Top 12 All-Time Greatest Mexican Boxers
A while back your preferred independent combat sports website had a special week on Mexican pugilists called “Mexican Style” and part of it was a spirited debate regarding just who are the best Mexican boxers of all-time. So what better time than Cinco De Mayo to feature the resulting Top 12 list? These are the greatest Mexican pugilists ever, as ranked by Rafael Garcia and Michael Carbert.
12.Rodolfo “Baby” Casanova: While “Baby” never won a world title, he more than held his own in one of boxing’s most competitive eras, amassing 81 wins and scoring victories over, among others, Kid Azteca, Baby Arizmendi, Juan Zurita and Freddie Miller. His battle with Sixto Escobar in 1934 is considered the very first chapter in the legendary Mexico vs Puerto Rico rivalry.
11. Marco Antonio Barrera: A true Mexican warrior, “El Barreta” won world titles in three different weight classes, coming back from defeat to assert his greatness with wins over Kennedy McKinney, Naseem Hamed, Paulie Ayala, Erik Morales, Kevin Kelley and Johnny Tapia.
10. Erik Morales: The first Mexican boxer to win world titles in four different weight classes, “El Terrible” defeated 15 world champions, including Barrera, Junior Jones, Daniel Zaragoza, Paulie Ayala and Kevin Kelley. His decision victory over Manny Pacquiao in 2005 is one of the greatest wins ever by a Mexican fighter.
9. Ricardo Lopez: The numbers say it all: 21 successful title defences, 51 wins, 38 knockouts, zero defeats. An amazingly accomplished ring technician, “El Finito” would no doubt be higher on this list if he had faced more formidable competition.
8. Miguel Canto: Regarded as one of the greatest flyweight champions in boxing history, Canto took the title from Shoji Oguma in 1975 and proceeded to notch fourteen title defenses, defeating the likes of Betulio Gonzalez, Lupe Madera, Martin Vargas and Antonio Avelar. A slick, defensively gifted boxer, he scored only fifteen stoppages in 61 career wins.
7. Vicente Saldivar: One of the greatest southpaws in boxing history, “Zurdo de Oro” owns victories over Ismael Laguna, Sugar Ramos, Howard Winstone and Jose Legra.
6. Alberto “Baby” Arizmendi: With wins over the great Henry Armstrong and closely contested bouts against the likes of Tony Canzoneri, Chalky Wright, Lou Ambers, Sammy Angott and Freddie Miller, there’s no doubt this featherweight world champion is a true “Mexican Style” legend.
5. Juan Manuel Marquez: With numerous world titles and wins over, among others, Barrera, Joel Casamayor, Juan Diaz, and Manny Pacquiao, “Dinamita” is a true contemporary great.
4. Carlos Zarate: One of the greatest bantamweights of all-time and one of boxing’s most powerful punchers, Zarate won 55 straight before falling to a prime Wilfredo Gomez. His knockout win over Alfonso Zamora in 1977 is one of the great victories in Mexican boxing history.
3. Ruben Olivares: A three time world champion with one of the best left hooks in boxing history, “El Puas” is a legend of Mexican pugilism and one of the greatest bantamweights of all-time.
2. Julio Cesar Chavez: Boasting 107 wins with 86 knockouts, “El César del Boxeo” dominated his era, defeating a long list of champions including Edwin Rosario, Tony Lopez, Greg Haugen, Roger Mayweather and Meldrick Taylor.
1. Salvador Sanchez: A fatal car accident cut short the career of Sanchez, but during his brief time at the top he established himself as an all-time great, scoring a series of convincing wins, including victories over fellow Hall of Famers Danny Lopez, Wilfredo Gomez and Azumah Nelson.
I had a sparring partner who went the distance with Julio Cesar Chavez…and as I scrolled down the page with nary a mention of Salvador Sanchez…until getting to the final but best call of number one…great stuff! He was one of the best ever. Technique and versatility. What a tactician. Thanks Rafael Garcia and Michael Carbert.
I have always said: Sanchez’s versatility in the ring made him the greatest Mexican fighter and the greatest featherweight of all time.
