10.12.06 – Ricardo Lois from Boxingconfidential.com: Ivan Calderon did not stir-up much passion when I picked him as the Best Latino Straweight for 2006. The tiny boxing master is so much better than any other strawweight, the announcement failed to produce a pissing match for the ages.
As I move up in weight, decisions will be much more subjective and I hope the grand insults and drama will reappear on Boxing Confidential and Boxeo Mundial..
To recap…Ricardo Lois’ Best Latinos Fighters for 2006.
Strawweight – Ivan Calderon (Puerto Rico)
Puerto Rico is represented, but now Mexico gets to chime in. The best Latino Flyweight for 2007 is Mexico’s Ulises Solis.
With guys this small, any selection is going to have a certain amount of, “huh?” factor. I mean, really, aside from boxing diehards, who follows flyweights?
You might have expected Hugo Fidel Cazares, of Los Mochis, Sinaloa, Mexico to have gotten my nod. After all, El Increible, hit the road and had to impressive knock-out victories in 2006. Or maybe you had been pulling for Omar Nino Romero, if you have a soft spot for speed freaks and crank snorters.
Solis, managed by Fernando Beltran, of Erik Morales fame, fought three fights this year. His last bout as a twelve-round draw against Omar Salado, but did manage a knock-out win verses Eric Ortiz and a unanimous draw verses Will Grigsby. While Cazares and Omar Nino Romero do not know their next opponents, Solis is already lined up to fight Grigsby in a rematch for January; an excellent manager like Beltran can do wonders for a fighter.
Ricardo Lois’ Best Latino Flyweight for 2006 is Ulises Solis, who is a mere twenty-five years of age. So, let’s tip or hats off to Ulises Solis for being active and having a great manager.
To Cazares we say, try again next year and to Omar, easy on the white lines.
To contact Ricardo Lois feel free to e-mail him at boxingpodcast@gmail.com