# Ricardo Moreno

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

## 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. He did not fight as an amateur and turned professional at age 17 on June 16, 1954.

## 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.

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

## 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.
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.
He is buried in his home town of Chalchihuites in El Panteón Dolores.