Ballet of Violence

Paez was a professional circus clown. A native of Mexicali, Jorge spent a good part his youth working in his grandmother’s show, learning how to do the sorts of tumbles, goony dancing and acrobatic backflips that he’d showcase after every victory. According to him he never fully left the circus, and would return to clowning for short stretches in between fights. It wasn’t hard to imagine, either. He had a wide easy grin, and whenever he flashed it you got the sense the only thing he enjoyed more then hitting people was cracking them up.

If I could point to one person who got me interested in boxing in my youth, it was El Maromero, Jorge Paez. He was a living literal example of the overlap between combat athletes and carnies. The author laments, as I do, the lack of youtube during his era.