There is a new movie in the works on former welterweight champion Carlos Palomino, and the former champ who did some acting work after hanging up the gloves sure has some story to tell. Today, “King Carlos” turns the milestone age of 75, yet he sure looks, sounds, and comes across as a much younger man. Palomino is one of the greatest living fighters, and he is in great shape; the Mexican who was born into poverty has successfully navigated all the dangerous pitfalls the ring can throw at any fighter.
And though Palomino lost the two biggest fights of his career, these being fights with Roberto Duran (L10) and Wilfred Benitez (LS15 – a “robbery” says Palomino), the man born in Sonora, Mexico, sure won some big ones. Palomino, for a time, was a visiting fighter who broke British hearts; his wins over John H. Stracey (from whom Palomino took the WBC welterweight title), and Dave “Boy” Green (the man Palomino says hit him the hardest he was ever hit) seeing him stop two of the UK’s most popular fighters of the day.
And in holding the crown for three years, during which time he made an impressive seven title retentions, Palomino showed how good he was. Astonishingly fit (Carlos would run a heck of a lot of miles during training, this serving his gas tank so well), Palomino was a fearsome body puncher, he had a great chin, and Palomino was a fighter who would often come on strong in the later stages of a fight, the 15 round distance being something he was most comfortable with and is saddened to no longer see in the sport.
Palomino was never stopped, and he faced both a peak Duran (the Duran Palomino fought in June of 1979, this in a non-title bout, just might have been the best version of Duran the world ever saw) and a peak Benitez (to whom Carlos lost the title, just five months before going in with Roberto). Wins over Armando Muniz (twice) came during his reign, and Palomino, win or lose, always won over the fans.
After learning his craft and getting his body in top shape in the Army – Palomino won the National AAU title at welterweight, defeating future Olympic gold medal winner Sugar Ray Seales –the 23-year-old went pro. Soon a major attraction in Los Angeles, at the Olympic Auditorium, a hungry and determined, always superbly conditioned Palomino worked his way up the rankings. After a close points loss to Andy Price in August of 1974, Palomino boxed draws with Zovek Barajas (followed by a win over Barajas) and Hedgemon Lewis before traveling to London to challenge Stracey in June of 1976. Palomino broke Stracey down, his hurtful body shots tearing the fight out of the defending champion.
The British fans loved Palomino, this despite him taking down their hero. Palomino had a way of winning over a crowd, this due to his enjoyable to watch fighting style and his sheer class and humble persona. Palomino stopped Muniz late, while he survived a wobble against Green before stopping him late also, this fight proving to be another great visit to London. Finally, after a second win over the teak-tough Muniz, this time a decision win, Palomino was dethroned by Benitez in Puerto Rico.
Then came a battle with a fully fearsome, fully tuned-in Duran, and Carlos, who had promised himself he would get out at age 30, kept his word after seeing it to the final bell against a Duran that would have made a lesser man quit on the night he faced him in New York.
But a comeback came, quite astonishingly, in 1997. Palomino, now aged 48 yet looking much younger, managed four good wins over decent fighters before he dropped a decision against Wilfredo Rivera in May of 1998. Palomino exited, for good, with a 31-4-3(19) record. In retirement, both retirements from the ring, Carlos starred in a memorable beer commercial, and he also popped up in TV shows such as ‘Taxi’ and ‘Star Trek: Voyager.’
Palomino was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in the summer of 2004.
A great fighter and a great person about whom nobody in the sport has a bad word to say, Carlos Palomino ranks right up there with all the Mexican warriors we so revere. That forthcoming biopic – entitled “Carlos Palomino: The Movie” – should be quite something.
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