Paco Flores vs Vicente Medina

Paco Flores

Paco Flores v Vicente Medina
5-4-1973

Community Center, Tucson, Arizona

referee: Joe Vozdik 98-97 | judge: Joe Vozdik 97-96 | judge: Robert Ferrara 97-97

Paco Flores vs. Vicente Medina

By kiki

In 1973 I was in Tucson Arizona for Mando Muniz’s fight against Manny Gonzalez. With Jake Horn and Louie Jauregui and others, we took some amateurs to fill out the card - Vicente Medina came in from Mexico by himself and he needed a corner, I was asked if I would be chief second for him, I, of course, said yes. Paco Flores was the promoter’s brother and Medina was just supposed to be an “opponent” At the start of the fight Medina was fighting Flores all wrong, following him in a straight line, throwing one punch at a time. After a couple of rounds, I told him to what he was doing wrong, told him he needed to cut the ring on Flores and to put punches together. Medina was a good listener, and he did as he was told and he started to do better. Now Flores people started to worry because about the middle of the fight a guy who I later found out was from the Arizona Boxing commission came to talk to me and asked me “who are you?” I responded “I am Frank Baltazar” “well Frank do you have a license to work corners?”, “yes” I replied, “can I see it?” he asked, I handed him my license “but this is a California license” “of course, I am from California”, I said as I played the dummy, “after the fight come to the commission table and get an Arizona. License”, “okay I will” I replied.

As the fight continued I could see that Medina was pulling ahead, but he lost a split decision. But if you are fighting the promoter’s brother a split decision means you won.

After the fight was  over I went to the commission’s table. I was dragged over the coals for working an Arizona fight without an Arizona license, again I played the dummy, told them that I thought my California license was good enough. No, sir! I was told. “You have $100?” I was asked, I replied that I did “good, let me have it” the commish told me as he handed me a license with one hand and taking my money with the other hand.

Received email from RG

Mr Baltazar?

Hello, I hope I have the correct address for Mr. Frank Baltazar. I saw your article on the Paco Flores vs Vincente Medina fight yesterday. I had just the day before contacted Boxrec with Paco's obit. In case you didn't know, Paco Flores passed away on June 22. I was just typing in Paco's name hoping to find any articles on him when I came to your article. I never meet Paco, but was very good friend's with his brother Tony Flores(his promoter)....We lived next door to each other in Tucson from 2006-2011. Tony passed away last year late June.

Always enjoyed talking Boxing with Tony and he had many interesting stories from Paco's fighting days and his days as a promoter in Tucson. I have been reading many of the old Tucson daily citizen articles online about Paco and his fights with Obed, Perkins, Gil King, Pugh, Rico etc...Just wondering if you had any other articles or info on Paco? I have seen some of your post on sites such as Boxrec and the West Coast Boxers page. I also remember your sons from their boxing days, mostly I remember seeing Tony Baltazar fight.......I hope you are doing well and Blessed! If you have the time, feel free to contact me back anytime.

Thanks for your time! GOD Bless you and yours! Rob.

Our condolences to the family and friends of Tony and Paco Flores. May you rest in peace.

Once Upon A Time

R.I.P Greg Beyer

Received the sad news this morning of the passing of my friend Greg Beyer. Greg (R) is seen here with Stephen Gordon, owner of the CZB web site and me.

August 21, 1921 - BUILD HUGE STADIUM. Hollywood Legion Post Prepares for Boxing Tournament.

Construction by Hollywood Post, American Legion, of a stadium to seat 8,000, has started on the post's acreage adjoining Legion Hall, 1634 El Centro avenue. The spacious inclosure is to be the scene of a boxing carnival, the 12th inst., the funds to be used for ex-service men.

This athletic tourney is indorced by club women and ministers, it is said. James J. Jeffries and "Kid" McCoy will referee several events and Dustin Farnum is slated to hold the megaphone. George Blake of the L.A.A.C., who instituted Army boxing during the war, will act on the advisory board.

Here's a little flashback to stir the memories:

Thursday, March 5, 1948 (Good Friday weekend) - Hollywood Legion Stadium Program

THE DOPE by DEAN SNYDER - Commander Jim Bradley and comrades of Hollywood Post 43 will do all in their power to lighten the sorrow and burden of the bereaved Leroy Decatur family. This is and has always been the purpose back of the Hollywood stadium enterprise. For twenty five years profits from boxing and wrestling have poured 100 percent into charities. Naturally the intent is to aid veterans of the war with Germany and their families that need financial assistance in a crisis. But the Post through the years has been among the first to help many others. So next Friday night on April 2nd the entire proceeds of the regular boxing show will go to the Decatur memorial fund, excepting that the boxers appearing will be paid.

Matchmaker Bobby Jackson, working in full cooperation with the local fight managers, is arranging a card of six six-round bouts. We think that Leroy Decatur, who lost his life trying to entertain us boxing fans, would want it just this way if he could be here next Friday--and he will be in spirit… Hugh Nichols turned over the entire gate of his Monday night wrestling show to the Crippled Children’s fund of the Hollywood Hospital. This fund is sponsored by the West Hollywood Rotary club of which Frank Gotch is an official.


Friday, April 1, 1949 - Hollywood Legion Stadium Souvenir Program

MAKING IT OFFICIAL - The Rev. Joseph P. Hill, assistant CYO director, signs an agreement to stage CYO amateur boxing bouts at the Hollywood Legion Stadium… The California State Athletic Commission wholeheartedly passed on the CYO application at the meeting last Saturday in Bakersfield. Bouts will start on April 20... Admission has been scaled at from 75 cents to $2.00.

THE CHAMP IS HERE TONIGHT - Special Guest of the evening--Joe Louis.

YOU SAID IT, GROUCHO - “Matches are made in Heaven--also at Hollywood Legion Stadium.”

THE LATIN TOUCH by “HAP” NAVARRO - Let’s open the door to the Stadium’s newly installed gym. There’s the speed bag platform… the heavy bag… the full-view mirror… The first time our gym swung open to Southern California boxers only a few showed up. Last week we counted 22. And the CYO’ers are still to come.


Friday, November 2, 1951 - Hollywood Legion Stadium Program

PRELIMSTERS BATTLE FOR “BEST OF 1951” AWARD by HAP NAVARRO - With slightly more than eight weeks remaining to be fought, the local crop of prelim stars will be firing all their guns at the opposition in hopes of hitting the tape first in the run for the “Outstanding Prelim Boxer” accolade for 1951. At the moment, and it is merely our opinion, the leaders in this merry chase though not necessarily in this order, appear to be Keeny Teran, Gil Cadilli, Willie Vaughn, Mickey Northrup, Juan Luis Campos, Tommy Harrison, Rocky Robinson, and Leroy Richards. Others who may get into the picture are Don Cloud, Pinky Martinez, Abel Fernandez, Mike Augustain, Pete Aguirre, Frankie Rivers, Eddie Hernandez, Jesse Morales and Jimmy Hayes. This group of headline hunters plus a few others who have already taken part in at least one main event, in Los Angeles or elsewhere figure to provide local fight fans with plenty of fireworks for the remainder of the year. Joe Gurrola, Sammy Figueroa, Oscar Reyes, Bobby Brewer, etc.