In 1929 Panama Al Brown became the first boxing world champion from Latin America. Panama has had nearly 30 world champions and the story of Panama Al Brown, is where the history of boxing in Panama begins. He Emigrated from Panama to New York in 1923 and eventually became world champion. He then moved to Paris, where he became friends with intellectuals and artists of the time like Pablo Picasso, Salvador Dali, Ernest Hemingway, William Faulkner, and Coco Chanel.