Ricardo Moreno

For the musician, see V8 (band).

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Moreno and the second or maternal family name is Escamilla.

Ricardo Moreno Escamilla (February 7, 1937 – June 25, 2008) was a Mexican professional boxer in the Super Featherweight division.^[1] Moreno was ranked #76 on The Ring's list of 100 All time Greatest Punchers.^[2][3]

Ricardo Moreno

Personal information
Nickname	El Pajarito
Nationality	Mexican
Born	Ricardo Moreno Escamilla February 7, 1937 Chalchihuites, Zacatecas, Mexico
Died	June 25, 2008(2008-06-25) (aged 71)
Height	5 ft 7 in (170 cm)
Weight	Super Featherweight Featherweight Super Bantamweight Bantamweight
Boxing career
Reach	70 in (180 cm)
Stance	Orthodox
Boxing record
Total fights	73
Wins	60
Win by KO	59
Losses	12
Draws	1
No contests	0

Early life

Moreno was born and raised in the mining town of Chalchihuites, Zacatecas, Mexico. He left school to work as a metal breaker at the mines. Later he went to Mexico City where he worked as a parking lot attendant before turning to boxing.^[4] He did not fight as an amateur and turned professional at age 17 on June 16, 1954.^[5]

Professional career

Known as "Pajarito", Moreno was a heavy puncher, having won 19 of his first 20 fights with all 19 of his wins by KO.^[6]

World Featherweight Title

His only shot at a World Championship was on April 1, 1958, Moreno fought the champion Hogan Bassey in Wrigley Field, Los Angeles, California.^[7] Ricardo would lose this fight and it would also be Moreno's only shot at a world title due in large part to boxing politics.^[8][9]

After suffering two consecutive defeats in 1967, the 30-year-old Moreno retired. His only victory that wasn't a knockout was a disqualification victory.^[10][11]

Due to his incredible knockout power, Moreno was named to the Ring Magazine's list of 100 Greatest Punchers.^[12]

