We Sometimes forget how great Jose “Pipino” Cuevas really was, at least we perhaps tend to forget what a great and monstrous puncher Cuevas was. It was on this day in 1976, when an 18 year old Cuevas scored a big upset in destroying defending WBA welterweight champ Angel Espada of Puerto Rico. This was one Mexico Vs. Puerto Rico match up that didn’t last too long at all, although Cuevas and Espada would fight each other three times, with Cuevas winning all three fights by KO or stoppage.
Upon entering the ring at the Plaza de Toros in Calafia, Mexico, 18 year old Cuevas was an average-looking 15-6(13), and Cuevas, who began boxing as a pro at the tender age of 14, had been KO’d in his debut. Now, against the 36-7-4 Espada, who was making his second title defence and had never been stopped, Cuevas was a significant underdog. Espada, who was 28 years of age, figured to have too much experience for his teenage challenger.
Instead, in a stunning performance, Cuevas dropped Espada with a massive left hook in round two, with the badly hurt champ never recovering. Espada got back up but he was pinned in a corner and barely upright as Cuevas unloaded bombs on him. Downed a second time by another big left to the head, Espada was done. Instead of waving the fight off, however, referee Larry Rozadilla allowed the beating to carry on. Finally, after he was decked a third time, Espada was rescued by the seemingly bloodthirsty third man.
Cuevas had made history by becoming the youngest ever welterweight champion. Some 11 title retentions would follow, with Cuevas, who really did have bone-crunching punching power, stopping Espada twice more (in round 12 in the rematch, and via 10th round TKO in their third meeting). But as good as he was – you could argue great – Cuevas is today best remembered for his losing fight with Thomas Hearns in August of 1980.
Hearns, who was the new puncher of the division, did as destructive a demolition job on Cuevas as Cuevas had done on Espada, with Cuevas falling in round two against “The Hitman.” Three years later, in a fight that, had he won it, Cuevas would be remembered a whole lot differently today, “Pipino” was stopped in four rounds by another legend in Roberto Duran.
Cuevas fought on until September of 1989, when a quick stoppage loss to Lupe Aquino (round two once again, this round serving as Cuevas’ lucky and also unlucky round) convinced him to retire. Finishing with a modest-looking 35-15(31) record, Cuevas was inducted into The Hall of Fame in 2002.
A savage puncher, but also a warrior who was stopped in the two biggest fights of his career, “Pipino” Cuevas had some exciting, up and down career.
Read the full article here
