22 Facts About Vicente Saldivar

Vicente Samuel Saldivar Garcia was a Mexican professional boxer who competed between 1961 and 1973.

Vicente Saldivar was a two-time featherweight champion, having held the WBA, WBC, and The Ring titles from 1964 until his retirement in 1967.

Vicente Saldivar came back and held the WBC and The Ring titles in 1970.

Vicente Saldivar currently holds the record for the most wins in unified featherweight title bouts and the longest unified featherweight championship reign in boxing history at 8 title bouts and 7 title defenses respectively.

Vicente Saldivar fought in front of the fourth largest crowd ever, 90,000 in Estadio Azteca, and has regularly been cited as one of the finest left-handed fighters of all time.

Vicente Saldivar was born in one of the many poor quarters of Mexico City and is one of seven children.

Vicente Saldivar used to get in fights on the streets and in school, so his father decided to channel the misguided energy into boxing.

Vicente Saldivar was taught by Jose Moreno, a veteran trainer of a nearby Mexico City boxing gym.

Vicente Saldivar had an unusually slow heart and pulse rate, which he claimed was the secret of the phenomenal pace he was able to maintain in the ring.

Vicente Saldivar had a successful amateur career, crowned with a Mexican Golden Gloves title at bantamweight.

Vicente Saldivar turned professional in 1961 and won the Mexican featherweight title with a second-round knockout of Juan Ramirez on February 8,1964.

On September 26,1964, Vicente Saldivar won the WBA and WBC Featherweight titles by upsetting fellow Mexican fighter and future hall of famer Sugar Ramos with an 11th-round knockout in an extremely bloody battle.

Vicente Saldivar then defeated Mitsunori Seki in two consecutive bouts.

On June 15,1967, Vicente Saldivar defeated Winston by a 15-round decision.

Vicente Saldivar announced his retirement after that contest in October 1967.

Three months later, Winstone won recognition as WBC featherweight champion, claiming the belt left vacant by Vicente Saldivar, by defeating Mitsunori Seki with a 9th-round stoppage due to a cut right eye.

Vicente Saldivar lost the crown seven months later in his first defense against Kuniaki Shibata.

Vicente Saldivar would fight once more before retiring again in 1971 the lure of the ring was too strong.

Vicente Saldivar returned at the age of 30 after 2 years and 3 months of inactivity for another title attempt on October 21,1973.

Vicente Saldivar's opponent was fellow Hall of Famer and former bantamweight champion Eder Jofre.

Vicente Saldivar's skills had greatly diminished and Jofre won the contest with a fourth-round knockout in Brazil.

Vicente Saldivar died of cancer on July 18,1985, aged only 42.