10 Mexicans who found success in the higher weight classes

1 Saรบl โ€œCaneloโ€ รlvarez

Though starting out as a welterweight, รlvarez has soared through the weight classes, competing and thriving as a junior-middleweight, middleweight, super-middleweight and light-heavyweight. He was at his heaviest when stopping WBO light-heavyweight champion Sergey Kovalev in 2019.

2 Andy Ruiz Jnr

Famous for shocking Anthony Joshua and winning heavyweight gold in June 2019, Ruizโ€™s career has otherwise been one of the stop-start variety. He lost his titles in the rematch with Joshua, while his only other loss came against Joseph Parker in 2016.

3 Gilberto Ramรญrez

Heavy-handed Ramรญrez, born in Sinaloa, now fights at light-heavyweight having won and defended the WBO belt as a super-middleweight. A southpaw, he stands almost 6โ€™3 and is undefeated in 44 pro fights.

4 Julio Cรฉsar Gonzรกlez

After rising to prominence as one of Roy Jones Jnrโ€™s opponents in 2001, Gonzรกlez won the WBO light-heavyweight title when upsetting Dariusz Michalczewski in 2003. He then later boxed Clinton Woods twice for the IBF light-heavyweight belt, losing both times.

5 Jaime Munguia

Very much part of the new breed, Munguia is a six-foot middleweight who, at 26 years of age, probably has the potential to move further up the weights. For now, he is unbeaten in 40 pro fights and a former WBO belt-holder at super-welterweight.

jaime munguia
Jaime Munguia (Bob Levey/Getty Images)

6 David Benavidez

Unbeaten in 26 pro fights, super-middleweight Benavidez currently boasts six stoppage wins in a row and 23 inside-the-distance wins overall. Last time out he cut down David Lemieux in three rounds.

7 Julio Cรฉsar Chรกvez Jr.

While never likely to escape his fatherโ€™s shadow, Julio Cรฉsar Chรกvez Jr. did nevertheless have a respectable enough pro career, winning 53 of 61 fights and lifting the WBC middleweight belt in 2011. More recently he was seen operating at light-heavyweight and even cruiserweight.

8 Chris Arreola

Born and raised in California to Mexican parents, Arreola has been a dependable heavyweight contender for over a decade, battling the likes of Vitali Klitschko, Deontay Wilder and, last time out, Andy Ruiz Jnr.

9 Manuel Ramos

In the 1960s, 6โ€™4 heavyweight Manuel Ramos defeated men like Eddie Machen and Ernie Terrell to become a ranked contender. He then challenged heavyweight champion Joe Frazier in 1968, a fight in which Ramos, despite rocking Frazier, was stopped in two rounds.

10 Saรบl Montana

Nicknamed โ€œLa Cobraโ€, big-boned Montana campaigned as a heavyweight trial horse between 1988 and 2016, winning 53 and losing 19 pro fights. His best wins came against Denis Bakhtov in 2005 and China Smith in 2002. 

Share Page