Comments Thread For: Mexico and Puerto Rico: The friendliest of vicious rivalries

[BlackRobb]

I’ll always remember Zamora’s dad trying to fight Cuyo Hernandez ! He was a boxing Dad ahead of his time!

L.A. was a hot fight town in the 70s & 80s.

[Tomasio]

This more of a Mexican vs a "Brooklynite" of Puerto Rican descent. Berlanga is from the u.s.(Born, raised & developed in New York) descendant of Puerto Ricans.
Who ever wrote the article did not mention the fight that started the "Rivalry" between Mexico and Puerto Rico. And that was the fight Between Mexico's undefeated Batam World Champion Carlos Zarate who was 52-0-51KO's against Puerto Rico's undefeated SuperBatam World Champion Wilfredo Gomez who was 21-0-1-21KO's. Both were Knockout Artist & the fight ended in the 5th with Gomez winning by TKO.

[LarryMerchant'sBottle]

Writer tried but got it wrong. Gomez Zarate started it.Gomez became known as El Villano,The Villian .Mexicans were perceived as whiners for complaining about Zarate’s loss.When Sanchez stopped Gomez Salvador complained “I just wanted to keep hitting him “

Thanks for the insight....

[TintaBoricua]

Fans forget that Carlos Zarate was a 3:1 favorite over Wilfredo Gomez when they fought in Puerto Rico in October 1978, and Zarate was moving up from 118. For my money, Salvador Sanchez over Wilfredo Gomez was the most meaningful of this rivalry between the two countries.

It probably was. I wasn’t around back then but from what I’ve read (by authors such as Tom Hauser or even Wilfredo Gomez’s autobiography), seen in old snippets/features/footage, and heard about in interviews/podcasts dedicated to old timey fights (can’t believe the 80’s are nearing 50 years ago)…Gomez was THE guy at junior featherweight.

A boxer-puncher who preferred the latter, sometimes to his detriment as we’d see in his later years.

Only three losses, all of which he always always always went out on his shield and NEVER punked out or tried to get “the moral victory”. Gomez had as much heart as you could’ve asked for and was a huge puncher to boot.

Don’t know if anybody ever saw the documentary they made about him 20 years ago or so where Don King basically sprung the surprise news to Gomez that he’d be heading into a fight with Sanchez while he was on a cruise ship off and celebrating. Gomez tended to blow up in between fights, and was partying a little too much a la Durán. I’m too lazy to go find the book (can’t remember where I left it), but it mentions Don just told him at the last minute he was going to fight Sanchez and for such a big important fight he had little time to cut weight and prepare adequately.

I personally think Gomez would’ve lost anyway even if he had time to prepare because Gomez for all his strengths he got hit a little too much even in his prime and it actually helped Gomez a little bit that he didn’t have to cut down to 122 but rather only to 126 for that fight at the last minute. Not that his stamina wasn’t great, but Sanchez was a workhorse AND the natural 126 pounder (and he was called in some circles “Sr. Pulmones” (Mr. Lungs…for his infinite reservoir of stamina).

I think Gomez would’ve been an absolute sensation if he had been around for this era where they make 12 minute promotional features, 24/7’s and these countdown shows. But Sanchez just had a lot of people’s numbers…even if I always thought he looked like a shredded version of Screech from Saved by the Bell.

[CubanGuyNYC]

It’s usually the Mexicans that come out on top in big showdowns and in the clutch.

I can only think of a handful of fights where a Puerto Rican took out a Mexican’s ‘0’ in big showdowns, while I can think of SEVERAL of the opposite.

Off the top of my head:

Sal Sanchez hands Gomez his first loss
Margarito hands Cotto and Kermit Cintron his first loss
Jorge Arce hands Vasquez, Jr. his first loss
Salido hands Juanma Lopez his first loss
Giovanni Segura hands Calderon his first loss
Jose Luis Ramirez hands Edwin Rosario his first loss
Andrew Cancio hands Alberto Machado his first loss
And I can’t remember who it was exactly but convicted murderer Felix Verdejo also took his first loss from a Mexican

On the flip side:

Tito Trinidad handed De La Hoya, Yory Boy Campas and Fernando Vargas their first losses.
Wilfredo Gomez handed Carlos Zárate his first loss

My brain is fried.

There’s plenty more if I hit google but these were the first ones that came to mind on both sides.

I don’t know where the rivalry stands now; but a few years ago, someone posted a very detailed list of fights. Although I don’t recall who came out on top, the outcomes were surprisingly close. But PR has really dropped off, while Mexico continues to produce champions. A moot point in this bout. Berlanga doesn’t represent the island, as we all know.

[TintaBoricua]

I expect Puerto Ricans to adopt him if he were to beat Canelo. Hypocritically, I might add. Especially when no ONE is expecting him to win. I can’t think of a single commentator/trainer/boxer picking Berlanga to win outside of his family/team.

This isn’t the same as Cotto when he fought Mayweather. Most, if not all, Puerto Ricans thought he would lose but either way they appreciated and supported Cotto to win. He wasn’t as beloved as Tito Trinidad, but he was heralded nonetheless, though many dropped off after the Pacquiao loss.

Berlanga…the whole tough guy, gangster wannabe demeanor is so synthetic. It just comes off as inauthentic.

If Berlanga wins, I’m gonna’ have to see an avalanche of posts from people on Facebook saying, “Berlanga won! Yo, I been with him since day one! I always knew he could do it!”

It would without a doubt be the biggest victory PR ever scored over a Mexican……….I just don’t want Berlanga to be that guy. Let it be someone classier, please for the love of God.

[TintaBoricua]

Maybe not, Smersh, but PR might easily forget it.

I wish this fight didn’t count. Highest profile PR/Mexico mismatch bout of all time.

Camacho/Chavez(?)
Camacho/Rosario (?)

Maybe these two were big mismatches WHILE THEY TOOK PLACE, but I don’t know what the perception was BEFORE the fight as it was announced/promoted.

The two mentioned fights were absolute top to bottom BEATDOWNS.

[Left Hook Louie]

I wish this fight didn’t count. Highest profile PR/Mexico mismatch bout of all time.

PR gets a mulligan on this one, no worries. PR didn't select or elect this guy to represent the island.
Just because Canelo - who is pulling all the promotional strings - decides to play up that angle doesn't make it a legit PR/Mexico rivalry fight.
And every real boxing fan knows it.
Nevertheless and FWIW, I would like to see Berlanga somehow get a lucky punch in and score a huge and shocking upset.

[TintaBoricua]

PR gets a mulligan on this one, no worries. PR didn't select or elect this guy to represent the island.
Just because Canelo - who is pulling all the promotional strings - decides to play up that angle doesn't make it a legit PR/Mexico rivalry fight.
And every real boxing fan knows it.
Nevertheless and FWIW, I would like to see Berlanga somehow get a lucky punch in and score a huge and shocking upset.

I’d be lying if I said I wouldn’t at least bare minimum look up everyone’s take/reaction on the upset.

ESPN/Mario Lopez/Dan Rafael/Mannix/Mora/Fat Joe/PR press/Mexican press/Julio Cesar Chavez…

lol

This fight is a circus.

[Willow The Wisp]

Pundits (and some fans) put way too much weight on Zarate's win over Alfonzo Zamora at the L.A. Forum.

Let's talk about that a little....