The Five Latinos That Could Stir up the Flavor of Boxing
 Antonio Santiago - Ringside Report
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| | Julio Cesar Chavez Jr., son of the the legendary Julio Cesar Chavez (L). |
Salsa. The word evokes great memories in some and hunger in others. In Mexico, a salsa is a spicy, red hot and delicious liquid with which to add flavor to food like tacos, vegetables, etc. In Puerto Rico, salsa is a type of music, which was played by Rafael Cortijo and El Gran Combo, not to mention the Fania All Stars, among many others. Salsa also means ketchup in Puerto Rico, and, in Puerto Rican slang, if someone tells you that you will receive salsa, they are telling you you will take a vicious beating. Whether you are in Mexico, Puerto Rico or another part of the world, the word salsa always promises to stir things up.
Last weekend, the world of boxing was stirred yet again when Kermit Cintron of Puerto Rico took care of Argentina’s Walter Matthysse in only two rounds while Mexico’s Alfonso Gomez took a surprisingly one sided, seventh round knockout victory over former 2-Time Champion, Italian-Canadian Arturo Gatti in a fight that hopefully will be Gatti’s last and that he would have obviously won had it taken place ten years ago, while Paul Williams turned the tables on Hispanics when he took a close but decisive twelve round points victory over another Mexican, Antonio Margarito. Boxing being a sport where the doors are constantly revolving, this was nevertheless one of the most revolving of times in recent boxing history.
Back in the 1970’s, when the Fania All Stars were enjoying fame around the world as a salsa orchestra with such all time greats as Celia Cruz and Roberto Rohena on their lineup, boxing’s Latino all stars had a lineup of their own that had nothing to envy from any other team. Panama had Roberto Duran and Eusebio Pedroza, while Argentina had Carlos Monzon, Mexico counted on Ruben Olivares, Chucho Castillo, Carlos Zarate and Alfonso Zamora, Puerto Rico’s fighters were commanded by Wilfred Benitez and Wilfredo Gomez, Nicaragua was proud of Alexis Arguello, Spain had it’s first world champion in the shape of Pedro Carrasco plus others that would later win titles in Perico Fernandez and Jose Duran, Cubans had exile warriors Jose Napoles and Jose Legra, and Mexican Americans had Bobby Chacon, Danny Lopez, Yaqui Lopez, Mando Ramos and Armando Muniz and many, many many others. All those great fighters and many more opened the proverbial question, who are the top Hispanic fighters?
Past the 1970’s we found other Latino stars in Hector Camacho, Bazooka Limon, Julio Cesar Chavez, Juan Martin Coggi, Santos Laciar, Felix Trinidad, Hilario Zapata, Oscar De La Hoya, and, for the sakes of keeping Spain in the list, Javier Castillejo. Not including Trinidad, whose comeback is just a (I hope) rumor, only Camacho and De La Hoya remain active among those mentioned above. But even they are slowing down and likely on the twilight of their respective careers.
So just who are today’s top Hispanic fighters and why? Like always, the question is hard to answer. Why do some people choose Texaco and others do Shell? How come some teenage moviegoers favor Hilary Duff and others favor Lindsay Lohan? How about Home Depot or Lowe’s? Big Mac or Whopper? Those questions also stir up conversation like salsa stirs up food or a dancing club, but unlike boxing questions, those have no real answer. Luckily, in boxing we can use logic…if there ever was logic to boxing anyways…to try to find answers to our questions.
Five years ago we would have had to choose between Diego Corrales, Ricardo Mayorga, De La Hoya, Erik Morales, Marco Antonio Barrera, Jose Antonio Aguirre and Daniel Santos, among many others. With Barrera and Morales taking the best out of each other, Santos inactive, Mayorga and Aguirre having lost many important fights since, Corrales lost in a tragic motorcycle accident and De La Hoya losing to father time, there is a new group of Hispanic fighters to talk and be excited about.
