Robert Quiroga
San Francisco, CA– A disturbing episode of the A & E TV series “Gangland” brought me back to 1991 and one of the scintillating fights of the modern era. It was mid-Saturday afternoon on the left coast and the recently departed Cedric “I Was the Walrus” Kushner was promoting a card on PPV for $14.95. The card was topped by Robert Quiroga defending his IBF 115 lb. belt against “Kid Akeem” Anifowoshe in a San Antonio, TX battle that was the Ring Magazine 1991 Fight of The Year.”
BACKGROUND MORE INTERESTING THAN GREAT FIGHT?
Prior to getting to the actual fight, we need to do a lot of background here as there is quite a story to tell about these two men, both whom are dead! Seeing Akeem was the challenger, we start with the Nigerian born pug who caught the eye of Ring Magazine getting an “honorable mention for 1987 Prospect of The Year.” Trained by the astute Miguel Diaz, Akeem was Las Vegas based.
“THE KID” AT 23 WAS 23 & 0!
Fighting through a slew of no-names as he sharpened his craft and increased his stamina, “Kid Akeem” was 23-0 with 18 KOs entering the June 15, 1991 clash in the hometown of the champion Quiroga. According to the bookmakers, the line went back and forth, but with Akeem’s Las Vegas roots and Billy Baxter backing, he emerged the slight betting favorite.
SAN ANTONIO BOXING HAS BAD REP!
Robert Quiroga came from San Antonio, TX, the same city that brought us the infamous Ayala bros., convicted two-time rapist Tony and brother Mike, who would admit to fighting Danny “Little Red’ Lopez for the WBC 126 LB. title after shooting up Heroin that morning. It was April 1990 when Robert (then 14-0, 10 KOs) ventured to the UK to meet IBF 115 lb. guy Juan Polo Perez (28-5-2). After 36 minutes/12 rounds, San Antonio had their first ever World boxing champion in the 22-year old Quiroga.
VIDEO OF FIGHT AT END OF STORY
The fight itself, a true pugilistic classic, was marred by the collapse of Akeem right after the scores of 116-112 & 115-114 twice were read. When Akeem was stripped down by emergency medical personnel, a container of Cocaine was found in his protective cup (under his trunks). Returning to Las Vegas, Akeem was severely brain damaged. Unlike Richie Sandoval, who almost died in a match with Gaby Canizales, Sandoval was given a job by Top Rank czar Robert Arum, Akeem, the only interview opportunities Akeem was having were with the Las Vegas Police.
THERE WERE TWO VERSIONS OF “KID AKEEM”
Interacting with him afterward, the damage done was quite apparent as the Kid laughed about anything and everything. If you said, “the world is ending today,” the now neurologically maligned ex-fighter would break out in laughter. Disturbing indeed for a man with such an entertaining and outgoing personality beforehand. Sans any job prospects, Akeem was caught slingin’ Cocaine in Las Vegas with a boxer I believe was Dominican Jose Caba. After a couple of busts, Akeem was deported back to Nigeria.
TWO GUYS I KNOW TOOK COCAINE INTO THE RING!
Keep in mind that the Quiroga fight had turned this guy from bright to blight! Having boxed since he was ten, Akeem, a young man who had escaped the ghettos of Lagos, Nigeria, was about to make it big in boxing, and then came the fateful fights with Quiroga and then Cocaine. With Coke on his person in the ring, the only person I can recall bringing the white powder to the ring with him was Tony Willis, a light heavyweight who in 1989 fought Dennis Andries for the vacant WBC 175 lb. title in Tucson, AZ. I watched Willis take the Coke out of his right sock after unlacing his boxing boot in his dressing room after the match.
CANNOT SAVE A FIGHTER FROM HIMSELF!
Back in Nigeria, Akeem, sans ant vocational skills that would have made him employable, Akeem was preparing to fight again! That’s right, banned in the United States after that Blood Clot sustained in the Quiroga fight nearly killed him, Akeem was training for a match when he collapsed in the shower and died on the floor.
TOMORROW: PART II MURDER OF ROBERT QUIROGA
Besides video segments of the complete fight from YouTube.com, I’ll take you back to the death of Akeem in 1994, followed by the death of Robert Quiroga, stabbed 15-20 times by Robert Merla, a member of the outlaw biker group, “Bandidos,” this after an argument over a Scarface poster. I’m sure you will find the follow up segment to this story on Tuesday AM beyond riveting!
Pedro Fernandez
COCAINE, BOXING, MURDER