Once we examine and rank boxers of the previous, one thing all critical combat followers like to do, one of many key standards is longevity. This has much less to do with the span of time between a pugilist’s first contest and their final, and extra with how lengthy they have been in a position to compete on the elite degree. Historical past’s best boxers have prolonged primes and defeated prime contenders and champions properly into the second decade of their careers. And a few, akin to Sam Langford, Sugar Ray Robinson, George Foreman, Bernard Hopkins and Archie Moore, astonished everybody with their means to disregard the calendar and hold scoring massive wins greater than twenty years after their professional careers started.
However then there are the champions who seem to have all of the pure expertise and talent however, for no matter purpose, simply can’t final. When Edwin Rosario emerged within the early 80’s, many have been impressed with the younger Puerto Rican’s mix of clean boxing abilities and devastating energy. Having turned professional days earlier than he turned sixteen, “Chapo” was a prime contender within the light-weight division earlier than he was twenty, with the poise and preventing instincts of somebody a lot older. All agreed he was a sure-fire future world champ and there was discuss of matching him with light-weight king Alexis Arguello, however then the Nicaraguan legend moved as much as 140 to problem Aaron Pryor. So as an alternative Rosario took on Jose Luis Ramirez for the vacant WBC title.
And already one might see the cracks in Rosario’s sport. Ramirez was one robust Mexican warrior and he subjected the youthful fighter to stress and ache the likes of which Edwin had by no means encountered earlier than. Whereas he out-boxed Ramirez within the first half of the match, he discovered himself preventing for his life within the late phases and gained the title by the narrowest of margins on the scorecards. Additional slippage in Rosario’s approach was evident only a yr later when he barely outpointed Howard Davis Jr., and 6 months after that he suffered defeat for the primary time when he was stopped in a brief however very violent battle with Ramirez that was 1984’s Struggle Of The 12 months.
“Chapo” rebounded in 1985 with 4 wins, together with a call over Frankie Randall, and was rewarded with a title shot in opposition to Hector “Macho” Camacho. In an thrilling and considerably controversial battle at Madison Sq. Backyard, Rosario virtually handed Camacho his first loss, rocking him repeatedly earlier than dropping an in depth determination to his fellow Puerto Rican. Curiously, the 2 have been separated by lower than a yr in age, however Camacho was considered because the younger star with huge potential whereas Rosario already had the air of a battle-worn veteran. However Edwin was nonetheless harmful and three months later the WBA light-weight champion, Livingston Bramble, realized that the exhausting method when he did not respect Rosario’s energy and was knocked out within the second spherical.
The roller-coaster trip that was the profession of Edwin Rosario continued as he twice efficiently defended his new title earlier than Julio Cesar Chavez handed him a one-sided battering that was extended, vicious and painful. Chavez was transferring up in weight to problem Rosario however it was the Mexican who was stronger, his highly effective physique punches and relentless assault grinding Edwin down till the champion’s coach had no selection however to lastly halt the bloodbath in spherical eleven.
“Rosario by no means give up,” mentioned HBO’s Larry Service provider at ringside, “however his nook did the appropriate factor.”
Even though he was solely 24-years-old, the Chavez defeat marked the tip of Rosario’s prime and evidently his administration workforce understood this because the mixed information of his subsequent six opponents was 40-62-1. However these six wins impressed the WBA sufficient to have Rosario compete in opposition to southpaw Anthony “Child” Jones, who boasted a 20-1-1 report, for his or her vacant world title after Chavez moved as much as 140. Jones, a Detroit native and member of the well-known Kronk steady, was educated by Emanuel Steward, however he got here into the match a 4-to-1 underdog. So think about the shock of many at ringside when it was “Child” who set the tempo and acquired the higher of the motion.
Admittedly, it didn’t look that method within the opening spherical when Rosario began quick and cracked Jones with some sharp proper arms. However after a stern lecture in his nook from Steward, Jones stood his floor and began urgent, backing up Rosario and outworking the previous champion.
“I assumed Jones got here out to field,” mentioned Rosario later, “however he got here to combat.”
Close to the tip of spherical three Jones buckled “Chapo’s” legs with a flush left to the chin and he out-slugged Rosario in rounds 4 and 5, touchdown heavy photographs to the older man’s physique. In the meantime Rosario’s blows appeared to lack snap and did not have an effect on Jones. Or at the very least that was the case till close to the mid-way level of spherical six when Rosario got here excessive with a wonderfully timed proper hand that detonated on “Child’s” chin. Jones crashed to the canvas so exhausting he bounced, earlier than he one way or the other beat the depend. However he was out on his toes; three punches later the referee moved in and caught Jones as he fell and the combat was stopped. Rosario had gained his third world title.
“I used to be weaving down and Jones was weaving up,” mentioned Rosario. “And pop! End!”
“He’s gone, he’s shot,” mentioned Emanuel Steward. However the coach was speaking in regards to the new champion, not Andrew Jones.
And it was true. Simply 26, Edwin Rosario’s means to compete on the highest degree was a shaky proposition at finest. A number of years earlier than, he was a whole fighter, probably the greatest within the sport, however the reflexes had eroded and the talents had pale.
“He is aware of he’s over the hill,” confided his translator to Steve Farhood earlier than the Jones combat. “He has 4 children. When he wakes up within the morning, he’s a father. Chavez, Pernell Whitaker, they love boxing. Edwin is sick of it.”
Possibly so, however the roller-coaster trip continued some time longer. In his subsequent combat, “Chapo” misplaced his title to Juan Nazario, however the yr after that he was a champion but once more, defeating Loreto Garza for the tremendous light-weight crown. He hungered for a rematch with Chavez however it by no means occurred. As an alternative he suffered defeats to Akinobu Hiranaka and Frankie Randall after which he began taking losses outdoors the ring, to medication and alcohol. His marriage fell aside and shortly the cash was gone and after 4 years away from boxing he launched a comeback, hoping for a giant payday with Oscar De La Hoya.
Edwin Rosario by no means misplaced his vaunted punching energy and his ultimate combat was a second spherical knockout win in September of 1997. Three months later, after a go to together with his youngsters, he mentioned he felt drained and wanted a relaxation. He went to mattress and by no means awakened, struggling an aneurysm and dying in his sleep. The docs later mentioned that Rosario’s historical past of alcohol and drug abuse was a consider his premature demise.
— Robert Portis
