Former IBF champion plans to leave ring

PHOENIX (AP) -- Former IBF featherweight champion Jorge Paez said Wednesday he will retire after his next fight unless Top Rank makes good on promises to set him up for another title shot.

Paez, 38, a huge draw in the Southwest and his native Mexico, is featured against Scott McCracken (14-5) of Aliquippa, Pa., in a Top Rank-promoted fight card Friday night.

"I think this is it," Paez said through translator Brian Ramirez, a member of the same Los Angeles boxing club. "I'm tired of making the weight and leaving my family. Top Rank has been telling me I would fight for a world championship since two years ago, and they haven't given me the opportunity."

Paez (78-14-5, 51 knockouts) is ranked ninth in the IBF's 130-pound super featherweight division, but he will fight McCracken as a lightweight (135 pounds) and has had difficulty making weight even in a higher division. But the former circus acrobat, nicknamed "Maromero" for his trademark victory somersault, has a 17-fight winning streak since early 2000.

Paez said he tried to discourage 16-year-old Jorge Luis, his only child from his first marriage, from starting a ring career and has taught two younger sons fighting techniques only for self-defense.

"I didn't want my kids to fight," he said. "I wanted my kids to go to school."

Paez set a ratings record for Telefutura, which will carry the Friday bouts, in his last fight, and Top Rank spokesman Bill Caplan introduced him as one to remember.

"Jorge was the last fighter to fight a 15-round world title fight, and he won by a knockout," Caplain said. "He is an historic boxer in the record books, and he's an historic boxer in his drawing power. He's a crossover fighter, popular with everyone."

The undercard gives Jesus Gonzales another chance to display the power that has earned him five first-round knockouts in as many pro fights. This time, Gonzalez, whom Top Rank founder Bob Arum believes is the best fighter to come out of Phoenix since Michael Carbajal, faces another unbeaten fighter in Nate Martin of Sioux City, Iowa.

"Definitely, every fight is a harder fight," Gonzales said. "I mean, I'm excited about this fight. The guy's 5-0 with two knockouts, and he should be a good fighter."

Martin and Gonzales must come in under 160 pounds for their middleweight fight, but Gonzales is a natural 154-pounder who hopes to crack the inner circle of a division ruled by WBC champion Shane Mosley and contenders Oscar De La Hoya and Fernando Vargas.

Gonzales said he hopes to be ready for a fight against Vargas within a year.

"I'd love to fight Vargas," Gonzales said. "He has a big mouth on him, you know? Everybody in Arizona would love to see that fight. A lot of people talk about me fighting him when I walk around: 'Hey, when are you going to fight Vargas?' They don't ask when I'm going to fight De La Hoya or Shane Mosley."