Peninsula 360 Press [P360P].
As an individual sport, boxing is one of the most nationalistic disciplines that can exist in any country. Before every fight, you hear in the ring the national anthem of each pugilist, as well as an entrance song or track, which usually alludes to the athlete's roots.
Within this paradox, it is worth analyzing the U.S. representatives, who learn, both by geographical proximity and by the offensive style of fighters, the Mexican proposal to be daring in the ring, in addition to verifying in history the great results that this discipline delivered to the country of the southern border.
The highest grossing fights in the history of the sport involve Mexicans, but there is a common denominator: Las Vegas, Nevada. It is at the MGM Grand where the best duels between fighters take place, where the big bookmakers and millions of dollars are made for the stars of the night.
"The U.S. is still the land of opportunity when it comes to big fights and big events," commented Russ Anbercoach and owner of Rival BoxingOne of the gym chains and distributor of boxing products, could this be the reason why this country welcomes foreigners, invests in them and continues to gain presence in the sport?
As proof of this strategy, in Southern California alone there are more than a hundred gyms that receive boxers from different parts of the world. And there are several cases of migrant athletes who have won victories for a country other than the one in which they were born.
Among the most important talents with roots in other parts of the world who represent the United States is Raúl Márquez -today a commentator- who managed to represent the country of the "Stars and Stripes" in the 1992 Barcelona Olympic Games. The Mexican-born fighter finished his career with a record of 69-4-1, with 37 victories by knockout.
Another of the great boxers and, nowadays, businessman of the world of fists, owner of the great fights promotions that the company carries out. Golden Boy is Oscar de la Hoya. Born to a father and grandfather, both Mexican boxers, and raised in Montebello, California, he became world champion in six different divisions and retained a record of 39 wins and only six losses in his entire career.
A successful Mexican migrant is Saul "Canelo" Alvarezwho moved to the neighboring country and is now one of the highest paid professional athletes. The Jalisco native claims to be part of the Latino community that comes to fulfill the "American dream" and declared himself against Donald Trump's political stance: "People from the Latino community come to the United States to work. I am one more of them, who comes to get ahead," he said in 2016 to the Mexican newspaper Récord.
Nonito DonaireThe Filipino bantamweight who has distinguished himself as one of the best pound-for-pound fighters in the world, has confessed to being proud of his heritage despite living in the United States since childhood. Such condition allowed him to train under the amateur system, win national titles and be among the favorites to win medals.
Among the most representative figures and great legends of boxing, we find Muhammad Aliwho, beyond representing the United States, defended political, social and humanist causes during his lifetime, mainly those related to the Afro-descendant community.
Ali contributed, after winning in Rome 1960, to the United States being the flag that, on more occasions, has been raised on top of an Olympic boxing podium with 50 gold, 24 silver and 40 bronze medals.
Reality trumps fiction: nationalism and the breeding of pugilists that meet the American stereotype - as in the saga of Rocky? has been left aside, as the great quality of various migrant athletes shows that the power of the fists knows no ethnic or geographic limits.
