By Dax: Superstardom is defined as “a person, as a performer or athlete, who enjoys wide recognition, is esteemed for exceptional talent, and is eagerly sought after for his or her services.”
Puerto Rico, is a small Island in the Caribbean whose beautiful beaches, exotic wildlife, delicious cuisine, and exciting night life attracts over 4 million tourists each year. Aside from its natural commodities Puerto Rico is known for producing another attraction with the same power of captivating people once they lay eyes on them for the first time; that is the Puerto Rican Fighter.
It can be argued that Puerto Rico is one of the greatest boxing countries in the world, which has a produced a world champion in just about every weight class in boxing. In fact, since 1959 Puerto Rican boxers have held a world title in at least one weight division in every decade.
These are just numbers, but there is something about the Puerto Rican fighter that brings a fire and an excitement to the sport that even casual fight fans are left in awe and wanting more.
Puerto Rican fighters are recognized and respected worldwide. Ask any casual fight fan to name a great Puerto Rican fighter and many will spit out a name just as fast as they would any American Fighter. A world title match that features a Puerto Rican fighter produces some of the highest arena attendance, TV ratings, and Pay Per View sales. On November 11th, 1979 Wilfred “El Radar” Benitez and “Sugar” Ray Leonard slugged it out for a sold out crowd of 4,600 at the Caesars Palace Sports Pavilion. On September 18th, 1999, in a fight labeled “The Fight of the Millennium”, Oscar Del Hoya and Felix “Tito” Trinidad set a record for sales (for a non-heavyweight fight), with 1.4 million buys; a record which stood for eight years. As of recent, on April 11th 2015, Danny Garcia Vs Lamont Peterson bought in an average of 2.9 million viewers, which made it the most watched television fight in 17 years.
What is it about the Puerto Rican Fighter that have fight fans rushing to get tickets for a seat in the arena or planning “fight parties” with as much detail and dedication as a quinceañera or a major life event (at least I do)?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mv8cmUeIeaU
Was it a chance to witness the Radar like accuracy and defensive skills of Wilfredo Benitez which earned him the fight names of “El Radar” and the “bible of boxing”? The flamboyant ring entrances coupled with the hand speed and footwork of Hector “Macho” Camacho that often left opponents chasing or punching air. Or the thunderous punching power of Felix”Tito” Trinidad, Wilfredo “bazooka” Gomez and Edwin “Chapo” Rosario that when connected, put most opponents to sleep and left fans thirsting for more. Maybe it is the grace and beauty of Miguel Cotto’s footwork and combination punching, which can be compared to the way a fine artist wields a paint brush in order to create a modern art masterpiece. A talent that left most of his opponents looking like one of Picasso’s abstract paintings; just ask Antonio Margarito.
The skills of the Puerto Rican fighter are shared by many fighters. All great fighters possess an elite combination of agility, speed, accuracy, and punching power that set them above the rest and earn them the label of prize fighters.
But what may set Puerto Rican fighters apart from other prize fighters is the pride of the fighter and what they represent. I will argue that the Puerto Rican fighter, more so the any other fighter possess not only the skill to make him a superstar, but the personal attributes that most people can relate to and respect. Puerto Ricans value hard work, tradition, pride in your country, and humbleness. All of these attributes can be seen in the Puerto Rican fighter. This pride is exhibited by wearing the Puerto Rican flag somewhere on their trunks or in another piece of clothing on their way to the ring. The way the fighter stands upright and proud when the Puerto Rican anthem is being sung. A pride that won’t let him go down because he knows he fights not only for himself, but for the people of Puerto Rico. The hard work the fighter puts in preparation for the fight and during the fight which allows him to achieve victory. The humbleness and sportsmanship that the fighter displays not only in victory but also in defeat. These attributes are not inherent solely to the Puerto Rican fighter. There are many champions in the history of boxing from all over the world that share these same qualities, but it definitely can be found in just about every champion of Puerto Rican decent.
Even the new faces of Puerto Rican boxing are being recognized by many not only for the talent they possess but they also by the manner in which they conduct their business. Danny “swift” Garcia quickly became a star attraction for fight fans. With his wins over notable opposition such as Amir Khan, Lucas Mathysse, and Lamont Peterson, Garcia is at the cusp of boxing Superstardom. Puerto Rico’s latest sensation, Felix Verdejo is starting to become of favorite amongst boxing analyst and fight fans alike. If he counties to give thrilling performances and conduct himself the way he has lately, it won’t be long before his revered in “superstardom land” like his predecessors.
Boxing was and still is the hard working man’s sport. A sport where blue collar workers across the world can see their personal attributes in the fighters they root for; blood, sweat and sacrifice. There is no denying the greatness of Adrien Broner and Guillermo Ringondeaux; just to name a few. They possess great boxing talent and are respected world champions in their own right. But, Broner’s disrespect towards opponents, coupled with unjust arrogance, and Guillermo’s reluctance to commit to an action fight, leaves a bad taste in the mouths of fights fans. Therefore, the superstardom they seek eludes them. Championships are earned by the fighter, but fighters are elevated to superstardom by the fans that root for them.
Fight fans know when most Puerto Rican fighters step into the ring they are going to get the best of the fighter, every fight. The fighter is going to produce a notable entertaining fight filled with skill, action, respect for their opponent, and respect for the sport of boxing. It is not only the wins and championships that rally most fight fans around Puerto Rican fighters. It is the consistency of their conduct, the humbleness of their persona, and the class in which they approach their craft that makes them stand out in the minds of most fight fans.
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