5. Julio Cesar Chavez, JR., Mexico: At 32-0-1, 25 KO’s
There is a lot to be excited about J.C., JR. He has power, name and a heck of a body attack. Just like daddy, like son, ah? Wait a minute there. Let’s not get that far yet. Chavez, JR., does have a couple of knocks in his career, his draw and subsequent victory against Carlos Molina highly disputed, even by Mexicans. While he has beaten everyone else like they didn’t belong in the ring with him, he has not faced anyone of name. Then again, neither did Julio, SR., until he won the vacant WBC Junior Lightweight Title against Mario Martinez back in 1984. So only time will tell.
4. Carlos Baldomir, Argentina
The closest thing to Carlos Monzon Argentina has had since, well, Carlos Monzon, if only on paper. Both were named Carlos, both are from Santa Fe and both were undisputed world Champions. That’s where the similarities end, but Baldomir, 43-10-2, 13 KO’s, is still a tough hombre whose rugged face hides a gaucho at heart, much like Salvador Sanchez’s face was owned by an Aztec warrior. Baldomir’s low knockout ratio covers up the fact he is no fancy Dan and goes to battle every time out, and he managed to give Floyd Mayweather, JR., all the Champion from Nevada could handle before losing his world Welterweight Title by unanimous decision. With victories over Joshua Clottey, Arturo Gatti, and Zab Judah, you can still make a case for him. And he does have a rock solid chin.
3. Ivan Calderon, Puerto Rico
Saying that Calderon is the best stylist in boxing since Wilfred Benitez is not too far fetched. Ok, maybe since Pernell Whitaker. But Calderon, 28-0, 6 KO’s, has hardly ever lost a round and his last win, a split decision verdict over Ronald Barrera in Colombia, is just a show of hometown scoring, even as Calderon did indeed win. Like Paulie Ayala before him, Calderon’s punches don’t knock people out but sting them enough to make them losers. Come August, we will see if Hugo Cazares becomes one of the most exciting Hispanic boxers when Calderon challenges him for the WBO Junior Flyweight Title.
2. Juan Manuel Marquez, Mexico
In his earlier years, Marquez beat former Champions Julio Gervacio and Al Kotey. Following a bad loss to Freddie Norwood, Marquez has basically dominated the featherweight and junior lightweight divisions since 2003, beating Manuel Medina, Victor Polo and Marco Antonio Barrera since, as well as Marcos Licona, Derrick Gainer and Orlando Salido. He arose from a round where he should have had the referee save him after being dropped three times in round one by Manny Pacquiao and managed to pull even by the end, the fight ruled a draw. When you remember how Pacquiao has knocked out Erik Morales and Barrera and also defeated Oscar Larios soundly, you must put Marquez’s draw with Pac Man in perspective. At 47-3, 34 KO’s, he has never been knocked out and faces another exciting battler, Jorge Barrios, next in what should be another fight of the year candidate.
1. Miguel Cotto, Puerto Rico
Cotto had a life and death struggle against Zab Judah in his last fight before sending him to sleep in round eleven. So why is he number one in this list? Simply put, most of his fights are life or death struggles. The opera that boxing is cannot currently be played better by anyone else but Cotto. When he seems ready to be conquered, he lifts his knee and becomes conqueror. Ask Judah, DeMarcus Corley or Ricardo Torres about it. Cotto is 34-0, 29 KO’s, with defying power and considerable boxing skills. When he gets hit, he gets hit for real. And if you haven’t forgotten Bobby Chacon, Aaron Pryor, Felix Trinidad, Fernando Vargas and Arturo Gatti, then you must remember that we loved them so much precisely because like Cotto, they dug their heads in, went into full attack mode and did not care about getting hit or risking defeat in order to obtain what was usually theirs. And while their style might lead to a short career, Cotto is still undefeated and just into the million dollar dance with the stars.
Salsa anyone? |
Vallarta Weddings
News from Around the Americas | July 2007 
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