| Mexican Boxing Legend Carlos Palomino In Profile |
| Written by Ross Everett |
| Thursday, 01 July 2010 08:35 |
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Vince Lombardi once said "Winning isn't everything, its the only thing". For most of the mainstream sports media, that couldn't be more true. Countless hours on sports talk radio are spent deriding NBA players like Charles Barkley and NFL players like Dan Marino for never winning a championship. Simply stated, no one remembers the runner up and the mainstream sports media helps reinforce this 'frontrunner' mentality.
Vince Lombardi once said "Winning isn't everything, its the only thing". For most of the mainstream sports media, that couldn't be more true. Countless hours on sports talk radio are spent deriding NBA players like Charles Barkley and NFL players like Dan Marino for never winning a championship. Simply stated, no one remembers the runner up and the mainstream sports media helps reinforce this 'frontrunner' mentality. At the same time, the mainstream sports media takes every opportunity available to bash boxing, but the reality is that the 'sweet science' more so than any other professional sport places a great emphasis on the quality of a fight as much as its eventual outcome. Fights like the Gatti-Ward trilogy, Hagler-Hearns, Hagler-Leonard are considered classics, and in most cases were very tightly contested bouts. A great case in point is the 2004 'fight of the year' between Juan Manuel Marquez and Manny Pacquaio. Despite nonstop action, the official verdict in the bout was a draw. Fighters can even be criticized for not having any losses on their record. While the highest level fighters like Floyd Mayweather, Jr. and Rocky Marciano are certainly exceptions, an undefeated record can often suggest a poor level of opponent as much as it does fistic superiority. A glossy won/loss record alone isn't enough to cement a legacy of greatness in the glorious history of boxing--that has to be earned inside the ring with heart, skill, toughness and character. Carlos Palomino was a fighter who earned the respect and admiration of fight fans both for his championship skills as well as how he played the game. A native of Sonora, Mexico, Palomino was the welterweight champion of the world for over two years during the mid to late 70s. During this time, he became the first world champion boxer to earn a college degree (from Long Beach State University in California). Palomino came to the US as a child and began to train as a fighter during his teenage years. After a stint in the Army (where he earned the All Army Welterweight Championship) and a National AAU title he turned pro in'72. Four years later, he become welterweight champion of the world by knocking out John Stracey in London, England. Palomino would defend his belt seven times over the next two years before losing it to another great, Wilfred Benetiz, via split decision. He retired from the ring shortly thereafter. Palomino turned his attention to acting following his boxing career, and has worked steadily in a variety of roles both in movies (mostly forgettable action films) and television (shows like Taxi, Star Trek Voyager, Highway to Heaven and Hill Street Blues). He appeared in some of the early Miller Light tastes great/less filling TV commercials. Hes also done some live theater work, in addition to generating publicity for a number of charities. As a fighter, Palomino was much more technical and deliberate than the 'blood and guts' stereotype of a Mexican fighter. He had deceptive power, and a left hook that could end a fight, but would more often break his opponent down over the course of a fight with a punishing body attack and relentless pace. While he might not fit the mold established by men like Julio Cesar Chavez and Erik Morales, Palomino no doubt rates among them as one of the greatest fighters in the proud history of Mexican boxing legends. About the Author: Ross Everett is a freelance sports writer and highly respected authority on sports betting odds comparison. He writing has appeared on a variety of sports sites including sportsbooks and betting odds portal sites. He lives in Las Vegas, Nevada with three Jack Russell Terriers and an emu. He is currently working on an autobiography of former interior secretary James Watt. |