Heroric Boxer to be Honored at Rose Parade

Noticero Bilingue Lawndale News | Ashar Mandau

Community members braved the cold Tuesday night, as they convened at the Garfield Park Field House for a candlelight vigil and press conference to honor the memory of, “The Aztec Kid” Francisco “Paco” Rodriguez, who at 25, died after sustaining injuries from a title bout in November 2009. “There is a lot of love here,” said Paco’s older brother Alex Rodriguez during the press conference. “I admire my brother and although he was my younger brother, I want to be more like him.”

Paco, a former resident of Cicero, was a proud Mexican-American who came from a family of boxers. Trained by his father, Paco became a Chicago hometown favorite winning the 2001 national Golden Gloves championship title at age 17. He also was a five-time Chicago Golden Gloves champion and competed in the 2004 U.S. Olympic trials. “He was a man with so much talent and love for his sport,” said Rita “La Guerra” Figueroa. “He was so kind. He was someone who was dedicated to his craft and it was an honor for me to be able to see him in the ring.”
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