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Mexico is one of the few countries left in the world that still gives a ***** about boxing and their support helps keep the game alive. They have produced some truely great fighters over the years and here is an attempt at a list of the best of them, no Mexican-Americans or active fighters will be included
1. Juilio Cesar Chavez
Forget the multiple titles in multiple weight classes, forget the monsterous win streak, forget the win over Taylor in the fight of the 1990's if u think its tainted and u will and should still come to the conclusion that Chavez is the greatest Mexican fighter to have ever laced up the gloves. All u need is to have watched the man fight.
This is a man who beat the hell out of Roger Mayweather, has wins over Lockridge and LaPorte, obliterated Rosario in clinical fashion - a man who himself was one of the great punchers of his generation but a man who's sledgehammer rights Chavez merely grinned at and walked through. Taylor's eye socket didnt break its self, Camacho wasnt running from the ref while losing every round and Haugen wasnt tripping over any Tijuana taxi drivers. There are many other good fighters in there too that Chavez just ran over in his usual way - Applying consistant suffocating pressure and breaking his man down withvicious hooks to the body and hard right hands.
Chavez is the standard all good and great Mexican fighters are measured against and so he should be.
2. Ruben Olivares
When guys talk about great old Mexican fighters with killer left hooks to the liver, they are talking about Olivares. When they talk of one of the top 3 ATG Bantamweights regardless of nationality, they are talking about Olivares. Not a half bad FW either i might add. He KO'd 23 guys straight right outta the box and by the time he got his title shot at Rose who he stopped in 5 he was 51-0-1 (49). He went undefeated in his first 60 fights winning 55 by KO! There wasnt a harder puncher at 118 lbs. When u think sterotypical Mexican fighter - u think Rockabye Rubin!
3. Miguel Canto
The opposite of the man above and totally against the stereotype of mexican fighters. Canto is basically the Mexican Willy Pep - a bit less pop and a tad less genius but u get the reference and not quite being as good as Willo the Wisp is hardly a crime now is it! He had no punch to speak of but when ur as well conditioned, fast and defenceivly gifted as Canto u dont need a big punch. His 14 title defences (a fly weight record i believe) were fout all in four short years and all over the world, Japan, Chilie, Venezuela, that he went around the world with no punch and returned with his title speaks volumes. U cant beat what u cant hit and there have been few fighter mexican or otherwise as hard to tag as Canto.
4. Salvador Sanchez
Dead at 23, cut short in his prime before he could get bored or lazy, before his personal life or crooked managers got in the way, before his skills started to diminish or scar tissue became a problem. For that reason we always say what if and what could have been when we talk about Sanchez, and for good reason but in truth he did more than enough to qualify as a great by the age he left us - 23. The man shutdown Danny Lopez who hit like a Mule twice and did it with class, completed 9 succesfull title defences in only two years and had wins over LaPorte and a young Azumah Nelson. Not to mention his defining fight and win over Peurto Rican great Wilfredo Gomez - the finest junior feather of all time. Gomez hit the deck in round one and it was over in the eighth, his cheekbone fractured and his eyes beaten into slits. Sanchez beat him like he was his daddy.
Saldovar Sanchez dont need to be glorified for what he might have been - what he was was enough.
5. Carlos Zarate
Zarate Went 45-0 with 44 KO's beating some solid guys on the way to that but the way he did it - he didnt just beat them or stop them, he ran them over, crushed them! He made 9 defences of his 118lb crown stopping some of the best fighters around at the time, some early and some late, the later it went the worse it was for those poor souls. He tangled with the rock fisted Alfonzo Zamaora in one of the biggest fights the division has ever known, stopping him in four and removing any doubt that might have existed about his supremecy
Thats enough for now, i'll post the next 5 tommorow, might even do another 15 so give me a chance before u start tearing it apart
Ok felllas here is part two of the list, far harder to put together btw, had a tough time spliting some of these guys. And remember No active fighters ie - Barrera, Marquez, Morales ect or USA-MEX fighters ie Oscar, Vargas ect and no transplants like Napoles either. So here goes
6. Vincente Saldivar
Saldivar had immense conditioning, Brute strength and could adapt well. He retired (1st time) with only one defeat on his record - a DQ which he avenged by KO within the year. He made seven title defences of the title he won by destroying Sugar Ramos, including three defences against his great rival Howard Winstone of which he won all three. Vincente packed an iron jaw and had a great engine that allowed him to swarm his opponents non stop from his southpaw stance and bang away, he could of course box too tho.
