Carlos Palomino


Carlos Palomino is a retired Mexican professional boxer. Palomino is a former World Welterweight Champion and member of the International Boxing Hall of Fame. Palomino is also an actor who has been featured in several television shows and films. He achieved a considerable amount of fame during the 1970s, especially among Mexican and Southern California fans.

Early life

He moved to Los Angeles, California from his native Mexico when he was ten years old.

Amateur boxing career

Palomino was an All-U.S. Army champion in 1971 and 1972. As an amateur, Palomino won the 1972 National AAU Light Welterweight Champion at 137 lb., defeating eventual Olympic gold medalist Ray Seales. He was discharged from the Army later that year and enrolled at Orange Coast College and later Long Beach State, where he obtained a degree.

Professional boxing career

In 1972, his name was becoming better known in California. This was likely caused by the number of his fights taking place there. He won five fights in 1973.
In 1974, Palomino went through an increment in quality of opposition. He won six fights and lost one. He beat David Arellano twice, by a decision in ten and by knockout in nine, as well as Tommy Howard, by decision in ten, but he lost to Andy Price, who was a title contender at the time, by decision in ten in San Diego.
In 1975, he won four fights, and drew in two. He and Zovek Baraja had two bouts that year, the first one resulting in a ten-round draw and the second one being a nine-round knockout win for Palomino. He also drew with Hedgemon Lewis.

WBC Welterweight Championship

After winning two fights in 1976, Palomino found himself and his trainers travelling to London, where an internationally televised world championship bout awaited him against WBC world Welterweight champion John H. Stracey, a British boxing teacher who had dethroned José Nápoles as world champion. Palomino became a world champion on the night of June 22 of that year at Wembley Arena, after Stracey eventually succumbed to a blistering body attack and was put on the canvas twice from left hooks to the liver. Many Mexicans who viewed Nápoles, a Cuban born resident of Mexico, as another countryman, saw this as a revenge from Stracey.
He waited six months for his next fight, against another very popular boxer of Mexican background: cross-town rival Armando Muñíz. This was a fight that had many fans guessing who'd win it for months before it happened, but it also made history in the boxing books: When Palomino and Muñíz met, on January 21, 1977, it was the first time in boxing history two college graduates met for a world title. Palomino earned a degree in recreation administration from Long Beach State, while Muniz had graduated from Cal State Los Angeles, where he majored in Spanish and minored in math, and was working toward a graduate degree in administration. Palomino and Muniz fought what the book has described as one of the best fights of 1977. After 14 rounds, all three judges had the fight tied on their scorecards, but Palomino scored two knockdowns in the fifteenth and final round and he retained the world title by a knockout in that final round. A return to London resulted in an 11th-round knockout victory over Dave Boy Green, after which he defended against Everaldo Costa Azevedo and Jose Palacios, Azevedo being defeated by decision in fifteen and Palacios by knockout in thirteen. Azevedo was actually beating Palomino for the first 10 rounds of the fight.
In 1978, he defended his crown with a win over Ryu Sorimachi by a knockout in seven, a knockout in nine over Mimoun Mohatar, and a decision in fifteen in his long-awaited rematch with Muniz.
His championship run ended in 1979, when he traveled to Puerto Rico, where he was defeated on January 13 by hometown boxer Wilfred Benítez via a controversial fifteen round split decision.

Palomino vs. Durán

In his next fight, Palomino met legendary Roberto Durán on June 22 of that year at Madison Square Gardens, in another nationally televised bout, as part of the Larry Holmes–Mike Weaver world Heavyweight championship bout's undercard. Palomino lost to Duran by decision in ten rounds, and he announced his retirement from boxing right away.

Boxing comeback

Palomino began his comeback on January 10, 1997, beating Ismaél Díaz by a knockout in round nine. He won four fights that year, including one over former world champion Rene Arredondo, but when he lost by decision in ten to former Oscar De La Hoya world title challenger Wilfredo Rivera on May 30, 1998, he decided to retire for good, and has stayed in retirement ever since.

After boxing

Acting career

In 1978 while still the WBC Welterweight Champion, Palomino appeared as 'Carlos Navarone' in the ABC sitcom Taxi. Appearing in the second episode of the opening season, he spars with Tony Banta and takes a dive. Palomino appears as himself in an episode of "The White Shadow" in 1979.
In 1980, Miller Lite beer signed Palomino as a spokesman as part of a television commercial campaign that also included Walt Frazier and other noted athletes. As a consequence of the enjoyable experience and the media exposure that followed, he decided to launch a career as an actor He participated in a number of movies and television series, before deciding to launch a boxing comeback at the age of 48, in 1997.
Palomino appeared on episode "The Fight |The Fight". This episode was original aired on March 24, 1999.
Palomino was elected as chairman of the California State Athletic Commission, where he performed for a few years. He is now involved in charity work, most notably Tony Baltazar's charity organization, and he travels around the United States to attend charity events and do autograph shows.

IBHF

Palomino was selected to the International Boxing Hall of Fame on January 8, 2004. He was inducted on June 13.

