The Mongoose in Mexico

[dagosd2000]

Before Mexico's money started to become devalued in the mid 70's Tijuana had some great fight cards. I remember seeing Saldivar,Olivares,and Napoles just to mention a few. I remember watching Olivares fight a non title go against a Japanese challenger in the old downtown bullring sometime in the early seventies. The place was packed to the doors. Olivares was at his peek as popular as Chavez was in his day. The crowd was animated and loud. Watching a big fight with a Mexican champion in those days in Tijuana was something else. I remember dead snakes being tossed into the ring and old pairs of women's underwear with dried blood in the crotch being thrown around as well=honest. Well on that night Archie Moore was at ringside and when he got introduced to come into the ring 10,000 crazy fans all rose and gave him a standing ovation for 5 minutes. He blew a kiss to each side of the ring and the aficianados went wild. Then they introduced Olivares and he got a good hand but nothing like the Ol' Mongoose. No standing ovation. Moore fought a non title fight in Tijuana and knocked out Howard King. But it was more than that that won the hearts of Mexican fight fans. Ol' Arch was a gentleman,with love in his heart for everyone. He could tell interesting stories always with a twinkle in his eye and a philosophic lesson to be learned. African American fighters were never really embraced in Mexico that much. Joe Louis was an exception. Ali was to fight an exhibition down there but he knew he wasn't that popular so he cancelled out. I saw Sugar Ray Robinson get booed when he fought Memo Ayon. Davey Moorre had to run out of the ring with his trunks and gloves on after knocking out Kid Irapuato. Hedgemon Lewis had to do the same after stopping the Mexican welter champ at the Jai Lai Palace. I had an old time Mexican friend who owned a small bar in Tijuana. One night when I walked in he said he had an artist paint portraits of the great Mexican fighters . There on the wall with a small light over each painting was Kid Azteca.Joe Becerra,Lauro Salas,Olivares,and Jose Napoles. In the middle of all of them was Archie Moore.

[Ezzard]

Great story