Professional record

60 Wins (59 knockouts, 0 decisions, 1 disqualification), 12 Losses (8 knockouts, 4 decisions), 1 Draw
Res.	Record	Opponent	Type	Rd., Time	Date	Location	Notes
Loss	60-12-1	Silverio Ortiz	KO	4 (10)	1967-08-13	Macuspana, Tabasco, Mexico
Loss	60-11-1	Alex Benitez	KO	3 (12), 1:21	1967-02-09	Olympic Auditorium, Los Angeles, California	For California state Featherweight title.
Win	60-10-1	Joey Aguilar	TKO	4 (10)	1966-12-21	Coliseum, San Diego, California
Loss	59-10-1	Raul Rojas	KO	2 (12), 2:40	1966-06-03	Sports Arena, Los Angeles, California
Loss	59-9-1	Raul Rojas	RTD	3 (10), 3:00	1966-03-17	Olympic Auditorium, Los Angeles, California
Win	59-8-1	Victor Robles	KO	4 (10), 1:40	1965-10-28	San Jose Civic, San Jose, California
Win	58-8-1	Tony Vazquez	KO	2 (10), 1:58	1965-08-26	Auditorium, Oakland, California
Win	57-8-1	Fernando Goncalves	TKO	3 (10), 2:35	1965-06-26	Auditorium, Oakland, California
Win	56-8-1	Beto Maldonado	KO	7 (10), 0:57	1965-05-22	San Jose Civic, San Jose, California
Win	55-8-1	Danny Kid	TKO	4 (10), 2:31	1965-04-26	Civic Auditorium, San Francisco, California
Win	54-8-1	Trino Savala	KO	2 (10), 0:42	1965-04-10	San Jose Civic, San Jose, California
Win	53-8-1	Manuel Ochoa	KO	2 (10), 1:28	1965-03-22	Civic Auditorium, San Francisco, California
Win	52-8-1	Luis Echevesta	KO	1 (10), 2:21	1965-03-02	Auditorium, Oakland, California
Win	51-8-1	Benny Burton	RTD	5 (10), 3:00	1965-02-20	San Jose, California
Win	50-8-1	Babby Lopez	KO	3 (10)	1964-12-10	Acapulco, Guerrero, Mexico
Win	49-8-1	Mexico Solis	KO	1 (10)	1964-11-22	Uruapan, Michoacan, Mexico
Win	48-8-1	Ventarron Lara	KO	1 (10)	1964-10-24	Zitacuaro, Michoacan, Mexico
Win	47-8-1	Silverio Ortiz	KO	3 (10)	1964-07-18	Ciudad del Carmen, Campeche, Mexico
Win	46-8-1	Jose Miguel Moreno	KO	6 (10)	1964-06-27	Durango, Durango, Mexico
Win	45-8-1	Ray Antunez	KO	2 (10)	1964-06-15	Taxco, Guerrero, Mexico
Win	44-8-1	Salve Ortiz	KO	3 (10)	1964-05-27	Tapachula, Chiapas, Mexico
Win	43-8-1	Lobito Cortez	KO	2 (10)	1964-05-16	Morelia, Michoacan, Mexico
Win	42-8-1	Maurillio Kid	KO	2 (10)	1964-04-21	Tapachula, Chiapas, Mexico
Win	41-8-1	Tiger Soliz	KO	3 (10)	1964-04-17	Tapachula, Chiapas, Mexico
Win	40-8-1	Cruz Figueroa	KO	2 (10)	1964-03-11	Cuernavaca, Morelos, Mexico
Win	39-8-1	Panchito Ortiz	KO	2 (10)	1964-01-10	Merida, Yucatan, Mexico
Win	38-8-1	Teddy Rand	DQ	5 (10)	1961-12-03	Leon, Guanajuato, Mexico
Loss	37-8-1	Claudio Adame	KO	7 (10)	1961-01-08	Plaza de Toros, Torreon, Coahuila, Mexico
Win	37-7-1	Panchito Villa II	KO	3 (10)	1960-12-04	Sabinas, Coahuila, Mexico
Win	36-7-1	Hector Garcia	KO	4 (10)	1960-11-05	Aguascalientes, Aguascalientes, Mexico
Loss	35-7-1	Kid Irapuato	UD	10	1960-06-27	Plaza de Toros, Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico
Loss	35-6-1	Kid Anahuac	UD	10	1960-02-27	Arena Mexico, Mexico City, Mexico
Win	35-5-1	Luis Sanchez	KO	3 (10)	1959-10-25	Plaza de Toros, Ciudad Juarez, Chihuahua, Mexico
Win	34-5-1	Hector Garcia	KO	4 (10)	1959-09-27	Chihuahua, Chihuahua, Mexico
Win	33-5-1	Pat McCoy	KO	5 (10)	1959-05-30	Monterrey, Nuevo León, Mexico
Win	32-5-1	Al Wilcher	KO	2 (10)	1959-03-22	Nogales, Sonora, Mexico
Loss	31-5-1	Davey Moore	KO	1 (10), 2:58	1958-12-11	Olympic Auditorium, Los Angeles, California
