Tony
Lopez
Most of the amateurs at the gym were off for Reno, Nevada for
a Junior Olympics tournament. The youngster who weighted the same
as Tony had quit and Tony was asked if he would like to take the retired
pugilist's place. Lopez with only 4 days of amateur experience was
naive but excited and unafraid, Lopez quickly accepted. Traveling
with Manuel Maldonado, Jerry Jacobs' assistant trainer, Sacramento's
newest export was about to have his maiden bout. His opponent would
be Johnny Samples of the Reno Mighty Mites. Waiting for the bell to
ring, Maldonado told his young charge; "I'd tell you what to do, but
you don't know anything."
Adding to the comedy that was about
to unfold, Tony was wearing a cheap pair of white Kmart shorts which
showed the label of his underwear. The trunks were so tight he had
to wear his protector cup over them. Adding to his stylish outfit
was a pair of Kmart tennis shoes which hid his ankle socks. Not owning
a robe, Tony had a towel draped around his neck. "When the bell rang,
the first thing I did was fall flat on my face. My shoes were untied."
Realizing these were young kids, the referee allowed Maldonado to
tie Tony's shoes.
With his footwear properly laced, Maldonado
told his young charge to turn around and box. To Tony, his opponent
appeared to be a praying mantis, when he came forward in the classic
boxing style leading with his left. Confused, Toney turned to his
corner for advice and bang he was hit with a right. His trainer shouted
"Tony just fight!" "So I fought like it was a street brawl and by
the second round my opponent started crying. His corner had to push
him off his stool at the start of the third. He cried and started
to run away from me. Finally the bell rang ending the bout."
"They
gave him the decision and a big trophy and I got a little trophy.
I was so happy. That's all I wanted was a trophy, a trophy I could
bring home and show my parents. After all the bouts were over, they
called me back into the ring and presented me with another huge trophy
as the outstanding fighter of the night." I couldn't believe it, I
now had two trophies; this was unbelievable."
Over the next several
years Jerry Jacobs would school Tony in the intricacies of the sport
and his pupil proved to be an excellent student. He must have absorbed
the lessons well; his final amateur record was 47 and 2 and ranked
#6 in the U.S. amateur standing. Sadly, personal issues in Jacobs's
life prevented him from being Tony's trainer in the pros. During our
interview Tony raised the question, do trainers make fighters or fighters
make trainers? One thing is for sure: Lopez had the highest respect
for Jerry and the skills he taught him. After nine years as an amateur,
Tony was a polished boxer/puncher, not the over anxious ten year old
boy who had his first fight in Reno, Nevada.
On May 3, 1983 Toney
turned pro in Sacramento against Juan Rodriguez of San Juan, PR, and
a veteran of 14 pro bouts. It didn't take Lopez long to figure out
Rodriguez, dropping him with a right to the head in the first minute
of round one. Rising on unsteady legs the out-of-Towner blocked a
left hook with his jaw, tasting the canvas for a second time. His
corner wisely tossed in the towel, saving their charge from further
punishment.