The inner toughness of Carlos Palomino

Some guys are made different.

One of them is former welterweight champion of the world, Carlos Palomino.

His father loved boxing. Palomino didn’t. Baseball was his game. He dreamed about playing in the major leagues. In 1960, Palomino, his brother, two sisters, and folks, moved to Santa Ana from Tijuana, Mexico.

Life was hard.  

“No rules on the street," Palomino told this writer a few weeks ago over coffee. "Somebody could sneak up on you and hit you over the head. Rob you. When I began to box, I thought it was easy because at least there were rules.”

Palomino’s boxing career began while he was in the service. He was almost 21, but he soon recognized his natural ability. He split bouts with future gold medalist, Sugar Ray Seales, before turning professional in 1972.  He fought 11 times in nine months, winning them all.

This was about the time I first heard of him.

“You have to watch this guy, Carlos Palomino,” my grandfather told me over the phone in 1973. “He’s going to be champ.”

Grampa lived about 25 miles from Olympic Auditorium in Los Angeles.  He, along with most of my family, loved boxing. Grampa’s “beat” was the LA area. He followed the careers of Danny “Little Red” Lopez, and Bobby Chacon, but Palomino was his favorite.

I was curious. One late Saturday night a few months later, I caught some fights from the Olympic on my tiny black and white TV. Palomino was fighting a guy named Nelson Ruiz. A few months before, he’d lost his first fight to Andy “The Hawk” Price. He couldn’t lose again. It was make-or-break time for his career.

Palomino did a lot of breaking that night. He brutalized Ruiz for six rounds. Two weeks later, he was back in the ring, winning again by stoppage. Game on. His career soon took off. He wouldn’t lose another bout until 1979, and that one was controversial.

He fought tough Zovek Barajas twice in the span of 30 days. Tall and rangy, Barajas, when serious, was dangerous. The year before he had upset ranking contender, Armando Muniz, and former welterweight champion, Billy Backus. The fight was a barn-burner from the opening bell. Behind on points entering the seventh round, Palomino found his grit and fought back, taking the next three rounds. The fight was judged a majority draw.

Many called the bout “The Fight of the Year” for 1975.

"It was one of the best action fights we’ve had here in some time,” said legendary Don “War-A-Week” Chargin. “Both have agreed to a rematch, probably in five or six weeks.”

It was exactly sixty-four days later when Carlos and Barajas threw hands again. This time no judges were required as Palomino battered Barajas into submission.   

In 1976, Palomino ventured to England to face homegrown welterweight champion, John H. Stracey, at the Empire Pool Arena in Wembley. Stracey had become champion the year before by stopping Jose Napoles. He defeated underrated Hedgemon Lewis before facing Palomino.

Stracey continued his crisp fighting for six or so rounds. His right landed often, but Palomino, as he often did during his career, grew stronger as the fight progressed. He wouldn’t give in. He weakened Stracey with continuous body work.

By the 12^th round, a pretty left hook to the ribs ended the fight.

Carlos Palomino was a world champion. Grampa called me the next day.

His first title defense would be another barnburner against Armando Muniz at the Olympic in 1977. Knocked down for the second time in his career, Carlos dug down once again to rally and stop Muniz in the 15^th and final round.

Five months later, Carlos returned to London to fight undefeated Davie “Boy” Green. Green boxed well, surprising the favored champion with quick hands.  Through nine rounds, two of the three ringside judges had Green ahead.

In round 10, Green caught Palomino with a wicked shot to the chin.

“It was like a fog,” remembered Palomino. “I couldn’t really see him. I bobbed and weaved. It took about 30 seconds for things to clear.”

Fully recovered, and somehow looking stronger, Palomino ended things a few minutes later with another left hook, this one to the chin that put Green to sleep. Palomino made six more successful defenses before losing a majority decision to Wilfred Benitez in 1979.

Five months later, he retired, two months shy of his 30^th birthday, after losing a decision to Roberto Duran. His decision shocked many in the boxing world, but Palomino had promised his mother he’d quit. He had dabbled in acting while still fighting professionally.

After his career was over, he made appearances in movies and television shows such as Night Rider, Hill Street Blues, and NYPD Blue. He also starred in a number of popular beer commercials.

Tragically, his brother Paul,18, a talented amateur fighter, was part of an American delegation of boxers who died in a plane crash in 1980. His death stunned Palomino.

In 1996, at the age of 47, Palomino decided to return to the ring. His motivation was personal.

"The reason I came back was my father had passed away,” Palomino told Bad Brad of www.ringsidereport.com. “I really had a heavy heart when I lost him. He had cancer and didn’t want to die in the hospital. We took him home for six months before he passed away. I was really able to talk with him during this time. I had a torrid love-hate relationship with him. After he passed away, I went back to the gym, because the best times my father and I had together was during the time I was champion.”

Palomino saw his old manager, Jackie McCoy, at the gym. He felt his father’s presence and asked if he could go a few rounds with Hector Camacho. Palomino, who had kept himself in great shape, did very well against the former champion. Soon after, he was contacted about returning to the ring. Though money wasn’t the real motivator, an outrageous offer was made.

“OK, let’s try this,” said Palomino.

He fought four times in 1997, winning all by knockout. One of his wins was over two-time world champion, Rene Arredondo. Palomino was one fight away from getting a crack at his old title.

“After I stopped Arredondo, I wanted to step up the competition a little and faced Wilfredo Rivera," Palomino said. "It was probably the best night of my life.”

Palomino’s former stomping grounds, the Olympic Auditorium, was sold-out.

“I went ten rounds with him, ultimately losing the decision,” said Palomino. “He won fair and square. The response from the fans was so overwhelming to me. When I was champion in my twenties, I didn’t appreciate it like I did as an active fighter at forty-eight years old.”

Palomino announced his retirement after the fight.

“I have no regrets coming back and will always look back fondly on it,” said Palomino.

Done with fighting in the ring, Carlos Palomino has stayed around pugilism, working with young people.

A champion forever, it was dogged determination that separated him from others.

He’d never quit, no matter what.