https://www.fight.tv/post/tribute-to-juan-kid-meza Great boxer who took many punches from Wilfredo Gomez before being stopped. I honestly thought that fight was stopped a bit early but Gomez was going to win in one or two more rounds. He also went the distance with Lupe Pintor when he lost his title and went almost the entire distance with Samart Payakaroom despite taking a beating. He also beat Jaime Garza for the world title and defeated Mike Ayala in spectacular fashion in world title bouts. Meza, I heard was a bit aloof as a person when he was a boxer and perhaps maybe anti social, but I did not know him personally this is just what I read, so I cannot judge him. Nevertheless, RIP, champ!
Ironically that fight was not FOY, as the FOY was taking place that same afternoon but some 1,598 miles to the South. Great fight still!
Thanks for posting this! I watched many of Garza's fights and watched this one live at the time. Meza was a tough man and when he got up he was very business like and caught Jamie with solid shots coming in but I was still stunned by that left hook. That shot should be recognized as one of the best left hooks in history. I wondered if Garza could have gone further if he didn't throw home run bombs with every punch but I gave him one thing, you never looked away when he fought.
Go on - what fight topped this? I love how the commentator says 'Garza always beats him to the punch' just a second before Meza lowers the boom. You couldn't make timing like that up.
A great story about Meza... At the weigh in for the Garza fight, he told Garza that he was going to have to knock him out early. He told Garza that, after the fight, he had a date with Garza's mother and was going to need all his energy for that, if you see what I am saying. Garza was very irate about this and went after Meza and was so mad that he could barely control himself all day. He got in the ring and was fighting in a rage and got caught.
The Kid was born Jesus Fernandez in Mexicali, Baja California state, Mexico and changed his name to Juan Meza (for reasons unknown) before turning pro. He holds the distinctions of being the first world champion born in Mexicali and being the first world title claimant to get knocked down on the first round and get up to win his title before the end of the first round when he beat Jamie Garza for the WBC 122-pound title. Meza, trained by Jimmy Montoya, fought nearly his entire career in the U.S., boxing in seven different states and spending most of his time in the West — California, Nevada and Arizona. He fought at the Silver Slipper in Las Vegas (actually Paradise, Nevada) early in his career and was an attraction on big cards at Caesars Palace by the time he was at his peak. A true action fighter, I can’t see anyone ever leaving one of his fights thinking they didn’t get their money’s worth. RIP to a champ and a guy who gave his all to entertain us.
