45 years ago (yesterday) in San Juan, Puerto Rico, two champions met in the welterweight division. Wilfred Benitez, still only 20 years venerable but already a former champion, and “El Radar” was stripped of the 140-pound title he won at age 17 due to inactivity, with defending welterweight champion Carlos Palomino.

Mexican Palomino, who was defending his WBC crown for the eighth time, was nine years older than the fighter at 29. Palomino had a record of 27-1-3 when he entered the ring, while Benitez was undefeated at 36-0-1. What happened next caused controversy, especially one of the three official scorecards.

Benitez, truly one of a kind, boxed brilliantly in the last two-thirds of the fight, after nearly the first third of a fascinating fight (check it out on YouTube). Benitez, a master of the counterpunch, ended the fight with a 15-round split decision. To this day, however, Palomino feels very strongly that he was robbed of victory. However, all the discussion immediately after the fight focused on judge Zack Clayton’s card, which scored the fight for Palomino with a score of 146-142, while the other two judges had it 148-143 and 146-143 for Benitez.

Clayton infamously claimed that the blazing sun affected his eyesight and therefore his ability to accurately score the fight. After all these years, Benitez – who deteriorated rapidly shortly after his victory at Palomino, his inconsistent training methods catching up with him and his once impregnable defense no longer playing – is in terrible shape, requiring 24 hours of care. Benitez is considered a true champion of the sport, but Palomino, who today enjoys good health but does not look aging, insists that he won the fight from 45 years ago.

In an interview with the Slater’s Boxing YouTube channel, Palomino said he wanted a rematch but never got it.

“Benitez fight or Benitez robbery, I thought I won,” Palomino said. “It was in Puerto Rico and when I went back to the corner after the 15th round, my manager, who was no bullshit, Jackie McCoy, always told me the truth, said, ‘you won, but you’re not taking the fight. They refused to give me a rematch, so in the event of a fight with [Roberto] It was offered to Duran, I took it. The fight with Benitez was my ninth consecutive world title fight. But I broke my arm and had a nine-month break before the fight with Benitez. I had to work, stay focused and this break affected me. At that time, large money was just starting to flow into boxing, thanks to Sugar Ray Leonard and Tommy Hearns. I couldn’t get a rematch with Benitez because he gave Sugar Ray Leonard a title shot instead. They both made over a million dollars and that was just six months after I retired because I always said I would retire at 30. Sometimes I thought maybe I should go back and see if I could get another title fight. maybe against Ray Leonard and maybe I’ll make a million dollars.”

So, watching the fight all these years later, was Palomino unlucky enough to not make a decision on Benitez? There are rounds that are arduous to score and of course Benitez fought at home. But Benitez’s brilliance is evident. It’s effortless to see why Palomino thinks he’s won, but ultimately, robbery is too mighty a word. That said, a rematch between these two legends would be very intriguing.

Today, the boxing calendar marks two noteworthy and very noteworthy birthdays, January 17. It was, of course, 82 years ago when “The Greatest” (and he absolutely was and is in the heavyweight division) Muhammad Ali was born in Louisville, Kentucky. Tributes will no doubt pour in from all over the world today. Ali stands alone as the heavyweight king of kings.

But on this day 50 years ago in Mexico City, Mexico, Marco Antonio, another super-special fighter, was born. Barrera, who today looks much younger than his half-century, is of course notable, respected and revered as a hero due to his numerous ring epics, wild, intense and unforgettable three-fight rivalry, most notably with fellow Mexican icon Eric Morales.

Born in a wealthier part of the country than his future rival, Barrera had other options open to him outside boxing. But it is for our benefit that Barrera, also known as the “Baby-Faced Killer”, decided to pursue a boxing career. What a great ring career it was.

After an amateur career during which he compiled a record of 104-4, Barrera turned professional in November 1989, at the age of just 15. Shortly thereafter, the super flyweight began his march up the rankings and then up the weight classes. Able to box smartly and also fight in the typical “Mexican way”, with sheer aggression, vicious body punches and a willingness to inflict pain on the other fighter is the order of the day, Barrera went 16-0 before winning his first professional title. is the Mexican super fly belt that Marco won in April 1992.

Barrera held several titles before winning the NABF strap the following year. Barrera’s great nights and fights were not far away.

