Mulcahey

Forgotten Champions: Rodrigo Valdez
By Marty Mulcahey (July 5, 2005)

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Some men are cursed by the time in which they live. They are either too advanced to be understood by their contemporaries or overshadowed by a brighter light whose talent is of the "once in a century" variety. Such was the case of Rodrigo Valdez, a man who would have probably held the middleweight title for a considerable time if he had not competed in the Monzon era of middleweight history, a Monzon era that owes much to Valdez, for greatness is only bestowed on those who overcome formidable challenges. Valdez was formidable, and made an impression as he punched his way into, up, and on top of the 1970's middleweight fray.

Boxing is all about timing, and not just in the ring, as anyone who saw Rodrigo Valdez operate in the ring will attest to. His 5'9" body was a tightly laced package of muscle, whose weight was evenly distributed over a lean angular frame. Valdez was, like the great coffee which Colombia produces, a smooth blend of power and flavor which gave the boxing world a considerable buzz. He also buzzed opponents with his power. Any man who could knock out iron jawed Bennie Briscoe, and knock down Carlos Monzon (who had not tasted the canvas for 13 years) deserves consideration as one of the fiercest punchers to ever inhabit the middleweight division. His punches were enhanced by constant forward motion, as rarely did Valdez take a backward step.

If things were not going Valdez's way in the ring, he could rely on a great equalizer. It was a straight right hand, a punch that should rate as one of the best the middleweight division has ever seen. Both fists contained considerable stopping power, but it was the right hand that caught the attention of opposing trainers and boxers. Experts saw enough of it to rate Valdez in the top 30 - at number 29 - when The Ring magazine's ranking of the hundred greatest punchers of all-time was announced. The Ring wrote, "Valdez was a stand-up, aggressive powerpuncher who could take a guy out with either hand. He liked to throw his right from distance, but if you wanted to go inside, as Briscoe did in their third match, he could do that too. He primarily played offense."

The fighting life of Rodrigo began three days before Christmas of 1946, when he was born into the Valdez family living in the Gethsemane district of the coastal city of Cartagena, Colombia. His father was a fisherman, and Rodrigo was one of nine children born to Perfecta before her husband is killed by the sea. Rodrigo never attended school, and learned to fight in the tough and dirty streets. His fists carried him to local fame in gang-fights before his energy was harnessed for boxing at a small gym at the age of 15. Colombia's first world title challenger, Bernardo Caraballo, owned the gym and found talent in the undernourished boy's body.

By the time Valdez had retired, he was rated no lower than second (behind Antonio Cervantes) among Colombia's 27 world champions to date. Valdez participated in some amateur bouts, but was trading punches for pesos by age 16. Early on, Valdez was sponsored by restaurant owner Tata Villa, who helped more out of care for the boy than
boxing. Things went well early, with Valdez fighting as a lightweight and junior welterweight. Excitement is what Valdez always produced, and it brought him eight wins to start his career.

Valdez fought his first ten round fight in only his sixth fight, at the end of his second year as a pro. Looking over his career, you will see that Valdez never fought more than seven times in one year, and only averaged 4.5 bouts a year, a lackluster pace for South American fighters. His third year as a pro got off to a bad start. Valdez was knocked out in the sixth round by unheralded Rudy Escobar, the loss brought on by a badly cut lip and drastic weight reduction. While he lost the fight, Valdez gained a manager after the bout when sports writer Melanio Ariza took him under his wing.

The first decision the duo made was to move Valdez up in weight, as he had been torturing his body to make the lightweight limit. Five months later, a refurbished and solid looking Valdez climbed back into the ring, scoring five wins in 1966. In 1967, Valdez took his first big step up in competition, beating 51-4-4 Ecuadorian Eugenio Espinoza over ten rounds, a big notch on Valdez's belt considering it was only his 15th bout. Espinoza was a dangerous opponent, as future wins over world champions Ismael Laguna and Flash Elorde showed.

