POUND FOR POUND THE BEST IN BOXING

NOTES & GREATEST PUERTO RICAN FIGHTERS EVER!

IT WAS A PUERTO RICAN WEEKEND New York, NY- After a weekend where Puerto Rico got a lot of recognition in N.Y, first let me congratulate Joe Cortez, a famous Puerto Rican referee who we all know him by his well-known phrase, “I’m Fair, But I’m Firm” for being inducted to the Hall of Fame that that also they gave fellow Hall of Famer Wilfred Benitez some well deserved recognition. Team P.R. fought Friday and Saturday in NYC’s Roseland Ballroom and finishing with the Puerto Rican day Parade.

TEDDY ATLAS ON PUERTO RICAN GREATS
On Friday night, ESPN 2′S Teddy Atlas offered his opinion on the five best five fighters from the island country, which in my opinion was almost perfect as he mentioned Pedro Montanez, AKA “The Champion Without A Belt.” I’ll talk more about him later. Here is Teddy’s list beginning with Carlos Ortiz Pedro Montanez, Wilfredo Gomez, Wilfred Benitez, and Felix Trinidad. Also on Showtime two months ago when Juan Manuel Lopez lost his belt against Orlando Salido they also did a poll which in my opinion was way off in Felix Trinidad, Miguel Cotto, Wilfredo Gomez, Wilfred Benitez, and Carlos Ortiz. All were great but in the wrong order so here is my top-ten list that included one tie.

LARRY MERCHANT CALLED P.R “THE CAPITAL OF BOXING”

1] Wilfredo ”Bazooka” Gomez (44-3-1, 42 KOs) Born in Las Monjas San Juan P.R (he is the island’s second three-time world champion at 122, 126, & 130 lbs., held the super bantamweight (122) title for six years and defended it 17 times, all by knockout which is still (and probably will always be) a record in that weight class. Fatter than two super bantamweights today, Wilfredo is still oved by and idolized by many. When he fought you knew there was going to be action. Biggest moment I thought was his KO 5 of then unbeaten bantamweight (118) champ Carlos Zarate (66-4, 63 KOs), Worst moment was the beating he took from Salvador Sanchez (44-1-1, 32KOs).

2] Carlos Ortiz. Born in Ponce, he went (61-7-1, 30 KOs) in a career that spanned from from 1955-1972. Ortiz was the second island champion in 30 years, the first being Sixto Escobar. He also became the first from P.R to win three titles. He fought all-time greats like Joe Brown (116-47-13, 53 KOs), Ismael Laguna (65-9-1, 37KOs), and Filipino legend Gabriel “Flash” Elorde (89-27-2, 33 KOs).

3] Wilfred “The Radar” Benitez. Born in New York, Wilfred was 53-8-1, 31 KOs). He holds the record for the youngest champion ever at the age of 17, the first three division world title (140, 147, 154) winner, and he accomplished this all by the age of 22. But in the process of making records, today he mentally ill, another of boxing sad stories. Biggest moment winning title at 17 by UD 15 over Antonio “Kid Pambele” Cervantes (91-12-3, 45 KOs). Worst moment was not training (two weeks?) to fight and lose TKO 15 to “Sugar Ray Leonard” (36-3-1, 25 KOs).

4] Felix ‘Tito’ Trinidad was born in Toa Alta (44-3-1, 42 KOs) Champion at 147, 154, & 160. my problem with Tito never got his “groove” back after losing to Bernard Hopkins. After doing some comparing I used to be one who thought Tito should be higher on the list, but he would have had problems with defensive wizard Benitez at 147 or 154.
Gomez and Ortiz after their first loses they got back on top and for me that say a lot of the champion. Biggest Moment 12UD over The Golden Boy Oscar De La Hoya (39-6, 30 KOs), Worst Moment getting shutout and then stopped by Bernard Hopkins (52-5-2, 32 KOs)

5] Pedro “The Little Bull Of Cayey” Montanez, (91-8-4, 50KOs) Born in Cayey P.R idied April 1914 and passed in June 1996. Is considered by Ring Magazine as one of history most prolific KO winners, also was featured on a Ring cover in 1937, this in addition to winning 88 fights in a row. Fought for the title three times, twice against Henry Armstrong (149-21-10, 101 KOs) and 1 with Lou Ambers (91-8-7, 28KOs). Much loved here there is a Pedro Montanez Stadium in his hometown.