He retired at the tender old age of 24 but returned after two years of retirement and won the WBC title from Johnny Famechon after only one tune up against former champion Jose Legra. He only lost (other than the avenged DQ) to Shibata Kuniaki and one Eder Jofre.
7. Ricardo Lopez
Finito went 52 fights Undefeated (51-0-1) and held his championship for 11 years straight. Impressive stuff and he'd be higher if his competition was stronger. Lopez was brilliant over a long period of time, never flashy but consistantly effective. He had heavy handsand a wealth of mental strength, Ricardo won his fights mainly through impeccable ring mechanics. He never came close to losing until he met Rosendo Alvarez in his 48th fight - a technical draw. That he came right back and beat Alvarez next time out shows you he wasnt running from challenges.
8. Humberto Chiquita Gonzalez
Best known for his blockbusters with Micheal Carbajal of which he went 2-1 over his counterpart but he did more than complete a three fight series.
He went 30-0 before he was stopped by Rolando Pascua in his second defence of his WBC crown. Two fights later he beat Melchor Cob Castro who had stopped Pascua to claim the title. Gonzalez ran off four quick defences before he first tangled with his great rival Carbajal. Their bout won Ring Magazines 1993 fight of the year with Carbajal scoring a big KO but not before he had tasted the canvas twice himself in the first and then the fifth. In their rematches Chiquita elected to box more than trade with his big punching rival, showing versatility changing from his natural hard hitting style which suited his short frame, and to great success as he won the next two bouts. Gonzalez was much more than Carbajal's dance partner tho and scored wins over some of the best fighters around at his time
9. Pipino Cuevas
Its quite easy to imagine if Tommy Hearns hadnt streched him Pipino could have reigned for a decade or more thats how good he was as champion. But the WW division of the 70's was stacked so who knows. What i do know is that Cuevas, from the time he Butchered Angel Espada for his WBA title until his last defence was the most feared puncher in the game and that includes bombers such as Zarate Duran and Gomez, This kid had a wrecking ball of a left hook, an absaloute cannon! He was a monster. During his reign anyway. His hook not only dropped guys it Smashed them to the floor! It cut them it broke bones. He broke Billy Backus' face in two brutal rounds defending his belt for example. By the time Hearns got to him he had made 12 title defences winning 11 by KO and against solid opponents too. Cuevas could take u out early but his power carried late too as demonstrated in his 12th and 10th round KO's over Espada. Your chances of winning didnt improve if you could take him deep - your chances of taking a beating did. Its a shame he never fought Palomino as if he'd have won that one he may have placed higher. He was a bit crude, slow and even clumsy but when he let that cannon go it made up for that
10. Baby Arizmendi
This is a man who holds two wins over one Henry Armstrong, that should count for a heck of alot all on its own. Sure Homicide Hank beat him three times in return but hey its Henry Armstrong.
He also split a pair of fights with Freddie Miller one of the great featherweights of the era, holds two wins over Chalky Wright, went 2-1 with Newsboy Brown and has a draw with Sammy Angott. He fought all the top guys, Tony Canzoneri, Lou Ambers who he managed to secure a draw against in one of their encounters and he beat Fidel LaBarba one of the great fighters of the era too. Baby wasnt much of a puncher with only 12 of his 70 wins resulting in stoppages but that shows how talented he was, he got by on smarts, outworking a guy and outfighting him too. He didnt pocket a bunch of defences of a splintered title or amass a long unbeaten streak, he did what they did in those days: He fought alot, he fought well over a long period and he fought everybody there was to fight.
