Vazquez The Traveling Champion: Hall Of Fame And Other Thoughts

Rich Mancuso photos

New York- Back in December on a warm and humid day in Bayamon, Puerto Rico there were fighters training at the city funded Santa Juanita Boxing Corner gym and former world title contender Wilfredo Rivera began the process of wrapping the hands of a prospect.

Rivera, a resident of Bayamon and one of the few to say he has been in the ring with Hall of Famer Oscar De La Hoya, who won titles in six weight classes, is paid by the city to coordinate a safe and proper training ground for youngsters.

Those aspiring to be the next world champion from Puerto Rico do their research and discover that Santa Juanita is a safe haven that offers proper training to build on their goals of becoming that next champion.

The past few months I have chronicled Rivera. I witnessed the intense training and dedication of his fighters who are students of the sport. They learn, go along with the process, and come from various areas of the city and vicinity.

The culmination was meeting Wilfredo Vazquez of Puerto Rico, resident of Bayamon, who held world championships in three weight classes, including the WBA Bantamweight title, WBA Super Bantamweight title, and the WBA and lineal featherweight titles in a career that spanned from 1981-2002.

Vazquez, known as “The Traveling Champion” because he defended his titles numerous times outside of Puerto Rico, has lived a quiet life since his retirement. HIs son Wifredo Jr. followed in his footsteps and held the WBO Junior Featherweight title from 2010 to 2011 and is on the comeback trail.

But the purpose of this meeting was to initiate a documentary on the career of a former world champion from Puerto Rico, one of many that dominated the sport during his era and continue to follow that trend today.

Vazquez, though, is that forgotten world champion. As years progress his achievements have been bypassed and the accolade of enshrinement into the International Boxing Hall Of Fame is the one blemish that is difficult to comprehend.

In the end, though, a ballot with the Boxing Writers Association of America is the final verdict and for some reason this world champion continues to be bypassed. In June, up in Canastota, NY, three more classes of former champions will be enshrined and Vasquez is not one of them.

I had an extensive two hour interview with Vazquez. We covered his career, the state of boxing today, and of course a possible enshrinement in the Hall Of Fame. Though, the former champion is by no means petitioning to have his name enshrined, it is only deserving that soon he will get the call.

The following is an edited transcript of our sit down interview with more to come in an upcoming documentary and thank you to Don Altamirano and Magdiel Maldonado of La Red Films for coordinating and assisting with translation.

Thoughts on Fifteen world champions from Puerto Rico:
“I feel flattered and happy to have been one of those fifteen world champions from Puerto Rico”

Thoughts on Miguel Cotto and his induction into the IBHOF:
“ I think he did something historical, something that many of us fighters would love to have done , its history, he worked really hard and deserves it. The first person to publicly call me “ The Traveling Champion” was the famous comedian Jose Miguel Agrelot”

On His WBA Bantamweight title victory vs Chan Young:
“Yes.. you can say my legacy started when I defeated Chan Young Park, but I did lose my first title shot against Happy Lora”

Purses in the 1980’s in comparison to today:
“It was a different era, back then there wasn’t the type of money like today, times change.”

On 15 Round fights vs 12 Round fights:
“ I was always a disciplined fighter, I always thought that I needed to train to be at a top level in order to fight, protect myself and reach my age (61) today and enjoy a healthy life…and be able to speak coherently.. not like other fighters… I always thought about my future. 12 rounds are good, but 15 rounds force you to train harder… today boxers don’t train for 12 rounds adequately.”

Difference between your era and today:
“Without a doubt today anybody can be a world champion, now you choose your opponents.. in my era when I was champion I only fought against the number 1 or 2 contender, I was never given the opportunity to fight against a #7 or 8”

Is the sport good or bad today?:
“Boxing is always going to be good, boxing is boxing”

Were you ever robbed of a decision?”
“Yes, I was definitely robbed of decisions.”