The win over Espinoza was followed by a ten round draw with Mario Rositto, who came in with fifty fights more worth of experience. Valdez ripped off five wins after the draw, and then suffered a second draw against German Gastelbondo to start 1968. By the end of 1968, Valdez was 21-1-2, and ready to step out behind Colombia's national boundaries.

This did not go as smoothly as hoped, as Valdez lost a disputed ten round decision to Daniel Guanin in Ecuador. It was also Valdez's debut as a welterweight, a move brought on by the 23-year-old's body maturation.

Six months after Valdez's first trip abroad, the young Colombian was fighting under the bright lights of Las Vegas. After five years of fighting exclusively in South America, it was a massive move in terms of opponents, and a culture shock. Valdez did well initially, beating Ghana's Peter Cobblah, who brought experience he had earned traveling the world over to fight top contenders. Five knockouts followed in quick succession, including kayos of undefeated prospects David Melendez and Dave Oropeza.

The six wins Valdez racked up in America were all on the West Coast, and it was decided to move Valdez to New York City to gain more media attention. It was not the sort Valdez wanted, as he was beaten via a ten round majority decision by Pete Toro in his Madison Square Garden debut. Worse, the iron chined Valdez suffered a knockdown in the seventh round. Newspapers reviews were kinder though, and commented on the Colombian’s toughness and crowd pleasing style instead of the negativity of the close defeat.

Madison Square Garden seemed to haunt Valdez, as he lost a second time there when matched against undefeated Ralph Palladin. Most thought Valdez had done enough to earn the win, but Palladin got the nod and did have the better of Valdez in the later rounds. Again, the reviews of Valdez were good in a losing effort, and just as important Valdez was about to receive a career boost that came out of the ring.

A big leap of improvement in Valdez's boxing skills was about to occur. It happened once Valdez found himself under the tutelage and management (in America as he still had Ariza as his main confidant) of trainer Gil Clancy. Just as importantly, Emile Griffith was Valdez's stablemate, and their sparring sessions helped the still developing fighter immensely. The confidence and tricks Valdez picked up showed immediately, as he won his next 11 fights by kayo, including an eye opening win against Bobby Cassidy at Madison Square Garden. While Valdez won by sixth round TKO, the Cassidy fight had the unintended consequence of him picking up Hepatitis from a cut on Cassidy's eye.

As well as his career was progressing in New York, Valdez went through severe bouts of homesickness and needed to return to his Cartagena. His manager noted, "A $3,000 purse in Cartagena was better than $60,000 in New York as far as Rodrigo was concerned." After six months away from boxing because of Hepatitis, Rodrigo returned in 1972, scoring two easy kayos in Colombia, followed by two more wins in America over better opposition.

Valdez made his first European venture in December of 1972, scoring a ten round win over Carlos Marks in Paris, France. Four more wins, two in New York and two in Colombia, established Valdez as a threat among the middleweights. The most important of these wins was a ten round decision over 100 fight Argentine veteran Antonio Aguilar. The winning streak set up Valdez for the toughest fight of his career against intimidating brawler Benny Briscoe.

The strange setting of Noumea, New Caledonia (in the Caribbean Islands) was the site of the NABF title fight against Briscoe, and Valdez shocked the majority of observers by backing up the Philly strongman. Valdez's accuracy and constant motion enabled him to walk away with a 12 round unanimous decision. It was the 20th in a row for Valdez. The win put him in line for a title shot.

A title bout with world champion Carlos Monzon did not materialize as expected, and the WBC stepped in to strip Monzon and set up a title fight between Valdez and resurgent Bennie Briscoe. The title fight, in glamorous Monte Carlo, produced a peak Valdez, and perhaps the most impressive fight of his career. Valdez won the title in an awe inspiring fashion, rocking Briscoe in the first round, and then overcoming a bad cut. The action went back and forth, with both warriors firing two fisted combinations. In the seventh, he round stopped the anvil chined Bennie Briscoe with a right left hook combination for the
ages.

