By Elliot Worsell
WHEN Julio Gonzalez was introduced with the unenviable job of making an attempt to dethrone Roy Jones Jnr in 2001, one of the combat’s promoting factors – maybe its solely one – centred on the thought of Gonzalez turning into the first Mexican in historical past to win a world light-heavyweight title. For Mexico, a nation steeped in boxing historical past however largely in the decrease weight lessons, this was deemed a giant factor and Gonzalez, if he might have pulled it off, would have been thought-about fairly the trailblazer.
Others had tried, of course, although hardly of their droves. Yaqui Lopez, for instance, was a nice light-heavyweight from Zacateca who unsuccessfully challenged for the WBC (towards John Conteh and Matthew Saad Muhammed) and WBA titles (towards Victor Galindez, twice) and is in the present day thought-about one of the finest light-heavyweights by no means to develop 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, referred to 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 high quality of his opponent, Gonzalez falling quick towards Jones in 2001 hardly got here as a shock. Indeed, when the Baja California native lastly did achieve his authentic 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 peculiar accomplishment. Toppling Michalczewski in Germany was one factor – one thing no one else had thus far managed – however to make it much more particular Gonzalez would, by being one thing of an anomaly, now stand out amongst the large pantheon of Mexican boxers. That is, he would not be competing with the achievements of the many nice Mexicans in the decrease weight lessons, however would now be remembered fondly as one of The Big Ones. One of the oddities. One of the 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 Images)
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 can also be 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 in the increased weight lessons, even when the pace with which Alvarez then dropped again right down to super-middleweight was slightly telling in phrases of determining the place he naturally belongs.
In reality, one might argue it’s there, at super-middleweight, each Alvarez and Mexico have discovered their candy spot in current instances. After all, go searching. It’s not simply Alvarez thriving at 168 kilos, but additionally Jaime Munguia, who received on Saturday night time towards John Ryder, and David Benavidez, who was final seen stopping Demetrius Andrade in slightly spectacular style. Together, Alvarez, Munguia and Benavidez now signify maybe one, two and three at super-middleweight, with solely the order to be determined in the coming months and years.
Already, to this finish, there may be discuss of Alvarez, the huge star, quickly preventing each Munguia and Benavidez in showcase Las Vegas fights; perhaps one in May and one in September. That, as a plan, would make loads of sense and supply multiple compelling storyline. The Mexican angle will of course should be pushed laborious, and act as its essential promoting level, however you even have the thought of the passing of the torch in addition to the novelty of having 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 sizzling and whereas the super-middleweight division, a division as soon as dominated by Europeans, is all of the sudden headed up by three sensible Mexicans.
David Benavidez (David Becker/Getty Images)
Make no mistake, this new pattern is uncommon. Indeed, go to any boxing health club 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, once I paid a visit to the health club of Raul Hirales in La Paz and noticed a gang of boxers no taller than the prime rope, all separated by roughly 14 kilos. Flyweights to featherweights, every of them checked out me – a mere super-middleweight – as if I had been a heavyweight (one on the lookout for sparring) and had subsequently come to the mistaken place. Hirales, 5’5 and 126 kilos, even mentioned that had I been a boxer there could be no room at the inn. “You would struggle for sparring,” he defined. “What’s great about this gym is that we are all the same weight and can all spar whenever we need to spar. You don’t even need to bring in people from outside to spar. We can do it on a daily basis if we want.”
Big, in different phrases, just isn’t all the time higher, significantly in Mexico, and significantly if wanting an athletic profession as a boxer. In reality, for those who have a look at this checklist of 10 Mexican boxers who competed – and to totally different levels flourished – in the increased weight lessons, you will notice simply how uncommon the phenomenon of the Big Mexican Boxer actually is.
1) Yaqui Lopez
As a light-heavyweight, the all-action Lopez unsuccessfully challenged for the WBC (towards John Conteh and Matthew Saad Muhammed) and WBA titles (towards Victor Galindez, twice) however all the time gave it his all. Finally, as a cruiserweight, he challenged Carlos de Leon for the WBC belt.
2) Julio Cesar Gonzalez
Famous for unsuccessfully difficult Roy Jones Jnr in 2001, Gonzalez was an thrilling, aggressive light-heavyweight contender who turned the first man to beat Dariusz Michalczewski, doing so in Germany by way of split-decision. The win landed Gonzalez the WBO title.
3) Andy Ruiz Jnr
Though 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 so far arrived in 2019 when he shocked Joshua to develop into the heavyweight champion of the world.
4) Gilberto Ramirez
Known as “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 in the sixties and seventies, Ramos, from Hermosillo, Sonora, beat contenders Eddie Machen and Ernie Terrell and finally landed a shot towards NYSAC heavyweight champion Joe Frazier in ‘68. He wobbled Frazier in the first spherical however succumbed to a barrage of hooks in 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 similar belt, towards 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 at the 1968 Mexico City Olympic video games and received his nation a bronze medal. He determined towards 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 combat towards George Foreman, just for journeyman Mike Dixon, a supposed tune-up opponent, to place a spanner in the works with a second-round knockout win.
10) Humberto Soto
Not to be confused with the world super-featherweight champion of the similar identify, 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 towards Jean Pierre Augustin. He hasn’t boxed since.
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