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Bobby Chacon (1951-2016): A Blood & Guts Champion Remembered

BVBy James “The Truth” Doell

Former two-time champion in two weight classes and hall of fame boxer Bobby “Schoolboy” Chacon passed away Wednesday morning at the age of 64.

Bobby Chacon was born November 28th 1951. He grew up in a rough neighborhood in Pacoima, California, and his childhood was surrounded by drugs and violence. By the time he was a teenager, he was involved with a gang and in trouble with the law for street fighting. His then girlfriend, and future wife Valerie, convinced him to do his fighting inside the ring instead of on the streets. He had a short, but successful amateur career, as he competed in two golden gloves tournaments and held a record of 20-3-1 before turning pro in 1972.

In his first year of professional boxing, Chacon fought 15 times. He won all of them, all but one by way of knockout. He built a record of 19-0 before suffering his first professional loss to former bantamweight champion Ruben Olivares via 9th round knockout. It was the first loss in the 21-year-old boxers career, but he bounced back quickly. Chacon won his next 5 fights by TKO over the next year, including a stoppage victory over former featherweight champion Danny Lopez to earn him a shot at the vacant WBC featherweight title on September 7th 1974, against former champion Alfredo Marcano. Chacon stopped the tough Marcano in the 9th round to win his first word title. He then made the first and only defense of this belt by knocking out Jesus Estrada in two rounds before losing the belt in a rematch with the great Ruben Olivares via 2nd round TKO.

He had lost his belt and suffered two losses on his record, but this did not deter Chacon. December 7th, 1975, was the start of one of the greatest rivalries in boxing history, as Chacon took on Mexican star Rafael “Bazooka” Limon and lost a ten round decision. Chacon went on to win his next nine fights, and earned himself a third shot at beating Ruben Olivares. Chacon succeeded this time, winning a unanimous decision.

One year and eight months later, “Bazooka” Limon and Bobby Chacon once again met inside the squared circle, this time fighting to a draw after the bout was stopped due to Limon’s right eye being cut by an unintentional head-butt. These two warriors would meet in the ring for a third time on March 21st 1980; just four months after Chacon was stopped in the 7th round against the Nicaraguan legend Alexis Argüello in a fight for Argüello’s WBC super featherweight title. Chacon finally got his revenge against Limon, winning a close ten round split decision to keep his contender status alive.

One day before Chacon’s bout with club fighter Salvador Ugalde, tragedy struck. Chacon’s wife Valerie took her own life after begging Bobby to retire from the sport of boxing due to the damage she had witnessed him take in previous fights, specifically his fights against Rafael Limon. After the third fight against Limon, Valerie and Bobby Chacon had moved out of the San Fernando Valley to the small town of Palermo, California, but Bobby couldn’t resist his urge to get back in the ring. The night following Valerie’s suicide, Bobby Chacon knocked out Ugalde in the third round.

Nine months after his wife’s suicide, Chacon met “Bazooka” Limon for their legendary fourth fight, which was the 1982 Ring Magazine fight of the year and is still talked about today. Chacon won a close unanimous decision in an amazing fight and dedicated the win to his wife Valerie. Chacon was also in the 1983 Ring Magazine fight of the year against Cornelius Boza-Edwards, winning a 12 round unanimous decision in a bloody fight that saw both fighters fall to the canvas.
In 1984, Chacon moved up to the lightweight division. Attempting to capture a third world title in his third weight class, he challenged Ray “Boom Boom” Mancini for his WBA world lightweight title, but he fell short as Mancini bloodied and stopped Chacon in the third round to retain his belt.

Chacon then bounced in and out of retirement over the next few years, while recording victories over Freddie Roach, who now trains Manny Pacquiao, and former champion Arturo Frias among others before finally retiring from the sport for good after winning a unanimous decision over club fighter Bobby Jones. He retired with a record of 59-7-1 and 47 wins by way of knockout.

Chacon’s post boxing life was filled with tragedy. He turned to drugs, and saw all the money he made in all those great wars dwindle away. He was placed on probation in 1984 for domestic violence against his second wife, and served 6 months in jail because of an alcohol and drug related violation of that probation in 1987. In 1991, his son Bobby Chacon Jr was killed in a gang related shooting in Panorama City, California at the age of 17. Chacon also suffered from Pugilistic Dementia; a sad result of the damage he took in all great wars he was in. he suffered with this for many years before it ultimately caused his death after suffering a fall and hitting his head while being treated for his pugilistic dementia Wednesday morning.

Despite all his struggles in and out of the squared circle, he was loved by boxing fans around the world. He was loved not only for his fearless style of fighting, but also for his misfortune outside of the ring. He gave us some of the most entertaining fights we will ever see, and his ability to overcome adversity in and out of the ring is truly inspirational. Bobby “Schoolboy” Chacon will forever be missed by boxing fans around the world.

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