Michael Carbajal retired a world champion

Maxboxing recently re-visited the first (of three) of Hall of Fame, former world champion Michael Carbajal’s classic fights against Humberto Gonzalez. In Part 2 of our look at some of Carbajal’s classic fights, we go back to the last fight of his career and the upset win that allowed him to retire as a world champion.   

Michael Carbajal turned pro in 1989 and had been a long reigning light flyweight champion, was a huge star in his native Phoenix, Arizona and had enjoyed an outstanding career as both an amateur and a professional. However, after losing his IBF title in 1997 to a relatively unknown, but under-rated and very tough Mauricio Pastrana, Carbajal took some time off in 1998 (after going 1-1 after the Pastrana fight). Then he returned in 1999, put a few wins together and then made a decision. Carbajal had one more goal to achieve before he retired; Michael Carbajal, the former world champion, wanted to win back the title and then retire as a world champion.

Current IBF light flyweight champion Jorge Arce, a young, tough and talented brawler would be the task at hand for Carbajal. Arce would be the favorite going into the fight scheduled for July 31, 1999 in fight-crazed Tijuana, Mexico. There was more to lose for Arce as a win would just be overlooked as beating a fighter near the end of his career. However, the money was great, and Carbajal was a nice name for Arce to add to his resume in the win column – or so he thought. Both fighters had great respect for one another, but pleasantries would be left outside the ring once the bell rang in what turned out to be a great fight.

The fight was a back and forth affair with both fighters having their moments. However, overall it looked like Arce was beating Carbajal and the cards reflected that going into the 10th round with the champion ahead according to all 3 judges. However, Carbajal, a former IBF, WBC and WBO world light flyweight champion, was not to be counted out. Carbajal had built a reputation throughout his career as a fighter with tremendous heart and he was about to draw on that strength heading into the 11th frame.  

Arce was ahead on all three judges’ scorecards after 10 rounds. Heading into 11th round it looked like it might be game over for Carbajal over the next 6 minutes as the clock was winding down. While competitive, Michael hadn’t been able to land the game changing punch to end the fight. However, with just over a minute left in the 11th round, the veteran Carbajal connected with a perfectly timed right-hand sending Arce reeling into the ropes. The only reason he didn’t hit the canvas was because he fell back into the ropes and when he righted himself, on clearly unsteady legs, the referee stopped the fight. It was a perfect punch that allowed Carbajal to live out his dream of retiring as world champion - which he did.

In an interview years later, Arce reflected on his respect for Carbajal and the punch that stole the victory from him.

“Whenever he hit me it hurt. The jab hurt my hands. Ouch, ouch. His hands were like steel. Carbajal’s punches were like being hit by a steel bar”, said Arce. “I remember every punch he gave me in the 11 rounds”.  

As Arce would go on to face many more champions on his long career, asked who was the strongest, he answered without hesitation, “Carbajal is the strongest.”

Post-Fight:

Jorge Arce would rebound from the Carbajal loss and regain the title 2 fights later. He would go on to fight over 50-plus fights over the next 15 years as a long reigning light flyweight and flyweight champion. He also eventually competed the bantamweight and featherweight divisions as well. Multiple world champion Arce would close out his outstanding career with a record of 64-8-2 with 49 KO’s.

Michael Carbajal would do as he said and walked away after the Arce victory to retire as the WBO world light flyweight champion (for a second time). This would go along with his previous titles as an IBF, IBA, and WBC world light flyweight champion. You had to respect Carbajal, who left a lot of money on the table (in an Arce rematch or fights against other champions), sticking to his word to leave boxing as a champion. Carbajal, unlike many fighters, never returned to the ring and retired as a Hall of Fame fighter, considered as one of the best fighters to ever come out of Arizona. Carbajal retired with a record of 49-4-0, with 39 KO’s. Carbajal still resides in Phoenix, in the same neighbourhood he grew up in, running ‘Michael Carbajal’s 9th Street Gym’. Interviewed outside his gym a couple of years ago I asked Michael if he regretted leaving boxing while on top, and was he ever tempted to return?

“Not at all”, he said. “I had a goal in mind and that was to retire as world champion, and I did that. There was nothing left for me to do in boxing as I had achieved all of my goals. I was very proud of my career, but I had done everything there was to do in boxing”, he said. “And, I walked away as a champion”.  

Michael Carbajal was elected into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2006.