In boxing, its always a big deal when a Mexican and a Puerto Rican matchup. Not being from either country I was wondering how this all started. I was watching the replay of the Cotto/Margarito fight and it reminded me of the rivalry between the two. The biggest of the decade probably being Trinidad vs. Vargas. Is it something carrying over from real life into the ring? Or is it just boxing related?
There has always being a boxing rivalry, but the one that truly started the whole Puerto Rico vs Mexico media hoopla was Wilfredo Gomez vs Salvador Sanchez in the so called "Battle of the Little Giants". Gomez was heralded as the #1 P4P boxer and was the heavy favorite to beat Sanchez. The fight became a HUGE event and had the 'fight of the year' tag attached to it even before the day of the fight. Both boxers fans came in large numbers from P.R. & Mexico. Gomez fans brought salsa kings El Gran Combo while Sanchez brought El mariachi Jalisco. There was a musical duel just before the fight started! (that was great! the mariachis trying to play their guitars and violins harder than the salseros drums & trompets...no match! ). Of course the fight was great too, even though it became a beating for Gomez. Since then, every time two champs from both countries collide against each other it is a big event.
I'd be ever so interested in the running tally for both countries. Without thinking too deeply into it, I get the impression that Mexico has had the better of the running.
