How should history remember Esteban De Jesus?

Check out this website on El Gato http://www.elgatogonzalez.com/
In that photo feature, there is a pretty cool shot of him decking Cervantes in the 3rd round. Regarding a possible Duran-Gonzalez fight, Don Chargin had a real good story on this. He said (as matchmaker for the Olympic Boxing Club) that he was trying to make Duran-Gonzalez for the summer or fall of '73 and that he would have been able to put 40,000 into the Coliseum for that fight. But the fight he really wanted to make was Duran-Mando Ramos, saying he would have put 60,000 in the same stadium but when Ramos lost to Carmona the match was moot. Jackie McCoy had a good ralationship with the Olympic, they wanted the match and it looked a go after Chargin brought Duran to L.A. in early '73 and had matched him earlier in the year with Jimmy Robertson. However, according to Chargin, something when wrong between Carlos Eleta and Duran and he started taking orders from Gen. Omar Torrijos the junta leader of Panama. Chargin, who was very good friends with Eleta, said Torrijos wanted nothing to do with the west coast and he pulled him out. They weren't afraid, just not the direction he wanted to take Duran. Indeed, I have an article leading up to Duran's fight with Javier Ayala entitled something like, "Is Duran having second thoughts?" A brief article by an L.A. reporter stating that while in training and probably being pressed about the Gonzalez match, Duran said, "Ah, you know, we can both make money with our titles." There was a report that Duran's people eventually did offer Gonzalez $40,000 to unify in Panama. An amount which was insulting since he was being offered $65,000 to fight Puddu. Moreover, McCoy would never return to Panama after an experience he had with Mando Ramos down there. So, the proposed fight collapsed. I think Duran was beatable back then. Wide open for counter-punches, which was DeJesus' forte. Like John Garfield said, silky-smooth boxer who could crack. He was an explosive counter-puncher. All this being said, the big four at this time was Duran, Gonzalez, Buchanan and DeJesus. Wow! Rate them anyway you want but it was the fans loss that some of these fights and/or rematches were never made.

 

So it's official - Duran ducked El Gato?

Just kidding.

Interesting info, Scartissue, thanks:good

 

Buchanan wasn't stripped of the WBC title- Laguna was. The reason was his refusal to fight a rematch with Mando Ramos.

Good call on Monzon being the better champ in the 1970s. He was without doubt. Duran not willing to leave Panama for a while, usually with his own judges and referee.

 

Yes, it's one of those fights that have become a revisionist robbery, due to the status each would eventually achieve. Ken thought he was jobbed, but he always did. There was no real controversy at the time, Velasquez's bullish style was proved to be a difficult barrier for Ken to overcome and the Spaniard's stamina was key in the 2nd half of the contest (after Ken held a decent lead). A good learning curve for Kenny in reality.

 

Well, he reneged on a rematch agreement, so maybe it was. Then again, that's what Duran did with Kenny. :yep

I personally rate Monzon and The fighter of the 70s, ahead of Duran. Bring Montreal forward 7 months or so, then it's different. But he was far more willing to fight in the challenger's back yard and his opposition was generally better as a title holder.

 

Hang on guys, there's more to it. Laguna was stripped but when Buchanan won the title from Laguna the offer was made to make amends and that was by defending his title against a fighter of the Olympic Boxing Club's choice, since they were the ones who got screwed when Laguna pulled out. They chose Mando Ramos as their candidate and Buchanan complied and arrived in Calif. for a date with Ramos. But then Ramos pulled out with a groin injury and the Olympic were allowed to substitute Ruben Navarro and Ken would receive the WBC blessing. He beat Navarro, he was the unified champ and then was told by edict he would have to defend against Pedro Carrasco, which he again agreed to. But Carrasco stated he could no longer make the weight and would be henceforth campaigning at 140, so Ken signed for a Laguna rematch. Suddenly, Carrasco can make 135 and the WBC staetes he has to defend against their #1 contender, despite a contract already signed for Laguna. The WBC were unreasonable, but Ken had to go along with his signed contract and the WBC setup the Pedro Carrasco-Mando Ramos fight in Madrid for the WBC lightweight title and it was split until the 3rd Duran-DeJesus fight.

 

What about Monzon dropping the belt and fighting Valdez only after he was seriously injured in car accident and being past his prime?

 

Well said Scartissue, spot on. To add to the confusion, Kenny received New York recognition again when he fought Donato Paduano. :yep

 

Monzon was much more past his prime than Valdez was. Their original date was mooted for late 1974, but Valdez wouldn't accept the fight in Argentina and wanted a higher purse. Both parties couldn't agree, so the WBC stripped Monzon. This date would have favoured Carlos and he'd have won more convincingly.

 

Jeez, Mando Vs Duran would've been some fight.

 

He's 45-50 ATG. Could possibly be higher.