Rafael Limón
| Bazooka Limón | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Statistics | |
| Real name | Rafael Limón Burgos[1] |
| Nickname(s) | Bazooka Limón |
| Rated at | Super Featherweight |
| Nationality |
 Mexican |
| Born |
13 January 1954 Tlaxco, Tlaxcala[1] |
| Stance | Southpaw |
| Boxing record | |
| Total fights | 77 |
| Wins | 52 |
| Wins by KO | 39 |
| Losses | 23 |
| Draws | 2 |
| No contests | 0 |
Rafael Limón Burgos, also known as Bazooka Limón (born 13 January 1954 in Tlaxco, Tlaxcala)[1] is a former boxer and two-time Super Featherweight /Jr. Lightweight world champion. A southpaw from Mexico City, he fought with a wild-swinging style yet earned knockouts by wearing opponents out letting them hit him in his iron jaw.
Born on January 13, 1954, Limón is best known for his legendary four-bout rivalry with Bobby Chacon. Their first fight took place on December 7, 1975, in Mexicali, Mexico, Limón defeating a streaking and heavily favoured Chacon in a ten-round decision.
Negotiations took place in 1977-78 to pit Limón against the WBA's world junior lightweight champion, Samuel Serrano, however the fight never took place.
Limón challenged WBC world junior lightweight champion Alexis Argüello in February 1979, suffering an 11-round knock out. Following this he and Chacon met for the second time, an accidental head-butt resulting in a seven round no contest. The pair met for a third time on March 21, 1980, in Los Angeles, Chacon earning a very controversial 10-round decision.
In spite of this Limón found himself fighting later that year for the world title Arguello had vacated. Limón knocked out Venezuela's Idelphonso Bethelmy in the 15th at Los Angeles to become the WBC world junior lightweight champion.
Limon made his first defense against England-based Ugandan Cornelius Boza Edwards, losing a 15-round decision.
 You may watch Rafael "Bazooka Limón" fight Hector "Macho" Camacho on YouTube |
In 1982, Rolando Navarrete was the WBC world junior lightweight champion, having dethroned Boza-Edwards in a 5-round KO. Limón knocked Navarrete out in round 12 to become a two-time world champion.
After defending his title successfully against Chung Il Choi, Limón met Chacon for a fourth bout. Held on December 11, 1982 in Sacramento, it was the first with a world championship at stake. Limón dropped Chacón in rounds 3 & 10, but Chacon turned the tables with only a few seconds left in round 15 and knocked Limón down. Limón climbed the ropes to get to his feet to finish the fight, yet lost on the judges' cards in a split decision. The fight won various Fight of the Year awards for 1982.
In 1983, Chacón refused to defend his world title against Héctor 'Macho' Camacho, so Limón traveled to Puerto Rico to meet the rising star. He was no match for Camacho, who landed 6 crisp punches for every miss Limón threw and stopped him in 5 rounds.
Limón went on boxing until 1992, losing to a number of future world champions and important boxers, including Julio César Chávez and Roger Mayweather, but never again challenged for a world title.
His record is 52-23-2 (39 KOs).
| Preceded by Alexis Argüello Vacates |
WBC Super Featherweight boxing champion 11 Dec 1980– 8 Mar 1981 |
Succeeded by Cornelius Boza Edwards |
| Preceded by Rolando Navarrete |
WBC Junior Lightweight boxing champion 29 May 1982– 11 Dec 1982 |
Succeeded by Bobby Chacon |
See also
References
- 1 2 3 "'Bazooka' y la disciplina militar" (in Spanish). Esto. 14 May 2014. Retrieved 19 September 2014.
Rafael Limón Burgos, nacido en Tlaxco, Tlaxcala, expresó: "El Ejército es algo maravilloso. Ahí se me me enseñó a boxear. En ese tiempo el deporte sólo se daba los jueves; ahora hacen deporte a diario. Yo entré en 1973. El Mayor Aceves me ayudó a dar mis primeros golpes. Me puso a boxear con otro soldado, le gané fácilmente y me dijo 'usted tiene cualidades'. Mi primer manager profesional fue Alfredo Cruz Chávez, 'Kid Rapidez', en los Baños Avenida.