Long in search of respect and a significant boxing payday, Juan Torres put his sporting career in proper perspective on Saturday night in Reno.
Not even a $5,000 purse was worth risking his life against Cesar Bazan of Mexico City in a scheduled lightweight bout at the Peppermill Hotel Casino.
Thirty minutes before he was scheduled to enter the ring Nevada State Athletic Commission Dr. Van Buren Lemons ruled the 31-year-old from South Lake Tahoe medically unfit to fight after Torres complained of double vision and numbness on his left side in the days leading up to the nontitle fight.
"I'm not going to risk my life over this fight," Torres said. "I've always said that if I lose one more time that's the end of it. I'm not going to make it my last one just because I'm stubborn. I'm going to take care of myself and see what's going on."
Torres tried to warm up for the fight in his dressing room, but the symptoms suggesting a possible neurolocial problem persisted. After being examined by Lemons, Torres was driven to Washoe Medical Center by his manager, Jorge Maron.
"There's many neurological conditions that could result with these types of symptoms and only with further evaluation would we be able to tell," said Lemons, a neurosurgeon for Sacramento and South Lake Tahoe. "It could be something serious, or it could be something minor.
"Obviously it sounds like a stroke-like condition. I don't think that's what it was, but it needs evaluation, nonetheless."
Torres remained hospitalized Sunday night. He was listed in satisfactory condition at the Washoe Medical Center.
Torres' wife, Lydia, said she noticed changes in her husband's physical condition when she returned from a business trip in Las Vegas earlier in the week. He had been going to bed earlier and sleeping longer.
The symptoms worsened on Saturday, and Torres showed up for the fight with his left side feeling numb and difficulty focusing his left eye.
"My wife was concerned about my eye being a little smaller, but I thought it might be a reaction from the (pine tree) pollen," Torres said. "Right now I'm feeling dizzy. It's better for it to happen now, than for it to happen in the ring and have to make some excuse."
The neurological problem cast some doubt whether Torres would be able to fight again. NSAC Executive Director Marc Ratner wanted a full medical report on Torres before making any decisions on his future.
"We'll have to see what the hospital says. Right now, he won't be able to fight until we get a full report," Ratner said. "I can't say that he's done, but we want to see what the hospital says."
If Torres is given a clean bill of health, Ratner said he could fight again in a month.
"Even if there are no problems, there has to be some underlying cause why he was seeing double," Ratner said. "I would say probably 30 days, but we'll check him and they'll probably run some tests.
"It's a business where you get hit in the head, and you don't want any problems."
Ratner said Bazan was paid his full contract fee of $3,000 Saturday night. The executive directors were unsure if Torres would receive all or part of his $5,000 contract.
"There is a possibility that Top Rank will make some kind of judgment with him," Ratner said.
