Steve Farhood's top ten Puerto Rico vs Mexico battles

·Wilfredo Gomez KO 5 Carlos Zarate, Oct. 28, 1978, Hato Rey, Puerto Rico (Retains WBC super bantamweight title): In a shocker, undefeated and long-reigning bantamweight titlist Zarate, 52-0, struggles to make weight, then struggles further with Puerto Rico’s 21-year-old Gomez, 21-0-1. Zarate crashes to the canvas three times.

·Wilfred Benitez W 15 Carlos Palomino, Jan. 14, 1979, San Juan (Wins WBC welterweight title): Twenty-year-old Puerto Rican prodigy Benitez, 36-0-1, wins by split decision over established champion Palomino, 27-1-3. Benitez boxes brilliantly off the ropes.

.Salvador Sanchez KO 8 Wilfredo Gomez, Aug. 21, 1981, Las Vegas (Retains WBC featherweight title): In arguably the most anticipated Mexico-Puerto Rico matchup of all, Mexico’s elegant Sanchez, 40-1-1, issues Gomez, 32-0-1, the first defeat of his career

·Wilfredo Gomez KO 14 Lupe Pintor, Dec. 3, 1982, New Orleans (Retains WBC super bantamweight title): One of the most brutal bouts of the decade ends with Gomez, 37-1-1, wearing down Mexican bantamweight titlist Pintor, 49-5-1. The memorable war is the co-feature to Thomas Hearns-Wilfred Benitez at the Superdome.

.Edwin Rosario W 12 Jose Luis Ramirez, May 1, 1983, San Juan (Wins vacant WBC lightweight title); Ramirez KO 4 Rosario, November 3, 1984, San Juan (Wins WBC lightweight title): Only 20 years old, Puerto Rico’s Rosario, 21-0, edges rugged southpaw Ramirez, 82-4, in the first fight. Ramirez gains revenge in the rematch, miraculously surviving a pair of knockdowns.

·Julio Cesar Chavez KO 11 Edwin Rosario, Nov. 21, 1987, Las Vegas (Wins WBA lightweight title): Mexican icon Chavez, 56-0, moves up from 130 pounds, adding his second title by dominating the hard-punching Rosario, 31-2.

·Julio Cesar Chavez W 12 Hector Camacho, Sept. 12, 1992, Las Vegas (Retains WBC super lightweight title): In a dominant performance, the indomitable Chavez, 81-0, pressures “Macho Man” Camacho, 40-1, but can’t get him to submit. The win is Chavez’s ninth defense.

·Felix Trinidad KO 4 Yory Boy Campas, Sept. 17, 1994, Las Vegas (Retains IBF welterweight title): In a battle of unbeatens, 21-year-old phenom Trinidad, 23-0, rises from a second-round knockdown and keeps the crown by halting steel-chinned Mexican challenger Campas, 56-0.

·Antonio Margarito KO 11 Miguel Cotto, July 26, 2008, Las Vegas (Wins WBA welterweight title): Mexican veteran Margarito, 36-5, scores a big upset, outlasting pound-for-pounder Cotto, 32-0, in a savage punchout.

·Giovanni Segura KO 8 Ivan Calderon, Aug. 28, 2010, Guaynabo, Puerto Rico (Retains WBA light flyweight title; Wins WBO light flyweight title): In a classic matchup of styles, Mexican bomber Segura, 24-1-1, issues Puerto Rican stylist Calderon, 34-0-1, his first defeat in a strong candidate for fight of the year.

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