With Death On His Fists, Remembering Jose Becerra

Francisco Hernandez

April 23, 2014

With the current bankruptcy of talent in Mexican boxing it's inevitable that our memories turn back to golden times, to the 1950s when all kinds of legends walked amongst us. If you want to know who Jose Becerra was, listen to the Mariachi corrido composed in his honor by the immortal Jose Alfredo Jimenez: 

Nació cerca del potrero, donde no había ni un caballo Recibió la luz del cielo, con relámpagos y rayos El no conoció la escuela, donde fueron sus hermanos Porque el ya tenía la fuerza, en el puño de sus manos Un hermano de su padre, boxeador ya retirado, Le regalo el par de guantes, con los que el había ganado Y no le quedaron grandes, cuando tumbo al Diablo Vega El campeón de todo el barrio (Por el campeonato mundial de los pesos Gallo, pelearan 15 rounds, en esta esquina, de 53 kilos 50 gramos, el actual campeón mundial, ..) Llego a ser campeón del mundo, no había quien se le enfrentara Hasta que llego un valiente, y peleo en Guadalajara Salio a ganar como siempre, desde la primer campana Le pego hasta que la muerte, se le dibujo en la cara El lloro, con la victoria, y maldijo su destino Porque conquisto la gloria, pero se sintió asesino Después aventó los guantes, y se salió de las cuerdas A buscar cualquier camino, (Su atención por favor, respetable público, su atención por favor, el vencedor de esta pelea…)

 As Jose Alfredo's song goes, his tocayo (namesake) Jose Becerra had death on his fists, he was nicknamed "guillotine" because his powerful punches would usually cut his opponent's faces to shreds. Jose's power was put to the test when he faced former world champion, the Italian Mario DAgata. DAgata was famous for his rock solid chin and toughness, he had never tasted the canvas, and was believed to be invulnerable to a knockout. Jose knocked the tough Italian out.

Jose was a man of few words, he lacked the charisma of many of the famous boxers of his era. Despite his deadly fists it seemed unlikely that he would ever achieve any glory or fame. He lived in the shadow of that boxer all Mexico idolized in the 50s: Raul "El Raton" Macias. It was precisely this situation that would unfold and lead to Jose's glory as a fighter.

It was 1957, on the 6 of November all of Mexico had its hopes on Macias "El Ratoncito" to bring back the unified World Bantamweight Title. He was facing the French-Algerian Alphonse Halimi. The whole Mexican nation was following the fight. It was not to be a day of glory, as Macias lost a split decision to the French fighter. A Boxing-obsessed nation, Mexico was devastated, their idol had failed to capture the unified world title.

It was in the midst of this crisis that a humble and quiet young man stepped out of the shadows to vow revenge for Mexico and challenged the Frenchman Halimi for the unified World Bantamweight Title. It was the boxer with death in his fists, Jose Becerra. Jose met Halimi in the ring on July 8 of 1959, it was to be an adjustment of accounts (ajuste de cuentas). Halimi hit the canvas twice and would not rise after the second time, losing the title by KO in the 8th round to Jose. He who had never been recognized was now a national hero, Jose had avenged Macias defeat and Mexico's suffering.

Jose Becerra was now at the top of the world, almost touching heaven, but as Jose Alfredo Jimenez always pointed out, fate looms large in Mexican life, and death is never far away. Those same fists that smashed their way to glory would be the cause of Jose's return to oblivion. In Guadalajara on November 16, 1959, an African-American boxer, Walter Ingram, tells his corner in the ring, "this Mexican sure hits hard," those were to be his last words shortly before dying in the ring after receiving a brutal beating from Jose. Death was on his fists as Jose Alfredo sings.

Jose Becerra never recovered from having killed Ingram in the ring. At the height of his glory he retired from boxing at the young age of 26, his humble nature preferred oblivion to the risk of ever again unleashing the death in his fists. Only Jose Alfredo's song remains as a witness of a great Mexican Champion.