ON TUESDAY, THE SECOND HALF OF MY TOP TEN!

Manny Caballero

COMMENTS

1. You value what Teddy Atlas says? This guy is a loser! he is a LEGEND in his own MIND. He can’t even pick a winner correctly everytime he annotate fights.
     Benny on June 13th, 2011 at 12:54 AM
2. Good stuff Manny; glad to see you have my all-time favorite ‘El Radar’ Benitez at number three. Looking forward to seeing who rounds out your top ten before making any final comments. Thanks for acknowledging the great champions that have been produced by the tiny, but beautiful island of Puerto Rico.
     Sammy Perez on June 13th, 2011 at 9:03 AM
3. Just because you can’t pick the winner every time doesn’t mean you know nothing about boxing. Teddy Atlas has already forgotten more about the sweet science than you will ever know in your whole life.
   boricua on June 15th, 2011 at 8:

PAPER CHAMP

“RING TALK” AIRS 2 DIFFERENT SHOWS SAT @ 11 AM PT & THURSDAY @ 6 PM PT Click & listen to Redd Foxx and final words of Genaro Hernand                            CLICK ON TOP TO LISTEN TO RADIO SHOW

GUYS LIKE CHAVEZ JR. MAKE BOXING A CIRCUS

June 8th, 2011 By Manny Caballero

Julio Cesar "Paper Champ" Chavez Jr.

CHAVEZ JR. IS A BOXING CLOWN! Cayunas, PR- As boxing keeps turning more into a show rather than a athletic competition, with it comes the birth of more paper champions. I agree with what Max Kellerman, HBO’s boxing analyst said about Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. (43-0-1 ,32 KOs) not being the true 160 lb. champion, something his cohort Roy Jones Jr., who just a week ago almost got beheaded in a fight in Russia and might be still disorientated, disagreed.
TITLES NO LONGER WON BY ABILITY ALONE
An old school boxing aficionado like me can see they are given these belts away instead of having won them. Growing up in a boxing gym, I seen and experienced the sacrifices some boxers have gone through to become champions. Thus, it hurts to see what they are doing to the sport in the 21st century. Nowadays, if you’ve got good looks and a famous last name, in some instances that alone can make you champion.
ARREST CHAVEZ JR. FOR BEING A “FAKE” CHAMP
They give this kid with no amateur experience and a pampered career a chance to fight for a belt with a handpicked opponent and that’s how we end up with these “fraudulent” titleholders. These guys are in my opinion an insult to a real champion, guys who had to fight everybody in their weight class to get a shot. That’s why these paper champions lose their belts when they encounter real competition.
VAZQUEZ JR, LIVED OFF PAPA’S NAME & LEGACY
That’s what happened to Wilfredo Vazquez Jr. (20-1, 17KOs) when he lost to Jorge Arce (57-6-2, 44KOs) a fortnight ago. A kid with no amateur experience fighting a battle tested ex-champion still young and savvy enough to make the fight into a brawl, some Vasquez Jr. was never prepared for.
CHAVEZ HEADED DOWN SAME ROAD
The same thing will happen to Chavez Jr. if he faces Miguel Cotto , which the Chavez Jr team said they will face if they won. Well after seeing the kid not being able to KO a guy that looked two weight classes smaller than him, the only thing that will save him that night from getting KO by Cotto is him coming to the fight weighing 180 for a 160 lb. “paper” title defense.
GAMACHE ALMOST KILLED BY 20 LB. HEAVIER GATTI
I still can recall Joey Gamache (55-4, 38 KOs) falling like he was dead after a three punch combo from the late Arturo Gatti (40-9, 39 KOs) and the talk after that fight was the about the “rigged” weigh in. Fighters re-hydrating to a 20 pound advantage after weighing in, Arturo Gatti was one of them.

