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by Tim Starks
The (unfortunately) unretiring Mexican great Erik Morales had a good point last week: The ranks of Mexican boxing heroes is a little thin. Just as welterweight (147 lbs.) Antonio Margarito had taken the throne with his ultra-macho style, he got busted cheating last month and then knocked out. The Marquez brothers are kind of the last men standing, and neither of them have incited the kind of passion Morales once did and are aging a tad; likewise, Israel Vazquez (122 lbs.) may be forced into retirement by injury. I think if Mexican fans can embrace Mexican-American who fight in a slightly more technical style, Diaz and junior welterweight (147 lbs.) Victor Ortiz could eventually step into the role, and all-Mexican junior middleweight (154 lbs.) Alfredo Angulo has all the qualities Mexican fans love. But just last year, before I got excessively busy in the day job, I was going to write a piece about the way Latin American fighters and European fighters had taken over the ranks of best boxers in the world from African-American fighters. Now, look at the ranks of best boxers in the world and there are a lot fewer Mexicans than there were just in 2008. Given the degree to which Mexican fans have propped up the sport for years, it would be wonderful to see someone captivate them...
The (unfortunately) unretiring Mexican great Erik Morales had a good point last week: The ranks of Mexican boxing heroes is a little thin. Just as welterweight (147 lbs.) Antonio Margarito had taken the throne with his ultra-macho style, he got busted cheating last month and then knocked out. The Marquez brothers are kind of the last men standing, and neither of them have incited the kind of passion Morales once did and are aging a tad; likewise, Israel Vazquez (122 lbs.) may be forced into retirement by injury. I think if Mexican fans can embrace Mexican-American who fight in a slightly more technical style, Diaz and junior welterweight (147 lbs.) Victor Ortiz could eventually step into the role, and all-Mexican junior middleweight (154 lbs.) Alfredo Angulo has all the qualities Mexican fans love. But just last year, before I got excessively busy in the day job, I was going to write a piece about the way Latin American fighters and European fighters had taken over the ranks of best boxers in the world from African-American fighters. Now, look at the ranks of best boxers in the world and there are a lot fewer Mexicans than there were just in 2008. Given the degree to which Mexican fans have propped up the sport for years, it would be wonderful to see someone captivate them...
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