No matter what Chavez did before or after that night, that victory would be cemented in boxing history forever. But he would win 21 more times before losing for the first time against Frankie Randall in 1994. The ‘Lion of Culiacan’ also became Don King’s go-to fighter while Mike Tyson was in prison, becoming an international superstar in the process.
That doesn’t mean he was perfect. His 1993 draw with Pernell Whitaker was widely panned as one of the worst decisions of the 90s, and even Chavez admits that ‘Sweet Pea’ was ‘probably’ his toughest opponent, the one he didn’t know if he could beat in the ring. The two never met again, and when asked if there is any opponent he wished he got another crack at, he laughs, saying, ‘I don’t know.’
There were rematches though. The loss to Randall was avenged less than four months after their first bout (they even fought a third time in 2004, Chavez winning again), and he defeated Taylor a second time in 1994, but the Philadelphian was a shell of his former self, a state of affairs many believe was due to their first bout.
Chavez’s last major bouts were 1996 and 1998 matchups with Oscar De La Hoya, but ‘The Golden Boy’ won both in one-sided fashion, apparently passing the torch from the Mexican to the Mexican-American, and even while he praises fellow greats Marco Antonio Barrera, Juan Manuel Marquez and Erik Morales for representing his country well in and out of the ring, to the diehards, Chavez would always be their hero.
‘I always went and fought in the ring giving my best, with only one goal: to win and give the best of me as a boxer,’ he said when asked to explain his appeal. ‘As a boxer, you always know that you have your fans backing you up, and you wouldn’t like to let them down.’
Time waits for no man though, and like it happens for all the greats, one phase ends and another begins. Some can’t handle that second phase of retirement, and for a while, Chavez couldn’t. But eventually, he found his way, and like fellow icons of the sport such as Muhammad Ali, Sugar Ray Leonard and Mike Tyson, he’s found favour with a new generation of fans who may have never even saw him fight live.
Check out social media for proof, as Chavez’s association with the popular Canada-based clothing brand Roots of Fight has resulted in a clothing line that has resonated with fans, as well as celebrities like actor Mario Lopez, middleweight champion Gennady Golovkin and former WWE superstar Rey Mysterio.
‘The truth is that it really makes me happy to know that I still have that effect on boxing fans, and I know that they appreciate wearing the shirt,’ he said. ‘The new collaboration with Roots of Fight was all thanks to my team, and they have been taking care of my image and revealing it to a new generation.’ Boxing News online article 1 January 2017
99) Oscar De la Hoya I Lost TKO4: US Fight Commentary TV -
v Oscar De la Hoya 7 June 1996 WBC Light-Welterweight Nevada [r1] … De la Hoya jab … cautious start … again lands with the right … He [referee] wants a doctor to look at the [Chavez] cut … There’s already desperation in Chavez … [r2] … De la Hoya still picking his shots … another right hand and the blood really begins to flow … Chavez came back with a counter right … [r3] … Chavez going backwards … hard left to the body … the uppercut, a right hand … Good left hook by Chavez … [r4] … Hard left hook by Chavez … Left hook by De la Hoya and he comes back with a right jab … And the blood bothering Julio … The fight is over. US fight commentary
105) Oscar De la Hoya II Lost Ret 8: US Fight Commentary TV -
v Oscar De la Hoya II 18 September 1998 WBC Welterweight Nevada [r1] … Chavez staying at a distance … Very tactical first round … Couple of Chavez left hooks … [r2] … As Chavez goes in, De la Hoya starts to land left hooks … right hand [Chavez] … cut already … They exchange punches … a fire-fight … [r3] … De la Hoya countering … A warning to Chavez [low blow] … De la Hoya goes to the body … left hook by Chavez … [r4] … Chavez extends the right hand and De la Hoya lands a left hook over … a straight right … Chavez not busy here … [r5] … He’s [Chavez] using his left jab … good left hook … A [De la Hoya] combination to the belly … [r6] … The [De la Hoya] hands held low … willing to trade at close range … good left uppercut … [r7] … De la Hoya staring to pump the jab … Chavez coming forward … right hand … good left hook inside … a big round for De la Hoya … [r8] … Oscar’s just outpunching him … Oscar landing left hooks and uppercuts … blood now pouring [Chavez] … [r9] He [Chavez] has refused to come out … He tastes his own blood … A no mas from Chavez. US fight commentary
[8.7] JOE GANS 196-158(100)-12-20-6: Cox’s Corner online – International Boxing Hall of Fame online -
Joe Gans, lightweight champion of the world from 1902-1908 (Odd, 45), whose talent, polished professional style, and punching power earned him the magnificent title of The Old Master, was as dominate a fighter as any who ever donned gloves. Gans was a defensive master as well as a devastating puncher. He attacked vital points with pinpoint accuracy and threw every punch perfectly, in combinations and with bewildering speed. He was a master at counter punching, of the now lost art of feinting, and at the neglected art of body punching. He was a complete fighter who could be champion in any age.
Gans great speed, power, combination punching ability and killer instinct is evident from newspaper accounts. The September 28th 1904 San Francisco Chronicle reported, ‘Those who have watched Gans go through his work every day are amazed at his wonderful agility, his speed and his clean hitting ability’. The January 20th 1906 Chronicle summed up these qualities while describing the end of his fight with the highly regarded welterweight Mike Twin Sullivan, ‘He caught Sullivan partly turned away. A dusky right arm swung over with electric quickness. A sodden glove connected with the back of Sullivan’s left ear. The Twin spun almost around from the force of the blow, and when he tried to steady himself he found that a straw colored tiger in the person of Joe Gans was upon him. Rights and lefts went with terrible swiftness to his opponents jaw. In went Gans right to the stomach, over circled his left to the jaw. And then Mike Twin Sullivan much the bigger and heavier man … fell backward to the canvas’.
