Eder Jofre, former bantamweight and featherweight champ, dies at age 86

by Ryan Songalia - www.ringtv.com

Eder Jofre, the former bantamweight and featherweight world champion, died Sunday at age 86.

The Brazilian ring legend had been hospitalized since March due to pneumonia, and died due to complications from pneumonia in his hometown of São Paulo, Brazil, his daughter Andrea announced on Facebook.

Jofre had been the oldest living world champion at the time of his death. He is the consensus pick for Brazil’s greatest boxer, and is considered by many to be the greatest bantamweight champion ever.

Jofre (72–2-4, 50 knockouts) turned pro in 1957, after making it to the quarterfinals of the Olympics the year before. He won a version of the bantamweight championship in 1960, knocking out Eloy Sanchez in six rounds, and reigned until 1965, when he lost a split decision to Fighting Harada in Japan.

He retired the following year after losing another decision to Harada, before coming back to the ring three years later. Jofre picked up another world championship in 1973, defeating Jose Legra by majority decision to win the WBC featherweight title, before retiring for good in 1976.

He was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1992, and remained a popular figure in boxing, traveling abroad as recently as last year, when he made the trip to California to be inducted into the West Coast Boxing Hall of Fame.

Jofre, who became a vegetarian at age 20, credited his healthy, active lifestyle for his longevity, saying he avoided smoking and drinking.

“I always did my best to stand up for my country and show that sports can be an excellent way for young people to reach great goals,” Jofre told this writer last year.

The loss was mourned by many in Brazil, which had been focused on a contentious presidential election.

“Eder Jofre was an icon of Brazilian and international sport. After his participation in the Melbourne 1956 Olympic Games, he paved the way for a very successful history of Brazilian boxing. His legacy will still be observed for generations and his achievements will continue to inspire”, said Paulo Wanderley, President of the Brazilian Olympic Committee.

Link: www.ringtv.com/644798-eder-jofre-former-bantamweight-and-featherweight-champ-dies-at-age-86/

Eder Jofre, boxing’s greatest bantamweight of all time, dies at 86

news.trenddetail.com

Eder Jofre, the biggest bantamweight in boxing of all time, died this Sunday, the 2nd, in São Paulo, at the age of 86. He had been hospitalized since March 4 because of pneumonia, lost a lot of weight and did not physically recover. Seven years ago, he was diagnosed with a degenerative neurological disease.

Eder Jofre maintained throughout his life the courage and determination to face life’s opponents, as he did in his 20 years of professional career, when he beat 75 rivals (53 by knockout) and established himself as the biggest bantamweight in the history of the boxing. At the beginning of last year, he started to treat Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE), a disease diagnosed in 2013 that caused him motor and memory problems, with cannabidiol or CBD, under prescription.

Pointed out by the magazine The Ringin 1997, as the ninth greatest boxer of all time, Eder won a biography in 2021: EDER JOFRE: Brazil’s first boxing world champion, launched in the United States by American journalist and writer Chris Smith. The book has 605 pages and, according to the author, the work “was the result of many years of research, with several primary sources, direct communication with the Jofre family, many interviews and with many rare photographs”. A Portuguese version will be released possibly in October this year.

Because of his 85th birthday, Galo de Ouro received several tributes from former champions, who sent videos on social media. 36 years ago, he ended his successful career, but he remained with an unshakable prestige in the boxing world. In addition to being the biggest bantamweight, he also won the featherweight belt. He formed, alongside Maria Esther Bueno and Adhemar Ferreira da Silva, a trio of Brazilian sportsmen who enjoy greater fame abroad.

“Eder had everything that a great fighter should have in his time. To crown the package, he also had an ‘iron chin’ and endurance, like Jake LaMotta and Carmen Basilio”, writes Cyber ​​Boxing Zone, a specialized website. . “Perhaps the most impressive quality was the adaptability. Jofre was a very intelligent fighter, who could change his style to suit any type of opponent. He could be a brawler, classic… The guy was a work of art.”

