By Elliot Worsell
WHEN Julio Gonzalez was offered with the unenviable activity of attempting to dethrone Roy Jones Jnr in 2001, one of many battle’s promoting factors – maybe its just one – centred on the concept of Gonzalez turning into the primary Mexican in historical past to win a world light-heavyweight title. For Mexico, a nation steeped in boxing historical past however principally within the decrease weight courses, this was deemed a giant factor and Gonzalez, if he may have pulled it off, would have been thought-about fairly the trailblazer.
Others had tried, in fact, although hardly of their droves. Yaqui Lopez, for instance, was a nice light-heavyweight from Zacateca who unsuccessfully challenged for the WBC (in opposition to John Conteh and Matthew Saad Muhammed) and WBA titles (in opposition to Victor Galindez, twice) and is in the present day thought-about the most effective light-heavyweights by no means to change into a world champion. (Even at a cruiserweight, the place he ended up, Lopez challenged Carlos de Leon for the WBC belt solely to search out himself stopped in 4 rounds.) Then there was Saul Montana, often known as “La Cobra”, who ended his profession as a reliable heavyweight journeyman, however earlier than that, in 1993, challenged Virgil Hill for the WBA light-heavyweight title. Some years later, in 2000, Montana then additionally challenged Vasilly Jirov for the IBF cruiserweight belt and wound up getting stopped in 9 rounds.
Given this historical past, in addition to the standard of his opponent, Gonzalez falling brief in opposition to Jones in 2001 hardly got here as a shock. Certainly, when the Baja California native lastly did achieve his unique mission, beating Dariusz Michalczewski two years later, it was a win celebrated again in Mexico with no small quantity of fanfare.
This, you see, was no extraordinary accomplishment. Toppling Michalczewski in Germany was one factor – one thing no person else had up to now managed – however to make it much more particular Gonzalez would, by being one thing of an anomaly, now stand out among the many big pantheon of Mexican boxers. That’s, he would not be competing with the achievements of the various nice Mexicans within the decrease weight courses, however would now be remembered fondly as one in all The Huge Ones. One of many oddities. One of many outliers. Not solely that, he could be remembered as somebody who confirmed that Mexico can produce heavier boxers and good ones at that.
Julio Gonzalez (Jeff Gross/Getty Photos)
Since then there have been others. Gilberto Ramirez, a former WBO super-middleweight champion from Sinaloa, ventured to light-heavyweight to problem Dmitry Bivol in 2022, although he was quickly put in his place, and now, like Lopez earlier than him, competes as a cruiserweight. There’s additionally Saul “Canelo” Alvarez, a one-time welterweight who selected to dabble at light-heavyweight to dethrone Sergey Kovalev, the WBO champion, in 2019. That, once more, was a giant victory for Mexico within the larger weight courses, even when the velocity with which Alvarez then dropped again all the way down to super-middleweight was reasonably telling by way of determining the place he naturally belongs.
The truth is, one may argue it’s there, at super-middleweight, each Alvarez and Mexico have discovered their candy spot in latest occasions. In any case, go searching. It’s not simply Alvarez thriving at 168 kilos, but additionally Jaime Munguia, who received on Saturday evening in opposition to John Ryder, and David Benavidez, who was final seen stopping Demetrius Andrade in reasonably spectacular trend. Collectively, Alvarez, Munguia and Benavidez now signify maybe one, two and three at super-middleweight, with solely the order to be determined within the coming months and years.
Already, to this finish, there may be speak of Alvarez, the massive star, quickly combating each Munguia and Benavidez in showcase Las Vegas fights; perhaps one in Might and one in September. That, as a plan, would make a whole lot of sense and supply multiple compelling storyline. The Mexican angle will in fact should be pushed laborious, and act as its predominant promoting level, however you even have the concept of the passing of the torch in addition to the novelty of getting Mexican rivalries at a weight usually so alien to fighters from Mexico. That alone will guarantee these fights, ought to they occur, distinguish themselves from the myriad nice all-Mexican fights of the previous. That alone ought to give the promoters purpose to strike whereas the iron’s scorching and whereas the super-middleweight division, a division as soon as dominated by Europeans, is all of a sudden headed up by three good Mexicans.
