The Myth of the Puerto Rican boxing vs. Mexican and Mex-American boxers

I often heard the myth of the Mexican dominance over Puerto Rican boxers, and what I found is that it’s just a myth. I spent over a two years doing research on the fan base of each culture, and records of this rivalry on boxing threads all over the web from social networks, boxing sites, and YouTube. What I found is that many of the fans, or so called modern boxing fans are not informed about boxing history, and are mainly just people that follow a boxing fight, for various reasons one being nationalistic fervor mainly fuelled by the promotional companies, and then others are just plain ignorant people that use a boxing bout to get their self-esteem up, and down another culture. Putting that aside the reality is that a small island in the Caribbean Puerto Rico of just 9,104 km2 with a population of 3,706,690 million dominates the Mexican School of Boxing which includes natural born Mexicans, and those born in the U.S.A of Mexican ancestry.

Let’s look at the facts Puerto Rico is a small island only 9,104 km2 big with a population of just 3,706,690 million vs. Mexico a nation the 14th biggest in the planet earth with a population of 112,322,757 that is 11th in the world.

The first meeting between Puerto Rican boxers versus a Mexican boxer was in June 26th, 1934, when Sixto Escobar defeats Rodolfo “Baby” Casanova by a KO in the 9th round to win the Montreal Athletic Commission World Bantamweight title. The second was Carlos Ortiz when he KO’s in the 10th round Raymundo “Battling” Torres in the Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles, California in February 4th 1960 to win the Welterweight World title, and also to become the second Puerto Rican world champion of all time.

Not until the 70’s did the Puerto Rico vs. Mexico rivalry begin. In the 1970s Puerto Rican boxers led by Wilfredo Gomez, Esteban de Jesus, Alfredo Escalera and Wilfredo Benitez dominated all Mexican and Mexican-American. Only one Mexican boxer Pipino Cuevas did obtain a win over a Puerto Rican boxer that being Angel Espada in 3 occasions.

Looking at all the World title bouts , since the first one in 1934...

1. In the 1970’s: Puerto Rican boxers 9-3 (7 KO’s) - Mexican & Mexican Americans 3-9 (3 KO’s).
2. In the 1980’s: Puerto Rico 11-8 (8 KO’s) - Mexican & Mexican American 8-11 (4 KO’s).
3. The 1990’s: Puerto Rico 20 -16 (11 KO’s) - Mexican & Mexican American 16-20 (4 KO’s).
4. The 2000 - 2010: Puerto Rico 25-10 (10 KO’s) - Mexico & Mexican American 10-25 (7 KO’s).

*Note World title bouts WBC,WBO, IBF,WBA, AND WORLD BOXING CHAMPIONSHIPS.

 

Wilfredo Gomez in world championship bouts versus Mexican and Mexican – American had a record of 10 wins 1 defeat and 10 KO’s.

1. Wilfredo Gomez defeats Carlos Zarate TKO 5: WBC Super Bantamweight title 1978.
2. Wilfredo Gomez defeats Juan Antonio Lopez TKO 10: WBC Super Bantamweight title 1978.
3. Wilfredo Gomez defeats Nicky Perez TKO 5: WBC Super Bantamweight title 1979.
4. Wilfredo Gomez defeats Raul Tirado TKO 5: WBC Super Bantamweight title 1977.
5. Wilfredo Gomez defeats Carlos Mendoza TKO 10: WBC Super Bantamweight title 1979.
6. Wilfredo Gomez defeats Lupe Pintor by TKO 14: WBC Super Bantamweight title 1982.
7. Wilfredo Gomez defeats Roberto Rubaldino TKO 8: WBC Super Bantamweight title 1982.
8. Wilfredo Gomez defeats Juan Antonio Lopez TKO 10: WBC Super Bantamweight title 1982.
9. Wilfredo Gomez defeats Juan Meza TKO 6: WBC Super Bantamweight title 1982.


I guess the other 10 Mexican boxers KO'd where garbage? To win one fight and lose 10 by ko ? There is no logic there....

 

Puerto Rican boxers got 39 KO's vs. Mexican and Mex-American , and Mexican + Mexican Americans just go 18 KO's in world title bouts ... Sorry but inflated egos doesn't change the facts... Where are not even talking of regular bouts but World Title Bouts.... If the Sanchez vs Gomez is the only thing of pride.. kind of sad since that was the only Mexican to beat Gomez when the WBC sent the best Mexico had to offer. It took Gomez to move up to 126 lbs from 122 and lose. Fact Gomez 10 - 1 (10 KO's)

 

Juan Antonio Lopez 66 - 18 (44 Ko's)

Nicky Perez 58 -17 (28 KO)

Lupe Pintor 56-14-2 (42 KO'S)

Roberto Rubaldino 54-11 (36 KO)

Juan Meza 45 - 9 (37 KO)

Carlos Mendoza 48- 19-5 (38 KO)

I guess they were all WBC bums the best Mexicans had to offer , in peoples opinion? Look at Sanchez record of opponents and you will find boxers with worst records of 0-5 ext. If getting one win over rides all the other defeats then that is being delusional... You just can't pick and chose who was worthy or not in world title bouts especially in the 1970's - 1980's. We are not talking of the 2000 WBC...

 

Gomez the best complete Puerto Rican boxer? I guess yo never heard of

Pedro Montanez 91 - 9 - 4 (56 KO’s)

• Years fought 1931 - 1940
• With an 88 winning streak.
• Defining fights Montanez defeated Lou Ambers and Henry Armstrong.
• Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2006.
• One of the greatest boxers to never win a title.

Carlos Ortiz 61 - 7 - 1 (30 KO’s)

• Fought from 1955- 1972.
• World Jr. Welterweight champion.
• Twice World Lightweight champion.
• Faced seven futures Hall of Famers in title fights.
• Best wins Kenny Lane, Sugar Ramos, Flash Elorde, Duilio Loi, Battling Torres, and Joe Brown.


Wilfredo Benitez 53 - 8 - 1 (31 Ko’s)

• Fought from 1973 - 1990
• World Jr. Welterweight champion.
• World Welterweight champion.
• WBC Super Welterweight champion.
• An amazing 3 division world champion by the age of 22.
• Wins first title at the age of 17, the youngest champion currently in boxing history.
• Defining fight was Benitez at 17 defeating a solid veteran Antonio Cervantes on March 6, 1976.
• Best wins were versus Maurice Hope, Carlos Palomino, and Roberto Duran.

Jose Basora 78 - 20 - 7 (44 KO’s)

• Defining fights fought Sugar Ray Robinson to a draw in 1945.
• Fought Jake LaMotta 4 times with a final record of 1 - 2 - 1.
• Years fought 1939 – 1952


Samuel Serrano 50 - 5 - 1 (17 KO’s)

• Years Fought 1969 - 1997
• WBA World Super Featherweight champion.
• 15 -2 - 1 in championship fights.
• Defended title 10+ times successfully.
• Defining two fights versus Filipino Ben Villaflor.

Alfredo Escalera 53 - 14 - 3 (31 KO’s)

• Years fought 1970 - 1983
• WBC Super Featherweight champion.
• 11- 2 - 1 in championship fights. (2 defeats in the hands of Alexis Arguello)
• Defended the WBC Super Featherweight title 10 consecutive successful times.