1972/1973 'The Other Lightweight Champions'

Pepe, when Carrasco balked at the Olympic Boxing Club's offer to fight Chango Carmona for the title, the offer then went to Rodolfo Gonzalez, who won the title and also inherited the mandatory challenger, Pedro Carrasco for his first defense to take place at the L.A. Sports Arena on March 17, 1973. The Olympic also sweetened the offer to above $15,000, which was pretty high in those days for a lightweight challenger (Gonzalez only made $10,000 for his title winning fight). To my knowledge it was signed in late '72 but Carrasco abruptly retired in early '73 and the Olympic subbed (again) Ruben Navarro. Never quite understood what was going through Carrasco's mind. A signed and sealed shot at the world title and he just quits. Rich Roberts, who wrote for the Long Beach Press had wrote an article on this curious debacle, which I'll relate in a following post.

 

Another interesting point about Carrasco was that he was one of the main subjects on how the lightweight title split in the first place. Apparently after Ken Buchanan made amends with the WBC after Ismael Laguna caused the rift (Laguna refused to honor a contract with the Olympic Boxing Club of a title defense against a fighter of their choosing, of which they chose Mando Ramos. Laguna defends and loses to Buchanan, Buchanan signs to fight Ramos, Ramos pulls out with a 'groin injury' and the Olympic subs Ruben Navarro and everyone is happy again), Ken gets in hot water with the WBC. Apparently the WBC instructed him to sign against their #1 contender which was Carrasco, but Carrasco says he can't make 135 anymore and is campaigning as a jr. welter, so Ken signs to defens against Laguna in a rematch. But then suddenly Carrasco can make 135, wants his title shot and the WBC backs him knowing a signed contract is out there for Buchanan to fight Laguna. What a load of shite by the WBC.

 

That's right. I recall at one point they had him as their #1 contender in that time period.

 

Didn't Gato battle cancer as a very young man?

Warrior through and through.

 

Puddo did fight gato

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Here was the story from Rich Roberts from the Long Beach Press. Carrasco was signed to fight Rodolfo Gonzalez on March 17th of '73. It was understood that he would be receiving the title shot at the winner of Carmona-Gonzalez. So, the Spanish Press came to town to view the fight to check out Carrasco's competition. After the fight they decided to hang around town and went down to Monterrey to check out Gonzalez' non-title fight against Jose Acosta on the undercard of Clemente Sanchez-Jose Legra's title fight. After viewing Gonzalez up close in two fights they reported back that Carrasco won't last 3 rounds with Gonzalez, according to Roberts. Hearing this, Carrasco decides to check in with his partner in blood, Mando Ramos. Ramos had become fast friends with Pedro and after the Carmona fight and in need of some R & R, Ramos decided to take a nice long break in Spain (when he returned he weighed 170 after partying hearty). Ramos, best buds now with Carrasco and a stablemate of Gonzalez knew them both well and Ramos said, "Pedro, he'll flatten you!" Carrasco suddenly packs it in and retires to his ranch, already a wealthy man. I heard he died young, only 52.

 

170 :-(

 

Looking at that very first pic on Chango Carmona had me dwelling on his resume. Man, Alfredo Urbina twice, Arturo Lomeli twice, Ismael Laguna, Sugar Ramos, Mando Ramos, Rodolfo Gonzalez, Jimmy Robertson, Jimmy Heair, Ray Adigun, Percy Hayles, Antonio Amaya, Alfonso Frazer, wow