A FIGHTING CHANCE; MEXICAN-AMERICAN BOXERS HAVE STRONG FAN BASE.

Byline: Michael Rosenthal Daily News Staff Writer

It started as early as the 1930s, when Mexican fighters like featherweight champion Alberto ``Baby'' Arizmendi captured the imaginations of their countrymen.

It exploded in the '50s, '60s and '70s, when favorites such as Raul ``Raton'' Macias and Ruben Olivares dominated their weight classes.

And it might have reached its peak in the '80s and '90s, when Salvador Sanchez and then Julio Cesar Chavez emerged as icons and the love affair that both Mexicans and Mexican-Americans have with boxing fully bloomed.

Today, those of Mexican heritage are far and away the sport's most loyal fans and important market. And as the Latino population and influence continues to grow, many believe their tremendous impact on the boxing business will grow with it.

``In essence, right now, Hispanics are carrying the sport of boxing outside the heavyweight division,'' promoter Bob Arum said.

The passion Mexicans have for the sport isn't difficult to explain.

They have very few great basketball or football players to embrace as their own. However, their boxers - along with some soccer and baseball players - are among the world's best.

Thus it's not difficult to understand what has happened: Olivares and Chavez became world-class stars because their countrymen were starving for such heroes.

That boxing's lighter weight divisions offer a home to a relatively small people and the fact the sport has traditionally drawn from impoverished neighborhoods - from which many fighters, both Mexican and otherwise, come - makes for a perfect marriage.

``It's really the only major sport Mexico has succeeded in. It's pretty simple, really,'' said Fernando Paramo, a journalist born in Mexico who has covered boxing for almost 40 years.

``And the media has played a big role. Macias was one of the first to become champion. He became an idol because of the radio. Then, with other fighters, television brought the champion boxers to the people.

``That's all it took. They became part of our culture, like the NFL and baseball here,'' he said.

Mexicans and Mexican-Americans both participate in and support boxing in inordinate numbers.

This is particularly evident in California and the southwest. Here's one example: Of 56 fighters who took part in six recent boxing shows in California, 13 were Mexican nationals (18 percent) and 39 were Latino (70 percent), according to the California Athletic Commission. And all 39 are believed to have been either Mexican or Mexican-American.

Presumably, those numbers would be lower in areas with small Latino populations. Still, Mexicans are believed to be better represented in boxing than any other ethnic group in the nation.

``They are certainly the majority of the fighters,'' said John Jackson, head of Forum Boxing. ``That's the reason we focus on the lighter weight classes, where there are a lot of Latino fighters.

``In this market, there are a lot of Mexican fans and Mexican-American fans. . . . When we started to develop fighters, like Chiquita Gonzalez, who happens to be Mexican, that was positive for us. The fans were very supportive.''

That fact isn't lost on the country's boxing promoters or sports television executives.

The power of the Latino boxing fan became clear to Arum when junior flyweight Michael Carbajal was rising to prominence early this decade.

Arum promoted Olympic gold medalist Kennedy McKinney around the same time and had difficulty drawing fans. However, Carbajal, an Olympic bronze medalist in 1988, developed a huge following in his hometown of Phoenix and other areas with large Latino populations.

Since then, Arum has focused much of his energy on the Latino market.

``Carbajal would go to Phoenix and draw 5,000 right from the start and then later it built to about 15,000. With other fighters, you couldn't give away a ticket. And it had nothing to do with ability,'' Arum said.

Consider the impact of Mexican fans on TV revenue.

When De La Hoya fights, according to Arum, 53 percent of the pay-per-view buys comes from six million homes with large Latino populations while 47 percent comes from the remaining 32 million homes nationwide.

HBO executive Mark Taffet said the percentage of Latino buys on its pay-view-arm, TVKO, has been as high as two-thirds.

Locally, on KCAL (Channel 9), roughly 45 percent of those who watch monthly boxing shows, which typically feature Mexican and Mexican-American fighters, are Latino. By comparison, 30 percent of those who watch Angels games are Latino. Channel 9's ratings for boxing are also high, an average of about 4.5 (225,000 viewers) per show. The Angels average about 3.5, the Kings and Ducks 2.0.

All this would seem to support the contention that Latino viewers are committed to boxing.

