Ringside Report Looks Back at Former World Champion Paulie Ayala

By Donald “Braveheart” Stewart

Competing at no fewer than three weights Paul Anthony “Paulie” Ayala, 35-3, 12KOs, has a tale to tell. Twenty years ago, this very year, he was to tell that tale to our CEO, Bad Brad, though at the time, he was not completely finished. What he was and subsequently became was a former WBA bantamweight and IBO super bantamweight champion, who moved on up to featherweight. He was also, to become a fighter for others against a condition which he refuses to allow his classes to give into – Parkinson’s. More of that remarkable tale later…

For a fighter who was voted fighter of the year and involved in the fight of the year by the Ring Magazine in 1999, this is hardly a surprising story. Ayala’s commitment serves as an example to those of us who may face any form of physical challenges in life – there are surprising people and packages out there to help.

His debut as a professional came in 1992, when on the 27th of November in Dallas he won a 6 round decision against Jaime Olvera. 1993, continued his trajectory in a winning pattern as he ended the year still undefeated. By 94, he was out less but making bigger waves as he continued to win and do so with ease and aplomb. 1995 saw him win his first title when he beat Miguel Espinoza on the 10th of March in the Fort Worth Convention Center for the NABF bantamweight belt by knockout in the 3rd round.

He as to defend the belt a number of times – the first two decision wins against Mario Diaz and Sergio Milan before knocking out Roland Gomez in the 7th in early 1996. He then beat Ivan Alvarez on points. Between the last two he had to take time out to deal with a broken hand. His defenses of the regional title continued in 1997 when he beat Cuauhtemoc Gomez on points in Atlantic City and then knocked out Roberto Lopez in 5 in Nevada.

Ayala was proving to be HBO box office as his fight were firmly fan favorite fodder. In his interview with him, Brad’s preamble references the Friday night fights that you can still see on YouTube and Ayala would clearly have been perfect for them. As it was, he was doing quite nicely on HBO PPV!

1998 saw him become the mandatory challenger for the WBC bantamweight title. He was signed up and ready to go for his first world title. In Yokohama Arena, Japan, on the 28th of August 1998, Ayala was to be thwarted as a clash of heads ended the fight with Ayala losing on the scorecards, after being docked a point for a head butt! Joichiro Tatsuyoshi, the defending champion, retained his belt.

Ayala was not to be stopped in his quest for world honors and following a regrouping, he faced Johnny Tapia in a battle which was to go down in folklore. In his interview with Brad, Ayala remarked, “I never would have imagined that the first Tapia fight (there were two) would have been remembered as a great fight. I’m glad to be part of such a memorable fight” And we are too!
On the line was Tapia’s WBA title. On the 26th of June 1999, Tapia had his first career loss as Ayala won on Showtime – Ayala’s debut – and from Las Vegas, he took home his first world title belt.

The fight was to become the fight of the year for Ring Magazine, but along with Ayala’s first defense, against the number 1 contender, Anupong Saohin Srisuk, which ended with Ayala defending successfully, he became fighter of the year for the Ring Magazine.

Tapia was to be given a chance to get revenge in a rematch which happened the following year. In what was described by some as a controversial win, Ayala won on points. As Tapia was unable to make the bantamweight limit, thus making Ayala’s title out of his reach, this was a catchweight contest at 124lbs.

In 2001, having once again defended his title – a decision win against Hugo Dianzo, back in Fort Worth – Ayala vacated. It was time to move on up to super bantamweight and given his record as a fighter he got his chance to shine on the 4th of August 2001, against Clarence Adams, the former WBA super bantamweight champ. Ayala was stripped of his title as this was for the IBO version of the super bantamweight title. This caused the WBA to act – they were unhappy he fought for another body’s belt without permission. Ayala won on a split decision. He then went on to repeat the victory in a rematch which he won widely on points on the 23rd of February 2002 in Las Vegas.

Hoping to make himself a three-weight world champion, in 2002, on the 16th of November he faced Erik Morales for the vacant WBC featherweight belt. Having won so many on points before, this was to be his second career defeat as Morales won with a comfortable unanimous decision.

Ayala then regrouped by moving between weights and found some success until he faced yet another ring legend in the shape of Marco Antonio Barrera. In Los Angeles, on the 19th of June 2004 Ayala was knocked out in the 10th round.

In many ways it was the end. And in September 2003, with what many felt was plenty of fight left in him, Ayala announced his retirement.

The old boxing cliché would suggest that his biggest fight was yet to come – and it would be far from the truth. A man of tremendous faith, what Ayala did next is nothing short of remarkable. Founding his Punching Out Parkinson’s campaign, Ayala added in non-contact boxing techniques to other therapies to help Parkinson sufferers gain more motor control to physically help them to regain some control over their lives. It is much more than a workout routine. Designed to improve movement, speed, hand-eye coordination, balance, strength, speech, endurance and self-image, it works directly with the physical manifestations of the illness and the body’s response to them. In a recent interview online, Ayala was to comment, “in some ways I feel a lot about it is still new to people. But I think it’s starting to get the type of awareness it deserves. It just can’t be fast enough.”

It began because one woman entered his gym and asked for help. Ayala decided to go and look for how he could help her and before long he was involved in helping many more. A true Fort Worth hero, his campaign is perhaps one of the hidden benefits of boxing which get lost in amongst the tragedies which unfold in crisis.

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