retained WBC and lineal minimumweight titles |
| 30 | Win | 30–0 | Pretty Boy Lucas | UD | 12 | Mar 16, 1992 |  | Retained WBC and lineal minimumweight titles |
| 29 | Win | 29–0 | Kyung-Yun Lee | UD | 12 | Dec 21, 1991 |  Jamsil Arena, Seoul, South Korea.png" /> | Retained WBC and lineal minimumweight titles |
| 28 | Win | 28–0 |  Kimio Hirano | TKO | 8 | May 19, 1991 |  Shizuoka, Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan.png" /> | Retained WBC and lineal minimumweight titles |
| 27 | Win | 27–0 | Hideyuki Ohashi | TKO | 5 | Oct 25, 1990 |  | Won WBC and lineal minimumweight titles |
| 26 | Win | 26–0 | Francisco Montiel | UD | 10 | Jun 29, 1990 |  | |
| 25 | Win | 25–0 | Jorge Rivera | KO | 8 | Mar 15, 1990 |  Fairmont Hotel, Dallas, Texas, United States.png" /> | Retained WBC Continental Americas Minimumweight title. |
| 24 | Win | 24–0 | Rey Hernandez | KO | 12 | Nov 7, 1989 | Arena México, Mexico City, Mexico.png" /> | Won WBC Continental Americas Minimumweight title. |
| 23 | Win | 23–0 | Jose Luis Zepeda | TKO | 7 | Aug 26, 1989 | | |
| 22 | Win | 22–0 | Raymundo Ricardo Mendoza | KO | 5 | Aug 4, 1989 | Tulancingo, Mexico.png" /> | |
| 21 | Win | 21–0 | Abel Andres | KO | 2 | Jul 8, 1989 | León, Guanajuato, Mexico.png" /> | |
| 20 | Win | 20–0 | Jorge Torres | KO | 8 | May 30, 1989 | Guasave, Mexico.png" /> | |
| 19 | Win | 19–0 | Javier Juarez | UD | 10 | May 6, 1989 | | |
| 18 | Win | 18–0 | Ubaldo Gonzalez | TKO | 6 | Jan 27, 1989 | Mazatlán, Mexico.png" /> | |
| 17 | Win | 17–0 | Ismael Benitez | UD | 10 | Nov 12, 1988 | | |
| 16 | Win | 16–0 | Evaristo Morales | KO | 5 | Aug 27, 1988 | | |
| 15 | Win | 15–0 | Fermin Rivera | KO | 3 | Jul 30, 1988 | Zacapu, Michoacán, Mexico.png" /> | |
| 14 | Win | 14–0 | Javier Alonso | UD | 10 | Aug 18, 1987 | | |
| 13 | Win | 13–0 | Alex Mollado | KO | 1 | Jul 31, 1987 | Acapulco, Mexico.png" /> | |
| 12 | Win | 12–0 | Eduardo Ramirez | UD | 10 | Apr 18, 1987 | | |
| 11 | Win | 11–0 | Herminio Ramirez | UD | 10 | Dec 8, 1986 |  | |
| 10 | Win | 10–0 | Jorge Flores | KO | 2 | Oct 6, 1986 | Ciudad Nezahualcóyotl, Mexico.png" /> | |
| 9 | Win | 9–0 | Herminio Ramirez | UD | 10 | Jul 28, 1986 |  | |
| 8 | Win | 8–0 | Santiago Huizar | KO | 2 | May 1, 1986 | Zacatecas City, Zacatecas, Mexico.png" /> | |
| 7 | Win | 7–0 | Reyes Mendez | KO | 1 | Mar 24, 1986 | | |
| 6 | Win | 6–0 | Narciso Panchi | KO | 5 | Aug 2, 1985 | Arena Naucalpan, Mexico City, Mexico.png" /> | |
| 5 | Win | 5–0 | Manuel Martinez | KO | 2 | Jun 27, 1985 | San Luis Potosí City, San Luis Potosí, Mexico.png" /> | |
| 4 | Win | 4–0 | Javier Dominguez | KO | 3 | Mar 8, 1985 | Cuernavaca, Morelos, Mexico.png" /> | |
| 3 | Win | 3–0 | Sebastian Reyes | KO | 2 | Feb 18, 1985 |  | |
| 2 | Win | 2–0 | Antonio Arciniega | KO | 2 | Feb 6, 1985 | | |
| 1 | Win | 1–0 | Rogelio Hernandez | KO | 3 | Jan 18, 1985 | |