Latin Fighters: To Mas or to No Mas?

It seems, in my minds eye, there is a thread of behavior that runs through the genetic line of Latin fighters. NO, this is not profiling of any kind, it is a legitimate thought for you, the reader, to ponder. I have compiled a list of these “Latin Fighters” so that you can be the judge.

Roberto “Hands of Stone” Duran- in Duran’s rematch with then welterweight “Sugar” Ray Leonard, it didn’t take but 7 rounds of poking and sticking to make this Latin Legend say “No Mas, No Mas"! Roberto had his way in their first match with his legend counter part, “Sugar” Ray. On the other side of the glove, when taken to task by Leonard in the rematch, Duran couldn’t handle the heat in “Sugars Rays” proverbial kitchen. The conception of this “No Mas” title can be solely attributed to Roberto Duran.

Genaro Hernandez- Genaro's first “No Mas” came at the hands of “East LA, Latin Legend” Oscar De La Hoya. With calculated skill, Oscar picked apart his foe round by round until Hernadez thought better of it and threw in the white towel of surrender in a most shameful way.

“Pretty Boy” Floyd Mayweather was the next foe in line to force Genaro to quit on his stool. It was Floyd’s fast handed volley that changed the mind of Hernadez and caused him to hang the gloves up for GOOD!

Yori Boy Campas- Campas is NOTORIOUS for the huge “No Mas” candidate QHS (Quitters’ Hall of Shame). The career of this Latin Legend Flop peaked when he stepped into the ring with Puerto Rican star, Felix “Tito” Trinidad. After his KO loss at the hands of Tito, he never was quite the same again.

Yori Boy’s most memorable no mas came about when defending the IBF light middleweight title to upstart 154lber, "Ferocious" Fernando Vargas. It is unfortunate to inform you that Luis Ramon Campas is still fighting today. Some fighters just need to say “No Mas” forever, and spare boxing another black eye.

Oscar De La Hoya- Some boxing observers might/might not question his inclusion to the “No Mas” club. Oscar’s most recent KO loss at the hands of middleweight legend Bernard “The Executioner” Hopkins, begs to tell the tale of “No Mas”. Did the Golden Boy really quit on his knees to an innocuous left hook to the body by the Nard Man? If this is true, did Oscar erase all his doubts and the doubts of others with a TKO win against Ricardo Mayoraga?

It might be hard to question such motives from an obvious BHF fighter who has fought EVERY NAME that De La Hoya had on his hit list. To us boxing conspiracy theorists, our gut feelings tell us “The Nard Man” was too much for the “Golden Boy” when Bernard took De La Hoya to the later rounds for immediate execution! This is a debatable inclusion but not out of the question.

Ricardo Mayorga- Mayorga, simply put, is an after class, school yard bully. Hailing from the mean streets of Nicaragua, this Latin Tyson was once a welterweight force until he was KOed in Feb. of 2004 by Felix Trinidad. Mayorga moved on with his career to win the vacated WBC light middleweight title against virtual unknown, Michele Piccirillo. In his first defense of his fresh off the press title, Ricardo took on former WBC, WBA, and IBF 154lb champ, Oscar De La Hoya for the WBC light middleweight title.

This fight was supposed to be a bludgeoning of Chicken De La Hoya. Ricardo backed up this assumption when he came to the promotions in his usual style; snapping verbiage, smacking heads, and with his 2 packs a day habit. Onlookers looked at this match up as the death nail in Oscars coffin; a bad ending to his illustrious career.

To provoke the anger of "Chicken De La Hoya" was a terrible judgment call on Mayorga’s behalf. The damage was already done when Ricardo spoke cutting words at the expense of Oscars family and heritage. What later ensued in ring was an absolute beat down of the “Nicaraguan Nightmare”!

There was no question that Ricardo was a defeated man in the 6^th round at the fists of an electrified “Golden Boy”! Yes, Mayorga got a good look at Oscar’s cohunes by a huge left hook in the 1rst round; yes, he was hurt on several occasions throughout the proceeding rounds, but in the 6^th, he opted to twice take a knee rather than go out on his shield like a beaten little Niño.

If I were getting pummeled as bad as Mayorga that night, I might take a knee or 2 and pray for some intelligent answer from God for my actions. That is, If I were Mayorga!

Is this a valid point of view? If you beg to differ, then post a comment below. To me, the evidence is very overwhelming!