What grew to become often called “The Evening of the Ramos” occurred on this present day on the legendary Olympic Auditorium in Los Angeles and for individuals who witnessed this bloody, action-packed brawl, it would by no means be forgotten. The Mando Ramos vs Sugar Ramos match was set to find out the subsequent challenger to face world light-weight champion Ismael Laguna, who had lifted the title from Mando 5 months earlier. However the eliminator between Mando and Sugar turned out to be a greater than memorable occasion all by itself. It was a brutal and thrilling conflict that showcased each fighters’ superlative chins in a ten spherical struggle of attrition.
Mando Ramos was not solely thrilling and gifted but additionally free and quick, and we’re not simply speaking about how he slung leather-based within the ring. A sensation on the west coast, the charismatic Mando had bought out the Olympic in solely his ninth professional match. He preferred to combat, preferred girls, and preferred to social gathering, not essentially in that order, and whereas these are interesting traits in a celeb, they are often detrimental to the event of a younger boxer. However Mando, educated by Corridor of Famer Jackie McCoy, grew to become the youngest light-weight champion in historical past regardless of his excesses exterior the ring, and his recognition ensured he commanded large purses. It’s stated that solely Muhammad Ali made extra money as a boxer than Mando within the Sixties.
Ultiminio “Sugar” Ramos contrasted sharply with Mando as a no-nonsense Cuban champion who, like his countryman Jose Napoles, fled his nation for Mexico after Fidel Castro banned skilled boxing. There he fought onerous and infrequently, finally incomes a shot at featherweight champion Davey Moore in 1963. He took the title after a brutal struggle which ended tragically when Sugar decked Moore in spherical ten and the champion’s neck landed awkwardly on the underside rope. Moore collapsed after the bout and by no means regained consciousness. Sugar went on to defend his title thrice earlier than shedding to Vicente Saldivar and shifting as much as the light-weight division.
Earlier than the Ramos vs Ramos match, many questioned how nicely Mando’s facial options would maintain up in opposition to Sugar Ramos’ sharp punches. Mando had misplaced the title to Laguna after being badly minimize above each eyes, bleeding so profusely that the combat was stopped by his nook in spherical 9. The opposite query was if Sugar may be too skilled for the younger Mando. The Cuban had over sixty professional fights in addition to the acumen of coach Angelo Dundee in his nook.
On the opening bell, followers pushed apart all pre-fight inquiries to take pleasure in an exhibition of coronary heart, willpower, and brutality corresponding to solely skilled boxing can present. The primary spherical noticed each males participating in sporadic motion earlier than discovering their rhythm. By the top of that first stanza it was clear this was to be a fluid and fast-paced battle, freed from strategic complexity, between two decided fighters with the utmost respect for each other. As early as spherical two the depth of the motion had transcended all expectations. Through the pre-bout introductions the viewers had cheered exuberantly for hometown hero Mando and viciously booed Sugar, however now they indiscriminately cheered motion for motion’s sake. Such is the magic pugilistic mayhem can work.
The combat adopted a repeating sample. Mando had Sugar in bother in virtually each spherical as one or one other of his onerous proper arms discovered the Cuban’s jaw, forcing him to offer floor. However at the same time as Mando adopted up with a barrage of heavy blows, Sugar refused to go down, as an alternative coming again together with his personal depraved photographs.
Ought to the reader ever discover himself within the place of getting to elucidate his love for the spectacle of violence that’s boxing, she or he might do worse than refer their puzzled questioner to the seventh spherical of Ramos vs Ramos. Because it started, each warriors, to the delight of the gang, traded punches in ring heart till Mando caught his adversary with a crisp left hook-right hand mixture and proceeded to bombard Sugar with sharp one-twos. Sugar labored to maintain Mando at bay with a tough left jab however as he used zero head motion his chin remained a straightforward goal for Mando’s energy photographs.
However this wouldn’t be the spherical to point out to the non-boxing fan if it didn’t have an surprising shift in momentum. One way or the other Sugar discovered the energy to show the tide and land proper hooks after which uppercuts to Mando’s physique earlier than getting house a thunderous proper cross that appeared to empty the power out of the youthful fighter. Backing to the ropes, “The Surprise Boy” absorbed a horrible pounding. Extremely, Mando not solely survived Sugar’s onslaught however on the finish of the spherical he reversed the momentum as soon as once more, connecting with an enormous uppercut simply earlier than the bell.
And so it went, forwards and backwards, each males giving and taking, at the same time as Mando’s left eyebrow gushed blood, the gore overlaying half his face; at the same time as Sugar ate jabs and right-hands like he was ravenous for them; at the same time as each stumbled and leaned in opposition to one another, staggering in regards to the ring in a brutal and wonderful dance, their weary arms nonetheless meting out punishment, these sodden gloves, heavy with sweat and blood, nonetheless pummeling one another’s exhausted flesh.
The top consequence was a cut up choice for Mando in a match he clearly received. Regardless of Sugar’s brave stand, the youthful man landed the cleaner blows and remained largely accountable for the motion. However whatever the end result, each recreation warriors earned a spot in boxing historical past that evening, by the use of a rare exhibition of braveness, willpower and sportsmanship. That’s why “The Evening of the Ramos” stays worthy of each remembrance and celebration. –Rafael García
