Historical Oddities of Boxing

Also inspired the late, great Warren Zevon to write a ballad about Ray. Mancini was a true folk hero — in a different point in history, he’d have been bigger than life as people whispered of his exploits.

Hurry home early
Hurry on home
Boom Boom Mancini’s
Fighting Bobby Chacon

This content is protected

 

Gaspar Ortega vs Charley Scott.

After defeating Ortega,that was Scott's last and perhaps brightest spark of his career,as Ralph Dupas would smash him into a decision to end his 3 win streak,he would suffer a ton of losses later on, although he still performed well at times.

Ortega, surprisingly still holds up,would fight more elite fighters a few more times,avenging his loss to Scott,beat a promising Bronx boy named Billy Bello,and he only suffered a number of losses later on,as his chin got cracked by Sandro Mazzinghi.

 

I’m not sure exactly what constitutes a historical oddity, but here’s something that came to mind:

Edwin and Adolfo Viruet both won New York Golden Gloves championships without throwing a punch in the final. Both advanced to the featherweight final in 1969 and officials decided two brothers shouldn’t have to fight each other and awarded them co-championships. According to The Ring, the Viruets compiled identical 18-0 amateur records. Edwin, who was born in Puerto Rico and lived in NYC, is in the New York state boxing hall of fame. Adolfo, apparently born in Hoboken, NJ, is in the New Jersey hall of fame.

 

I would also add a strange hereditary trait to them - seeing as how they didn't fight alike - and that was both had incredible world-class chins.

 

And both got bested by Roberto Durán

 

George Foreman losing the Lineal Heavyweight Championship and then regaining it 20 years later.

 

Wallace 'Bud' Smith beat Jimmy Carter for the lightweight title, beat Carter in a rematch to retain the title.

...and then lost 11 consecutive fights before retirement.

Perhaps the part that astonishes me the most is that he lost 3 consecutive nontitle fights before dropping the belt to Joe Brown. I know Manual Ortiz for example was known for having bad losses in nontitle fights while he was still champion, but wow, 3 in a row is downright embarrassing.

 

https://www.boxingforum24.com/threads/fate.638213/

 

Vilomar and Jose Fernandez too! Same story-the were named co-champions.

 

And both say thy got robbed. lol

 

Samuel Serrano beat Ben Villaflor for the world title, then married Villaflor's sister.

IIRC they are still married.

 

He gave us a tutorial on how to truly get a guy's number in boxing.

 

Sort of on that note a lot of reports claimed Benitez was dating Sugar Ray Leonard's sister when they fought. I'm not sure it was officially confirmed, but it was certainly doing the rounds.