The Tiny Boxing Nation That Rivals Giants: What Makes Puerto Rico So Special?

Written by Joe Hicketts

Best Boxing Country in the World? 

When you think of the greatest boxing country in the world you will likely think of either the United States or Mexico and with good reason, both countries has produced more champions than any other. However the “country” that has produced the most world championship boxers per person is not any of these, it is Puerto Rico. A territory that has produced over 50 world champions despite having a similar population to Jamaica. To further put it in context it has produced 3 times more champions than the more populous boxing mad Republic of Ireland.  

Image via Unsplash

Quick History of Puerto Rico 

Boxing was brought to Puerto Rico by the US military in the 1920s and was later legalised in the country in 1927. The territory was a Spanish colony for over 400 years and then ceded to the US in 1898 following the Spanish American war. Puerto Rico is part of the US but is not a US state and thus doesn’t have formal representation in the US government.  

Boxing Gains Traction  

Boxing in Puerto Rico really took off in with the rise of Sixto Escobar who became the first Puerto Rican world champion in 1934 by defeating Rodolfo Casanova by 9^th round knockout thus starting in the process the infamous Mexican Puerto Rican rivalry that exists to this day.  

Boxing proliferated on the island due to a familiar combination of factors of Hispanic pride, the high amount of boxing gyms as well as poverty driving young Puerto Rican’s to the ring, even now the Puerto Rican poverty rate is almost 4 times the US average. Boxing also likely gained popularity due to mainland American TV networks broadcasting US fights to the island bringing early boxing stars into the public consciousness.  

70s and 80s 

The 70s and 80s are widely cited as the most prolific period of Puerto Rican boxing with fighters such as Edwin Rosario, Hector Camacho and of course Wilfredo Benitez who remains the youngest fighter ever to win a world title at the age of 17. However great fighters did come after this period with the obvious examples being: Tito Trinidad, Miguel Cotto to the present day of Oscar Collazo and Amanda Serrano.  

Puerto Rican Style 

The Puerto Rican style is like most countries a reflection of its culture blending the Hispanic come forward style with a more movement orientated American style which has lead to Puerto Rican boxers often being one of the more versatile athletes in the sport.  

Despite being a country being c.40 times smaller, the Puerto Rican Mexico rivalry is arguably the biggest national rivalry in boxing which has brought us great fights like Salvador Sanchez vs Wilfredo Gomez, Julio Cesar Chavez vs Edwin Rosario and more recently Miguel Cotto vs Antonio Margarito.  

Conclusion

In one of the poorer parts of the US boxing has and will continue to play a huge part in connecting Puerto Rican’s with their cultural heritage. Boxing not only gives Puerto Rican’s a way out of poverty it gives them an opportunity to be proud of their history, fly their flag and there is a good argument that inside the squared circle they remain the best in the world.