Carlos Palomino has been on quite a journey. It started in Mexico, moved to Santa Ana and then to Westminster, where he attended high school. Eventually, he became a welterweight world champion and went on to be inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame.
It wasn’t all gravy. His parents worked hard to get the family from Mexico to California legally, and Palomino’s younger brother Paul was killed in a March 1980 plane crash that claimed a 22-member contingent of the U.S. National boxing team on its way to Poland for a match.
It’s a traveled road of which movies are made. And lo and behold, the rights to “Palomino” were recently purchased by filmmaker Brad Wilson, and Wilson’s IMDb page shows it has been “announced” for 2016.
A script, which Palomino referred to as “awesome” during a telephone conversation Thursday, is done. It begins with the heartbreaking incident with Paul Palomino.
“The story starts with me driving my little brother to the airport and that plane crash,” Palomino said. “Then we flash all the way back to the beginning in Sonora (Mexico) when I was a baby, then we go forward.”
Palomino, his brother, two sisters and parents came to Santa Ana from Tijuana after Palomino’s father moved the family to the border city and pushed an ice-cream cart until he could get his family into the U.S., which he did in June 1960, two months before Carlos Palomino turned 11.
The parents ended up having 12 children — six boys and six girls, though the eldest died at six months of bronchitis in Mexico. Palomino graduated from Westminster High before joining the service, where he became All-U.S. Army boxing champion in 1971 and 1972.
It had only just begun.
Less than four years after turning pro in 1972, Palomino became welterweight world champion when he stopped John Stracey in the 12th round in London in 1976. Palomino (31-4-3, 19 KOs) made seven successful defenses before losing his title via split decision to Wilfredo Benitez in Benitez’s native Puerto Rico in January 1979. Palomino fought once more, losing a 10-round fight that June to Roberto Duran, then retired.
Incredibly, he came back nearly 18 years later at age 47 and won four consecutive fights before losing the fifth to Wilfredo Rivera at the Olympic Auditorium, where Palomino made four of his title defenses.
Not that Palomino was just sitting around during all those years between bouts. He began an acting career in 1978, playing himself in shows like “Taxi” and “The White Shadow” before going on to compile 36 acting credits.
Palomino believes the movie will carry a message.
“It’s an inspirational story that kind of talks about never giving up and always fighting for your goals,” said Palomino, who lives in Studio City. “Then telling our family story. It’s one of those stories that I think should be told. Survival.”
Palomino was tight with his brother Paul, who was only 17 years old when he died in the plane crash.
“We had a really close relationship,” said Palomino, 65. “When I got out of the Army, all he wanted to do is follow in my footsteps and box.”
Paul Palomino had stopped all 11 of his opponents inside the distance since becoming an open-division amateur boxer after going 77-3 as a junior.
“He fought military guys in their 20s at Camp Pendleton,” Palomino recalled.
He’s hopeful filming can begin as early as August.
From one great to another
Former welterweight champion Jessie Vargas this week announced he is going to be trained by former champion Erik Morales instead of another former champion, Roy Jones Jr., who, at age 46, is still fighting.
Vargas (26-0, 9 KOs) will take on Timothy Bradley (31-1-1, 12 KOs) on June 27 at StubHub Center (on HBO) for a vacant welterweight belt.
“I am very religious, so I began to pray for the right person to train me,” said Vargas, of Las Vegas. “Instantly, the name of Erik Morales came to me. I was able to track him down and he came right to our training camp in Las Vegas.
“I watched practically of all Erik’s big fights — the wars with (Marco Antonio) Barrera, the fights against (Manny) Pacquiao. Erik always fought hard and with all his heart. That’s who I want in my corner, someone who will give me everything they have to beat Bradley.”
Said Morales: “I’ve trained many fighters in Mexico. But Jessie is the best fighter I will be working with and this is the biggest fight, against Bradley.”
ETC
Monday marked the 50th anniversary of the second fight between Muhammad Ali and Sonny Liston. Actually, Ali was known as Cassius Clay in his first fight with Liston on Feb. 25, 1965. The rematch came May 25, with Ali winning via first-round knockout on the so-called “phantom punch.” … Heavyweight prospect Dominic Breazeale (14-0, 13 KOs) of Alhambra will take on Yasmany Consuegra (17-0, 14 KOs) of Miami next Saturday at StubHub (on NBC). Former champion Robert “The Ghost” Guerrero (32-3-1, 18 KOs) of Gilroy will take on Aron Martinez (19-3-1, 4 KOs) of East L.A. in the main event. … Palomino recently trained Geo Gandara, 15, of Van Nuys to a USA Boxing Junior Olympic title in Reno.