Monzon was recognized by the world as the real middleweight champion, but Valdez's WBC title had clearly established him as the number one contender. The win also made him a celebrity at home and abroad. Valdez even spent time with the Prince of Monaco and his wife Princess Grace. The win was also in stark contrast to Monzon's draw and close decision win over Briscoe. It made people believe Valdez had the qualities to defeat
Monzon.

In his first defense of the title, the traditional easy touch, Valdez stopped Argentinean Ramon Mendez in eight rounds. Mendez had been a sparring partner of Monzon's, and it might have been a roundabout way of sending a message that he could deal with any Argentine middleweight. In all, Mendez was down seven times (twice in the second, once in the fifth and seventh, and twice in the eighth), and should be commended for his valor, if nothing else.

The second title defense was against 31-2 Los Angelino Rudy Robles (who defeated Tony Mundine to get the title shot) at the Cartagena Bull Ring, where Valdez scored a unanimous 15 round decision. Robles rallied late, and had Valdez bleeding heavily from the mouth, but did not do enough to overcome the early lead Valdez established through intelligent aggression. It was the last title fight Valdez had in his native Colombia, and earned him $10,000 for the defense.

Finally, a fight with Monzon had been agreed to, and Valdez tuned up for the fight by knocking out Frenchman Max Cohen in Paris. Cohen tried to win the title via foul claiming a low blow, but was wisely overruled by the referee. The fight was more to test Valdez's right hand, and other bones, which had been broken in a bad car accident seven months earlier. It also helped to shake off the rust and get a quick payday.

Preparation for the Monzon fight was hardly ideal, and tragedy struck when one of Valdez's brothers was killed in a bar room fight five days before the fight. Valdez had to be convinced to go through with the fight, and needed four trips to the scale to shave a couple ounces off after the first weigh in. Monzon got in his head as well, calling Valdez "Chico" (Spanish for little boy), which visibly upset Valdez. In ring criteria Monzon was right, as he had fought more rounds than any active fighter of the day.

Ten thousand packed Monte Carlo's Louis II soccer stadium, and watched an obviously distracted Valdez suffer a 15 round unanimous decision loss. Monzon swept the first seven rounds on everyone’s scorecards, when it was the fast starting Valdez whom everyone expected to come out and set the pace. It was a bad sign for Valdez, and he could do little as Monzon used his six inch reach advantage brilliantly. The eighth round
was the only one which Valdez won impressively, even managing to hurt Monzon with a right hand.

By the tenth round, Monzon was regaining some control and closed Valdez's left eye, as trainer Gil Clancy complained of Monzon thumbing his man. The fight retained its enjoyment factor because of Valdez's refusal to quit, and advancing style. To his credit Valdez kept coming forward, but had no strategy behind his punches. Valdez looked to have battled his way back into the fight when he was felled by a right hand. Valdez had
rushed in trying to land a fight ending right hook in the fourteenth when Monzon shot a straight right hand to down Valdez and punctuate a winning performance.

The win left Monzon and Ali as the only two undisputed champions in boxing, while Valdez could find little consolation in his career best $200,000 payday. The fight, which many called brains vs. brawn, excited many, and The Ring magazine heralded it as their second choice for fight of the year in 1976.

When Valdez returned to the ring, in Colombia, he looked average in two wins over Ramon Beras and Orests Lebron. Many thought the fight had been beaten out him by blows inflicted from Monzon, and life as well. The people had not forgotten his spirited rally against Monzon, and a second fight with Monzon was made in a year and a month after their initial meeting. Again, the venue was Monte Carlo and interest was high with 50 reporters from Argentina, and 30 from Colombia flying in to cover the fight.

It had rained constantly for the three days leading up to the rematch, and it held the crowd to under ten thousand. This time Valdez did start fast, knocking Monzon down in the second round, becoming only the second man to send the Argentine to the canvas in Monzon's long career. Monzon got up right away, but the referee administered a count of eight. Valdez's pressure tactics seemed to be taking effect on Monzon, and Valdez was able to cut off the ring and avoid the long jab of Monzon.

