Wilfredo “El Orgullo de Puerto Rico” Vazquez Sr.:
Belongs in the International Boxing Hall of Fame.
By M.DeTyrone
One boxer that has earned to be inducted in the
International Boxing Hall of Fame in Canastota, NY is Wilfredo “ El Orgullo dePuerto Rico” Vazquez. If there is one
boxer that travelled and showcased Puerto Rican boxing all throughout the world
that would be one of its greatest ambassadors. Wilfredo “El Orgullo de Puerto
Rico” Vazquez Sr. who was born in August 1960 began to box at the age of
18. Although he didn’t have a stellar
amateur career, he gained much in pro
boxing from the year 1981 to 2000 accomplishing a strong boxing career with a final
record of 56-9-2 and 1 No contest with 41 KO’s, a WBA Bantamweight champion, a WBA
Super Bantamweight champion from March 27, 1992 — May 13, 1995 with 9 successful
title defenses, a WBA Featherweight champion from May 18, 1996 — 1997 with 4 successful
title defenses, a 3 Division World Champion, with 21 career world title fights
and a record of 16-3-2.
Vazquez Sr. is recognized among the top 15 Puerto
Rican boxing greats who traveled to South Korea, Japan, Mexico, the U.K., the
U.S.A, Italy, Thailand and France to defend his title or look to win a title.
This cannot be said about many boxers in his era or this era of boxing where
many boxers don’t even travel their home state or geographical region where
their fan base is more concentrated. How can a road warrior like Wilfredo
Vazquez Sr. with 56 wins 9 defeats 2 draws 1 no contest and 41 knockouts is not
inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame? And those that made a
career fighting in world title fights in their homelands, or geographical
regions that might as well be their homelands are even mentioned for the hall
of fame. Many who benefited from subpar
performances and obtained home cooked decisions due to their marketability for
various reasons outside those of boxing.
I don’t know the criteria for a boxer to be in the
International Boxing Hall of Fame, but I do have my own in recognizing boxing
greats and it’s a boxer with the combinations of the list below[Although not complete].
A. A
boxer should have won a world championship WBA, WBO, WBC, and IBF in 3 or more
weight divisions. Not Ring Magazine titles or Interim Titles of any sort of creation.
B. A
boxer should have face the top opposition of his era in the record of opponent
there must be future world champions, world champions, or various multiple
title contenders.
C. A
boxer must have not be caught and suspended by any of the boxing commissions
for any illegal substance such as Performance Enhancement Drugs, or substances
used to gain an advantage over an opponent.
D. A
boxer should have fought over 20 World Championship Title fights and have a
winning percentage of over 70%.
E. A
boxer should have over 12 world title successful defenses in their record.
F. A
boxer should have accomplished boxing history either by establishing a record,
breaking a record, or becoming the first in boxing.
G. A
boxer should have been recognized the best in their division by defeating and
winning all the titles or the majority of the recognized titles in their
respected division.
H. A
boxer obtaining wins outside their homeland or geographical regions which is no
different than their homeland due to fan support.
Let’s look at Vazquez Sr. professional boxing
record. In 1986 Vazquez Sr. fights in Florida and loses by a 12 round Unanimous
Decision to Miguel Lora for the WBC Bantamweight title in a fight where both
boxers visited the canvas. The judge’s score was 111-116, 112-115, and 113-116.
Miguel Lora would be a WBC Bantamweight champion from 1985 to 1988. A year
later in 1987 Vazquez Sr. travels to South Korea and TKO’s in 10 rounds
Chan-Young Park who would finish his career with a professional record 33-5-2
16 KO’s and an ex-WBA Bantamweight Champion. We find Vazquez Sr. in Asian this
time in Japan in 1988. Vazquez Sr. ends
up with a draw vs. Takuya Mugurama in a WBA World Bantamweight title fight.
Takuya Mugurama would finish his career with a professional record 26-3-2 20
KO’s and an ex-WBA Bantamweight champion.
In 1993 Vazquez Sr. is fighting in two WBA Super
Bantamweight Championship title fights one in France and Japan. Vazquez Sr.
defeats via a unanimous decision Luis Mendoza, and then in a rematch Vazquez
Sr. KO’s in 10 rounds Thierry Jacob. In Japan Vazquez Sr. fights Hiroaki Yokota,
who he defeats by unanimous decision in 12 rounds with the judges score of
116-112, 116-112, and 115-113. In 1994 Vazquez Sr. travels to Tokyo, Japan and
TKO’s in 1 round Yuichi Kasai in a WBA Super Bantamweight title fight. That
same year in a WBA Super Bantamweight title fight he KO’s in 2 rounds Jae-WonChoi in Las Vegas, Nevada, and then defeats in France by unanimous decision in
WBA World Super Bantamweight title fight Juan Polo Perez.
In 1995 as a huge underdog Vazquez Sr. travels to
face Orlando Canizalez in a WBA World Super Bantamweight title bout in San
Antonio, Texas, U.S.A. Where Vazquez Sr. defeats Canizalez via a split decision
with the judges scores 115-113, 113-117, and 116-115. Orlando Canizalez would
end up with a record of 50-5-1 37 KO’s, IBF Bantamweight Champion from 1988 to
1994, and in 2009 inducted in the International Boxing Hall of Fame.
In 1995 Vazquez Sr. would lose by unanimous decision
in 12 rounds to Antonio Cermeno in Bayamon, Puerto Rico. In 1996 Vazquez Sr.
travels to Las Vegas and defeats Eloy Rojas by an 11 round TKO in a WBA World
Featherweight title bout. Vazquez Sr. would later in 1996 and 1997 would travel
to California and Japan and with by KO in 5 rounds both Bernardo Mendoza and
Yuji Watanabe in WBA World Featherweight title bouts. In 1997 Vazquez Sr. would
defeat by unanimous decision both Roque Cassiani and Genaro Rios in NYC and Las
Vegas. In 1998 after 17 years of boxing he faces Nassem Hamed in the U.K. where
Vazquez Sr. loses via a 7th round TKO in a WBO Featherweight title
fight.
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