Is it time to entertain the possibility that Cotto was the last STAR Puerto Rico produces? Verdejo had the matinee idol LOOK of a star.... but he's just not good. Danny Garcia is Rican, but never became a mainstream star, was never all that good to begin with, and at this point is probably nearing the end of his prime. Who else does the Island have that has potential?
Dany Garcia could have been much bigger imo had he just learned to speak Spanish. Also, with his idiot father that keeps on harping that he's a true American, that immigrants can go fuck themselves and blah blah blah, of course Puerto Ricans (yeah I know that P.R. is a US unincorporated territory) are not gonna take him to heart.
Angel Acosta is the only title holder but he's a flyweight and I don't particularly watch those guys. Christopher Diaz is talented and shows some promise but I don't see him beating Lomachenko or anything. He might be able to beat Gervonta Davis, though. But that remains to be seen. There's just not much talent at the moment on the island. Verdejo is a bit talented, but not good enough to be elite, and he appears to lack the intangibles as well (Heart and desire). Dark times.
It definitely has. But I'd also say that even in the US, participation has declined. I don't even see boxing gyms around anymore. They're all hybrid MMA gyms with some boxing participation. But that also may have something to do with where I live.
I think hybrid gyms are far better for boxing than the alternative-mma only gyms. How did Puerto Rican boxers do at the 2016 Olympics?