After seven rounds, Valdez was ahead. However, Monzon did not make a legend of himself by giving in to adversity. Monzon adjusted and began to rally behind lateral movement and his jab as the middle rounds tolled. The counters of Monzon began to land with searing accuracy. By the tenth round, both of Valdez's eyes were badly swollen, and he was repeatedly caught and rocked with right hands that traced the path of Monzon's jab. In the tenth, Valdez was badly cut over his left eye as well.

Valdez endured, and continued to fire back even as his punches had lost their accuracy and stopping power. The Ring wrote of Valdez's late round performance, "Any other fighter would have gone down after such a barrage, but not Valdez. The game boxer fought back. One consolation for Valdez. If Monzon does retire, Rodrigo Valdez is the best middleweight in the world."

Monzon swept the final two rounds on all the judges scorecards, which ensured a tight verdict by the judges.

With little to differentiate the two the judges split 144-141, 145-143 and 147-144 in favor of Monzon. It was such a closely contested fight that the Ring magazine writer scored seven of the rounds even. The great Monzon had retained his title again, but Valdez did convince the king it was time to retire. The retirement of Monzon meant the title was again vacant, and a third meeting between Valdez and Bennie Briscoe was necessary. Amazingly, Valdez was ready only three months after his torrid fight with Monzon.

Valdez and Briscoe were the two best known middleweights, and the obvious choices to produce a successor to Monzon. After two rounds, it looked like Briscoe had aged dramatically. Valdez had Briscoe hurt in the third and fourth round, and lamented that he should have stopped the rugged Philly product then. But Valdez knew Briscoe was still dangerous, and played it safe. Valdez hit his opponent with combinations while maintaining enough distance to assure his faster reflexes prevented a fight turning punch. The lead which Valdez built up from round three to eleven, and his strong closing in the 14 and 15th was enough for the win. Many were surprised by the split in judging. 148-146, 149-142, and 145-148. Monzon was ringside, and wrapped the title belt around Valdez's waist.

Some men seem to age over night, while others lose their crown to boxers who just have their number... Hugo Corro represented both to Valdez. Only six months after his title winning performance over Briscoe, Valdez looked like a shot fighter. The heat and passion of the amazing Monzon and Briscoe fights had ruined Valdez, which he later admitted, "When I fought Corro, I was drained weakened by the fights with Monzon and Briscoe. Corro was clever and ran all over the ring."

The Ring best described Corro's win, calling it "workmanlike". There was not much to separate the two early, but Corro got the nod on most scorecards because of his activity and ring generalship. Corro was a hint faster in the middle rounds, and did well counterpunching one punch at a time Valdez. Not until the last three rounds did Corro come out of his effective defensive shell and open up on the obviously tired Valdez. Corro won by using intelligent tactics to overcome Valdez's strengths.

A second fight between Corro and Valdez was even more one sided, with Corro pitching a shutout in Buenos Aires. The Ring was not kind reviewing the fight, and even harsher about the aging Valdez. "The fight itself was a dull affair, with Valdez plodding forward without landing a blow as Corro moved from side to side. Valdez tried from memory, opening up a two handed attack and landing nothing. Valdez tried and tried over the next five rounds, but he was just a shadow of his former self." The loss also guaranteed that Valdez never got out of the shadow of Monzon as well.

Valdez was done for at the highest level of boxing, although he returned to the ring a year later in Colombia. In his return, Valdez went down in the first round from a right hook that he usually dished. Valdez rallied and won after knocking Charles Hayward down in the seventh, and forcing him to quit. Six months later he beat equally nondescript Gilberto Amonte in Bogota, ending his career on a positive note.

Valdez retired for good, and returned to his home of Cartagena. There he is one of the city's best known celebrities, and can be found at the local theater almost every day. Valdez lives well off the investments he made as a champion, and he is the proud father of ten children and the owner of houses, apartments, and a bus company.