Ruben Olivares

Ruben "El Puas" Olivares emerged from Mexico City's tough Colonia Bondojo district to become one of boxing's greatest bantamweight champions. Born January 14, 1947, into a family of twelve children (only six surviving), Olivares discovered early that his talents lay in combat rather than academics - famously taking a decade to complete elementary school due to fighting-related suspensions.

His transition to boxing at age 15 came after watching local fighter Dumbo Perez at Arena Coliseo. Under trainer Manuel "Chilero" Carillo at Mexico City's Jordan Gym, Olivares showed immediate promise, winning the Golden Gloves despite fighting the semi-finals with a broken jaw. His amateur career notably included losses to Fernando Blanco and Octavio Gomez before turning professional in January 1965.

Olivares's early professional career was spectacular—he won 23 consecutive knockout victories before being taken the distance by Felipe Gonzalez. His devastating power, particularly with the left hook, earned him the nickname "the flyweight with the heavyweight punch." Due to weight struggles, he moved up to bantamweight and captured the world title from Lionel Rose in August 1969, showing both ferocity in victory and remarkable sportsmanship afterward.

His bantamweight reign included memorable defences against Alan Rudkin and an epic trilogy with Jesus "Chucho" Castillo that grossed over a million dollars. After losing the title to Rafael Herrera in 1972, Olivares moved to featherweight, where he captured both WBA (1974) and WBC (1975) titles, though his dominance was less complete than at bantamweight.

Olivares's final record reflects his excellence and longevity - multiple world titles across two weight classes while facing the era's best fighters. His induction into both the International Boxing Hall of Fame (1991) and World Boxing Hall of Fame cemented his legacy, while being co-named Bantamweight Fighter of the Century by the Associated Press in 1999 (alongside Carlos Zarate) speaks to his historical significance.

Beyond his achievements, Olivares personified Mexican boxing's aggressive style while demonstrating surprising technical skills. Though sometimes strained, his partnership with trainer Carillo and manager Arturo Hernandez helped produce one of boxing's most exciting champions of the late 1960s and early 1970s.