Chava is one of my favorite fighters: stamina, ring generalship, power, ring smarts…
Chavez is regarded by most as the greatest ever. His victories over Rosario, Camacho and Taylor were very impressive.
I love Mexican boxers. They are relentless warriors, fight with integrity and honor, and they never quit.
True, the only exception is Chavez Jr.
I totally agree that Salvafor Sanchez is number one with Julio Cesar Chavez at number two. Juan Manuel Marquez is ranked well at number five. Great job!
Honorable Mention: Lupe Pintor
I totally agree, even though Lupe had 14 losses total, 5 of those came in his comeback career starting in 1994. In my opinion, he is one of the hardest hitting bantamweight boxers in the history of the sport. He was a two weight division champion and he successfully defended his title 8 times at bantemweight. He totally deserves to be in the hall of fame and to be mentioned with the greatest bantamweight ever. This might be saying a lot but I believe he could have given any bantamweight in the history of boxing a tough match. Very underrated boxer overall!
Pintor is a World Boxing HOF member. He was inducted into that HOF in 2002. He was also inducted into the International Boxing HOF in 2016.
Chavez was the best Mexican fighter ever. Sanchez right behind him. Canelo will be right there as well one day.
Julio Cesar “Home Cookin’” Chavez? One “win” with four seconds left? Another “win” when Sweet Pea whipped him? I’ll take Sanchez and “El Finito” any day.
You are right, Sanchez was the greatest.
Whipped him? All I saw was Whitaker running away most of the fight. Besides, every great boxer has lost a fight or two!
Chavez is probably the best because he fulfilled his career. Sanchez career was cut short at 23 years old. However, those who saw him, saw what could’ve been, not only the greatest Mexican fighter of all time, but one of boxing greatest of all time. He was that good.
That’s a bad-ass video of Sanchez. I can see why he is at number one. My dad always told me about Sanchez, that he was the best. I can see why. R.I.P. Pops.
Today I learned Roberto Duran isn’t Mexican.
His father was Mexican American. Was in Panama with US Army when he met Roberto’s mom.
Well somewhat, because his Dad was a Mexican-American soldier from Arizona. He was stationed in Panama when he fathered the great Roberto Duran.
Where’s Canelo?
No question Canelo is the greatest Mexican fighter of all time. Just became the first Mexican to ever unify all 4 major belts. One of only 6 fighters ever in the entire world to do it. And this article, written only 6 months ago, doesn’t even have him in the top 12? Complete bullsh*t. Shame.
His career isn’t finished, but he is definitely top three at this point. People won’t consider him the greatest until later on down the line, and many will still consider Chavez the greatest. But once those born in the 60s thru 80s are too old to have a say Canelo will be considered the greatest of all time. But in my book, Sanchez is number one.
Who are the best Gringo fighters?
The short piece about Juan Manuel Marquez, please this is as great a warrior as there ever was , in fact his absolute KO of Manny Pacquiao is a highlight real as he also has been one of the greatest ever !
finally a website that recognizes Salvador Sanchez as the greatest boxer of mexican decent.
Those of us old enough to remember his fights observed Sanchez’/s great endurance, movement, punching power, ring intelligence and granite chin.
To all you Chavez fans I say this: Chavez (in the same weight division) could of never handled Sanchez’s movement around the ring. Sanchez would of won that fight by majority decision .
I WOULD LOVE TO SEE A MOVIE MADE ABOUT SANCHEZ . TOO BAD HE GOT KAYO’D BY BEER AND DRUNK DRIVING !
You left one of the greatest ever Manuel Ortiz
His Dad was Mexican
juan manuel should be top 10 but not top 5 idc if he beat a washed manny by ko, got schooled by mayweather worse than canelo and dont forget was scared to go 144 to fight canelo but he went up to wealter for floyd? make it make sense
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Canelo on paper is on the top but on the practice of the ring he will never touch the top 10, name 3 historic fights that are imprinted in peoples memories because of the skills, passion, heart and great opponents?