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Titanes en el ring (Titans in the ring) was an Argentine lucha libre television program aired between 3 March 1962 and 1988.[1]
Background
The Armenian ArgentineMartín Karadagián (1922-1991) had started at 15 years old practicing Greco-Roman wrestling in the Asociación Cristiana de Jóvenes. The following year he joined a troupe of wrestlers, with which he traveled to Europe.[2] After returning to Argentina in 1947, Karadagián maintained a fight at Luna Park against Ivan Zelezniak, El Hombre Montaña. After to give up the fight Zelezniak (five-time champion from 1947 to 1951), the Armenian was already one of the most attractive conveners of the wrestling in Buenos Aires.[3]
Karadagián vs Gatica
In 1950s Karadagián fought against former heavyweight champion Primo Carnera.[4] And in 1957 he maintained a wrestling match in the stadium of Boca Juniors, against former boxer José María Gatica, el mono.[5] That same year, Karadagian starred in Reencuentro con la gloria, movie where a wrestler ("Pantera") accidentally killed a rival during a fight.[6]
In 1970s Titanes en el Ring moved to Canal 13, Karadagián incorporates fantastic and mythological characters as El Vikingo, Don Quijote y Sancho Panza, D’Artagnan, el Mosquetero, El Acuanauta, Poseidon, El Cavernario, La Momia Negra and others.
In 1972 Karadagián faces La Momia for the world championship. The evening was held at the Luna Park stadium, with a draw.[13]
Titanes also had a cheater referee William Boo. Other famous arbiters include Alfredo Giardina, Albert Jaitt, El Conde Schiaffino, Professor Eduardo Davis and Johnny Well.
Titans in the Ring was narrated and commented by Rodolfo Di Sarli, and Jorge Bocacci was the responsible for the presentation ceremony.[14]
Originally focused on adult audience, during the years it was gradually adapted for targeting a younger audience.[10]
It enjoyed its peak popularity in the early 1970s; in 1972 a Titanes en el Ring music album, featuring the theme songs of the wrestlers, got a large commercial success, and from the same year tapes of the shows started being exported abroad.[10] In 1973 a deal with the Felfort-brand of chocolate bonbons "Jack" also helped to popularize the program and its athletes.[10] In the 1970s the show also did two large tours in Latin America.[10]
^ abcdeLeandro D'Ambrosio. Martin y sus Titanes. Del Nuevo extremo, 2012. ISBN9789876093064.
^Jorge Nielsen, Hugo F. Vega (2004). La magia de la televisión argentina: cierta historia documentada. Volume II. Ediciones del Jilguero, 2005. ISBN9879416074.