The "Late" Arturo Gatti

JOEY SUED & WON BUT NEVER A NICKEL!

With the “rigged” weigh in proven to be just that after Gamache sued, Gatti never made 140 that day, the powers that be said they should bring back same day weighing. All that happened back in 2000 and then HBO started to show night of the fight weights. Even with the illustrated unfairness, the talk about bringing back same day weigh ins died.
IN THE PAST, NO AMATEUR EXPERIENCE WAS RARE
Back in the day, it was unheard of for a boxer turn pro with no amateur experience. Well today it’s not, we are starting to see more and more guys turn to boxing at a older age, no amateur experience, some crossing over from another sport. Michael Grant (47-4, 35KOs) was one of those guy’s and when he faced real competition in champion Lennox Lewis (41-2-1, 32KOs) he was expose. In closing, I believe the old way to make a champion was the right way.
Manny Caballero

COMMENTS

1. Sebastian Zbik $292,500 vs. Julio César Chávez, Jr. $600,000 per wiki, he making that kind of money because of his name…
     Ron on June 8th, 2011 at 8:54 PM
2. Yeah, the challenger (Chavez Jr.) got paid double what the champ (Zbik) did. That also used to be rare in boxing.
   Joe on June 8th, 2011 at 11:17 PM
3. More than double and he was outweighed by 15 or more pounds. Boxing has become a circus!
   Pedro Fernandez on June 8th, 2011 at 11:21 PM
4. Sad but true.
     jayson on June 8th, 2011 at 11:34 PM
5. you’re right manny about this clown chavez jr. i saw his fight about a year ago against some journeyman whose name i forgot, he was beaten black and blue and at the later rounds was so tired that he was always clinching just to survive…. despite of that he still won…. if that fight wasn’t fixed, duh!
     coram52 on June 9th, 2011 at 12:21 AM
6. If and when Chavez fights Cotto…Cotto will totally destroy him !
     Juan Vazquez on June 9th, 2011 at 3:21 AM
7. Chavez got paid double because of simple economics, HE PUTS ASSES IN THE SEATS! Sure it’s because of his surname but he has a following nonetheless. People used to bitch and complain about Larry Holmes’ old fat ass being on USA Networks Tuesdaynight Fight’s too often, but the truth was that when Larry fought on the network they had very good ratings.
     David in Dunedin on June 9th, 2011 at 6:23 AM

CAN SILVERSPOON JR'S FIGHT?

To:

ringtalk@yahoo.com

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FATHER SON PARTNERSHIP GOOD OR BAD

 

Trying to follow dad’s foot step

  Orlando FL. In Jun 4, at the Staples Center in Los Angeles Julio Cesar Chavez Jr (42-0-1, 30KOs) will be tying to become a champion like his father, when he faces Sebastian Zbik (30-0, 10KOs) for Zbik 160lb belt. The sport today is full of Jr trying to be like daddy. Another JR that also will be trying to become champion  fighting this week Jun 3, will be Jose Pipino Cuevas Jr (14-6, 12KOs) when he faces  Jose “Chelo” Gonzalez (15-0, 11KOs) in P.R. Last month we saw wilfredo Vazquez Jr (20-1-1, 17KOs) get Mauled by Jorge Arce and lose his title on the way. A fight where Vazquez SR senior got criticizes for the way he handle corner.

 Other son’s that have tried to emulate their fathers success but came short where Roberto Duran Jr (5-, 2KOs), hector Camacho Jr (53-4-1, 28KOs), Marvis Frazier (19-2, 8KOs), James McGirt Jr (22-3-1, 11KOs) the list goes on. But we also others that became champion’s while their fathers never did, son’s  like Ray Mancini(29-5, 23KOs), Felix Trinidad(44-3, 35KOs), Roy Jones jr(54-8, 40KOs), Floyd Maywhether jr(41-0, 25KOs), Erik Morales(51-7, 35KOs),  Fernando Montiel(44-3-2, 34KOs), Joe Calzaghe(46-0, 32KOs) etc

                          MAHUMAD ALI AND LEILA ALI

. The first doe to become champion where Gutty Espada(39-6-5, 28KOs) father and “blood” son Gutty Espada jr((45-8, 28KOs).The Vazquez became the first doe to be champions in same weight class 122lb and also having blood father in corner wifredo sr (56-9-2, 41KOs) . The first duo to win a title while father was working corner was Floyd Patterson (55-8-1, 40KOs) when his adoptive son Tracy Patterson (63-8-2, 43KOs) won Super bantamweight title.  Other was Leon Spinks (26-17-3, 14KOs) and Cory Spinks (37-6, 11KOs) Jose and Erick Morales.  There have been many of father son combination, but only a few that had the same success.

