Attempting an analogy about the lineage of the easterner born in Cumaná, capital of the state of Sucre, takes us to the city that has contributed light to identity, freedom, and culture with a connection to sport and boxing in Venezuela.
It is worth mentioning the Marshal of Ayacucho, Antonio José de Sucre, a hero in five nations, or the poets Andrés Eloy Blanco and José Antonio Ramos Sucre, incredible writers, who honored us at the foot of the Manzanares River with their legacies.
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But, some years later, other athletes from Cumaná brought glory to our country in the sporting arena. In fact, Francisco “Morochito” Rodríguez would win the Olympic medal in the 48-kilogram category at the 68 Mexico City Games, a feat we have documented in these pages.
Pedro Gómez, pioneer
Popularly known as “El Torito de Cumaná”, Pedro Gómez was a pioneer within the Venezuelan boxing identity at the professional level between the 60s and 70s. The older brother of Antonio Gómez, who would become champion in 1971, he is remembered as one of the best boxers in the country who, despite his immense talent, never managed to conquer an official world title during his active career, which earned him the posthumous recognition of the WBA as a “champion without a crown”.
Pedro, who recently passed away on April 2, 2026, left a record of 170 wins and only 5 losses in 175 amateur bouts and 30 wins with 3 losses in the professional ranks. One of those losses was against Shozo Saijo in 1968 by hometown decision in Tokyo, Japan.
Another boxer from Cumaná who, although he didn't turn professional, left his mark for his resilience in combat was Nelson Calzadilla. He represented Venezuela at the 76 Montreal Olympics, where he won his first fight against Nicaraguan Ernesto Gonzalez, but lost his next bout against Romanian Simion Cutov in the lightweight division (60 kilograms).
He fought in the Pan American Games in Caracas in 83 against the Cuban Olympic champion José Aguilar, losing by decision.
Ely Montes, blacksmith
Talent can be found, but sometimes goals are not achieved without a guide, tutor or teacher, that is, an excellent coach.
Therefore, we will bring up the figure of the coach Ely Montes, who in the 60s began a path of great native boxers where the golden age was experienced in the lands of Cumaná.
The Facebook page “Memorias de Cumaná” reminds us that “Montes trained a group of young boxers at the so-called Cabrujas gym, located on Calle Larga across from what is now the Virgen del Valle Church. Among them were Pedro Gómez, Luis Vallejo, Antonio Gómez, Alfredo Marcano, Freddy Morán, and many others, and boxing events were held there. Perhaps the most outstanding was Pedro Gómez, recognized as the person who paved the way for Cumaná boxers to glory, and who, along with Freddy “Cochocho” Rengifo, became the idol of Venezuelan boxing in that decade…”
Esparragoza, idol and rebel
For Moscow 80, a man from Cumaná broke with tradition by being chosen as the flag bearer for the Venezuelan Olympic Committee, an unprecedented feat. His name: Antonio Esparragoza.
In a professional bout on March 6, 1987, he traveled to Texas, USA, to face Chicano boxer Steve Cruz. In a display of power and precision, he knocked out Cruz in the twelfth round, taking the WBA featherweight title.
He made 7 defenses and due to differences with the entity and Bob Arum, he placed his wife as a promoter, which took away his title.
Monarchs of common origin
In the world of professional boxing, Alfredo Marcano and Antonio Gómez etched their names in Venezuelan sports history, not only because of their shared origins but also because of the historic feats they accomplished in the same year. Both were born in Venezuela, the first country of the Americas, and became world champions in 1971, just months apart. Alfredo's punching power, considered among the most potent pound-for-pound in Venezuelan boxing, was on full display on July 29th when he knocked out Japan's Hiroshi Kobayashi in Aomori, capturing the WBA junior lightweight title in 10 rounds and becoming the third Venezuelan world champion. Two months later, on September 2nd, Antonio Gómez delivered the best performance ever by a Venezuelan title contender, demolishing another Japanese fighter, Shozo Saijo, in Tokyo in just 5 rounds for the WBA featherweight title. Antonio knocked down the previously dominant champion several times. Thus, the debt that Saijo had incurred by defeating his brother Pedro was settled.