Personal life

On March 14, 1980, his younger brother, Paul Palomino – a member of the U.S. boxing team en route to Poland for a competition – was killed in the crash of LOT Polish Airlines Flight 007.
On December 19, 2008, Palomino's girlfriend, Daliene Ingram, was featured in an episode of Are You Smarter Than A Fifth Grader?. Her daughter Alexa, a fifth grader, was the extra classmate at the Mystery Desk for the occasion.

Professional boxing record

No.ResultRecordOpponentTypeRound, timeDateLocationNotes
38Loss31–4–3 Wilfredo RiveraUD10May 30, 1998 Olympic Auditorium, Los Angeles
37Win31–3–3 Eric Ramon VazquezKO9 Oct 26, 1997 Bakersfield
36Win30–3–3 Rene ArredondoKO1 Jun 08, 1997 Hollywood Palladium, Hollywood
35Win29–3–3 Wilbur GarstKO2 May 09, 1997 Hollywood Palladium, Hollywood
34Win28–3–3 Ismael DiazRTD8 Jan 10, 1997 Hollywood Palladium, Hollywood
33Loss27–3–3 Roberto DuránUD10Jun 22, 1979 Madison Square Garden, New York
32Loss27–2–3 Wilfred BenitezSD15Jan 14, 1979 Hiram Bithorn Stadium, San JuanLost WBC, The Ring, and lineal welterweight titles
31Win27–1–3 Armando MunizUD15May 27, 1978 Olympic Auditorium, Los Angeles Retained WBC, The Ring, and lineal welterweight titles
30Win26–1–3 Mimoun MohatarTKO9 Mar 18, 1978 The Aladdin, Las Vegas Retained WBC, The Ring, and lineal welterweight titles
29Win25–1–3 Ryu SorimachiKO7 Feb 11, 1978 Hilton Hotel, Las Vegas Retained WBC, The Ring, and lineal welterweight titles
28Win24–1–3 Jose PalaciosKO13 Dec 10, 1977 Olympic Auditorium, Los Angeles Retained WBC, The Ring, and lineal welterweight titles
27Win23–1–3 Everaldo Costa AzevedoUD15Sep 13, 1977 Olympic Auditorium, Los Angeles Retained WBC, The Ring, and lineal welterweight titles
26Win22–1–3 Dave Boy GreenKO11 Jun 14, 1977 Empire Pool, Wembley Retained WBC, The Ring, and lineal welterweight titles
25Win21–1–3 Armando MunizTKO15 Jan 21, 1977 Olympic Auditorium, Los Angeles Retained WBC, The Ring, and lineal welterweight titles
24Win20–1–3 John H. StraceyTKO12 Jun 22, 1976 Empire Pool, WembleyWon WBC, The Ring, and lineal welterweight titles
23Win19–1–3 Toshiharu NambuTKO2 Apr 29, 1976 Olympic Auditorium, Los Angeles
22Win18–1–3 Mike AvansUD10Feb 12, 1976 Olympic Auditorium, Los Angeles
21Draw17–1–3 Hedgemon LewisMD10Nov 11, 1975 Olympic Auditorium, Los Angeles
20Win17–1–2 Eddie AlexanderTKO5 Oct 25, 1975 Olympic Auditorium, Los Angeles
19Win16–1–2 Johnny PinedoKO2 Jul 19, 1975 Olympic Auditorium, Los Angeles
18Win15–1–2 Roger BuckskinUD10May 22, 1975 Olympic Auditorium, Los Angeles
17Win14–1–2 Zovek BarajasTKO9 Mar 27, 1975 Olympic Auditorium, Los Angeles
16Draw13–1–2 Zovek BarajasMD10Feb 13, 1975 Olympic Auditorium, Los Angeles
15Win13–1–1 Tommy HowardUD10Dec 19, 1974 Olympic Auditorium, Los Angeles
14Win12–1–1 Jose MirandaKO6 Oct 24, 1974 Olympic Auditorium, Los Angeles
13Win11–1–1 Nelson RuizTKO6 Oct 10, 1974 Olympic Auditorium, Los Angeles
12Loss10–1–1 Andy PriceSD10Aug 02, 1974 Coliseum, San Diego
11Win10–0–1 David ArellanoKO9 Jun 14, 1974 Coliseum, San Diego
10Win9–0–1 Juan GarzaKO2 May 23, 1974 Olympic Auditorium, Los Angeles
9Win8–0–1 David ArellanoPTS8May 03, 1974 Coliseum, San Diego
8Win7–0–1 Tommy CoulsonPTS6Apr 12, 1973 Olympic Auditorium, Los Angeles
7Win6–0–1 Lalo BarrientePTS6Mar 29, 1973 Olympic Auditorium, Los Angeles
6Win5–0–1 Rosario ZavalaPTS6Mar 01, 1973 Olympic Auditorium, Los Angeles
5Win4–0–1 Ramon SolitaroKO3 Feb 01, 1973 Olympic Auditorium, Los Angeles
4Win3–0–1 Tim WalkerPTS6Jan 19, 1973 Arena, San Bernardino
3Draw2–0–1 Ted LiggettPTS4Nov 16, 1972 Olympic Auditorium, Los Angeles
2Win2–0 Javier MartinezPTS4Oct 05, 1972 Olympic Auditorium, Los Angeles
1Win1–0 Javier MartinezPTS4Sep 14, 1972 Olympic Auditorium, Los Angeles