https://imgur.com/gallery/0RSCYdr My article of the best defensive performance on film in boxing history.
Like a more economical version of Willie Pep. Without using his legs nearly as much, just in the pocket.
As a man who usually prefers all action brawls, Locche's defense is beautiful. I loved every second of that, thank you for sharing
Ray Arcel tells a great story about Locche. In CornerMen by Ronald Fried. Many think Arcel came out of retirement for Duran but he didn't. He came out of retirement for Peppermint Frazier. Ray went down to Panama I believe and he did what he always did. He scouted the opponent. He put on a false beard etc and went into Locche's camp. He was in awe of what he saw. Arcel called it the original rope a dope. He saw how Locche lured guys to the ropes, slipping, leaning countering. Peppermint was a solid fighter but he told them nothing of what he saw in Locche's camp. Not until he is warming up In the dressing room right before the fight. He looks at Frazier and tells him forget the jab "you couldn't hit this guy with a jab if you had a machine gun". Peppermint is scared and Arcel told him to throw the biggest right hand you have in the opening seconds. Locche will slip but back to the ropes...the 20,000 Panamaians will see you came to fight. Don't follow Locche to the ropes just stand there and laugh at him. You won't have to get him off the ropes 20,000 Panamaians will do it for you. Frazier won the fight. I have not seen the fight. That Ray Arcel's account of it.
I used to be the biggest fan of Locche. Based largely off the Fuji fight. I thought he was another Benitez (who I am also a huge fan of). Then I got a shitload of rare fights of his and realized he was one of the most overrated fighters in history. This guy got so much home cooking for doing so little in the ring its unreal. Yeah, he looks awesome against Fuji, then you realize Fuji was nothing special and Locche wasnt at home so he actually had to let his hands go. When he fights in Argentina he does almost nothing. People go wild over that one short clip of him slipping Cervantes punches in their first fight. They dont realize thats all he did that entire fight. Thats all he usually did. Hed clown, mug, cover up, slip and slide, but he never let his hands go. Ask any boxer and he will tell you its tough to do anything with a guy who just covers up all the time. A guy needs to punch to create openings but more importantly to score points. Unless he was in Argentina in the 1960s, then all he had to do was hear the final bell and wait for the judges to award the decision to the hometown guy. Locche had four fights outside of Argentina and won only one of them. Fuji. A guy like Domingo Barrera who was nothing special kicked Locche's ass and lost a gift decision. I wont even get into guys like Ortiz and Cervantes. Locche's best win was Carlos Hernandez, not Fuji, IMO.