Solely probably the most hardcore of struggle followers may have famous it, however a number of days in the past was the anniversary of the ferocious 1934 warfare between bantamweights Sixto Escobar and Rodolfo Casanova at The Discussion board in Montreal, a very historic battle for multiple motive. This was not solely top-of-the-line fights of the yr and a breakthrough win for Escobar, aka “El Gallito,” the delight of Puerto Rico, however it was additionally the monumental conflict that sparked the best nationwide rivalry within the lengthy historical past of pugilism. After all, the phrase “sizzling Latin blood,” coined to explain the alleged fiery temperament of Spanish audio system goes again properly into the nineteenth century, so perhaps it was inevitable that Mexico and Puerto Rico would set up such a white-hot antagonism that might smoulder for some eight a long time. In actual fact, pugilism can provide no better nationwide feud than this one once we contemplate all the good fights and fighters concerned. Listed here are the all-time best Mexico vs Puerto Rico donnybrooks. Test it out:
12. Might 7, 2011, Jorge Arce TKO12 Wilfredo Vazquez Jr: “Travieso” Arce skipped donning his trademark cowboy hat and sucking on a lollipop on his approach to the ring for this important contest. At 20-0-1 with 18 knockouts, Vazquez, the son of a Puerto Rican nice, wasn’t to be taken flippantly. Beginning shortly, Arce snagged the primary few rounds earlier than getting decked by a left hook in spherical 4, accounting for the primary knockdown of his profession. However Arce’s relentless strain was an excessive amount of for Vazquez because the struggle wore on. In spherical eleven Vazquez was caught and pummeled towards the ropes, and it continued into the ultimate spherical till Vazquez’s nook lastly signaled give up.
11. Oct. 28, 1978, Wilfredo Gomez TKO5 Carlos Zarate: A conflict of energy punchers whose mixed data have been 73-0-1 with 72 knockouts offered out the Coliseo Roberto Clemente in San Juan, Puerto Rico every week earlier than the struggle. Demand was so excessive that overflow seating was organized for a closed-circuit broadcast at an open-air baseball stadium subsequent to the venue. It took a number of rounds to attract forth motion from the 2 weight-drained fighters, however in spherical three each males landed stiff punches. A knockdown of Zarate in spherical 4 marked the start of the top. When crowd noise drowned out the bell and Gomez once more put Zarate down, one minute wasn’t sufficient time to get well. A closing knockdown summoned a towel from the Mexican’s nook in spherical 5 and “Bazooka” remained undefeated.
10. Aug. 28, 2010, Giovani Segura KO8 Ivan Calderon I: Solely 5’0″ and tipping the scales at 108 kilos, not many boxing champions have been smaller than Calderon. However towards Segura the diminutive Puerto Rican confirmed a coronary heart two sizes too huge as a nonstop torrent of punches was chucked his manner. Via three rounds Calderon managed to slide his manner round Segura’s pictures, however laying on the ropes too lengthy led to severe punishment in rounds 4 and 5. Even at 35, Calderon had a number of tips left and he boxed his manner by way of the sixth earlier than wobbling Segura within the seventh. Physique pictures ended Calderon’s evening in spherical eight although, marking his first loss as an expert and the top of his reign.
9. April sixteenth, 2011, Orlando Salido TKO8 Juan Manuel Lopez: Although Lopez had weathered a number of tough patches earlier than, he was nonetheless undefeated and coming off a career-best victory over Rafael Marquez when he was matched with Mexico’s Orlando Salido, who was considered by many as nothing greater than a troublesome gatekeeper with eleven losses on his file. And certainly Lopez took the initiative and out-banged the veteran within the early rounds. However Salido’s awkward supply and jumpy fashion obtained by way of in spherical 5 and he despatched Lopez down with a mixture. From then on Lopez was repeatedly rocked and fought totally on intuition. When spherical eight got here Lopez had nothing left to provide and the relentless “Siri” pounded him on the ropes to drive a stoppage.
8. June 26, 1934, Sixto Escobar KO9 Rodolfo Casanova: The struggle that began it throughout eighty years in the past. They didn’t realize it, however the spectators on the well-known Discussion board in Montreal have been witnessing historical past as former editor of The Ring, Nigel Collins, would later name this bantamweight battle “the start of an everlasting blood feud.” Mexico’s “Child” Casanova went down in spherical three, however he rose and tore again in for extra, even when he couldn’t appear to catch up. Spherical eight was a frantic try from Casanova to realize momentum, however his efforts have been halted within the ninth when Escobar landed a proper uppercut that put him to sleep. Shortly thereafter Escobar turned the primary Puerto Rican world champion.
7. Sept. 17, 1994, Felix Trinidad TKO4 Yory Boy Campas: On this set-to between unbeaten fighters, Campas entered at 56-0 with fifty knockouts, whereas the soon-to-be beloved Puerto Rican was 23-0 and sporting nineteen KOs. Trinidad rigorously navigated Campas’ left hook in spherical one earlier than operating straight into it in spherical two and being knocked onto his keister. As he had a number of instances earlier than, “Tito” slugged his manner out of bother, however when he discovered himself rocked once more in spherical three he twice hit Campas low, drawing a warning after which a deduction. Trinidad responded to the sanction with fury and punished Campas by way of the remainder of the spherical and into the fourth the place a vicious salvo introduced an finish to the battle.