Ok gents thats my top 10 mexican fighters now savage me u critical animals! lol
Honerable mentions to a few who missed out Carlos Palomino, Kid Azteca, Lupe Pintor, Daniel Zaragoza and Jose Becerra
For the record these arent my favourites if that was the case Sanchez would be numero uno - Until Marquez and Morale retire anyways
1. Juilio Cesar Chavez
Forget the multiple titles in multiple weight classes, forget the monsterous win streak, forget the win over Taylor in the fight of the 1990's if u think its tainted and u will and should still come to the conclusion that Chavez is the greatest Mexican fighter to have ever laced up the gloves. All u need is to have watched the man fight.
This is a man who beat the hell out of Roger Mayweather, has wins over Lockridge and LaPorte, obliterated Rosario in clinical fashion - a man who himself was one of the great punchers of his generation but a man who's sledgehammer rights Chavez merely grinned at and walked through. Taylor's eye socket didnt break its self, Camacho wasnt running from the ref while losing every round and Haugen wasnt tripping over any Tijuana taxi drivers. There are many other good fighters in there too that Chavez just ran over in his usual way - Applying consistant suffocating pressure and breaking his man down withvicious hooks to the body and hard right hands.
Chavez is the standard all good and great Mexican fighters are measured against and so he should be.
2. Ruben Olivares
When guys talk about great old Mexican fighters with killer left hooks to the liver, they are talking about Olivares. When they talk of one of the top 3 ATG Bantamweights regardless of nationality, they are talking about Olivares. Not a half bad FW either i might add. He KO'd 23 guys straight right outta the box and by the time he got his title shot at Rose who he stopped in 5 he was 51-0-1 (49). He went undefeated in his first 60 fights winning 55 by KO! There wasnt a harder puncher at 118 lbs. When u think sterotypical Mexican fighter - u think Rockabye Rubin!
3. Miguel Canto
The opposite of the man above and totally against the stereotype of mexican fighters. Canto is basically the Mexican Willy Pep - a bit less pop and a tad less genius but u get the reference and not quite being as good as Willo the Wisp is hardly a crime now is it! He had no punch to speak of but when ur as well conditioned, fast and defenceivly gifted as Canto u dont need a big punch. His 14 title defences (a fly weight record i believe) were fout all in four short years and all over the world, Japan, Chilie, Venezuela, that he went around the world with no punch and returned with his title speaks volumes. U cant beat what u cant hit and there have been few fighter mexican or otherwise as hard to tag as Canto.
4. Salvador Sanchez
Dead at 23, cut short in his prime before he could get bored or lazy, before his personal life or crooked managers got in the way, before his skills started to diminish or scar tissue became a problem. For that reason we always say what if and what could have been when we talk about Sanchez, and for good reason but in truth he did more than enough to qualify as a great by the age he left us - 23. The man shutdown Danny Lopez who hit like a Mule twice and did it with class, completed 9 succesfull title defences in only two years and had wins over LaPorte and a young Azumah Nelson. Not to mention his defining fight and win over Peurto Rican great Wilfredo Gomez - the finest junior feather of all time. Gomez hit the deck in round one and it was over in the eighth, his cheekbone fractured and his eyes beaten into slits. Sanchez beat him like he was his daddy.
Saldovar Sanchez dont need to be glorified for what he might have been - what he was was enough.
5. Carlos Zarate
Zarate Went 45-0 with 44 KO's beating some solid guys on the way to that but the way he did it - he didnt just beat them or stop them, he ran them over, crushed them! He made 9 defences of his 118lb crown stopping some of the best fighters around at the time, some early and some late, the later it went the worse it was for those poor souls. He tangled with the rock fisted Alfonzo Zamaora in one of the biggest fights the division has ever known, stopping him in four and removing any doubt that might have existed about his supremecy
Thats enough for now, i'll post the next 5 tommorow, might even do another 15 so give me a chance before u start tearing it apart
Ok felllas here is part two of the list, far harder to put together btw, had a tough time spliting some of these guys. And remember No active fighters ie - Barrera, Marquez, Morales ect or USA-MEX fighters ie Oscar, Vargas ect and no transplants like Napoles either. So here goes
6. Vincente Saldivar
Saldivar had immense conditioning, Brute strength and could adapt well. He retired (1st time) with only one defeat on his record - a DQ which he avenged by KO within the year. He made seven title defences of the title he won by destroying Sugar Ramos, including three defences against his great rival Howard Winstone of which he won all three. Vincente packed an iron jaw and had a great engine that allowed him to swarm his opponents non stop from his southpaw stance and bang away, he could of course box too tho.
