In a perfect world, Jorge Arce should already be a super-star.
At a small frame of 5′ 6, weighing in at about 112lbs (at least at the official weigh-in), ‘El Travieso’ carries a punch of Mike Tyson, and a charisma reminiscent of Roberto Duran’s. For a fighter who epitomizes the line ‘kill or be killed’, this Los Mochis native can box a bit as well.
So, why doesn’t this exciting little fighter get the attention he deserves? After all, he competes among the division, which surfaced the much celebrated predecessors in the likes of Jimmy Wilde, Pancho Villa, and his countryman Miguel Canto.
Reflect to the 70s and 80s, the Latin and Asian community proudly accepted little champions, as if they were amongst Gods.
Just ask Miguel, a legendary flyweight champion of four years (75-79′).
With all due respect to great Canto, comparing his style to that of Arce’s is like comparing Manuel Medina to Bobby Chacon.
To say the least, there have been far more recognizeable flyweights in the past. Argentina’s Pascual Perez and Japan’s Fighting Harada come to mind. The 80s, many believe to be the golden age of the flyweights (mini, jr, regular, or super) whichc regularly saw the likes of champions including Hilario Zapata, Jung Koo Chang, Sot Chitlada, Khaosai Galaxy, and Myung Woo Yuh to name a few.
Perhaps it re-peaked in the early 90s, when Michael Carbajal and Chiquita Gonzalez tangled. Johnny Tapia-Danny Romero also garnered heavy attraction.
But it appears, those days are long gone.
Above the aformentioned stood, Ricardo Lopez. Lopez, arguably the finest of them all, finished his career at a near unblemished mark of 50-0-1. Yet, his style, consisted in blends of sophisticated skills and great power, weren’t meant for the eyes who demanded fireworks. Finito seldom lost a round during his prime, and it wasn’t until the first Rosendo Alvarez bout, that he was e occasionally found himself on the bottom shelf of Don King’s PPV cards, often headlined by giant media products and great fightesr on their own in Julio Cesar Chavez and of course, Mike Tyson.
So, what really happened? Had the competition at the lower weights have gradually sunk?
I wholeheardtely disagree. Beggin the question of course, who’s to be the blame? The promoters? The sanctioning bodies? The media? Or the sports’ lack of appeal in general?
The answer would include all of the above. Denatured by the promoter’s lack of interests, not featherweights, but the real small guys are continuously sidelined a show after another.
Familiarized by their lack of appeal on national television, one would only jump at the chance to shine and taste the limelight. Even if it’s for a brief moment.
Either that, you simply move up in weight. Finding out the hard way, Mark’Too Sharp’ Johnson, was among those great flyweights, who simply wasn’t ‘big’ enough to make it to the bantam weights and so forth.
Regardless, there’s still hope. This Saturday, HBO will finally embrace the flyweights, when Mexico’s Jorge Arce takes on South Africa’s Hawk Makepula in a scheduled 12-round eliminator.
Arce, a familiar face on the undercards of his buddy Erik Morales’ PPV events, have been a moderate success on his own to say the least.
A considerable following resides in his country, yet at age 27, the mini brawler has not reached the pinnacle of his career.
Dating back to his first major appearance on a small PPV headlined by then young Erik Morales, Arce, only at age 20, fought an aging Michael Carbajal in a great fight, that would mark Carbajal’s final fight. Arce, a brashy young WBO jr. flyweight champion at the time, gave Carbajal one of his worst beatings ever, only to get clocked by the veteran’s overhand right in the 11th to lose his title.
Arce hasn’t lost since, and has been on a tremendous roll, capturing two titles in two divisions, and is now among the best of the lower weight divisions in the sport.
Against Makepula, a former WBO flyweight champion to his acclaim, Arce is expected to win in a fairly easy fashion. Maybe that’s what he just needs at this juncture. An impressive win would definitely draw more interest for those who missed his explosive outings against Hussein Hussein on PPV undercards.
With another eye-popping performance, it’s Arce’s testament to remind those who left the lower weight divisions to demise.
A pessimistic way to look at it, is to disregard this event as another waste of an HBO date.
For those who celebrated and respect the sport as whole, it’s a moment we can treat as a new beginning.
If Boxing After Dark can provide a glimpse of what it was once was, let us provide a reason not to sleep on it.
SHAW-ED OUT
In addition to Winky Wright and Jeff Lacy, Manny Pacquiao seems to be the next guy to leave the stable of promoter Gary Shaw. Whatever happened to loyalty in this game? I guess Bernard Hopkins did a great job of setting an example for his followers, haven’t he?
In the aftermath of the departure, Shaw is now left with Vivian Harris and Rafael Marquez. With a recent trend, I wouldn’t be shocked if the two were to be found in the ever-growing stable of Golden Boy Promotions. Speaking of…, last week’s PPV certainly lived up to its expectations. The main-event between Barrera and Juarez proved to be a stinker, but the three supporting bouts met or perhaps exceeded its expectations. I was particularly impressed with Joan Guzman, who simply outfoxed and outgutted the bigger foe in Jorge Barrios. Guzman, whom I’ve held in high regards since his title run at 122lbs, certainly has the potential to be one of the best fighters in the game. As for his place at 130, I just might rate him slightly behind Barrera and Manny Pacquiao. Don King isn’t slipping after all, his ability to snatch Juan Diaz at the last minute was a classic Don King vintage. Only in Amer…nah, it’s been done far too many times.