Bobby Chacon

Boxer Born: November 28, 1951; Died: September 7, 2016 BOBBY Chacon, who has died aged 64, was a Hispanic-American two-time world featherweight and super-featherweight boxing champion.

Born in California’s San Fernando valley at Sylmar, he earned the nickname “schoolboy” because of his early academic abilities that saw him jettison a course at California State University to become a professional featherweight boxer aged 21 in 1972.

He then debuted by knocking out one Jose Rosa – the first victory in a winning streak that saw only two of his first 19 opponents survive to hear the final bell.

A huge favourite with both Hispanic and non-Hispanic American fans, Chacon announced his arrival as an outstanding performer by stopping the great former world featherweight champion Danny “Little Red” Lopez, who was previously undefeated. Chacon followed this victory by winning the vacant WBC nine-stone crown by halting Alfredo Marcano in Los Angeles. The one man responsible for creating a glitch in Chacon’s catalogue of triumph was fellow Hispanic American Ruben Olivares which led to Chacon changing tactics from being primarily a masterful counter-puncher, to an apostle of outright, brawling aggression.

It was as if Muhammad Ali had suddenly embraced the slugging style of Joe Frazier.

The metamorphosis brought mixed results for Chacon. In 1983 he outscored Cornelius Boza Edwards in a tumultuous non-title bout during which Chacon dumped Edwards on the canvas three times.

But disaster followed when he tangled with Ray “Boom” Mancini in 1984 and he was brutally taken apart.

It was a sad postscript to the magnificence of his WBC super-featherweight title victory over champion Rafael Limon.

Chacon had married his beauty queen sweetheart Valorie but, when she refused her pleas for him quit boxing, she committed suicide, leaving him with three young children to care for. It is typical of Chacon that just 24 hours after his wife’s death he returned to the ring to stop opponent Salvador Ugalde. He subsequently used the £3,000 purse to defray his wife’s funeral expenses.

Chacon said at the time: “She was tired of being a boxer’s wife. She just wanted to be my wife, not my trainer. She was always on me about it. But boxing was something I had to do, to get out of my blood.”

Later, one of his sons was shot dead in a street killing while the gradual disintegration of Chacon’s personal life saw him reduced to collecting recyclable cans for their few cents’ deposit money.

Nevertheless, among the relentless hubris of post-ring decline there were glimmers of happiness, such as in 2005 when Chacon was elected to the American Hall of Boxing Fame.

Again one measure of Chacon’s greatness is that, even though he had began the long day’s journey into the night of personal decline and tragedy, he still won his last seven clashes by knock-out or stoppage including a win over Freddie Roach.

Chacon finished with a record of 59 wins, seven losses and one draw in 67 bouts.

On news of his death, Ricky Farris, president of the West Coast Boxing Hall of Fame, described Chacon as one of the most exciting fighters in the history of the west coast and an amazing bloodand-guts brawler who took on the best fighters in three divisions.

Boxing great Oscar De La Hoya also paid tribute to Chacon. “Bobby’s life was not one without struggle and tragedy, but I pray he has now found peace in eternal rest,” he said.

“He accomplished much for the sport of boxing and will be dearly missed.”

Married three times, Chacon survived by several children. is