Were you able to finish opponents before putting it in the hands of judges?
“In all of my bouts I never went out fighting trying to look for a fast K.O. but if the opportunity arose I took advantage.. I was afraid of judge’s decisions because I already knew the “business side of boxing”

Judge’s decisions?
“When I lost the title here in Puerto Rico against Antonio Cermeno, I was blatantly robbed of the title, watch the fight and you’ll see”

How did you manage that loss?
“We were going to sue the WBA but eventually they agreed on giving me another title shot at 122 against Eloy Rojas, I won that match by K.O. and won my 3rd World Title (WBA World Feather Title”)

Who was your manager?
“Sr “Felix “Tutito” Zavala was my manager, I can’t complain, he treated me well and in my heart I feel he was fair and genuinely looked out for my best interest, I can’t talk bad about him.”

When did you decide it was time to retire?
“After fighting Naseem Hamed, I fought seven more times because I wanted a title shot at 130 (super featherweight) and the WBA was willing to give me the opportunity because I wanted to win a 4th world title, but I was already 38 years old, so one particular morning I got the call at 4am to do my regular run… but I felt a certain way.. like I was forcing myself.. It was then that I realized it was my time to retire, so I told the trainer to meet me that afternoon at the gym and that’s when I made it official.”

Any Health Issues?
“I know it may seem hard to believe but I haven’t been to a doctor in 35 years! I watch carefully what I eat… I do not drink anything sweet, and I do not consume red meat… I only eat chicken and turkey and once in a while seafood. I don’t eat junk food, nor do I eat bread…but most importantly I always get a good night’s sleep.”

Punches to the head.. brutal sport?
“I never took for granted my training, I gave it my 100 % every time because cutting myself short could have meant me getting seriously hurt and having poor health at my current age.”

Does boxing take care of its former champs..Your thoughts on a National Boxing Commission?
“I feel that each boxer should take care of himself… we are responsible for that, not the sport.. there was some sort of pension here in P.R. for boxers, but I’m not too familiar with the subject.”

Your son following in your footsteps?
“My son (Papito) entered boxing under his own will, I didn’t want him to become a boxer because there’s lots of dishonest practices. I had to support his decision; he was an adult (21 Y.O.) and I eventually trained him and gave him tons of advice.”

Seeing your son fighting?
“I always worried because I know how brutal boxing can be and you can lose your life in the ring. One thing is seeing your boxer in the ring; another thing is seeing your son in bad conditions.”

Did boxing save you? Was it good to you?
“Boxing saved me, and the sport was good to me… I love boxing, it keeps me focus.”

Distractions outside the ring?
“I never had any distractions. I was always focused because I saw it as my job and the means in which I supported my family. I have no formal education… where I’m from… I had three choices… (sports) boxing, selling drugs or organize crime… I choose boxing. I was born where all the drug spots were at.. I don’t live in that housing project anymore “Residential Celso Barbosa” in Bayamon, but I did buy a house nearby and I’m always giving young people advice.”

Advice to young aspiring boxers?
“If you want to pursue boxing and make good money, go ahead.”

Trainer as a second father?
“For many boxers, trainers become like a second father figure, for me I never saw a trainer like a father, on the other hand, I’ve trained a few boxers who have seen me as a second father. Boxing was the answer to many problems I had as a youth, it kept me out of prison and even an early death.”

Puerto Rico vs México boxing rivalry?
“I love the Puerto Rican vs Mexican boxing rivalry… fighting against a Mexican boxer is not easy… you have to be well trained, have resistance, intelligence, hit and not get hit which is impossible.”

Your thoughts and opinions of Canelo Alvarez?
“Tremendous fighter, great defense, future hall of famer, currently the best champion I’ve seen these days… he’s very intelligent inside the ring.”

On Your Hall of Fame induction being bypassed.You often get ignored with the boxing media?
“Every fighter wants to be in the International Boxing Hall of Fame, but I leave that decision in the hands of those who know about boxing.”

“Well you have my vote… keep it in the ring”

Rich Mancuso is a senior writer @Latinosports.com Twitter@Ring786 Facebook.com/Rich Mancuso