Mando Ramos

Armando Ramos (November 15, 1948 – July 6, 2008) was an American professional boxer[1] and the former two-time WBC and WBA Lightweight Champion.[2] He was born in Long Beach, California.[3] Armando "Mando" Ramos was one of the most popular fighters in Southern California during the 1960s.[4] Ramos was an outstanding amateur.[5]

Mando Ramos
Statistics
Real nameArmando Ramos
Weight(s)Lightweight
Height5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)
Reach71.5 in (181.6 cm)
Born(1948-11-15)November 15, 1948
Long Beach, California, USA
DiedJuly 6, 2008(2008-07-06) (aged 59)
San Pedro, California, USA
StanceOrthodox
Boxing record
Total fights49
Wins37
Wins by KO23
Losses11
Draws1
No contests0

Professional career

Mando Ramos turned pro at age 17 using a forged birth certificate. Mando went on to fight the main event at the Olympic Auditorium by his 8th pro fight.[6] At the age of 18 Mando defeated the reigning Jr. Lightweight Champ, Japan's Yoshiro Kobayashi, in a non-title bout. When offered a re-match for the title, Ramos refused to fight for a 'Junior' title.[7]

World Lightweight Champion

He demanded to fight dangerous Lightweight Champ Carlos Ortiz—Ortiz, who had dominated the division for over a decade.[8] Negotiations were in place, but Ortiz was upset by 'Teo' Cruz and so Ramos took the fight to the new champ, narrowly losing in a decision. Ramos won the re-match via KO to become the youngest Lightweight Champion in history.[9] Cruz would only live 11 more months. He died in a plane crash on January 1970 alongside the Puerto Rican national women's volleyball team at the Dominicana DC-9 air disaster.

When a Mando Ramos fight was held in Los Angeles, movie stars such as John Wayne, Bill Cosby, Kirk Douglas, Liz Taylor and Connie Stevens attended . Women caught Mandomania, and Hollywood loved 'The Wonder Boy'.[10][11]

Trained by Hall of Fame trainer Jackie McCoy,[12] Ramos fought ten World title fights, was a two-time champion and earned millions of dollars. Whilst Mickey Mantle and Joe Namath earned 100k per season, Ramos was earning 100k per night. He was the world's highest paid teenager and his purses were larger than anyone but Muhammad Ali's. McCoy stated Mando was the most naturally talented fighter he had ever seen in his life.[13]

Retirement

Tough fights, drugs, and alcohol put the brakes on his career. By age 24 Ramos was out of boxing.[14] With the aid of his wife, Sylvia Van Hecke, Ramos became clean and sober over his last three decades.[15] He founded a non-profit youth organization---B.A.A.D.--boxing against alcohol and drugs— and coached, mentored, and trained inner-city at-risk youths.[16][17]

Mando Ramos died suddenly at his home in San Pedro, California on July 6, 2008.[18][19]

Preceded by
Carlos Teo Cruz		 World Lightweight Champion
18 February 1969 – 3 March 1970		 Succeeded by
Ismael Laguna
Preceded by
Pedro Carrasco		 WBC Lightweight Champion
18 February 1972 – 15 September 1972		 Succeeded by
Chango Carmona

References
  1. https://www.usatoday.com/sports/boxing/2008-07-07-1365129743_x.htm
  2. https://articles.latimes.com/1990-11-07/sports/sp-3680_1_long-beach-memorial-medical-center
  3. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2011-07-11. Retrieved 2010-10-02.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  4. http://boxrec.com/media/index.php/Mando_Ramos
  5. http://www.notifight.com/artman2/publish/Reporte_7/Falleci_Campe_n_Mundial_Mando_Ramos.php
  6. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2012-02-01. Retrieved 2010-10-02.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  7. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2011-07-27. Retrieved 2010-10-02.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  8. http://www.myboxingfans.com/2009/05/armando-ramos/
  9. https://articles.latimes.com/2008/jul/07/local/me-ramos7
  10. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2011-07-08. Retrieved 2010-10-02.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  11. http://www.thesweetscience.com/boxing-article/6045/great-mando-ramos-gone/
  12. https://articles.latimes.com/1997-01-14/sports/sp-18408_1_jackie-mccoy
  13. https://articles.latimes.com/2000/feb/01/sports/sp-59984
  14. https://articles.latimes.com/1988-12-25/sports/sp-1387_1_mando-ramos
  15. http://www.convictedartist.com/mando_ramos.html
  16. https://articles.latimes.com/1991-02-07/news/ti-674_1_mando-ramos
  17. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2011-07-20. Retrieved 2010-12-02.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  18. http://www.badlefthook.com/2008/7/7/566121/mando-ramos-1948-2008
  19. https://articles.latimes.com/2008/jul/09/opinion/oe-rutten9
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