By: James Blears

Mexico has produced some fantastic fighters. The likes of Julio Cesar Chavez, Salvador Sanchez, Marco Antonio Barrera, Erik Morales, Ricardo Lopez and Ruben Olivares. The roll call of excellence stretches a long way. But for every superstar, there are hundreds of bread and butter fighters. Martin "The Fireman" Sanchez was one of them.

The 26-year-old Martin, was a family man and a determined bread winner. He died of brain injuries, following a ninth round knockout loss in a super lightweight fight against to Rustam Nugaev in Las Vegas, leaving behind a wife and an eight-year-old son.

A special fund has been established at Bank of America by Guilty Boxing, to honor Martin’s memory and help his young family.

Martin’s dream of becoming a world champion and boxing legend was never realized. But it wasn’t for lack of trying.

For many Mexicans on the breadline, fighting is a form of survival and betterment, which holds dreams, potential rewards and great riches, but also danger, laced with sudden and unexpected tragedy.

It always angers me, when boxers from other parts of the world mockingly and dismissingly refer to an opponent saying he’s only fought Mexican road sweepers. Many times, that sort of trash talk has cost them dear. But also, it might also serve them well to remember what tremendous courage it takes for any man or woman from anywhere, to put on a pair of gloves, jam in a gum shield and then fight your heart out. Anyone who actually has, and has nodded to the ref’s instructions, but been too pent up to really listen, knows that it takes a very special and courageous sort of character, and I’m proud to know all of them from the superstars to the fighters who contest three round bouts.

Mexico City light-flyweight Edgar Sosa, 25 years old, is another hungry fighter with an iron board flat midriff, shining eyes, a huge heart and busy fists. He supports a wife and young family by selling fruit juices. He trains in a park in the south of Mexico City, which is skirted by two major highways. This has been his routine and preparation for the last eight years.

In spite of these modest training facilities, which involves assembling and then taking apart a ring, heavy bags and other apparatus, Edgar has already made something of himself. He won nineteen of his twenty amateur fights, and in his five-year career as a pro, his record is a modest 21-5 with 13 wins by knockout. This has propelled him to being ranked eight in his weight category by the WBC. His heroes are Julio Cesar Chavez, and particularly Ricardo "Finito" Lopez, who’s fought at strawweight and light-flyweight, winning world titles in both categories.

Edgar recognizes the hunger that all the up and coming fighters have to be world champion and the sacrifices it takes. He said: " I possess the hunger and ambition to succeed. I’m prepared to do what it takes, and then some, to be the champion of the world in this category or one division lighter as a strawweight. I’ll take whatever opportunity I can get, and reaching my goal is only half the story because once you’ve climbed the mountain and become champion, it’s a challenge to retain it. I’ve always got to work harder, and I’m always learning. It takes ambition, courage, preparation, skill and opportunity."

Bigger and heavier Jhonny Gonzalez who’s ranked fourth in the Bantamweight category, by the WBC regularly spars with Edgar. He says:

"Edgar needs to continue being successful by racking up even more wins to be in the limelight. I’ve got a lot of faith that during this year he’ll become world champion. Believe me, Edgar throws a wicked left hook to the liver and chin. He can really fight. There have been discussions about him fighting Puerto Rico’s Ivan Calderon for the WBO’s strawweight title. There are a lot of possibilities for Edgar because he has the classical technical ability and heart, like Miguel Canto."