Justo Suárez
Encyclopedia
Justo Suárez nicknamed "El Torito de Mataderos
" ("The Little Bull of Mataderos)", was a popular Argentine light weight boxer
. His huge popularity was widely greater than his professional achievements as a fighter. Suárez was the first sportsman that became an idol, having gained huge popularity in Argentina during the decade of the 1930s.
neighborhood). At the same time he started to practise boxing in his house located in Guaminí street in Mataderos.
At 19, Suárez was already a professional boxer which allowed him to gain his first money fighting in festivals celebrated in any part of Buenos Aires. During one of those meetings, Suárez was nicknamed as the "Torito of Mataderos", which would remain until now in popular memory. He did not have a skilled technique but his fierce and attitude made him win many fights and therefore, more people attended to see him to box.
When José Lectoure, a famous fight organizer, met Suárez, he said to him "You fight in the "criollo" style, so you have to learn the technique of boxing", and began to teach him adopting as his ward.
Two years later Suárez was fighting for the Argentine championship and a huge crowd followed him. He fight against Julio Mocoroa in the old River Plate
stadium, winning the combat by points average. By then, Suárez' social level had increased notably. For the first time, the relegated low class saw how one of them could escape from the poverty to live a comfortable life in the highest level.
Due to his popularity in Argentina, Suárez shipped to United States
to make some fights in that country. He fought 5 times in only 4 months, winning all of them and gaining a reputation in the USA. He returned to Argentina with the honours of the best. He fought against the Chile
an Estanislao Loayza at a sold-out Luna Park
stadium, winning by points average in what is considered one of his best fights. Amongst the attendance was the President of Argentina, José Félix Uriburu
and the Princes of England
, Edward of Windsor and George de Kent, father of Queen Isabel II, who acclaimed Suárez from the lead seats when the referee raise his hand proclaiming him as the winner.
Suárez returned to New York
to fight for the World Championship, having to combat against different rivals in the road to the title. His first rival was a tough boxer, Billy Petrolle
, who had not a renown sportsman but defeated Suárez in 9 rounds. This was the first Suárez' lost in his professional career. With this defeat, Suárez lost the chance to fight for the world championship.
A time before, Suárez had been caught with tuberculosis
and the illness became strongest within him. In 1932 lost his second match at the hands of Víctor Peralta, which resulted in the break up of the deal with his mentor Lectoure. Being devastated by the sickness, Suárez went to Córdoba with the few money he had. Three years laters he would pass away in the misery, far away from the glory of past times.
His body was brought from Cosquín to Buenos Aires, and buried in La Chacarita Cemetery
, being accompanied by a multitude who took the coffin and entered it to the Luna Park, the place where Suárez had written his most glorious pages.
Mataderos
Mataderos is a barrio in Buenos Aires, Argentina, belonging to the 9th comuna .Located in the west end of the city, its name stem from the livestock market and slaughterhouses ....
" ("The Little Bull of Mataderos)", was a popular Argentine light weight boxer
Boxing
Boxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...
. His huge popularity was widely greater than his professional achievements as a fighter. Suárez was the first sportsman that became an idol, having gained huge popularity in Argentina during the decade of the 1930s.
Biography
Suárez was the 15th (of 25 in total) son of a family and grew up in the misery. He had to work being still a child to help his family. From the age of 9 Suárez worked in different jobs, one of them in a slaughterhouse (very common in the MataderosMataderos
Mataderos is a barrio in Buenos Aires, Argentina, belonging to the 9th comuna .Located in the west end of the city, its name stem from the livestock market and slaughterhouses ....
neighborhood). At the same time he started to practise boxing in his house located in Guaminí street in Mataderos.
At 19, Suárez was already a professional boxer which allowed him to gain his first money fighting in festivals celebrated in any part of Buenos Aires. During one of those meetings, Suárez was nicknamed as the "Torito of Mataderos", which would remain until now in popular memory. He did not have a skilled technique but his fierce and attitude made him win many fights and therefore, more people attended to see him to box.
When José Lectoure, a famous fight organizer, met Suárez, he said to him "You fight in the "criollo" style, so you have to learn the technique of boxing", and began to teach him adopting as his ward.
Two years later Suárez was fighting for the Argentine championship and a huge crowd followed him. He fight against Julio Mocoroa in the old River Plate
Club Atlético River Plate
Club Atlético River Plate is an Argentine sports club based in the Nuñez neighborhood of Buenos Aires. It is best known for its professional football team, which currently competes in Nacional B, the second tier of Argentine football....
stadium, winning the combat by points average. By then, Suárez' social level had increased notably. For the first time, the relegated low class saw how one of them could escape from the poverty to live a comfortable life in the highest level.