NOT HAVING HIS FATHER IN THE CORNER,  A SMART MOVE

 

Chavez Jr doesn’t have his father in the corner, which I think is a smart move. History has showed us it can be a mistake to have your father in the corner, because they start seeing the fight with father’s eyes instead of a trainer’s and mistakes are done. Some of those mistake’s are not stepping aside when they have thought their kid’s everything they can and let some one else finish what they started. In my mind if Felix dad would have aloud another trainer in their team Tito would have done better late in his career. Nonito Donaire(26-1, 18KOs) is a good example he understood that, his father didn’t they had a war about it but for what I hear they came to an understanding. Shane Mosley, Roy Jones Jr, Floyd Maywhether Jr, all made the wise choice of when to leave their father’s as trainers.

  

As boxing is becoming more of a show rather than a competition we will start to see more father son combination I guess because it good for the sport. But boxing was a sport of guts and hard work now if you got a famous last name, good looks it will carry you, and that how we get this paper champion’s that lose their belt on 1 or 2 defense of their title. In my opinion Some of these Jr where brought up with silver spoon. That’s one of the reason we haven’t had a successful father and son champion’s.

R.I.P

                 KO BY DRUGS

                NOT KINGS OUT OF THE RING

As I heard the news from Oscar de la Hoyas (39-6, 30KOs) having to go to rehab for a coke addiction, I start to think what drug have done to people who are or were important in my live .Boxer’s I admired in and out of the ring that have lost to this disease., I have seen what that junk can do to an athlete career, lives, and specially love ones. I have personally experienced it and lost my brother to it and boxers I admire as well. Wilfredo “bazooka” Gomez (44-3-1, 42KOs ,Alexis ‘El Flaco Explosivo” Arguello (77-8 62KOs), Hector ”macho” Camacho (79-6-3, 38KOs) Samuel “el Torbellino ”Serrano (50-5-1, 17KOs) Iron Mike Tyson (50-6, 44KOs), Pernell “Sweet Pea” Whitaker( 40-4-1, 17KOs), All those men were great Champion’s and loved by many, but one of there hardest battles was against drug.

WASTED TALENT

   There are two people responsible for me falling in love with boxing one of them was my brother Francisco Joel Garcia fought amateur with a record (43, 12, 15KOS) and second the first professional boxer I meet José Luis “Aguja” Alejandro. When I meet Aguja he had beating Felix Trinidad sr (8-8, 5KOs) UD 10 rounds and José Cheo Aponte was getting him ready for his next fight. On his next fight he lost to Rafael Solis (30-13-2, 20KOs) by 9TKO. Aguja I can say was the first boxer I followed threw training to the day of fight. He taught me and my brother a lot, he lived close to us on the Jose Gautier Benitez projects in Caguas P.R , we ran thousand of miles, went to the gym together but what bounded us was we had the same dream. He also helped my brother with the transition of amateur to pro. But back then we were young and we couldn’t see it yet but he too was battling that demon of addiction.

                       R.I.P FRANSISCO JOEL GARCIA

 On Jan 23, 2003 I lost my hero the person I fallow to the gym everyday wanting to be like him, a 10 year battle he had with a demon I learned to hate! After all those wars threw Caguas gyms, all the sacrifices to make his dream come true he lost his life to that sickness too. That disease not only took his live, it left 6 kids without a dad. After what he saw it do to Agujas career, after we cried together when Esteban “Vita” DE Jesus (58-5, 33KOs) was dying of Aids in P.R and Roberto Duran (103-16, 70KOs) came to visit him and hugged Esteban on his dying bed, he died 05-11 1989, and last reading about his favorite fighter dying of an over dose Edwin “Chapo” Rosario (47-6, 41KOs) on 12, 1 1997. All those men meant a lot to me and they lost there lives and dreams to drugs and alcohol. May they rest in peace.

