Mexico's Love Affair with Boxing and Martial Arts

Mexico currently has 18 world boxing champions. That is 11 more than the Unites States, which is the second nation with most top fighters in the world.

 

The neighbor-of-the-south dominance in the sport is not something new. Alberto “Baby” Arizmendi was the first Mexican to conquer a world boxing championship in 1934. Since then, some 200 fighters, either born in the country or of Mexican descent have held championship belts around their waists.  

In recent years, the best selling Pay-Per-View boxing matches have included a Mexican fighter in the main card. The top one, dubbing as the most recent, took place last September 14th, 2013, when the Guadalajara born Saul “Canelo” Álvarez faced the American Floyd Mayweather Jr.

The Newcomer

 

In the last five years, another combat sports have been gaining more adepts in the country. That is Mixed Martial Arts (MMA). The largest organization, the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), started transmitting its fights in national networks.

Since then, the number of gyms, fighters and fans has increased exponentially. The UFC currently has 2 Mexican born fighters in their roster. Erik “Goyito” Pérez and Efraín Escudero.  However, the most popular fighter is current heavyweight champ, Cain Velazquez, who is the son of Mexican immigrants. 

The UFC is to hold their first event in Mexican soil sometime this April. The main card, arena and date are yet to be confirmed. The president of the company, Dana White, said to be “aggressively working on” Mexico and the rest of Latin America.  

 

The largest Martial Arts Exposition in Latin America, Expo Artes Marciales, will hold its 5th annual event in this upcoming July. This edition will have a heavy focus on MMA.  

A warrior past

 

Mexico has had a long history of different civilizations fighting for control of Mesoamerica. For at least 3 millennia, 5 grand civilizations and other minor ones have sought war against their neighbors for dominance, leading to the development of various combat styles.

Marisela Ugalde, a martial arts master founded Xilam, based on the combat techniques of ancient pre-hispanic cultures such as the Aztecs, Mayans and Zapotecs.

“’Xilam’ means to peel off, to grown a new skin,” said Ugalde in a recent interview.  “This martial art tries to dignify those warriors, while bringing back some of their hand-to-hand combat styles and warrior mentality to modern day Aztecs.”

Óscar Jiménez, director of Expo Artes Marciales has confirmed the presence of Xilam in this year’s edition.