Due to his popularity in Argentina, Suárez shipped to United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
to make some fights in that country. He fought 5 times in only 4 months, winning all of them and gaining a reputation in the USA. He returned to Argentina with the honours of the best. He fought against the Chile
Chile
Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
an Estanislao Loayza at a sold-out Luna Park
Luna Park, Buenos Aires
For any of the amusement parks of the same name, see Luna Park; for any other use of the term, see Luna Park Luna Park is an 8,000-seat arena, located on the corner of Corrientes and Bouchard Avenues, in the barrio of San Nicolás, east Buenos Aires city and near Puerto Madero...
stadium, winning by points average in what is considered one of his best fights. Amongst the attendance was the President of Argentina, José Félix Uriburu
José Félix Uriburu
General José Félix Benito Uriburu y Uriburu was the first de facto President of Argentina, achieved through a military coup, from September 6, 1930 to February 20, 1932.-Biography:...
and the Princes of England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, Edward of Windsor and George de Kent, father of Queen Isabel II, who acclaimed Suárez from the lead seats when the referee raise his hand proclaiming him as the winner.
Suárez returned to New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
to fight for the World Championship, having to combat against different rivals in the road to the title. His first rival was a tough boxer, Billy Petrolle
Billy Petrolle
William Michael Petrolle was a world lightweight boxing title contender.-Personal:Brother of fellow boxers Pete Petrolle and Frank Petrolle...
, who had not a renown sportsman but defeated Suárez in 9 rounds. This was the first Suárez' lost in his professional career. With this defeat, Suárez lost the chance to fight for the world championship.
A time before, Suárez had been caught with tuberculosis
Tuberculosis
Tuberculosis, MTB, or TB is a common, and in many cases lethal, infectious disease caused by various strains of mycobacteria, usually Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Tuberculosis usually attacks the lungs but can also affect other parts of the body...
and the illness became strongest within him. In 1932 lost his second match at the hands of Víctor Peralta, which resulted in the break up of the deal with his mentor Lectoure. Being devastated by the sickness, Suárez went to Córdoba with the few money he had. Three years laters he would pass away in the misery, far away from the glory of past times.
His body was brought from Cosquín to Buenos Aires, and buried in La Chacarita Cemetery
La Chacarita Cemetery
Cementerio de la Chacarita in Buenos Aires, Argentina, is known as the National Cemetery and is the largest in Argentina.-Location:The cemetery is in the barrio or district of Chacarita, in the northern part of Buenos Aires...
, being accompanied by a multitude who took the coffin and entered it to the Luna Park, the place where Suárez had written his most glorious pages.
In popular culture
- On July 16, 1930, the popular TangoTangoTango in its most general sense refers to:*Tango , a social dance form including Argentine, Uruguayan, and international ballroom tango*Tango music, a genre of music that originated in Argentina and Uruguay...
singer Charlo recorded Muñeco al Sueño, a song dedicated to Suárez. - One of the most Julio CortázarJulio CortázarJulio Cortázar, born Jules Florencio Cortázar, was an Argentine writer. Cortázar, known as one of the founders of the Latin American Boom, influenced an entire generation of Spanish speaking readers and writers in the Americas and Europe.-Early life:Cortázar's parents, Julio José Cortázar and...
's famous tales, Torito (from the book Final del Juego, 1956) was dedicated to Suárez, whom Cortázar admired. - Argentine reggaeReggaeReggae is a music genre first developed in Jamaica in the late 1960s. While sometimes used in a broader sense to refer to most types of Jamaican music, the term reggae more properly denotes a particular music style that originated following on the development of ska and rocksteady.Reggae is based...
band Los PericosLos PericosLos Pericos is an Argentine band formed in 1987. The band has enjoyed international success, especially throughout South America. In 2006, the band received some notable exposure for North American audiences when featured on an episode of Anthony Bourdain's No Reservations...
tributed Suárez with the song Torito, from the album Pampas Reggae (1994) - In 2001, a movie called I love you... Torito was released in Argentina.
- The street where the Nueva Chicago stadium is located on, was named "Justo Suárez" as a tribute to the boxer. So there is a bust of Suárez in the corner of Alberdi and Murguiondo streets, in the MataderosMataderosMataderos is a barrio in Buenos Aires, Argentina, belonging to the 9th comuna .Located in the west end of the city, its name stem from the livestock market and slaughterhouses ....
neighborhood.
External links
- http://www.literaberinto.com/cortazar/torito.htmTorito, short story by Julio CortázarJulio CortázarJulio Cortázar, born Jules Florencio Cortázar, was an Argentine writer. Cortázar, known as one of the founders of the Latin American Boom, influenced an entire generation of Spanish speaking readers and writers in the Americas and Europe.-Early life:Cortázar's parents, Julio José Cortázar and...
.] - Torito song lyrics by Los Pericos, dedicated to Justo Suárez