David Benavidez (David Becker/Getty Photos)
Make no mistake, this new development is uncommon. Certainly, go to any boxing fitness center in Mexico and you’ll battle to search out boxers competing in divisions above welterweight, not to mention middleweight. This was one thing I found firsthand in 2016, after I paid a visit to the fitness center of Raul Hirales in La Paz and noticed a gang of boxers no taller than the highest rope, all separated by roughly 14 kilos. Flyweights to featherweights, every of them checked out me – a mere super-middleweight – as if I have been a heavyweight (one searching for sparring) and had subsequently come to the improper place. Hirales, 5’5 and 126 kilos, even mentioned that had I been a boxer there could be no room on the inn. “You’d battle for sparring,” he defined. “What’s nice about this fitness center is that we’re all the identical weight and may all spar each time we have to spar. You don’t even want to herald folks from outdoors to spar. We will do it each day if we wish.”
Huge, in different phrases, is just not all the time higher, significantly in Mexico, and significantly if wanting an athletic profession as a boxer. The truth is, when you take a look at this checklist of 10 Mexican boxers who competed – and to completely different levels flourished – within the larger weight courses, you will note simply how uncommon the phenomenon of the Huge Mexican Boxer actually is.
1) Yaqui Lopez
As a light-heavyweight, the all-action Lopez unsuccessfully challenged for the WBC (in opposition to John Conteh and Matthew Saad Muhammed) and WBA titles (in opposition to Victor Galindez, twice) however all the time gave it his all. Lastly, as a cruiserweight, he challenged Carlos de Leon for the WBC belt.
2) Julio Cesar Gonzalez
Well-known for unsuccessfully difficult Roy Jones Jnr in 2001, Gonzalez was an thrilling, aggressive light-heavyweight contender who grew to become the primary man to beat Dariusz Michalczewski, doing so in Germany through split-decision. The win landed Gonzalez the WBO title.
3) Andy Ruiz Jnr
Although many have mocked his bodily form, Ruiz Jnr possesses quick fingers and a very good boxing mind and has misplaced to solely Joseph Parker and Anthony Joshua in a 37-fight professional profession. His largest second thus far arrived in 2019 when he shocked Joshua to change into the heavyweight champion of the world.
4) Gilberto Ramirez
Often called “Zurdo”, the 32-year-old Ramirez is a 6’2 southpaw who held the WBO world super-middleweight belt from 2016 to 2018. He has since unsuccessfully challenged Dmitry Bivol for a model of the light-heavyweight crown and now finds himself at cruiserweight.
5) Manuel Ramos
Competing within the sixties and seventies, Ramos, from Hermosillo, Sonora, beat contenders Eddie Machen and Ernie Terrell and ultimately landed a shot in opposition to NYSAC heavyweight champion Joe Frazier in ‘68. He wobbled Frazier within the first spherical however succumbed to a barrage of hooks within the second.
6) Chris Arreola
California-based Arreola received 27 fights in a row earlier than difficult Vitali Klitschko for the WBC world heavyweight title in 2009. He was stopped in 10 rounds after which misplaced two additional makes an attempt to win the identical belt, in opposition to Bermane Stiverne and Deontay Wilder respectively.
7) Saul Montana
“La Cobra” ended his profession as a reliable heavyweight journeyman, however, in 1993, challenged Virgil Hill for the WBA light-heavyweight title after which, in 2000, challenged Vasilly Jirov for the IBF cruiserweight belt.
8) Joaquin Rocha
Rocha represented host nation Mexico as a heavyweight on the 1968 Mexico Metropolis Olympic video games and received his nation a bronze medal. He determined in opposition to turning skilled.
9) Alex Garcia
“The San Fernando Hammer” took up boxing after spending 5 years in San Quentin for assault with a lethal weapon. Garcia made it to 32-1 and was on the verge of securing a battle in opposition to George Foreman, just for journeyman Mike Dixon, a supposed tune-up opponent, to place a spanner within the works with a second-round knockout win.
10) Humberto Soto
To not be confused with the world super-featherweight champion of the identical title, this Humberto Soto was a heavyweight prospect undefeated between the years 2006 and 2017 (even when he solely managed 10 fights in that point). His first and solely loss got here in opposition to Jean Pierre Augustin. He hasn’t boxed since.
