[1] He was a missing person from 1992 to 2004 and was the subject of extensive press coverage in early 2004 when, after being selected for induction into the California Boxing Hall of Fame, he was found at a homeless shelter in Fort Worth, Texas.

Lopez was born on the Uintah and Ouray Indian Reservation in Fort Duchesne, Utah.

[4] Lopez began boxing at a very early age, being trained in grade school by Stan Chenoweth of Orem, Utah in his basement gym.

[2][6]Lopez had a career record of 51-10-1,[5][7] and fought bouts in England, Hawaii, Japan and Mexico.

In 1967, Lopez wore an Indian chief's headdress into the ring in a match against Musahi Nakano in Japan.

Going into the first fight in July 1968, Hedgemon Lewis was undefeated in 23 bouts, and both fighters were considered top contenders in the welterweight class.

Lopez won the first bout in a ninth-round knockout, which the Los Angeles Times described as follows: Like Gen. Custer at Little Big Horn, Hedgemon Lewis got to wondering where all those Indians were coming from.

And like his ancestors, Ernie (Indian Red) Lopez staged a fistic massacre Thursday night when he battered the previously unbeaten Lewis into a state of helplessness before a roaring turnaway mob of 10,400 at the Olympic Auditorium.

"[7] On February 14, 1970, Lopez got a shot at the world welterweight boxing title in a bout against Cuban Jose "Mantequilla" Nápoles in front of a sellout crowd at The Forum in Inglewood, California.

In his smartest and possibly best fight of his career, Lopez pounded out a unanimous, one-sided 10-round decision over highly regarded Oscar Albarado and gave a masterful performance.

"[7] Lopez got a rematch against Nápoles, and a second shot at the title, three years later on February 28, 1973—again in front of a sellout crowd at The Forum.

Lopez had reportedly won the first six rounds, and Nápoles had cuts above and below his eye and on the bridge of his nose.

"[3] Lopez's ex-wife also attributed the decline to the loss to Nápoles: "I think he lost confidence, his goal was destroyed.

[4] In February 2004, Lopez was discovered living in a homeless shelter in Fort Worth, Texas.

"[4] On learning of his selection for the Hall of Fame, Lopez told the Los Angeles Times, "Why are they doing this for me?

[4][5][7] He told the Los Angeles Times at the time that he did not recall why he moved to Fort Worth, but he recalled "living with a church family in Missouri, shoveling snow for a hotel owner in Portland, Maine, sleeping in New York's Central Park, working construction in Florida and cleaning hotel rooms in Phoenix.