Ringside Report Book Review: Latino Boxing in Southern California
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By Brian “The Beret” Young
As I have said before, I am a history junky. Victorian history, American Civil War, Silent film and early cinema, but especially boxing. Since I have been old enough to read I have gorged myself on books about boxers and boxing history. There are hundreds and hundreds of books available and I try to read all I can, but in the last few years two books have come out that are absolute must reads for any fan of the history of this great sport.
In 2014, Gene Aguilera released “Mexican American Boxing in Los Angeles” (2014 Arcadia publishing). This book is a snapshot of boxing in and around the greater Los Angeles area covering the entire 20th century (into the 21st). Not only does it cover the fighters themselves (and boy does it ever!) but also the venues like the legendary Olympic Auditorium and The Forum. Training facilities like The Main Street Gym (which was used for the interior of Mickey’s gym in the first two Rocky films).
The promoters, the trainers, and everyone else involved in boxing is in this book. It covers classic ring wars, grudge matches, rivalries and championship title fight. And as for the fighters themselves, Gene does an amazing job introducing us to the legends, champions, contenders, local heroes and everything in between. Fighters like Danny “Little Red” Lopez, Bobby Chacon, Art Aragon, Mexican Joe Rivers, Herman Montes, Oscar De La Hoya and so many more. When I got my copy of this book, I couldn’t stop looking thru it, calling friends and telling them stories from it. I even ended up buying several copies to give as gifts for other boxing fans I know. It was, in all honesty, my favorite boxing book in many years. The historian in me didn’t think it could get any better. And then……
Fast forward four years and in June of 2018 Mr. Aguilera released part II “Latino Boxing in Southern California” (2018 Arcadia publishing). More pictures, more stories more legends! This time it’s open to the world of Latino fighters who helped keep Los Angeles on the boxing map. Men like Carlos Zarate, Pipino Cuevas, Salvador Sanchez, Ruben Olivares and the one and only Julio Cesar Chavez. This book is every bit as good as his first and in some instances, I dare say, even better. Gene Aguilera gives us a visual history lesson. Delivered with the passion and knowledge of a true boxing fan and an outstanding historian.
Gene Aguilera was born and raised in East Los Angeles and fell in love with boxing at the age of ten and since then has had a passion for the sport rarely equaled. He has become a friend to many of the great fighters he grew up admiring and since the 1970’s has been a most trusted friend and confidant to the great Ruben Olivares. Gene is also a man who wears many hats. He is not only one of the finest boxing historians in the world, but he is also songwriter, Los Angeles music historian, record collector (a collection I would cut my right arm off for), writer, bank vice president and proud husband and father. In 2016, Gene was inducted into the World Boxing Council (WBC) Legends Hall of Fame, a well-deserved honor.
I can’t stress enough how much I would encourage any fan of boxing, and especially the rich history of boxing, to pick up these two books. You can contact Gene directly at geneaguilera@sbcglobal.net to purchase these books (and get the author to sign them for you as I did).
As a fan I only hope that Gene has a third (and fourth and fifth etc.) book in the works. These books had a magic about them. A magic that made an Irish kid from the East coast feel like he was there in the heart of Los Angeles for those incredible, and thanks to Gene, never to be forgotten times. Gracias, Señor Aguilera!
Feel free to reach out to me with any comments or questions for my planned monthly Q&A and if you have any suggestions for future articles or features.
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