Tony Baltazar, Raul Bencomo and Jimmy Montoya

On March 19, 1981, on a card headline by Kiko Bejines vs Franco Torregoza at the Olympic Auditorium Tony fought Jimmy Montoya’s fighter Raul Bencomo in a scheduled six rounder. Bencomo proved to be a lot tougher than what we expected. Fight was pretty even going into the fifth round. Around mid-round Bencomo backed Tony against the ropes and in rushing-in for what he thought was the kill ran into one of Tony’s patented short left hooks, Bencomo was out before he hit the canvas. A rematch was in order.

The rematch didn’t take place till the following year, June 26, 1982 on a card headline by Frankie and Tony, also at the Olympic Auditorium. This time the fight was scheduled for ten rounds. This time it was Tony all the way. In the second round Tony hit Bencomo again with his patented left hook. Again Bencomo was out before he hit the canvas…Frankie too won by second round KO vs Abe Perez.

After the fights down in the Olympic’s catacombs (dressing rooms) Jimmy told Bencomo not to worry about losing, that he would get him another fight with Tony. Bencomo told Jimmy: “fuck you!, you fight him, the sonofbitch is crazy, he is trying to kill me!”