Happy Birthday Alex Ramos.
Former "contender" in the ring,
now fighting like a Real Champion!
By Mike Indri
Retired Boxers Foundation
Growing up in the Bronx, Alex Ramos was always proud that he
shared his January 17th birthday with legendary boxing world
champion Muhammad Ali.
Since the age of eleven, when Ramos began boxing as an amateur,
he always dreamed that one day he himself might be considered
"the greatest of all time". In those early dreams, Ramos, then
a likable and charismatic teenager, who compiled an unbelievable
189 amateur victories (132 by knockout!), would always win an
Olympic Gold Medal. Turning professional in 1980 at the age of
nineteen, the highly touted "can't miss" prospect dreamt of one
day earning the ultimate boxing prize - becoming a world
champion!
No one needs to be told of the pugilistic accomplishments of the
great Ali. Turning 66 years old today, Muhammad Ali has earned
his place in boxing immortality. He fulfilled his dreams inside
the squared circle; a remarkable career glittered with 1960
Olympic Gold and three heavyweight world championship belts.
Unfortunately for Ramos his boxing dreams were never realized.
Definitely a dangerous opponent and always considered a very
talented fighter, the four-time Golden Gloves Champion never
reached the heights many expected out of one of the most
prolific amateur boxers ever to come of New York.
Fighting professionally for over ten years, Alex managed to
compile a respectable career record of 39 wins, against 10
losses and 2 draws. Twenty-five of those wins came by way of
knockout.
Nicknamed the "Bronx Bomber" for his wearing of Yankee
pinstripes on his boxing trunks, Ramos did manage to capture a
USBA middleweight title in 1984, defeating Philadelphia's Curtis
Parker in a grueling twelve round battle.
Upon his retirement from boxing, Ramos, like too many other
boxers, was to encounter his hardest fight of all. The cheering
was to stop, his telephone would not be ringing and all his
so-called friends, or "hangers-on" were moving on. This fight
was for real, this was the one battle that counted the most;
this was the fight of life!
Lucky for Alex Ramos, lucky for boxing and luckily for all
retired fighters, the kid who at eleven years old was knocking
out grown men in a boxing gym in the Bronx, could not and would
not walk away from the sport he so dearly loved.
Without having obtained any "real life" skills, as well as
battling depression and having to deal with the physical,
emotional and mental hardships a career of hitting, and getting
hit, in the head for a living brings, the outside world proved
to be a very cold, scary and rough place for this unprepared,
now retired boxer.
Determined to make a difference, Ramos founded the Retired
Boxers Foundation, which was formally incorporated in 1998 as a
501(c) 3 non-profit corporation.
Helping hundreds of fighters each year, the "RBF" has been able
to secure housing, services, rehabilitation and emergency
assistance for these former great athletes.
Working daily to help restore the pride and dignity to all
ex-fighters who have seemingly lost hope, helping others who are
suffering financially and medically, or simply trying to get the
word out to the young and current boxers so that they realize
there are services available to help them keeps Ramos, Jacquie
Richardson (the RBF Executive Director), and all the RBF
volunteers extremely busy.
Unfortunately, too many of these fighters who have thrilled us
all over the years face a dark and difficult retirement without
any kind of pension, access to medical care or financial
assistance. Whether fighting on HBO or SHOWTIME for a
championship belt or at a local arena fighting a ham & egg four
rounder makes no difference to Ramos and the RBF. "We are here
for the fighters, you better believe that," proudly exclaimed
Ramos, born to a schoolteacher mom and awning-maker dad. "I'm a
fighter, and I'm going to die fighting for my brother fighters"!
That's the REAL FIGHT in Alex Ramos today.
Maybe it is true that Alex Ramos was never able to reach his
full potential as a fighter, and he never did win any Olympic
Gold Medal or get that world championship belt, but the Alex
Ramos of today is a great person, a "world championship person",
and is now winning the most important fight…the fight of life,
and he is doing it for all the retired fighters in need.
I wish Muhammad Ali really knew what Alex Ramos and his Retired
Boxers Foundation was doing for boxing, and for all the
fighters. I'm sure that if he did, the great Muhammad Ali would
be proud to be sharing his birthday with Alex Ramos…Happy
Birthday to both World Champions!