FALLEN HEROES

                                                  THE BATTLE OF THE LITTLE GIANTS

Caguas P.R One fight that’s always on my mind is When Wifredo Bazooka Gomez44-3-1-42kos from Puerto Rico, who at  the time was the undefended super bantamweight champion  .Moved up a weight to challenge the featherweight champion the late Salvador Sanchez from Mexico 44-1-1-32kos this was a fight  fan dream of two of the best boxers in the world facing each other they called it The Battle of little Giants which was held in Caesars Palace .my mother loved Gomez she would talk of his heart how he never took a step back ,and the pride he brought to the Puertoricans .who ever saw him fight would fall in love with his style. I know I did .for most he was unbeatable

                                         GOMEZ A PUERTO RICAN HERO.

The whole family  were coming over moms to watch the fight .This was a tradition when ever there was a big fight ,the house would be full of relative and friends ,she always made sure there was enough to eat ,while uncle kept the beers cold and the bones rolling ,as I played with my cousins .Then main event starts everybody stops  talking and playing dominos, as our hero walks into the ring, Everyone was quite threw the introduction I looked at my mom andI can see she was nervous .DING the bell rings out comes Gomez and 40 second into the fight he goes down from a left hook from Sanchez ,.Everybody started saying its alright this happened  before hell get up and finish Sanchez. We were hopeing how he did when he fought for the super bantamweight title held by Dong Kyun Yum(53-5-8-21kos).he also went down in the opening second of the fight but got up and won the crown with a 12 round K.O.But tonight was different                                      

                                                              .

                                      I SAW MY MOTHER CRY FOR FIRST TIME
By the third round we could see Gomez eyes swelling up, Gomez had some moments. But by the seven round he was badly blinded but continually going forward throwing deadly combos, I could see why he was so loved and what my mom meant of his heart. Mid round 8 Sanchez land a right that send Gomez to the ropes where Sanchez doesn’t waste time and finishes the fight with the referee Carlos Padilla signals the end of the fight. I would never forget that night the screams I heard coming from houses down my block, and seeing my mother cry for the first time. It felt like if someone close to the family had died. They start blaming Don King who was Gomez promoter at the time.  Almost every body in my house was crying.  The whole island was in mourning after that defeat. Most Businesses and stores where close the day after the fight. Gomez was depress for a while he felt he let his people down. HE never got a rematch with Sanchez because in 08-12 1982 Sanchez killed himself in a car crash in Mexico City.

                                                             

                                                      MADISON SQUARE GARDEN

Sep-29-2001 was the date that they agreed to postponed the fight between Felix Tito Trinidad (45-3-35kos) vs. Bernard Hopkins (59-5-2-1-32kos) for the undisputed middleweight championship of the world. A tournament that Don king made to find out who was the best middleweight in the world since Marvin Hagler who was the last undisputed 160lb champion. Trinidad Had just beating William Joppy for the W.B.A title and now he had to face Hopkins who held the I.B.F/W.B.C title. At the time Trinidad was undefeated and just like we thought of our Gomez “unbeatable”. Trinidad thought he was going to knock out Hopkins it was going to be easy, same way Gomez was saying about Sanchez. And like Gomez, Trinidad too was a hero of an entire island. When the bell rang in Madison Square Garden, We could see right from beginning it was going to be a long night as Hopkins constantly moved around the ring and outbox Tito .Trinidad had a good six round and the 10 round was consider one of the years best,but it wasn't enough. The Executioner In my opinion fought the best bout of his live. By the twelve the fight was threw when Felix Trinidad Sr went to pick Tito up and referee Steve Smogers stops fight. DEJAVU I felt the same way when Gomez lost as tears came down my face, my relatives were depressed, An island again mourned. Those two loses ill remember for the rest of my live history due repeats itself