EXPECTING A SAD ENDING ARE YOU?
San Francisco, CA– The weight drained Jorge Paez walked into the ring against Troy Dorsey looking like nothing was wrong, something we know was not true because I had watched Paez being carried out of a sauna on the night before the fight. Dorsey and Paez would go the route, a decision for Dorsey would not have been out of line seeing he outworked Paez 3 or 4-1 in punches thrown and landed.
MADE THE PEACOCK A HAPPY NETWORK
The final scores were 114-113 twice for Maromero and 115-113 for Dorsey, resulting in what probably was an unjust split decision win for a fighter the mainstream media called, “the Clown Prince of Boxing.” Paez would then rematch Louie Espinoza, winning controversially, before gong 12 again, this time to a shaky draw with Dorsey.
FIGHT WITH “TONY THE TIGER” WAS RECORD GATE!
Having already peaked as a fighter, Paez was on the down slide even before facing IBF 130 lb. guy Tony Lopez in Sacramento, CA. The fight, won by Lopez somewhat easily drew 15,000 people and a near $700,000 gate that was a record until Shane Mosley-Oscar De La Hoya I . Again, the fight was a major ratings coup for NBC. A draw with top rated lightweight Tracy Spann, before getting his ears nearly boxed off him by Pernell Whitaker., Paez was almost pugilistic roadkill.
PAEZ WAS NOW THE OPPONENT
Losing (UD 12) to Rafael Ruelas in November 1992, Paez would never again beat a good fighter. Padding his record with bums, Paez was then hammered by a 13-0 Oscar De La Hoya inside of two rounds, Genaro Hernandez stopped him next in eight frames. Beaten by Angel Manfredy, Paez was hopeless fodder for anybody with skill and will.
HUMAN PUNCHING BAG WITH MARQUEE NAME
Let’s fast forward to March 2003 and Paez is 78-14-5, 51 KOs, and on a 17 fight unbeaten streak. It was at this point Paez was matched with ex-champ Jesus Chavez. Medical tests revealed that Paez was suffering from “brain swelling.” In 2004, Paez’s name was part of Operation Matchbox, this for his winning a 2001 fixed fight with one of confirmed fight fixer Sean Gibbon’s clients, Verdell Smith in Mexico.
DID BRIBING MONTANO GET PAEZ LICENSE?
With the Chavez tests exposing the fact Paez was a Neurological time bomb, Jorge couldn’t get a license anywhere because of his “swollen” brain. But John Montano, then Arizona’s boxing czar, and the soon to be named in a multi-million dollar claim against the state of Arizona brought about by “Yory Boy” Campas and trainer Joe Diaz, why did he allow Paez to fight twice after the brain exam results? As for the claim against Arizona, expect the filing to take place within five days.
JORGE PAEZ “NOT PRETTY” IN 2010
Today, Paez is to put it mildly, punchy, as he was in 2003 when Montano allowed the already severely brain damaged Paez to fight Scott McKracken in his last fight. A winner in ten, Paez who was at one time the most unusually skilled boxer in history, had won 18 straight, this even though he couldn’t spell f-i-g-h-t, let alone engage in one. Maromero was forced to retire at 79-14-5, with 51 KOs.
BODAK WAS “REBORN” WITH PAEZ
The Team Paez member that I pictured in Part II was none other than the late Chuck Bodak, an aging cutman who was as colorful as Paez. Although known around the world to some extent because of his tenure, Bodak was soon working with Oscar De La Hoya and other big name fighters because of the exposure working with Paez garnered him. Bodak and Paez were sort of like Muhammad Ali & Howard Cosell, they worked in tandem.
PAEZ WASN’T A CLOWN BY ANY MEANS
While the pundits are quick to point out his negatives, Jorge made people tune in and watch his fights for better than a two-year period. The ratings king that he was, I feel deserves to be recognized at least by the Los Angele based “World Boxing Hall of Fame.” He was tricky, entertaining, and colorful. Had he had some discipline, Jorge Paez could have been a great fighter.
DON’T NEED TO NAME NAMES
That being said, there are a lot of “good, but not great” fighters in the hall of fame, and Jorge “Maromoero” Paez was not only a good fighter, but he was also an incredible entertainer who captivated millions!
Pedro Fernandez