John Conteh vs Yaqui Lopez

Nineteen months had passed since the world light-heavyweight championship was last defended by its holder, and nearly fourteen months had elapsed since he had boxed at all. That long absence supplied the chief uncertainty when John Conteh met Alvaro “Yaqui” Lopez at the Forum in Copenhagen on October 9, 1976. Conteh, making the second defence of his World Boxing Council title, entered with a record of 28 victories and one defeat and weighed 174 pounds. Lopez, a Mexican-born contender based in California, was 31–3 and scaled 173 pounds.

Conteh had won the vacant championship from Jorge Ahumada in October 1974 and retained it by stopping Lonnie Bennett five months later. A non-title points victory over Willie Taylor in August 1975 had been his only subsequent appearance. Lopez arrived in more continuous form, having won four contests during 1976, including stoppages of Karl Zurheide and Larry Castaneda. Tall, strong and persistent, the challenger was not a polished stylist in Conteh’s manner, but he brought a high work rate and a willingness to press for as long as the match required.

The early rounds established the difference in method. Conteh worked behind a quick left jab, beating Lopez to the mark and moving before the challenger could answer in combination. He was the cleaner puncher, particularly at long and middle distance, and his judgment of range enabled him to score without remaining directly in front of Lopez. The challenger advanced steadily, seeking to bring his longer arms and physical strength into use, but much of his work was taken on Conteh’s gloves or made to fall short by a turn of the champion’s shoulders.

Conteh’s task became more difficult after he damaged his right hand during the contest. Hand trouble had already interrupted his career, and in Copenhagen it again limited the force and frequency of his rear-hand punches. He therefore placed still greater reliance upon the jab, sometimes doubling it and sometimes using it while moving to his left. Lopez continued to come forward, attacking the body when he could close the distance and attempting to keep Conteh against the ropes long enough to work with both hands. The champion declined prolonged exchanges whenever possible, tying up at close quarters or turning out before resuming his boxing in open ring.

Through the middle rounds, Lopez’s pressure made the contest competitive without making it his. He was the man advancing and frequently the busier of the two, but Conteh’s blows were straighter and more conspicuous. The champion met the challenger on his way in, stepped aside and made him begin the pursuit again. Lopez absorbed the jab without discouragement and occasionally forced Conteh into exchanges, yet he could not consistently prevent the Englishman from establishing the distance at which his greater speed and accuracy counted.

The later rounds brought Lopez’s best sustained effort. With the title moving away from him, he increased his pace and tried to crowd Conteh out of his measured boxing. The champion, troubled by the hand and feeling the effects of fifteen rounds after his long absence, could no longer control every passage as neatly as he had earlier. Lopez remained physically strong, continued pressing and made Conteh work to the final bell. There were no knockdowns and no significant foul or cut was recorded. The issue rested upon whether the challenger’s aggression outweighed the champion’s cleaner scoring.

All three officials preferred Conteh. West German referee Rudolf Drust scored the contest 149–145, Italian judge Marcello Bertini also returned 149–145, and French judge Raymond Baldeyrou had it 148–146. The unanimous decision allowed Conteh to retain the WBC championship, although the narrower card better reflected the resistance offered by Lopez. The challenger had supplied the forward movement and much of the physical labour; the champion had supplied the more accurate punching and superior command of distance.

Conteh’s performance was less an exhibition of complete authority than a demonstration of adjustment. Unable to depend fully upon his right hand, and returning after a lengthy interruption, he won with his jab, footwork and judgement. Lopez left Copenhagen without the championship but with his standing improved. His pursuit of a world title would continue through two close decisions against WBA champion Víctor Galíndez and later challenges to Matthew Saad Muhammad and Carlos De León. Against Conteh, as in those later attempts, he was difficult to discourage and harder still to subdue, but determination alone could not overcome the champion’s cleaner and more economical work.

I have watched Yaqui Lopez’s world-title challenges, and the man was a machine. He never gave less than 110 per cent. First came John Conteh, then two attempts against Víctor Galíndez, followed by Matthew Saad Muhammad and finally Carlos De León at cruiserweight. Five challenges, no belt, yet nobody who understands boxing could call him anything less than championship class.

Conteh had been inactive for nearly fourteen months and damaged his hand early, which made this a far harder defence than the scorecards suggest. He could not sit down on the right hand, so he boxed largely behind that excellent left jab, used his feet and turned Lopez whenever the challenger came square. That was proper ring intelligence. Plenty of fighters would have panicked once their main weapon went; Conteh adjusted.

Lopez kept pressing, throwing in clusters and forcing Conteh to work throughout the fifteen rounds. He was not polished in the classical sense, but his stamina, strength and refusal to concede ground made him a dreadful opponent. I thought Conteh’s cleaner jab and superior positioning earned the decision, although the fight was closer than two scores of 149–145 implied.

This contest told us plenty about both men. Conteh showed the craft and composure of a genuine champion. Lopez began a run of near misses that made him one of the best fighters never to win a world title.