Special to The Tribune
MATAMOROS, Mexico - Legend has it he once went 65 brutal rounds on a horribly hot, muggy night against a thin Filipino who just wouldn't stay down. Maceton Cabrera never got the limelight away from this dusty, war-torn bordertown, but he was a warrior from another boxing era.
The son of a perpetually-unemployed mechanic, Cabrera began boxing at the age of 12, when his father put him in the ring against a 35-year-old middleweight in need of a pigeon. It would be the first of his 159 trips to the ring. His overall record is unclear, although some say he likely lost more fights than he won. "But that was because he went in against everybody, even some heavyweights," said local boxing historian Marco Facundo Gonzalez. "Maceton never backed away from any fight, and he never gave up. There are photos of him with his face bloodied to a pulp, but he's standing at the end of the fight. Like a good Mexican, Maceton was there."
Cabrera would stalk his opponents across the ring with extreme prejudice, the pursuit of a knockout being his only drive. Blood-thirsty fans loved to see him box. Cabrera would drag his club foot behind him as he bobbed and weaved and feigned, the strained music of mariachi trumpets energizing him and the crowd. His best punch was the uppercut to the liver, said his manager in an interview carried this morning by a local radio station.
"He was the guy you wanted at your side in a cantina fight," said one fan. "Maceton would just look like a goddamned rock as he cut across the ring with that big foot dragging behind him. It was like an anchor, but he didn't let it keep him from boxing. He was a boxer, ese vato."
Cabrera often fought at the Arena Coliseo here. His fights were covered by local newspaper reporters on both sides of the Rio Grande. His fights were the only fights where the line at the battered box office was always longer than the line at the popular sidewalk taco stand in front of the arena. Women flocked to ringside seats, many of them exhorting Cabrera into the late rounds, perhaps feeding a primal need by seeing the sexual side of boxing upclose.
He was buried under grayish skies in a weed-filled, hillside cemetery full of unmarked graves, friends and family weeping as a murder of crows circled the grassy land for minutes before flying south...
- 30 -
[Editor's Note: Writer Bad Blake is a part-time country & western musician who also likes to dabble in Journalism. He has written for Dog Fancy and Successful Farmer magazines. Currently, he resides in a mobile home with his girlfriend, Darlene. This is his first report for The Tribune...]
14 comments:
Our condolenses to his family. may they not suffer the pain of his dying.
What a good article. enjoyed reading it. poor boxer. Thank you, mr. editor.
never heard of this boxer. But he sounds like he had an intersting life. good post.
I wonder how many more Macetones are out there, fighting for peanuts, and trying very hard to earn a good reputation.
May he rest in Peace, our prayers are with his family during this hard times.
Alcatraz, this Jake or whatever, his name is reminds of a man suffering from a mental illness. He forever, calls you names, speaks nothing but profanities.
If I were you, I would return his mail.
Chapis is a loser, his blog is a failure, no one blogs in it anymore. He is now blogging on myleadernews, because many bloggers are and have begun ignoring him.
I think this year will be the year of the Tribune and Myleadernews. The other Harlingen blog, well thats just trash.
I remember reading something about this a long time ago. But border boxers never get anywhere. It's low-end boxing in Reynosa and Matamoros. Okay, but not big time.
The tagline says he was never a champ, but he was in fact the Mexico light heavyweight champion from 1977 -1982 and again from 1984 - 1986.
If you want to hear a story, look up river at Orlando and Gaby Canizales from Laredo. Orlando defended the Bantamweight Championship 16 times, which still stands as a division record.
As far as a prolific career with little to show for it, Orlando was Bernard Hopkins before Hopkins teamed with Golden Boy.
Anon, it is low end boxing in the Valley to. Reynosa, had Battling Torres, who did well, I don't recall the weight classification, but he did well during his boxing carrer.
Boxing is big in Matamoros and Reynosa. Here in the Valley, it just hasn't caught on.
What Mama Chapaneca, prostituted herself to support her family. Are you sure she is from Guatemala an not Matamoros.
Somebody needs to tell the guy from Iwoa, too loose some weight, God he has one horrible belly. Any relations to some of the locals. I guess in mid America they don't know health clubs exist. Just an observation.
Man, New York, sure looks pretty with all that snow, but I bet the people who have to suffer under those conditions, don't like it one bit. I can't imagine being stuck in an apartment all day long.
ANONYMOUS:...We've heard of the Canizales brothers. The Maceton Cabrera story struck a chord with us because he largely was a journeyman boxer. And not to denigrate the Mexico title, but it really doesn't say much in that particular weight division. The only other Mexican big man of any note was heavyweight Pulgarcito Ramos, who never won The Big One outside of his native land. Thanks for the note. It's always a treat to hear from readers who know their stuff... - Editor
Patrick, don't forget Salvador Sanchez, I think he fought in the fly weight division and won many fights in the U.S.
He died in a car accident, a rumor was that he was killed.
Mexico has produced good fighters, most of them fight on the super fly, fly weight divisions. I can't think of any welterweights or crusier weights or heavey weights. Coming from Mexico as Champions. Good story,
Hopefully, he is in a better place, may he rest peacefully, our prayers are with his wife, kids, his parents and all the relatives.
I remember Maceton Cabrera's fights like it was yesterday. The best way to describe it is a fighter having to fight with one hand tied behind his back. His clubbed foot made his mobility difficult and predictable, posing for him a big disadvantage. I always thought his latest fight would be his last, yet there he'd be on TV 2 months later. I only saw him win one fight. Yet, seeing him conquer that one mountain inspired me at the early age of 7 to move forward despite all setbacks. I talk about Maceton all the time. People like my father can't believe I remember Maceton at all. I have climbed many mountains in my life, none as big or as many as Maceton. Like Maceton, some people have no choice and find themselves forced into the hunt to survive. For showing the heart of a lion, I thank you Maceton. I know there are hours of video of Maceton in action somewhere. Be ready for a shocker. This is my first and only internet comment, posted the very moment I heard of the passing of the great Maceton Cabrera. A movie about his life is innevitable, and it won't be about boxing. Maceton transcended borders like Jackie Robinson, Roberto Clemente, Harriet Tubman, and other heroes of the people. He won't be forgotton.
Post a Comment