PAEZ WAS TRULY GREAT PERFORMER
San Francisco, CA– Every now and then, a fighter comes along with an unusual background. One time WBA champ James “Bonecrusher” Smith may have been a “Bonehugger” when he met Mike Tyson, but James had a college degree. Eric “The Prince” Martin quit the San Francisco Police Dept. “Larry” of The Three Stooges, Larry Fine fought professionally as “Kid Fine” before joining up with brothers Shemp and Moe Howard. (Note: Shemp was the third stooge before and after younger brother Jerome “Curly” Howard)
MAROMERO PAEZ SIMPLY ONE OF A KIND!
Truth be told, I can go on and on. But never before (or since) had a star circus performer take the boxing world by storm like Jorge “Maromero” Paez. Born in Colima, MX in October 1965, Paez was one of the star acrobats on the trapeze in a family circus that worked all across Mexico.
PAEZ-GROVE WAS LAST OF 15 ROUND FIGHTS
Turning pro with little fanfare in November 1984, Paez went 7-2-1 before going on an 18 fight win streak that got him in with unbeaten IBF featherweight (126 lbs) title against Calvin Grove (34-0) in what had become his base, Mexicali, MX on August 4, 1988. Behind after 14 rounds, Paez was desperate and Grove (34-0) was tired. That combined to Grove hitting the deck thrice in the 15th round.
FOES LAUGHED AT PAEZ ‘TIL BELL RANG!
The scoring resulted in Paez winning a majority decision with scores of 143-140, 142-140, & 142-142. The controversy in the tabulations was the 10-6 score for the final round that cost Grove a draw and the title. I witnessed the 12-round rematch some eight months later. “Spooked,” that best describes the way the usually “Silky” Grove fought, this before Paez was declared a TKO 8 winner.
HOTEL BAJIA HAD BOXING “OFFICIAL’S ROOM”
One thing I’ll never forget about my short time in Mexicali was the Hotel Bajia, and I’m being frank here, doubling as a bar and brothel, the joint had a room named after an impotent referee (Don’t even ask me how an impotent guy gets satisfied in a whore house) that boasted of the room’s name and existence.
PAEZ DID GREAT NBC TV NUMBERS
Paez’s second defense in March 1989 against Arizona’s ascending WBA 122 lb. guy Louie Espinosa (33-3) in Phoenix, AZ ended up a split decision draw. Paez, whose style was unlike any fighter before or since, beat former champ Stevie Cruz, Jose Mario Lopez, Lupe Gutierez, a rematch with Espinosa and a couple of non-title stiffs before meeting ex-World kickboxing champ Troy Dorsey.
TROY MANAGED BY “LATE” DAVE GORMAN
Dorsey, the top American U.S. amateur kickboxer in 1980, won the World kickboxing title while busting records along the way. Not much of a puncher, Troy was all over you like a fly that you just couldn’t get to stay away from you, all the while throwing light punches. Managed by Dave Gorman, who ruined Robin Blake’s career by risking his #1 spot at lightweight in a fight he lost with Tyrone “Butterfly” Crawley, Gorman who also managed Donald Curry, died from cancer in 2004.
TODAY LAS VEGAS IS MUCH DIFFERENT THAN MID 1990
Being July 1990, Mike Tyson had been beaten in Japan by Buster Douglas in February, Julio Cesar Chavez, just one month later stopped Meldrick Taylor at the Las Vegas Hilton, hell, “Sin City” was so green that the Mirage Hotel had not yet even opened. Simply put, Vegas was “cool” and there were still a few Mafia guys hanging around certain joints.
WHEN VIP’S GOT FRUIT BASKETS!
If you had juice or spent a lot of money, the bigger hotels in Vegas were famous for surprising you with a basket of fresh fruit in your room. After gorging like Caesar on grapes and drinks poolside, I had a 6 PM massage appointment in the Hilton’s health spa.
WAS GETTING READY FOR SOME BODYWORK
As I was disrobing in the silent locker room, I hear all this noise as the wooden door of the sauna busts open and four guys emerge carrying another man in a hooded sweatshirt. Not recognizing who it was, Paez, whom I had covered extensively after the Grove fights, he realizes it is me and blurts out, “Homie, no mas box, homie.”
PART II TOMORROW THE DORSEY FIGHT & PAEZ’S CAREER
One Wednesday, I’ll bring introduce you to some of the colorful characters that were Team Paez (including cutman Chuck Bodak) when RingTalk.com brings you “Jorge Paez: Boxing’s Last Network TV Star- Part II.”
Pedro Fernandez