Jose Torres

Former light heavyweight boxing champion and writer Jose Torres died at the age of 72 on Monday, January 19, 2009. Torres, who won an Olympic silver medal at the 1956 Melbourne Olympics, had a heart attack while at home in Ponce, Puerto Rico. The mayor of Ponce declared three days of mourning and ordered that the flag be hung at half-staff.

Torres was a beloved representative of the Puerto Rican community in New York. Torres wrote a column for the El Diario La Presna, a Spanish language newspaper in New York.Latin American Herald Tribune: Puerto Rico World Champion Boxer Jose "Chegui"... (January 19, 2009)

"Puerto Rico has lost a great Puerto Rican, a very valiant person who aside from being a great athlete, was a great human being."— David Bernier, President of the U.S. territory's Olympic committeeNY Daily News: Puerto Rican Boxer Jose "Chequi" Torres Dies at 72 (January 19, 2009)

"Jose Torres was one of boxing's finest ambassadors. He was an Olympian, a world champion, author, commissioner and a true gentleman. The Hall of Fame joins the boxing community in mourning his passing."—Edward Brophy, executive director of International Boxing Hall of FameNewsday: Hall of Famer Jose Torres Dies (January 19, 2009)

• East Side Boxing: Rest in Peace Jose Torres "Chegui" Passes Away... (January 19, 2009)

• FightNews.com: [ Jose "Chegui" Torres Passes] (January 19, 2009)