(A young Julio Cesar Chavez, in picture) 06.08.07 – By James Slater: After Erik Morales’ desperately close brush with history making on Saturday – in which he was unfairly denied the glory of becoming the first ever fighter out of Mexico to have won world titles in four different weight classes, because of the three judges who felt David Diaz had done enough to have beaten him – it’s time to draw up a new poll of Mexico’s finest ever boxing fighters.
Had “El Terrible” been give the nod in Chicago that a whole lot of people felt was due him, who knows? Morales might well have had a chance at being very near the top of such a list. Toppling the superb fighting machine that was the great Julio Cesar Chavez, however, is something not too many fighters from Mexico have ever come close to doing – in the opinion of most fans, that is.
Still, there are more than a couple of Mexican legends that have to be given a chance, at least, at making Chavez’ position atop all things with regards to Mexican supremacy a little shaky – not least Tijuana’s Morales. “J.C Superstar” remains in poll position for me, but there are one or two of his countrymen that have come to rival Julio just lately. With all this said, I now list my choices for Mexico’s top-five best boxing fighters in history.
In reverse order, my top-five:
5. Marco Antonio Barrera. World boxing titles held at super-bantamweight, featherweight, super-featherweight. Record:63-5(42) Notable fighters defeated: Kennedy McKinney, Erik Morales, Naseem Hamed, Johnny Tapia, Kevin Kelley, Paulie Ayala. (note, Marco is still active, and should he shock the odds and reverse his lone KO loss – to Manny Pacquiao, in October – his ranking may well change)
4. Salvador Sanchez. World title held at featherweight. Record:44-1-1(32) Notable fighters defeated: Danny Lopez, Ruben Castillo, Juan LaPorte, Wilfredo Gomez, Azumah Nelson. (note, but for his untimely death aged just twenty-three, Sanchez may well have gone on to become Mexico’s greatest ever fighter)
3. Erik Morales. World titles held at super-bantamweight, featherweight, super-featherweight. Record:48-6(34) Notable fighters defeated: Daniel Zaragoza, Junior Jones, Wayne McCullough, Marco Antonio Barrera, Kevin Kelley, In-Jin Chi, Paulie Ayala, Jesus Chavez, Carlos Hernandez, Manny Pacquiao. (note, Morales officially retired after his points loss to David Diaz on August 4th. Should he decide to fight again, however, and win, his ranking may change)
2. Ricardo Lopez. World titles held at minimum-weight, light-flyweight. Record:51-0-1(38) Notable fighters defeated: Rocky Lin, Saman Sorjaturong, Manny Melchor, Rosando Alvarez, Will Grigsby, Ratanopol Sor Vorapin.
1. Julio Cesar Chavez. World titles held at super-featherweight, lightweight, junior-welterweight. Record:107-6-2(86) Notable fighters defeated: Mario Martinez, Ruben Castillo, Roger Mayweather, Rocky Lockridge, Juan LaPorte, Edwin Rosario, Jose Luis Ramirez, Meldrick Taylor, Hector
Camacho, Frankie Randall, Tony Lopez.
Viva Julio! – Mexico’s greatest ever fighter.