Say A Prayer For The Bronx Bomber, Middleweight Alex Ramos
By Robert Brizel, Head Real Combat Media Boxing Correspondent
Nicknamed “The Bronx Bomber”, former USBA middleweight titleholder and middleweight contender Alex Ramos is now in the fight of his life. Ramos, 39-10-2 with 24 knockouts between 1980 and 1994, is now suffering from dementia pugilistica, normal pressure hydrocephalus, and partial complex seizures. Unable to live independently anymore, Alex, age 60, was recently placed in a board and care facility.
Say a prayer for my friend Alex, who made a comeback in 1994, won nine straight bouts, then lost a world middleweight title bout to Jorge Castro in his final bout. Several years after his career ended, Alex founded the Retired Boxers Foundation, also known as the RBF. The Retired Boxers Foundation today continues to assist retired professional boxers in the transition from their fighting days in the ring to a dignified retirement. Professional boxing remains a sport that does not provide any sort of retirement plan or pension for the boxing athletes who participate. Along with Ring 8 and Ring 10, the Retired Boxers Organization has made a major impact on boxing and professional sports in its charitable efforts, gaining the respect of important people who enjoy sports throughout the world.
So, it is fitting that Alex is now a benefactor of the organization he founded which has helped so many. Alex is still coherent, and is lucky to be in a better place at a time when the United States and the world are caught in a pandemic of fear, isolation and confusion. Alex, who has friends, will never be alone and far from our hearts.
I remember calling him up one day and remarking how magnificent Alex was in his final comeback, going back to work in the gym, and winning one fight a month for nine months! Incredible! Alex just believed in himself and made his comeback and rapid rise towards a world title opportunity on his own terms. Alex remains one of the few professional boxers to have improved the sport and its participants by giving back in a unique unselfish way after retirement. Perhaps one day the creation of the Retired Boxers Foundation will lead to pensions for boxers, referees and other officials, trainers and other boxing personnel.
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