Thirty years ago this week: Juan Manuel "Dinamita" Márquez Méndez begins imperfectly perfect career

I'd meant to make this on Monday, the actual three decade anniversary of his debut - but that wound up being a busy travel day, so here we are.

AFAIK there is no extant footage of his maiden voyage and first professional loss, via disqualification, to Javi Durán. What a characteristically inauspicious, up-and-down beginning it was, however. JMM dropped Durán twice, only to have the book thrown at him for a headbutt without any prior warnings - all in the span of the opening round!

The next eighteen months were spent venting his spleen on local featherweights, ending with a 7-1 (5) record in Mexico City before graduating across the border. After just one stint at Caesar's Palace buried deep on the undercard of Riddick Bowe vs. Larry Donald (an event co-headlined by future rival Marco Antonio Barrera) he began a long homestand at the venue wherein he would compete the most times during - and eventually return to wrap up - his career.

HBO, ahead of his swansong, released a Greatest Hits compilation of a dozen of fights, all occurring at the "fabulous" arena then known as the Western Forum (later rebranded after Chase Bank and currently after Kia Motors) of Inglewood, CA in the 1990's, spanning the second half of the decade:

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(versus Martin Ochoa TKO 1 January 30, 1995

versus Julio Sanchez Leon UD 10 April 24, 1995

versus Julio Cesar Portillo KO 6 July 10, 1995

versus Miguel Rodriguez TKO 1 September 25, 1995

versus Julian Wheeler TKO 10 November 6, 1995

versus Hector Ulises Chong KO 4 March 4, 1996

versus Freddy Cruz UD 10 July 8, 1996

versus Rodrigo Valenzuela RTD 8 December 9, 1996

versus Agapito Sanchez UD 12 April 21, 1997

versus Catalino Becerra TKO 7 July 14, 1997

versus Luis Samudio TKO 9 March 16, 1998

versus Wilfredo Vargas KO 2 May 10, 1999)

A few months after kayoing Vargas, he would try for his first world championship - but fail, as the always vexsome Frederick "Lil' Hagler" Norwood retained his WBA featherweight crown via UD:

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This was, for the most part, international audiences' first introduction to JMM, previously the best kept secret in Mexico City and later Inglewood - but of course in the years to come his name & face would start to become very familiar to casuals & diehards alike.

Going on an 8-0 (7) tear after the Norwood loss, similar to his post-Javier Durán rampage, the Mexican earned himself an IBF eliminator date with Australia's half Scottish and half Aborigine two-time Olympic participant Robert Lloyd "Bomber" Peden, and forced Robbie to retire on his stool after ten rounds:

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This led, finally, to a shot at the vacant IBF strap versus Juan Manuel Rubio Medina nearly a year later - and nearly a decade into his pro run. Dinamita seized the moment with a 7th round KO:

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He would make four successful defenses before the IBF stripped him of the belt he never lost in the ring*. The challengers included...

1. RJJ's sidekick and the man that snatched Freddie Norwood's zero (making this a sort of vicarious revenge), Derrick Emory "Smoke" Gainer:
   
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*He was punished ostensibly for not honoring a mandatory spot held by obscure Thai southpaw contender Fahprakorb Rakkiatgym aka Prayat Sawaingam - but it wasn't really his fault seeing how not one promoter on the planet bothered participating in the purse bid. It was a waste of time fight that nobody wanted, and Márquez wanted to go for glory unifying with Chris John, the WBA champ. Rakkiatgym/Sawaingam was gifted his opportunity at the vacant IBF title just a couple of months before Márquez vs. John - and got all but shut out by Valdemir Pereira, then never fought again. )

 

1. (Derrick Gainer, post above this)
2. The arch-rival whose name is forever linked to his, Emmanuel Dapidran Pacquiao, in their fun and controversial first encounter that ended in a draw:
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3. Tough countryman Orlando Salido:
   
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   (an old write-up of mine on that one: https://www.boxingforum24.com/threa...-and-no-i-dont-mean-lopez-but-marquez.411528/)
   
4. ...and lastly Víctor Elías Polo, a luckless Colombian who may on paper have seemed largely unqualified but was robbed of a title victory a few years earlier when a slip on the canvas was ruled a critical point-swinging knockdown, and was coming off a draw with Scottish hardman and WBO titlist Scott Harrison:
   
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Then, starting with the journey to Indonesia to challenge John, comes an eight year period of almost exclusively blockbuster fights. Seventeen bouts, of which only three weren't against big names.

Dinamita vs. Yohannes Christian "The Dragon" aka "The Indonesian Thin Man" John:

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Terdsak Jandaeng:

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(this was his first time co-headlining a card with his brother Rafael, who fought Silence "African Spice / The Real Deal" Mabuza in the chief support bout. I remember being very hyped to see both Márquez boys in action, with this episode ShoBox and their strong performances against game & decent opponents firmly solidifying my fandom of both. I actually had been a fan of and was rooting for Mabuza, but Rafa quickly earned my respect...)

 

part 3/5 (XenForo has a limit of five videos embedded per each post)

JMM vs. Jimrex “Executioner” Jaca, yet another fairly good Asian foe, destroyed:

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JMM vs. legendary compatriot Marco Antonio Barrera:

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(close & controversial match-up of Mexican elite counter-punching technicians)

JMM vs. Ricardo "Rocky" Juárez:

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JMM vs. Manny Pacquiao II:

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JMM vs. Joel "El Cepillo" Casamayor Johnson:

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part 4/5

JMM vs. Juan "Torito (The Baby Bull)" Díaz I:

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JMM vs. Floyd Joy Sinclair Mayweather:
(where the infamous pee-drinking tactic was revealed in the lead-up)

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JMM vs. JMM vs. Juan "Torito (The Baby Bull)" Díaz II:

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JMM vs. Michael Alan "The Great" Katsidis:

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JMM vs. Likar Arturo Ramos Concha:
(the alleged dive, which I've thoroughly debunked)

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JMM vs. Manny Pacquiao III:

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JMM vs. Serhii "The Professor" Fedchenko:

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JMM vs. JMM vs. Manny Pacquiao IV:
(the KO shot heard 'round the world)

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JMM vs. Timothy "Desert Storm" Bradley:

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JMM vs. Mike Alvarado:
(swansong in the familiar environs of, fittingly, Inglewood)

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Heck of a career. Among the most resilient fighters in the modern era, considering his propensity for getting dropped by (yet ultimately recovering from) hard shots from even middling hitters – with not a single defeat by stoppage in 64 outings. If you shift the judges’ opinion his way a time or three against Pac-Man (some of us saw him victorious in all four encounters with the Filipino all-time-great) and he would be in the conversation for most successful pugilistic campaign of anyone in his country’s history, perhaps even clearing JCC.

He turns 50 in August, so there's no question of any spurious ill-advised breaking of retirement. Dude's a smart cookie and purportedly didn't squander his earnings irresponsibly. He was inducted into IBHOF in the class of 2020, six years after capping things off with a fittingly dramatic knockdowns-traded victory over thrill merchant "Mile-High" Mike Alvarado. A wide decision victory, necessitating that he climb off the canvas and outbox a larger man. Couldn't be a more appropriate sendoff.