The World Boxing Association (WBA) deeply regrets the death of former promoter and Venezuelan businessman, Ramiro Machado, one of the most important boxing characters in the 70s, 80s and 90s. Machado died in Maracay, Aragua state, at the age 88 years after having a life of dedication and influence in boxing.

One of Machado’s first contacts with boxing took place thanks to the renowned Venezuelan journalists Delio Amado Leon and Carlos Gonzalez in the mid-1960s. nWith the creation of the Gondel company, both communicators decided to get Machado’s advice to the organization of billboards and events.

Thanks to the contacts created and the first fighters managed (including Pedro Gomez), Machado began to gain notoriety in the sport. Already in the late 60s and early 70s, made the New Circus his home through his Ramacor company and mounted large billboards that led to Caracas boxing, which represented a golden era for pugilism in Venezuela.
The situation and the conjuncture brought out the best part of Machado. He was a very skilled man who always knew how to move; for that reason, he moved to Mexico along with his group of fighters. Both in Aztec lands and in other territories, their boxers achieved great performances that launched Machado to the top of international boxing.

Highlights include the knockout of Jose Luis Garcia, until then undefeated heavyweight Ken Norton in California in 1970, and of course the victory as a visitor of Antonio Gomez against the Japanese native Zhoso Saijo, in 1971.
But one of the most important chapters of Machado’s life was that of Kid Pambele. Antonio Cervantes will always be linked to the native promoter of Maracaibo, since the Colombian was one of the most exposed fighters to the media and of the highest quality under his management. A diamond in the rough like Pambele benefited from the vision of Machado, who quickly placed him in the hands of coach Melquiades “Tabaquito” Sanz, who brought out the best in the legend of Colombia and Latin America.

Those who knew Machado say that with his skill and vision he also took advantage of the opportunities offered by the president emeritus of the WBA, Gilberto Mendoza. He learned a lot from Mendoza and did not waste any opportunity to, among other things, take Leo “Torito” Gamez, the only Venezuelan with titles in four categories, to the top. His feat was carried out between the 1990s and the beginning of the new millennium.
Venezuelan and Latin boxing owes a lot to Ramiro Machado, a boxing man whose legacy will never be forgotten. Rest in peace, friend.