Philippines, 10 Oct 2025
  Home >> News

 


BOXERS

CURRENT CHAMPIONS 

FORMER CHAMPIONS   

RATINGS                       

NEWS           

FORUM        

FIGHT GALLERIES        

RING CARD GIRLS        


 
 
News  


YAQUI LOPEZ SPEAKS: MATTHEW SAAD MUHAMMAD WAS THE ULTIMATE WARRIOR IN AND OUT OF THE RING, R.I.P. BROTHER


PhilBoxing.com




STOCKTON, California -- This past Sunday the boxing world lost a true warrior in and out of the ring, Matthew Saad Muhammad also known as Mathew Franklin, who passed away at the Chestnut Hill Hospital in Philadelphia.

The Philadelphia native was 49-16-35KO and was the former WBC Light Heavyweight Champion of the world between 1979-1980 and defended it eight times.

Alvaro ?Indian Yaqui? Lopez (61-15-39KO) the pride of ?FAT CITY? Stockton, California who had engaged in two exciting mind blowing bouts with Muhammad in a WBC World Light Heavyweight and a NABF Light Heavyweight encounters. The WBC Title fight was ?Fight of the Year? in 1980 and round eight was ?Round of the Year.? Ring Magazine ranked this fight as #84 in the top 100 fights of all time.

?Muhammad was a true gentleman after the first encounter. He told me if he was ever world champion, he would give me a title shot. He kept his promise and we had a war,? Lopez stated.


Matthew Saad Muhammad.

In that memorable fight, Muhammad once said, ?Lopez hit me like 40, 50 or 60 straight unanswered punches and the referee didn?t stop it, I got my second wind and finished the round.?

?In those times, there were only two boxing organizations, the WBC and the WBA and we would fight 15 rounds. Now there are six boxing organizations and many chances to become a world champion, and in my time, the Light Heavyweight division was stacked with great fighters: Michael Spinks, Eddie Mustafa Muhammad, John Conteh, Marvin Johnson, Anthony Mundine, Victor Galindez, Mike Rossman, and Dwight Muhammad Quawi, to name a few,? Lopez added.


Yaqui Lopez and Mike Lopez.

Matthew Saad Muhammad and Yaqui Lopez were both inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame.

Lopez will fly this weekend to Pennsylvania and pay respect to his dear friend out of the ring and his toughest opponent in the ring.

As a 12 year old kid watching this fight, it will forever be one of the greatest fights I ever witnessed. Lopez is presently training amateur fighters and his advocacy is to keep kids off the streets by training and learning discipline thru boxing.
Muhammad was adopted by catholic nuns at the age of 5 after he was left on their doorsteps and they named him Matthew after the apostle. He never stopped fighting.

Muhammad was diagnosed with Lou Gehrig?s disease and succumbed to a stroke that eventually ended his life.

PHILBOXING.COM AND FAMILY SEND THERE DEEPEST CONDOLENCES TO THE FAMILY OF MATTHEW SAAD MUHAMAAD, MAY YOU REST IN PEACE.


Click here to view a list of other articles written by Mike Angel Lopez.


Recent PhilBoxing.com In-House articles:

