For me easily Hector Camacho, as he is my number 1 boxer of all time. Maybe so much that I've dismissed other great Puerto Ricans. Who's on your list?
Re: The best fighter from Puerto Rico?
Posted: 17 Feb 2026, 12:53
by gilgamesh
Wilfred Benitez and Felix "Tito" Trinidad are probably my 2 favorites.
I was also a big fan of Miguel Cotto who was always in good fights.
Re: The best fighter from Puerto Rico?
Posted: 17 Feb 2026, 20:15
by goose 5
Carlos Ortiz is the greatest Puerto Rican fighter ever, but he was not developed on the island but in New York.
Re: The best fighter from Puerto Rico?
Posted: 18 Feb 2026, 16:40
by Caractacus
what about Jose Torres ?
he was also NYC based too.
Re: The best fighter from Puerto Rico?
Posted: 18 Feb 2026, 19:59
by Sweet Dick Willie
Caractacus wrote: ↑18 Feb 2026, 16:40
what about Jose Torres ?
he was also NYC based too.
Actually I'm not sure I've ever seen him fight... He was olympic champion no?
Re: The best fighter from Puerto Rico?
Posted: 18 Feb 2026, 20:10
by Expug
Torres was trained by Cus Damato. Had that peekaboo style Tyson had. Patterson too of course.
When I think of Torres though, the Charlie “ Devil” Green fight comes to mind.
Re: The best fighter from Puerto Rico?
Posted: 18 Feb 2026, 22:03
by elmersalsa
The 10 Best Puerto Rican Boxers ever in my opinion:
1. Wilfredo "Bazooka" Gomez
2. Carlos Ortiz
3. Wilfred Benitez
4. Felix "Tito" Trinidad....The most loved from the Island.
5. Miguel Cotto
6. Hector "Macho" Camacho.... Perhaps, the most complete boxer from Puerto Rico.
7. Edwin "Chapo" Rosario
8. Wilfredo Vazquez......The most underrated from the island.
9. Esteban De Jesus....The first man ever to beat Roberto Duran. The only man that really beat Duran in Duran's prime. My personal favorite.
10. Sixto Escobar.....First world champion from Puerto Rico. He was bantamweight king 3 times!
Honorary mention: Jose "Chegui" Torres, Alfredo "El Salsero" Escalera, Samuel Serrano, and Pedro Montañez
Re: The best fighter from Puerto Rico?
Posted: 19 Feb 2026, 00:12
by Sweet Dick Willie
Nice, great list elmersalsa
Re: The best fighter from Puerto Rico?
Posted: 19 Feb 2026, 00:13
by Sweet Dick Willie
A bit gutted you would rank Cotto before Macho Time though
Re: The best fighter from Puerto Rico?
Posted: 19 Feb 2026, 09:10
by Flump
My favourite would be Cotto. The best I would say, Wilfredo Gomez. It goes without saying that they are a proper boxing nation who have provided some top level fighters.
Re: The best fighter from Puerto Rico?
Posted: 19 Feb 2026, 11:57
by Expug
Probably wasn’t the best but he was the first champ from Puerto Rico.
Sixto Escobar, could be on the list somewhere
Re: The best fighter from Puerto Rico?
Posted: 19 Feb 2026, 14:12
by Caractacus
who was the first to fight for a title ?
(win or loose).
Re: The best fighter from Puerto Rico?
Posted: 19 Feb 2026, 14:43
by Expug
Caractacus wrote: ↑19 Feb 2026, 14:12
who was the first to fight for a title ?
(win or loose).
I believe it was Escobar
Re: The best fighter from Puerto Rico?
Posted: 19 Feb 2026, 14:57
by Caractacus
Pedro Montanez was considered the "Uncrowned Lightweight Champion" at one point in the late 1930's.
This fight had also been on the Mike Jacobs The Carnival of Champions card at the Polo Grounds
that Sixto Esobar was defending his Bantamweight Championship belt from Harry Jeffra was also on
-1937-
Re: The best fighter from Puerto Rico?
Posted: 19 Feb 2026, 19:59
by Ambling Alp II
elmersalsa wrote: ↑18 Feb 2026, 22:03
The 10 Best Puerto Rican Boxers ever in my opinion:
1. Wilfredo "Bazooka" Gomez
2. Carlos Ortiz
3. Wilfred Benitez
4. Felix "Tito" Trinidad....The most loved from the Island.
5. Miguel Cotto
6. Hector "Macho" Camacho.... Perhaps, the most complete boxer from Puerto Rico.
7. Edwin "Chapo" Rosario
8. Wilfredo Vazquez......The most underrated from the island.
9. Esteban De Jesus....The first man ever to beat Roberto Duran. The only man that really beat Duran in Duran's prime. My personal favorite.
10. Sixto Escobar.....First world champion from Puerto Rico. He was bantamweight king 3 times!
Honorary mention: Jose "Chegui" Torres, Alfredo "El Salsero" Escalera, Samuel Serrano, and Pedro Montañez
That is a pretty good list. More really good-great fighters from Puerto Rico than many would have thought.
Re: The best fighter from Puerto Rico?
Posted: 19 Feb 2026, 21:09
by goose 5
Jose Basora was terrific, too.
Re: The best fighter from Puerto Rico?
Posted: 19 Feb 2026, 21:50
by elmersalsa
Also in honorary mention:
John "The Quiet Man" Ruiz
Jose Basora
Some say that Cocoa Kid was also Puerto Rican. But he mostly fought out of Connecticut.
Re: The best fighter from Puerto Rico?
Posted: 20 Feb 2026, 16:33
by Caractacus
Re: The best fighter from Puerto Rico?
Posted: 23 Feb 2026, 17:52
by Anglobox
I would DEFINITELY have the same top-4, perhapa slightly different order. I would switch Camacho & Cotto....and I MUST have DeJesus higher.
GREAT LIST! You have ALL of the real Pueeto Rican Top 10 in there! PROPS!
Re: The best fighter from Puerto Rico?
Posted: 24 Feb 2026, 10:48
by goose 5
John Ruiz and Miguel Cotto were not born in Puerto Rico- Massachusetts and Rhode Island.
Re: The best fighter from Puerto Rico?
Posted: 24 Feb 2026, 10:49
by goose 5
Benitez was born in New York.
Re: The best fighter from Puerto Rico?
Posted: 24 Feb 2026, 17:34
by Caractacus
yeah, they may have been born in the States,
but did any of them live in Puerto Rico ?
(that should count)