He retired at the tender old age of 24 but returned after two years of retirement and won the WBC title from Johnny Famechon after only one tune up against former champion Jose Legra. He only lost (other than the avenged DQ) to Shibata Kuniaki and one Eder Jofre.
7. Ricardo Lopez
Finito went 52 fights Undefeated (51-0-1) and held his championship for 11 years straight. Impressive stuff and he'd be higher if his competition was stronger. Lopez was brilliant over a long period of time, never flashy but consistantly effective. He had heavy handsand a wealth of mental strength, Ricardo won his fights mainly through impeccable ring mechanics. He never came close to losing until he met Rosendo Alvarez in his 48th fight - a technical draw. That he came right back and beat Alvarez next time out shows you he wasnt running from challenges.
8. Humberto Chiquita Gonzalez
Best known for his blockbusters with Micheal Carbajal of which he went 2-1 over his counterpart but he did more than complete a three fight series.
He went 30-0 before he was stopped by Rolando Pascua in his second defence of his WBC crown. Two fights later he beat Melchor Cob Castro who had stopped Pascua to claim the title. Gonzalez ran off four quick defences before he first tangled with his great rival Carbajal. Their bout won Ring Magazines 1993 fight of the year with Carbajal scoring a big KO but not before he had tasted the canvas twice himself in the first and then the fifth. In their rematches Chiquita elected to box more than trade with his big punching rival, showing versatility changing from his natural hard hitting style which suited his short frame, and to great success as he won the next two bouts. Gonzalez was much more than Carbajal's dance partner tho and scored wins over some of the best fighters around at his time
9. Pipino Cuevas
Its quite easy to imagine if Tommy Hearns hadnt streched him Pipino could have reigned for a decade or more thats how good he was as champion. But the WW division of the 70's was stacked so who knows. What i do know is that Cuevas, from the time he Butchered Angel Espada for his WBA title until his last defence was the most feared puncher in the game and that includes bombers such as Zarate Duran and Gomez, This kid had a wrecking ball of a left hook, an absaloute cannon! He was a monster. During his reign anyway. His hook not only dropped guys it Smashed them to the floor! It cut them it broke bones. He broke Billy Backus' face in two brutal rounds defending his belt for example. By the time Hearns got to him he had made 12 title defences winning 11 by KO and against solid opponents too. Cuevas could take u out early but his power carried late too as demonstrated in his 12th and 10th round KO's over Espada. Your chances of winning didnt improve if you could take him deep - your chances of taking a beating did. Its a shame he never fought Palomino as if he'd have won that one he may have placed higher. He was a bit crude, slow and even clumsy but when he let that cannon go it made up for that
10. Baby Arizmendi
This is a man who holds two wins over one Henry Armstrong, that should count for a heck of alot all on its own. Sure Homicide Hank beat him three times in return but hey its Henry Armstrong.
He also split a pair of fights with Freddie Miller one of the great featherweights of the era, holds two wins over Chalky Wright, went 2-1 with Newsboy Brown and has a draw with Sammy Angott. He fought all the top guys, Tony Canzoneri, Lou Ambers who he managed to secure a draw against in one of their encounters and he beat Fidel LaBarba one of the great fighters of the era too. Baby wasnt much of a puncher with only 12 of his 70 wins resulting in stoppages but that shows how talented he was, he got by on smarts, outworking a guy and outfighting him too. He didnt pocket a bunch of defences of a splintered title or amass a long unbeaten streak, he did what they did in those days: He fought alot, he fought well over a long period and he fought everybody there was to fight.
Ok gents thats my top 10 mexican fighters now savage me u critical animals! lol
Honerable mentions to a few who missed out Carlos Palomino, Kid Azteca, Lupe Pintor, Daniel Zaragoza and Jose Becerra
For the record these arent my favourites if that was the case Sanchez would be numero uno - Until Marquez and Morale retire anyways
I am disappoint Surgeon.
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