Shared from/by México Desconocido
José, Huitlacoche, Medel was hated in Mexico when he defeated the idol of the people, while in Japan he was loved when he defeated the idol of the people
If we had to mention a national boxer with whom the Mexicans were very ungrateful, that would be the native of Tepito, José, Huitlacoche, Medel. Although the affection that he did not get in Mexico ended up getting it in Japan, a country where people put him on their wall of ring idols.
Shortly before the 1950s began, Medel, then 17 years old, began to alternate selling lemons in the rough neighborhood with training to become a professional boxer. It was there when a coach gave him the nickname “Huitlacoche”, for his dark skin tone tending to blue.
His professional fights started fast. He was a boy of technique, fine, owner of a fulminant left foot, for which he was soon called “the best left hand in Mexico” (a title that he continues to keep to this day by scholars of the world of punching). He soon became one of the stars of the Arena Colosseum.
Fight after fight Medel improved. His career was growing, he won matches against figures like Chucho Pimentel and Mundo Esparza, to mention a few who had the misfortune of trying to beat him. But on August 1, 1959, he wrested the victory by decision from someone he did not owe: José, Toluco, López, another rising Mexican star.
After that victory the “Huitlacoche” waited for the ovations, the affection of the Mexicans, but it was not like that. Office workers, merchants, housewives and drunkards alike complained to him on the street why he had defeated the idol of the town. “El Toluco” had shown to the populace that even a humble bricklayer – by the way “El Toluco” was one of those who built the Bullfighting of Cuatro Caminos, where he would fight later – can aspire to have it all.
Mexicans did not think that Huitlacoche Medel beat Toluco
“José Medel was an esthete in the ring, he must have been a super idol, but he was not because he beat ‘Toluco’ López and beat him with diaphanous clarity, without arguments from the judges, without protests,” the late José would declare for a documentary. Sulaiman, who was the president of the World Boxing Council.
To Toluco López, famous for ending his fights with a single blow, people liked him not only for coming from below but also because he liked to live large: many women, excessive parties in places where he used to leave double tips the size of the same account and above all a lot of pulque. While José, Huitlacoche, Medel, who had also come out of poverty, was the opposite: disciplined, away from vices and a boxer who knew how to handle his success and the money that was coming to him.
José Medel buried his career in Mexico after winning his revenge against “Toluco”
As the public requested a rematch, it came on November 19, 1960, being even worse for “Toluco.” In that meeting José, Huitlacoche, Medel knocked him out in the seventh round of a lawsuit agreed to at 12. Again the Mexicans were on top of him, it was useless to beat him with cleanliness and technique, it was useless to be disciplined so much in his sporting life as a family member, as he did not achieve the desired admiration.
Soon after, he made the decision to go live in Japan. His first presentation in the land of the rising sun gave him a victory by knockout against Masahiko, Fighting, Harada, the Japanese idol of those years. Immediately the Japanese public gave him the admiration that the Mexican had not achieved in his land, despite seeing his star defeated.
José, Huitlacoche, Medel was loved in Japan for his power and discipline
The “Huitlacoche” continued to win fights in Japan, but he continued to miss Mexico, and more because given his successes in that country, he traveled to others such as England, Brazil and the United States to face other renowned boxers, winning in all their encounters. The Japanese began to consider him one of their own, to this must be added by the way that Medel had oriental facial features.
On January 3, 1967, José Medel faced Masahiko again for the world title, but the Mexican would be defeated by decision. His world championship aspirations were buried.
He had the opportunity to continue in Japan boosting his career, but he missed Mexico too much, he returned to make his family life and dedicate himself to training promising boxing players. He died on February 1, 2001 because of cancer, he did not receive the honors other than his relatives and some fans who respected and remembered him.
