Panamanian boxing in mourning
By Gabriel F. Cordero
PhilBoxing.com
Tue, 24 Nov 2020
Panamanian boxing has days of mourning after the death of two of its renowned trainers during the last week, Eduardo Mena and Carlos Cruz.
Mena died on Saturday and was 70 years old. He had suffered from different complications and apparently was defeated by Covid while Cruz was fighting with Cancer.
Mena was a boxer, trainer, and known as the People's Advocate for his unpromoted or rookie boxing events at a company called Sunshine Boxing.
Mena was in the corner of many Panamanian boxers who came to dispute the world title but it was Francisco 'Rocky' Fernández the boxer who made him known when in 1987 he disputed the WBA lightweight crown against South African Bryan Mitchell in the mythical gymnasium Gimnasio Nuevo Panama today named Roberto Duran.
On Thursday Carlos Cruz died, who trained several world champions and coached with another disappeared Panamanian legend, Pellin Avila of the most remembered block and flagship of Panama boxing called ‘Los Sandinistas’ of the late Argentine promoter, Luis Spada.
Mena trained the Venezuelan world champions like Liborio Solís and Yonfrez Parejo and almost all the Venezuelans who took Panama as their second homeland after the emigration process due to the political situation of that country and became a second father for the majority. In addition, it had its promoter Promotions, which organized several booklets.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Gabriel F. Cordero.
Recent PhilBoxing.com In-House articles:
Lessons From Wasted Youth in Boxing: The Sad Boxing Saga of Rey Bautista, AJ Banal and Ciso Morales
By Teodoro Medina Reynoso, Wed, 09 Apr 2025STANIONIS: I WILL BREAK AND BEAT ‘BOOTS’
Wed, 09 Apr 2025Christy Martin Promotions Signs Undefeated Super Welterweight Prospect Devin Parrish to Promotional Contract
Wed, 09 Apr 2025Filipino Louie Salvador rules Bangkok, Thailand FIDE Standard Chess Tournament
By Marlon Bernardino, Wed, 09 Apr 2025FAELDONIA, BANTANG, MANALOTO LEAD BANTON CHESS ENTRIES
By Marlon Bernardino, Wed, 09 Apr 2025BOOTS: I’M LOCKED IN ON STANIONIS
Tue, 08 Apr 2025Undefeated Middleweight Prospect Sebastian Juarez Signs Promotional with Boxlab Promotions
Tue, 08 Apr 2025Thursday: Dzmitry Asanau-Francesco Patera Lightweight Showdown Headlines Montreal Fight Night LIVE on ESPN+
Tue, 08 Apr 20252020 Mexican Olympian Brianda Tamara Cruz Set for USA Debut on April 19
Tue, 08 Apr 2025Antonio, Bagamasbad off to good start in Melbourne chess tourney
By Marlon Bernardino, Tue, 08 Apr 2025Golden State Falls to Rockets at Home, Creates Four Teams Logjam for 5-6 in West
By Teodoro Medina Reynoso, Mon, 07 Apr 2025Young Tommy: In the Gaze of Dempsey, In the Shadow of Villa
By Emmanuel Rivera, RRT, Mon, 07 Apr 2025Gerry Peñalosa Not Rushing Prized Ward, Two More Fights to Test Kenneth Llover
By Teodoro Medina Reynoso, Mon, 07 Apr 2025IIEE-PSME Quezon City drub Mindoro Tamaraws and Zamboanga Sultans in PCAP
By Marlon Bernardino, Mon, 07 Apr 2025Richard The Contender: Torrez Dominates Vianello in Las Vegas Heavyweight Showdown
Sun, 06 Apr 2025