6. July 26, 2008, Antonio Margarito TKO11 Miguel Cotto: The gravity of this 2008 bout wasn’t missed in pre-fight hype and Cotto’s undefeated file made him a slight favourite. Splitting rounds early on, Margarito’s face was the more severe for put on by way of the primary half. However Cotto was rocked and despatched to the ropes in spherical seven, which modified all the pieces; each Cotto’s stamina and face started to disintegrate. Bleeding from his left eye, nostril and lips, Cotto was despatched to the canvas twice within the eleventh earlier than the match was halted. Afterward Bob Arum stated that Margarito was “like an specific prepare that couldn’t be stopped. Lastly, the specific prepare ran [Cotto] over.”
5. Nov. 21, 1987, Julio Cesar Chavez TKO11 Edwin Rosario: “The world title goes to go on to Mexico,” Chavez stated earlier than the struggle, and he pegged it. In line with punch stats, Chavez linked with over sixty p.c of his blows, and amongst them have been a heap of physique pictures that had Rosario gasping for breath early on within the struggle. Many times Chavez pinned Rosario to the ropes close to his personal nook because the champion fought again and landed about half as a lot as he dined on. Transferring up a division proved no challenge for Chavez, who absorbed no matter got here again at him and used his power to push Rosario round. By spherical ten Rosario’s left eye was all however slammed shut and his mouth bloodied; the next spherical his nook saved him by tossing within the towel.
4. December 2, 2000, Felix Trinidad TKO12 Fernando Vargas: Assured he can be dealing with one of many two within the close to future, Vargas had watched his Olympic teammate David Reid get dismantled by Trinidad. Months later the struggle was signed and Trinidad was getting underneath the 22-year-old’s pores and skin, saying he would defeat Vargas simpler than he did Reid. The taunting labored and Vargas was lured into buying and selling left hooks that downed him twice within the opening spherical. Vargas regrouped and got here again to flooring Trinidad within the fourth along with his personal left hook and Trinidad struck low to each purchase time and stem the tide. However Vargas went again to work, combating bravely till three knockdowns in spherical twelve ended the warfare.
3. Nov. 3, 1984, Jose Luiz Ramirez TKO4 Edwin Rosario: On this rematch on NBC’s Sportsworld, two punchers squared off for a light-weight belt that had been left vacant by Alexis Arguello. Rosario had already defeated Ramirez, however not by a lot and he was decided to win extra clearly this time, as evidenced by a gap spherical knockdown of Ramirez. Sensing an opportunity to finish the struggle, Rosario attacked furiously however was met with appreciable resistance. In spherical two Rosario once more scored a knockdown and pounced, however because the Mexican weathered the assault Rosario pale. Ramirez seized the initiative within the third and in spherical 4 the warfare continued with the Puerto Rican taking the worst of it, falling right into a nook face-first earlier than the bout was stopped.
2. Aug. 21, 1981, Salvador Sanchez TKO8 Wilfredo Gomez: Although he had already proved his mettle towards the likes of Danny “Little Pink” Lopez, Juan Laporte and Ruben Castillo, Sanchez was nonetheless a 2-to-1 underdog to the charismatic and hard-hitting Puerto Rican who was rising from 122 kilos to fulfill the WBC featherweight titlist. However within the opening spherical it was Gomez who hit the canvas and the bewildered look on his face advised he immediately realized he was in for a protracted evening. Sanchez had Gomez in bother once more within the second spherical however then eased up, content material to destroy Gomez’s face as he dealt his conceited opponent a painful lesson in humility. Bazooka’s eyes swelled grotesquely, although he managed to pin Sanchez to the ropes and land bombs from time to time. However in spherical eight the punishment turned too extreme for the struggle to proceed and “Chava” handed Gomez his first defeat.
1. Dec. 3, 1982, Wilfredo Gomez TKO14 Lupe Pintor: Following his loss to Sanchez, Gomez’s extracurricular distractions and tendency to realize weight between fights didn’t cease. Within the weeks main as much as this conflict of champions some questioned if Gomez may make weight, however he did and he used it to push the smaller man round within the early going. It appeared Pintor, shifting up from bantamweight, had problem adjusting till an epic third spherical gave the Mexican hope. From then on it was a livid back-and-forth warfare, with Gomez touchdown ferocious pictures and Pintor absorbing them, solely to surge again and swell Gomez’s face badly, sending him to his nook in a foul manner on the finish of spherical twelve. Two rounds later a determined Gomez attacked and at last damage the robust Pintor, dropping him with a mixture led by a physique shot. The Mexican beat the rely, although simply barely, and was chased till he went down as soon as extra on a left hand up high. The struggle was over then and there.
