Another island nation, Dominican Republic (D.R.), has produced over twenty world champs if my memory serves me right yet doesn't seem to get the same buzz as other successful island boxing nations. Can Vilomar Fernandez, despite never having grasped that brass ring, be listed as the greatest-ever fighter from the D.R.?
Kind of weird that there's never been a Dominican ATG. Boxing just isnt as big in Dominican culture as it in Mexican/PR culture. Anyway, Leo Cruz deserves mention. Took Gomez 13 rounds, and won the title from Sergio Palma, before losing it to Loris Stecca.
Guzman was a waste of talent. I went to the rematch with Funeka when he came in like 9 pounds overweight and laughed on the scale. Clown.
Not a serious candidate, but Ignacio Espinal holds a win over Betulio Gonzalez and apparently knocked Miguel Canto down three times over the course of twenty rounds in their first two fights (didn't win either, though).
I remember that. I also remember Funeka getting robbed blind in the first fight. Terrible robbery. Funeka won by a lot.
Yeah, felt bad for Funeka. Campbell cheated him at the scale, then he got cheated on the cards vs. Guzman then cheated by Guzman weighing grossly over.
Clum, I think Espinal is a great choice. I was coming on here to say Espinal and Miguel Montilla, but you beat me to him. The first two fights with Canto was a draw and a split decision loss to the Mexican. However, when Canto defended his title against Espinal, it was a new and improved Canto and he won a very comfortable decision over 15 rounds. But again, I thought he was one of the best to come out of the D.R.
Just to add to add to the DR list, although I wouldn't call them great, but back in the 70s Dario Hidalgo, Fausto Rodriguez, Nani Marrero and Diablito Valdez were all making a lot of noise and were fitting in nicely at world class levels only to fail to get to the next step.
I watched AJ get ko'd by Ruiz on tv in a bar in Boca Chica DR, apart from two Haitians nobody else was interested in the fight.They like baseball and football.