After a powerful stoppage win over Eddie Cook in December 1994, the now 20-year-old super bantamweight Barrera won his first world title the following March when he defeated Daniel Jimenez in Anaheim, California. Barrera, who made his U.S. debut in 1992 at The Great Western Forum in Los Angeles, soon became a favorite among American fans. It was in February 1996, on HBO’s fresh TV show “Boxing After Dim,” that Barrera gave us his first classic. Making his fifth defense of his WBO title, Barrera went to war with Kennedy McKinney. This fight is highly appreciated today, and for good reason. These two little giants took each other to hell and the action was balmy until the very end when Barrera finally scored the winning goal after stoppage time in the 12th round.

In a huge upset just three fights later, Barrera was stopped (officially by DQ, his corner entering the ring to save him from taking another “Poison”) by Junior Jones, which was a fifth-round loss as Barrera lost his 122-pound belt after recording an impressive eight stops. Barrera lost the rematch and Jones won a close decision in April 1997.

Was Barrera finished? No way, he was just driving!

Meet ‘El Terrible’ and one of the greatest trilogies the sport has ever seen and will ever see.

After several comeback victories – including one over Richie Wenton in October 1998, when Barrera won the vacant WBO 122-pound belt, thus becoming a two-time champion – Marco retained the position twice (including one over Paul Lloyd in Great Britain ). Before signing on to face bitter rival Morales. Morales, the undefeated and reigning WBC super bantamweight champion, was listed as a significant favorite, and defeats to Jones convinced many that Barrera’s best days were over.

As all fans know, the February 2000 fight was incredible, the violence, the constant leather trading and the pure heart of both sides mesmerizing. Morales won by split decision, but many felt Barrera was badly beaten. The controversy surrounding this decision and the fact that the fight was great enough to be experienced in ANY era meant that a return had to be made.

That was the case, but not before Barrera set the undefeated record of a certain “prince” Naseem Hamed. Under pressure from HBO to fight top contender Morales or Barrera, Hamed chose the latter and was soundly defeated on points over 12 rounds in April 2001. In the fight, at featherweight, Barrera refused to fight recklessly or in typical “Mexican fashion.” , which confused Hamed. Barrera, however, was jumping Hamed quite well, with only Hamed’s incredible chin keeping him upright. Barrera won the victory that he says means the most to him today. It was also a huge payday for “The Killer.”

Barrera admitted that it was hard for him to return to difficult training after being so joyful about his substantial victory. However, Barrera did not end things with Morales and the two met again in June 2002. It wasn’t as great a fight as the first war, the rematch was still far from a snooze and this time Barrera made the decision when many people felt Morales deserved it. Nevertheless, both brave rivals were already leading 1:1.

Before the match arrived, however, Barrera ran into and was run over by the relatively unknown Manny Pacquiao, after Barrera had defeated Johnny Tapia and Kevin Kelley in great style.

It was in November 2003 that “Pac-Man” burst onto the world stage in a substantial way. Dominating a shocked Barrera asking “where the hell did he come from”, Pacquiao scored a slow goal and Barrera’s future career was put in doubt. However, after a solid victory over Paulie Ayala in which Barrera regained his confidence, came the third and final fight against Morales.

Now fighting at 130 pounds, Barrera faced Morales for the third time, and the final rivalry, according to some fans, even surpassed the original. Once again, both men gave their all and the fight was decided until the very end. That night, November 27, 2004, belonged to Barrera, but only by justice, as he won by majority decision. The rivalry is over and the two once bitter enemies have become friends.

Barrera, now a 30-year-old fighter with a record of 60-4, fought for just over six years, posting powerful wins over Robbie Peden and Rocky Juarez, before being defeated by another great Mexican champion in Juan Manuel Marquez. The March 2007 fight against Marquez was probably Barrera’s last substantial fight, and seven months later he lost badly in a rather boring comeback against Pacquiao. Barrera, now well past his prime, was badly bloodied in his fight against Amir Khan in March 2009, resulting in a fifth-round TD loss to Marco. Apart from a couple of wins, one in 2010 and another in 2011, that’s it for one of the greatest Mexican fighters of all time.

An extremely popular and admired fighter, Barrera has given us at least five contemporary classics, and his place in the hearts of fight fans around the world is secure.

Barrera, who was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2017, retired with a fine non-contest record of 67-7-0-1 (44). There is no doubt that Barrera belongs on any list of the top 10 Mexican fighters.