However, that isn't to say their interest in the sport ends when no big-name Latino fighter is on the card. No Mexican or Mexican-American heavyweight has ever made it to the top of that division but the fans - like the American public in general - also seem to be enamored with the big boys.

Taffet, of HBO, said that 40 percent of the pay-per-view buys for cards that don't feature Latino fighters are made by Latino households.

``They're avid boxing fans,'' said Taffet, whose network was the first to provide both English and Spanish commentary for all its fights. ``That's not just for fights involving people like De La Hoya or Chavez, but for all fights.

``Clearly, they're the anchor and core of the pay-per-view business today.''

But as generations of Mexicans become more Americanized, will they shift their passions to the major American sports? Or will boxing remain woven into the fabric of the culture and grow with the population?

Dr. Ricardo Romo, a Mexican-American historian at the University of Texas, Austin, believes the love affair will endure.

``There are some people, the way they were raised, who don't take an interest in ethnic groups, ethnic food, ethnic music. Those folks are making those choices.

``Still, a large part of our population chooses daily to take part in our culture, our traditions. That would include pulling for their heroes.''

THE TOP 10

History's top 10 fighters of Mexican heritage:

Name Record Division Career

1. Julio Cesar Chavez 100-3-2, 83 KOs Jr. Lightweight 1980-present

A dominating presence for more than a decade.

2. Carlos Zarate 61-4, 58 KOs Bantamweight  1970-88

The group's greatest puncher.

3. Manuel Ortiz 96-28-3, 49 KOs Bantamweight 1938-55

Was 21-2 in 23 championship bouts.

4. Salvador Sanchez 44-1-1, 32 KOs Featherweight 1975-82

Had won 24 straight when he was killed at 23.

5. Baby Arizmendi 70-26-13, 12 KOs Featherweight 1933-42

Beat the great Henry Armstrong in 2 of 5 meetings.

6. Ruben Olivares 88-13-3, 78 KOs Bantamweight 1965-88

Perhaps the best loved of all Mexican fighters.

7. Miguel Canto 61-9-4, 15 KOs Flyweight  1969-82

Successfully defended WBC title 14 times.

8. Oscar De La Hoya  29-0, 24 KOs Welterweight 1992-present

He could be No. 1 when he's through.

9. Bobby Chacon 59-7-1, 47 KOs Jr. Lightweight 1972-88

The Valley's own was a two-time world champ.

10. Raul ``Raton'' Macias 41-2, 25 KOs Bantamweight 1953-62

He was the Julio Cesar Chavez to Mexicans in the '50s.

Among the rest (alphabetical): Ricardo Arredondo - Junior Lightweight, 1966-79; Joe Becerra - Bantamweight, 1953-62; Enrique Bolanos - Lightweight; Pipino Cuevas - Welterweight, 1971-89; Albert Davila - Bantamweight, 1973-88; Humberto ``Chiquita'' Gonzalez - Junior Flyweight, 1984-95; Rafael ``Bazooka'' Limon - Junior Lightweight, 1972-94; Danny ``Little Red'' Lopez - Featherweight, 1971-92; Carlos Palomino - Welterweight, 1972-98; Lupe Pintor - Bantamweight, 1974-95; Jose Luis Ramirez - Lightweight, 1973-90; Mando Ramos - Lightweight, 1965-75; Gilberto Roman - Junior Bantamweight, 1981-90; Lauro Salas - Lightweight, 1946-61; Vicente Saldivar - Featherweight, 1961-73; Chalky Wright - Featherweight, 1928-48; Alfonso Zamora - Bantamweight, 1973-80; and Juan Zurita - Lightweight, 1932-45.

The best of today (alphabetical): Miguel Angel Gonzalez - Junior Welterweight; Jose Luis Lopez - Welterweight; Ricardo Lopez - Strawweight; Erik Morales - Junior Featherweight; Johnny Tapia - Junior Bantamweight.

- Michael Rosenthal

CAPTION(S):

3 Photos, Drawing, Box

PHOTO (1--Color) Oscar De La Hoya

(2) Ruben Olivares

(3) Bobby Chacon

DRAWING: no caption (Collage of Mexican-American fighters)

Illustration by Dionisio Munoz/Daily News

BOX: THE TOP 10 (see text)