Gans excellent footwork was described as ‘beautiful side-stepping, and legwork’ by Nat Fleischer in Black Dynamite. The October 1st 1904 San Francisco Chronicle reported that, ‘Gans beautiful footwork became evident. He was in and away or inside as it suited him best, with will-o-the-wisp elusiveness’. Jack Johnson speaking of Gans footwork said, (Ring 1941, 16), ‘Joe moved around like he was on wheels.’ Cox’s Corner Profiles online article
The first native-born black American to win a world title, Joe Gans impressed the boxing community with his scientific approach to the sport. Gans never moved more than a few inches to avoid a punch, studied his opponents’ strengths and weaknesses much more intently than other fighters of the time, and directed his punches with pinpoint accuracy to key points of weakness.
Gans’ first-known boxing experience took place at the Monumental Theater in Baltimore when he won a ‘battle royal’, a wild contest in which several black fighters entered the ring at once to fight until one remained. Gans’ superiority in this brutal exhibition attracted the interest of boxing manager Al Herford, who directed Gans to a professional career. Gans started boxing professionally in 1891 in Baltimore. International Boxing Hall of Fame online
[8.7] TONY CANZONERI 175-141(44)-24-10-0 [Light-Welterweight & Lightweight & Featherweight & Batmamweight]: Boxing News online - Encyclopaedia Britannica online - IBHOF online -
On This Day: The Brilliant Tony Canzoneri was born in 1908: Ex-shoeshine boy Tony Canzoneri was a brilliant box-fighter who contested world championships at four weights, was the world’s champion at three of them and became the first man in the history of the ring to win the world lightweight title twice. He still holds the record for the quickest knockout in a world lightweight title bout when he stiffened champion Al Singer in 66 seconds in November 1930. All-in-all Canzoneri beat thirteen different world champions and was only stopped once, in his very last fight.
Born in Slidell in Louisiana in November 1908 of Italian parentage Canzoneri’s family moved to New Orleans when he was two. He followed his elder brother Joe to the Gayosa Gym when he was 11 years old and came under the tutelage of ex-world bantamweight champion Pete Herman. The family then moved on to New York and settled in Brooklyn where Tony continued his amateur career, winning the New York State bantamweight title when he was just 15.
A year later in July 1925 Canzoneri lied about his age and turned professional with a 22 second knockout of Jack Gardner in New York. He never looked back. He ran up an unbeaten run of 31 fights with three draws and two no-decisions. By 1927 Canzoneri was ready to fight for his first world title. He boxed a draw with Bud Taylor in Chicago. Three months later, in the rematch, the teak tough Taylor took the title on a points decision. The growing Canzoneri was only 18 but after that defeat decided to move up to featherweight. His unique ring style was now fully developed. Standing 5ft 4ins with a 63 inch reach, the barrel chested Canzoneri had a huge upper body perched on spindly legs. He used minimum footwork and shuffled forward with his left hand dangling at knee level. Seemingly wide open he had lightning reflexes and dazzling hand speed and often, instead of jabbing, would attack with a sweeping left hook. With a solid chin and great stamina, Canzoneri also enjoyed a good tear up and rightly became a hugely popular performer in the New Madison Square Garden. He won his first world title before his 19th birthday by outscoring 300-plus fight veteran Johnny Dundee, ‘The Scotch Wop’, for the featherweight crown. A year later, struggling with weight problems, he lost the title to old foe Andre Routis and moved up to terrorise the lightweights. He was undefeated in his first 12 fights yet failed to beat tricky Sammy Mandell for the title in Chicago in 1929. He fought Britain’s whirlwind Jack ‘Kid’ Berg but was outpointed. By the end of 1930 had knocked out Al Singer in a round to win the world lightweight title. He met Berg in a re-match for two titles as Berg had recently won the junior-welterweight title. In a stunning display, Canzoneri flattened Berg in the third round to become a dual champion. In the rubber match, as fiercely fought as the others, Canzoneri edged out a 15 round decision.
The last eight years of his phenomenal career saw Canzoneri continuously winning and losing titles in some rousing battles. He lost the junior-welterweight crown to Johnny Jadick, being outpointed twice but defended the lightweight crown successfully against tough Billy Petrolle and the ‘Cuban Bon Bon’ Kid Chocolate. But he couldn’t master the talented Barney Ross and lost both titles to him in 1933. Ross also won the rematch.
Canzoneri kept fighting and surprised everyone by winning the lightweight title for the second time against Lou Ambers, whose nickname ‘The Herkimer Hurricane’ fully described his boxing style. It was the first of a trio of fights between the two, each as savage as the other. Ambers took the title back in September 1936 and retained it again the following year. During this time Canzoneri split two decisions with the great Jimmy McLarnin but his title days were over. He retired after being stopped by Al ‘Bummy’ Davis in Madison Square Garden after a 14 year career. He worked as an actor in vaudeville, did some cabaret work and opened a successful restaurant on Broadway called Tony Canzoneri’s Paddock Bar. He didn’t own the bar as his ring earnings had long since vanished because of an expensive divorce and some extravagant living but he was paid for the use of his name and was on hand to greet customers. Sadly Canzoneri did not enjoy a long life, dying of a heart attack in the Hotel Bryant, just off Broadway. He was only 51. Boxing News online article