Win	31-4-1	Frankie Salas	KO	2 (10)	1958-10-05	Mexicali, Baja California, Mexico
Win	30-4-1	Rocky Fontanette	KO	1 (10)	1958-08-24	Sabinas, Coahuila, Mexico
Loss	29-4-1	Hogan Kid Bassey	KO	3 (15), 2:58	1958-04-01	Wrigley Field, Los Angeles, California	For NBA, The Ring & Lineal Featherweight titles.
Win	29-3-1	Ike Chestnut	TKO	6 (10), 2:59	1957-11-21	Olympic Auditorium, Los Angeles, California
Loss	28-3-1	Jose Luis Cotero	KO	7 (10), 2:24	1957-05-28	Gilmore Field, Los Angeles, California
Win	28-2-1	Gaetano Annaloro	TKO	5 (10), 1:33	1957-04-01	Cow Palace, Daly City, California
Win	27-2-1	Tommy Bain	TKO	3 (10), 1:22	1957-02-12	Legion Stadium, Hollywood, California
Win	26-2-1	Jesse Mongia	KO	2 (10), 1:06	1957-01-29	County Coliseum, El Paso, Texas
Win	25-2-1	Sherman Liggins	KO	2 (10)	1956-12-16	Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas Mexico
Win	24-2-1	Billy Evans	KO	3 (10)	1956-10-06	Arena Mexico, Mexico City Mexico
Win	23-2-1	Pappy Gault	KO	3 (10), 1:30	1956-08-15	Tijuana, Baja California Mexico
Win	22-2-1	Frankie Campos	KO	4 (10)	1956-06-23	Arena Mexico, Mexico City, Mexico
Win	21-2-1	Oscar Suarez	KO	2 (10)	1956-04-28	Arena Mexico, Mexico City, Mexico
Win	20-2-1	Alejo Mejia	KO	5 (10)	1956-03-23	Piedras Negras, Coahuila, Mexico
Draw	19-2-1	Kildo Martinez	TD	2 (10)	1956-03-04	Mexicali, Baja California, Mexico
Loss	19-2	Memo Diez	UD	10	1956-01-22	Toreo de Cuatro Caminos, Mexico City, Mexico
Win	19-1	Jorge Gabino Gomez	KO	2 (10)	1955-11-24	Mexico City, Mexico
Win	18-1	Mario Macias	RTD	4 (10), 3:00	1955-10-29	Mexico City, Mexico
Win	17-1	Pedro Garcia	KO	1 (10)	1955-09-10	Mexico City, Mexico
Win	16-1	Americo Rivera	KO	2 (10)	1955-07-27	Mexico City, Mexico
Win	15-1	Aurelio Rivera	KO	1 (10)	1955-07-02	Mexico City, Mexico
Win	14-1	Mike Cruz	KO	6 (10)	1955-06-11	Mexico City, Mexico
Win	13-1	Fifi Torres	KO	2 (10)	1955-05-21	Mexico City, Mexico
Win	12-1	Danny Bedolla	KO	1 (10)	1955-05-04	Mexico City, Mexico
Win	11-1	Jorge Gabino Gomez	KO	7 (10)	1955-04-06	Mexico City, Mexico
Win	10-1	Cheto Fernandez	KO	2 (8)	1955-03-10	Arena Coliseo, Mexico City, Mexico
Win	9-1	Pepe Chavarria	KO	1 (8)	1955-02-19	Mexico City, Mexico
Win	8-1	Babe Gomez	KO	3 (8)	1955-01-19	Mexico City, Mexico
Win	7-1	Jorge Herrera	KO	7 (10)	1954-12-12	Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico
Win	6-1	Fernando Garcia	KO	1 (8)	1954-11-11	Acapulco, Guerrero, Mexico
Win	5-1	Chato Monroy	KO	1 (8)	1954-10-23	Mexico City, Mexico
Loss	4-1	Nacho Escalante	SD	6	1954-09-04	Mexico City, Mexico
Win	4-0	Antonio Coria	KO	4 (8)	1954-08-11	Mexico City, Mexico
Win	3-0	Sergio Farias	KO	4 (8)	1954-07-24	Mexico City, Mexico
Win	2-0	Juancito Lopez	KO	1 (6)	1954-06-23	Mexico City, Mexico
Win	1-0	Oscar Diaz	KO	1 (6)	1954-06-16	Mexico City, Mexico	Professional debut.

Life after boxing

Moreno starred in two films, he even had a relationship with Miss Universe contestant and actress Ana Bertha Lepe.^[13]

Mexico still to this day mourns the life of the great Ricardo "Pajarito" Moreno, who as young boxer was turned on to cocaine by the jet set of Mexico. He died a depressed man at the age of 71 at a Rehabilitation Center in Durango.^[14]

He is buried in his home town of Chalchihuites in El Panteón Dolores.^[15]