  • “Pitbull” Cruz Battles Skilled Lamont Roach Next!
    By Carlos Costa, , Fri, 10 Oct 2025
  • Eddie Hearn Warns: Dana White's Push to Amend Ali Act Could Hide Fighter Revenues and Undermine Boxer Protections
    By Gabriel F. Cordero, , Fri, 10 Oct 2025
  • SEBASTIAN "EL TRUENO" JUAREZ TRAINING CAMP NOTES
    , Fri, 10 Oct 2025
  • WBC No. 2 Cruiserweight Ryan Rozicki reinjured
    , Fri, 10 Oct 2025
  • DAVE ALLEN VS ARSLANBEK MAKHMUDOV SHEFFIELD PRESS CONFERENCE QUOTES
    , Fri, 10 Oct 2025
  • HANOI OPEN DAY TWO: CHUA, GORST, BIADO, SHAW AND DUONG CRUISE INTO LAST 64 IN HANOI
    , Fri, 10 Oct 2025
  • BOSTAN AND FAWAZ TRADE VERBAL BLOWS IN SHEFFIELD CITY CENTRE FACE-OFF AHEAD OF TITLE REMATCH – LIVE ON DAZN
    , Fri, 10 Oct 2025
  • Yoelvis Gomez Set to Face Unbeaten Antraveous Ingram in Title Clash on DAZN
    , Fri, 10 Oct 2025
  • Dante Kirkman Set to Make Southern California Debut Against Power Puncher Wesley Vanderlinden on October 23 at Fight Club OC
    , Fri, 10 Oct 2025
  • 8th AQ Prime FIDE Standard Open chessfest slated
    By Dong Secuya, , Thu, 09 Oct 2025
  • A Filipino and an American Homecoming
    By Emmanuel Rivera, RRT, , Thu, 09 Oct 2025
  • Tragedy Strikes Again: Arturo Gatti Jr., Son of Boxing Legend, Found Dead at 17 in Mexico
    By Dong Secuya, , Thu, 09 Oct 2025
  • Golden State Making a Bid for NBA Title
    By Teodoro Medina Reynoso, , Thu, 09 Oct 2025
  • JOHANN CHUA LAUNCHES TITLE DEFENCE WITH DOMINANT START IN HANOI | 2025 HANOI OPEN POOL CHAMPIONSHIP
    , Thu, 09 Oct 2025
  • RED-HOT CUBAN MIDDLEWEIGHT YOENLI HERNANDEZ: “I’M READY WILLING AND ABSOLUTELY ABLE TO FACE THE BIG NAMES IN MY DIVISION.”
    , Thu, 09 Oct 2025
  • BOOTS ENNIS GOES HEAD-TO-HEAD WITH LIMA AHEAD OF 154LB DEBUT – LIVE ON DAZN
    , Wed, 08 Oct 2025
  • ALLEN AND MAKHMUDOV MEET FOR FIRST FACE-OFF IN SHEFFIELD AHEAD OF HUGE HEAVYWEIGHT SHOWDOWN – LIVE ON DAZN
    , Wed, 08 Oct 2025
  • Amateur Boxer Tyrone Welch Dies After Match in Saginaw
    By Gabriel F. Cordero, , Wed, 08 Oct 2025
  • AJ Lim Captures Fourth PCA Men’s Singles Title, Extends Dominance in Philippine Tennis
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Wed, 08 Oct 2025
  • THRILLA IN MANILA GOLDEN ANNIVERSARY 18: JOE FRAZIER VS. GEORGE FOREMAN FIRST ENCOUNTER - THE SUNSHINE SHOWDOWN
    By Maloney L. Samaco, , Wed, 08 Oct 2025
  • 5th Zhengxing Cup Philippine Xiangqi Rapid Open tournament on October 12
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Wed, 08 Oct 2025
  • Joey Canoy back in training; preparing to face IBF champ Beaven Sibanda in February
    By Lito delos Reyes, , Wed, 08 Oct 2025
  • RED OWL BOXING ANNOUNCES BROADCAST TEAM AND FULL FIGHT CARD FOR THIS FRIDAY NIGHT’S “BOXFEST XVI”
    , Wed, 08 Oct 2025
  • Tyson Fury back in 2026?
    By Gabriel F. Cordero, , Tue, 07 Oct 2025
  • THE PAST WEEK IN ACTION 6 OCTOBER 2025: Cecilia Braekhaus Retires After Defeating Ema Kozin
    By Eric Armit, , Tue, 07 Oct 2025




  •  



     
    PhilBoxing.com has been created to support every aspiring
    Filipino boxer and the Philippine boxing scene in general.
    Please send comments to feedback@philboxing.com


    PRIVATE POLICY | LEGAL DISCLAIMER
    developed and maintained by dong secuya
    © 2025 philboxing.com.