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FORT MYERS — Eighteen boxers stepped into the ring Saturday night at Harborside Event Center. They all wore trunks and gloves and reported to a corner. They all were here to win.

Beyond that, little about the men could be connected. Some came from Florida and some from far away. Some were veterans and some were newcomers. Some were tall and some were short.

Well, one was really short.

His name is Paulino Villalobos, a diminutive Mexican who has lived in Fort Myers for six years. He was a crowd favorite in the fourth bout of "Brawl at the River II; Return to Glory," but it wasn't because he was fighting close to home.

Villalobos is such a natural underdog — he was billed by fight organizers as the world's shortest licensed professional boxer — that he would make Rocky Balboa look like the New York Yankees.

But this little bantamweight can hold his own. He proved it again in Saturday night's match, knocking out 5-foot-8 Angel Priolo, a Columbian, in the sixth round. It was redemption for Villalobos, who lost a ten-round decision to Priolo two years ago.

Villalobos (25-33-2) reversed the outcome by doing what any fighter his size — if there are others his size — would do. He worked inside on Priolo (30-5-2) to erase the height difference, the very game plan he must employ no matter the opponent.

"I'm so strong," he said through a translator, "so I try to get inside. Once I get inside I am in good shape. Then my speed can take over."

The 35-year-old boxer's biggest advantage, though, is not that he can train for every match the same. As "El Gato" turned the tables on Saturday night's opponent, it was clear that the shortest man in the ring also had the biggest heart.

The fans were behind him soon enough. They booed when he was called for a low blow in the first round, surely because they could appreciate the inevitability of such an infraction.

How short is he?

It's a matter of debate.

Villalobos said Saturday night, after the 60th official fight of his career, that he is 5-foot-3, the same height as former NBA point guard Muggsy Bogues. SJC Boxing promoter Steve Canton, though, scoffs at the notion. He said the fighter's true height is marked in Canton's gym, where he measured "El Gato" last year.

"He's 4-foot-8," Canton said. "Shortest licensed boxer in the world."

What no one disputes, however, is that Villalobos has appeared in many bouts. He has fought in various countries for various pay and in various weight classes. His 60 official bouts are telling enough, but Villalobos claims to have fought 19 more. Just so happens the others weren't registered.

"That guy likes to fight," said Pancho Reyes, his trainer. "He's got lots of heart. People like how he fights. He's a hard guy."

This is certainly the sport for Villalobos — or, for that matter, anyone of his stature. Sports such as football and basketball generally make size a prerequisite, but boxing is a democracy where different people converge to fight for the same prize.

It's a sport for Nikolai Valuev. The 7-foot-2 heavyweight has been labeled a freak show, but imagine trying to put him on the mat. Valuev is the WBA champion with a 44-0-0 record, the tallest champ in boxing history.

And it's a sport for "Baby Jake" Matlala, the 4-foot-8 light flyweight from South Africa. Matlala retired in 2002, but not before making a big name for himself. He is the shortest man to ever own a championship belt.

Indeed, everyone's invited.

Consider the scene Friday night at Dwyers Irish Pub on Tamiami Trail. That's when Villalobos tipped the scales at 118 pounds, making his weight. No one cared to measure the man, or any other fighter in the room. Height might dictate the way a match is won, but it isn't supposed to create natural advantages. Short fighters, in general, have more power.

"Anybody can participate," said boxing historian Hank Kaplan, who was in attendance. "Physical attributes are important, but only within your weight category. The short guy is on an even playing field."

Villalobos is walking, punching proof. He has been boxing for 20 years, never once stopping to use his dimensions as an excuse.

He's bigger than that.

"I was born to do this," the Veracruz native said. "I think it's just my attitude."

NOTE: Canton presented Sean O'Grady, who was in town to provide commentary for a future TV broadcast, with a plaque prior to the fourth bout. Kaplan, the former editor of Boxing World magazine, and heavyweight Alex Schulz were also recognized.