To show that the site’s comment about the Brazilian boxer is not exaggerated, it can be recalled that Sugar Ray Robinson, named in almost all lists as the greatest boxer of all time, made a point of posing next to Eder Jofre, in 1960, before the national fighter faced Mexican Eloy Sanchez, when he won his first world title, in Los Angeles, USA.

American journalist Ted Sares has another definition for the Brazilian boxer. “With punching power in both hands, Jofre also had great technical skills and reflexes, in the best Sugar Ray Robinson style”, he analyzes. “He had the hook and straight right; hell. He had it all. A body puncher.”

With so much recognition in the United States, Eder was inducted into the Boxing Hall of Fame in 1992. “Most American fans didn’t have the opportunity to see him in action, but in the 60’s Eder Jofre was considered the best fighter pound for pound around the world,” says Ed Brophy, executive director of the Hall of Fame. Last year, he also had his name inducted into the West Coast Hall of Fame.

One of the greatest of all time

In New York bookstores it is possible to buy posters of the former boxer for US$ 30 or shirts with the champion’s face for US$ 40. Something unthinkable in São Paulo, where he was born on Rua do Seminary and spent his childhood in Parque Peruche. “Eder Jofre is not bigger only because of the lack of images of his fights”, says the writer Thomas Hauser, who wrote, among many other works, biographies of Muhammad Ali. “Jofre was one of the greatest of all time.”

the legendary magazine The Ring ranked Eder as the 9th best of all time. Dan Cuoco, director of the International Boxing Research Organization, goes further. “I’ve seen many of his fights and I can say, without fear of being wrong, that Eder Jofre was the best boxer born below the Equator.”

Respect for Eder also comes from the only opponent to beat him in his 20-year career. “He was the biggest rival of my career. I panicked when I found out I was going to fight him. He was very resistant and a great catcher”, says Japanese Masahiko Fightning Harada, who beat the Brazilian twice. In 1965 and 1966, both in Japan. In total, Eder fought 81 times, with 75 wins (53 knockouts) and 4 draws.

Mike Tyson’s Respect

Eder has also become an idol of boxing legends. “When I think of Brazil, I think of Eder Jofre. I watched many of his fights and I liked his aggressive style. He was a great champion”, says Mike Tyson, former heavyweight world champion.

The Mexican Carlos Zarate, another great bantamweight champion, but in the 70s, also praises the Brazilian boxer. “I would have loved to have fought Eder. We were great fighters, but better this way. One could have lost and it could have been me”, said the boxer, who has won 63 times by knockout in 66 victories.

José Sulaymán, president of the World Boxing Council, also Mexican, predicts: “I don’t believe Brazil has another Eder Jofre. He stopped fighting more than three decades ago and anyone who likes boxing knows who Eder Jofre is. You (Brazilians) should be as proud of him as we are.”

Despite the weight of age, Eder continued to exercise, maintained good reflexes and continued with a strong punch. “75 years old! Wow! It went by fast. But I can’t complain. God was good to me”, thanks the Golden Rooster on the day he turned age. Eder was widowed since 2013, of Maria Aparecida, the “Cidinha”, his wife for 52 years. He is survived by sons Marcel and Andrea.

In August 2018, Eder Jofre went to the big screen, having his life portrayed in the feature “10 seconds to win”. Actor Osmar Prado, who is Kid Jofre (Eder’s father) in the work, did an impeccable job. All that was needed was to call Daniel Oliveira, who represented Eder, “salami”, as the coach used to do.

“10 seconds to win” portrays Eder’s life with emotion, elegance and respect. How it should be. Finally, Brazilian sport gained a place in the cinema. In the United States, for example, this is commonplace. The work was featured at the Gramado Festival.

Link: news.trenddetail.com/euro/163864.html

 Eder Jofre receives the World champion belt