Tribute to the “Schoolboy”

Boxing has lost another champion.

The final bell has come for Bobby “Schoolboy” Chacon, who passed away today at age 64. Details on services to come.

The SoCal slugger was 64 years old. Due to so many vicious ring wars, he suffered with pugilistic dementia through the years.

His caretaker and longtime friend Mike Donahue confirmed the sad news: “Today has been a real bad day. Bobby Chacon has passed away this morning. He apparently hit his head and that’s all we know right now. Our prayers got out to his mom and dad and sisters and brothers and people all over the world.” Mike and his partner Laura Carlson helped take care of Bobby in recent years.

IN BREAKING NEWS, I just got word that K2 Promotions’ Tom Loeffler and World Boxing Council (WBC) President Mauricio Sulaiman will hold a very special “Ten Count” to honor the fallen prizefighter THIS Saturday, September 10 at the Forum in Inglewood during the Roman “Chocolatito” Gonzalez vs. Carlos Cuadras fights (with the Gennady Golovkin vs. Kell Brook card in London). The WBC’s Jill Diamond, Pepe Sulaiman, Nancy Rodriguez and a big group of WBC champs will all be there in support in this HBO broadcast. WBC Senior Executive Director Nancy Rodriguez told me, “I have so much respect for Tom and Mauricio in honoring Bobby; Bobby was always smiling and now the WBC will have a ‘Ten Count’ for him.”

I first met the WBC champ about 18 years ago through the World Boxing Hall of Fame and since then, I’ve seen him at countless events in and out of the boxing community. He was always smiling, always laughing. He loved sweets, loved cookies. He loved showing off his shadowboxing skills. He loved giving advice to young pugs. He loved having people “pretend” to punch him on the chin in photos. He loved being center ring. He loved playing jokes on people. And he loved being a beloved member of the boxing family. He was a frequent ringside guest at many local fights and I often saw him at local Thompson Boxing Shows. I saw him every year at Don Fraser’s California Boxing Hall of Fame awards and also saw him at Golden State Boxers Association’s gatherings. And on Sunday, September 25, the West Coast Boxing Hall of Fame (with President/Founder Rick Farris) will posthumously induct the San Fernando Valley fighter at their sold-out awards ceremony.

After hearing the news today, I combed through my past articles and hundreds of photos through the decade that I took of Bobby. For a guy who was diagnosed with pugilistic dementia, the Sylmar boxer did not let his health problems slow him down. He loved supporting anything and everything to do with the sweet science. He helped feed the homeless at a Union Rescue Mission event we participated in with the boxers, he played in celebrity golf tournaments, he attended awards banquets with the champs, he lent support to fundraisers (even when his own wallet could’ve used some help). And he was a special guest at a couple of our annual “BBQ in the Park” potlucks with the Burbank Boxing Club and Coach Steve Harpst. Bobby loved being around people, loved making people smile.

Perhaps it was because of his own personal tragedies and demons within that he seemed to make it his mission to make others around him laugh and smile? Perhaps seeing the joy and happiness he brought to others helped eased his own pain?

After rising from the hardscrabble streets of Pacoima, California, the “Schoolboy” was involved in some tough featherweight wars in his day. And during his career, he fought everyone including Ray Mancini, Alexis Arguello, Danny “Little Red” Lopez, Rafael Limon, Cornelius Boza-Edwards, Freddie Roach, Ruben Olivares, Art Frias and more. Chacon was a popular fixture at the famed Olympic Auditorium and the legendary Forum. He won a World Boxing Council (WBC) Featherweight title in 1974 and defended his belt in 1975. He retired from the ring in 1988.

But it wasn’t always glitz and glamour for this Mexican warrior. There was the dark side, a very dark side. He had well-documented substance-abuse problems and many health issues through the years. Tragically, his wife Valerie committed suicide right before one of his bouts (she did not want him to fight anymore) and his teenage son Bobby “Chico” Chacon Jr. was killed in a gang shooting in 1991. These heartbreaking chapters in his life no doubt was a cross to bear for the two-time world champ. He went through years of hardship, understandable for anyone who has gone through what Chacon had lived–and survived–through.

In recent years, yes, Bobby slowed down. The price of glory showed its ugly head. No one can sugarcoat it; boxing is a tough career, a hard life. The repercussions can lead to “punch-drunk syndrome” we see too often in our sport. And Bobby Chacon was a victim of it. But he never wanted pity, never asked for handouts. He remained a champ through and through. He could still light up a room when he walked in and if a pretty girl was around, you can bet your ass that Bobby would turn up that charm whenever an attractive female were around. Bobby was a hoot. He was fun, he was kind to everyone and he was my friend.

When I think back now of the last few times I saw him, I did see a decline, I can’t lie. The slurred speech, the shuffling walk. He was still himself at times; but sometimes I would see him fade off a bit. But as people get older, it happens. Bobby turned 64 in November and I still thought he had several years ahead of him. Bobby was well taken care of by Mike Donahue and Laura Carlson, who treated him like their own family. And there were endless others who also pitched in when the boxer was down and out. Those individuals are too numerous to name, but each and every one of you know how you were there for the fighter whenever he needed a lift. Through the decades, they helped him find shelter, helped find his championship ring he lost, helped him buy new shoes and even helped him get a new set of teeth! He had a hard life but in the end he knew he was loved by friends, family and fans.

There were many boxing organizations that honored the Hall of Famer through the years.

Bill and Linda Young, President and Vice President of the Golden State Boxers Association and also the National Boxing Hall of Fame (in which Bobby was inducted in April 2016) were very close to the prizefighter. Linda Young told me, “We were blessed to have him every Tuesday for many years and have so many awesome memories. Loved that Bobby!”

Time catches up with everyone. Bobby lived life to the fullest for 64 years. Unfortunately, on September 7, the cruel ravages of time finally caught up with the boxing hero.

From those who knew Bobby well to those who may have just met him once in passing, memories of the proud champ will live on in the hearts and minds of everybody.

Bobby Chacon was truly the “People’s Champ” and now he is gone.

REST IN PEACE, CHAMP.

Photos by Michele Chong