On This Day, April 10th, 1965, Ismael Laguna Takes Carlos Ortiz's Crown

[elmersalsa]

It was a Saturday night of April 10th, 1965 at the Olympic National Stadium in Panama City, Panama.

Carlos Ortiz, the then World Lightweight Champion of Ponce, Puerto Rico, travels to Panama City to defend his crown against local hero Ismael Laguna.

It was a fight full of action from start to finish. It was a terrific fast paced battle between two of the greatest lightweight boxers of all-time.

The referee of the bout, was the great Jersey Joe Walcott, the former World Heavyweight Champion, who a month later refereed the Muhammad Ali-Sonny Liston rematch in Lewiston, ME. Walcott never again refereed another title bout.

A jam-packed house of 15,000 people witnessed their local hero, Laguna at 22 years of age, ripping fast combinations to the champion's face. Laguna was sharp, and vowed to give a great showing and a title for his country.

At the time, the small country of Panama has not had a world boxing champion since the days of the great Panama Al Brown in the 1930s. It has been 30 years that the country hasn't had a world championship in boxing.

Laguna opened up all that with his fast punches, subliminal skills and great ring generalship, rocked Ortiz many times during the fight. In round 13th, Ortiz was in trouble. He was shook by Laguna's fast combinations. Never in his professional career, Ortiz had ever fought someone that fast, mobi and crisp.

After the fight was over, the crowd, who began to come to the Stadium as early as 12 noon, was anticipating a victory from the young and promising prospect. Laguna delivered. Anderson when the decision was given, Laguna won by majority decision.

One judge, Ben Green of United States of America, gave the fight a draw 145-145. I got to ask, what fight Green was watching. Referee Walcott voted 143-132 for Laguna and the Panamanian judge Ramon Moynes scored it 149-137.

The local crowd went into a frenzy. They got their second world boxing champion in history. The victory was so anticipated that the locals partied all night long for the triumph.

This win meant a lot of significance for Panamanian boxing. Laguna opened the doors to future generations of boxers that also became world champions: Ernesto "Ñato" Marcel, Enrique Pinder, Alfonso "Peppermint" Frazier and Roberto Duran. These four mentioned became the Capital of World Boxing at one point in the year 1972. They became world champions at their respective weight classes that year, all thanks to their hero Laguna that made their dreams possible.

Ortiz, 28, left Panama in defeat and without his crown. He dropped to 45-5, with 19 knockouts. Laguna improves to 39-2, with 23 knockouts.

They fought twice more, once in San Juan, Puerto Rico and the other one in New York City, being Ortiz victorious both times. It was one of the most underrated boxing trilogies of all-time.

Laguna, regained the lightweight crown again in March 1970 when he defeated Mando Ramos by TKO in 9 rounds in Los Angeles, CA at age 26. But, after one title defense, lost it by a split decision to magnificent Ken Buchanan again in San Juan in September 1970.

Laguna's last fight was for the rematch with Buchanan for the crown in September 1971. He lost again to Buchanan on points. After that fight, Laguna, age 28, retired with a record of 65-9-1, with 37 knockouts.

Known by The Ring Magazine as a "Beautiful Boxer", Laguna, now 81 years old, is a member of the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1999.

[elmersalsa]

Ismael Laguna wins the Lightweight World Title from Carlos Ortiz by decision.

Saturday, April 10th, 1965. Olympic National Stadium.
Panama City, Panama.