Angel 'Cholo' Espada vs. Jose 'Pipino' Cuevas

July 17, 1976

Just how did Jose 'Pipino' Cuevas get a WBA Title Shot versus
Angel Espada.

Pipino had lost his last bout, a 10-Round Decision to 'California Cutey'
Andy Price in Los Angeles, only 6-weeks earlier, on June 2, 1976.

Pipino, who was the #6 WBA Welterweight before the Andy Price bout, fell
to the #9 WBA Welterweight.

With a 'spotty record' of 15-6-0 (13 KO's), the 18 1/2 year-old had
the 'modest' claim being the Mexican Welterweight Champion.
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Fact finding,,,,,,,Pipino was actually a replacement fighter, for Jose 'Mantequilla' Napoles.

Originally, Angel Espada was going to fight comebacking 36 year-old
former World Champion, Jose Napoles in April 1976, and in Mexico City.
But, Jose Napoles was not in top condition for the April bout, and the bout was
cancelled, and re-scheduled for July 1976, and in Mexicali, Baja California.

Angel Espada, in the interim, then fought Alfonso Hayman in a
non-title bout on April 21, 1976, which he won by KO 8.

In early-July, with a WBA Champipnship bout scheduled for July 17, 1976,
former Champion Jose Napoles pulls out of the bout, claiming he is not performing well
in training, and will retire from the ring.

The promoters quickly put together a WBA Championship bout, with Champion Angel Espada
facing a powerful, but a raw and limited skilled 18 1/2 year-old, Jose 'Pipino' Cuevas.

Angel Espada and his manager Yamil Chade approved Pipino Cuevas as an opponent,
after witnessing him fight in Los Angeles, versus Andy 'The Hawk' Price.

The 28 1/2 year-old WBA Welterweight Champion, with a record of 36-7-4 (20 KO's) will be
making the 2nd Defense of his Title.

The Champion is listed as a 5-1 betting-favorite.

 

Angel Espada in 1976

Had signed a 4-Fight Promotional Contract with Mexican Fight Promoter,
Rafael Mendoza.

Angel Espada was supposed to fight '4' Welterweight bouts
versus '4' Mexican Weltewweights throughout the latter half of 1976.

All to take place in Mexico.

April.............Jose Napoloes
July..............Jose Palacios (Non-Title Fight)
September.....Jose 'Pipino' Cuevas
December......Jose Baquedano

When Jose Napoles pulled out to officially retire, Pipino Cuevas was moved up to
the July 17, 1976 slot.

 

Saturday Night, July 17, 1976
Plaza de Toros Calafia, Mexicali, Baja California (Outdoor Arena)

The Champion is wearing maroon trunks with white side stripes. Pipino Cuevas is wearing red trunks
with 'PIPINO' and a White Star lettered on the front left paint leg.

#9 WBA Welterweight Jose 'Pipino' Cuevas wins the WBA Welterweight Championship over *Champion Angel 'Cholo' Espada.

'3' knockdowns in the 2nd Round, all by the left hook.

Referee Larry Rozadilla calls it off at 2:33 of Round 2.

Attendance; 11,000

Fight Purses;
Angel 'Cholo' Espada......$85,000
Jose 'Pipino' Cuevas........$7500

 

July 17, 1976

A stunned Angel 'Cholo' Espada trying to hold off Jose 'Pipino' Cuevas in Round 2.

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Yamil Chade and Angel Espada had signed a 'big money' 4-bout contract
for $500,000 with Mexican Boxing Promoter, Rafael Mendoza in March of 1976.

After the proposed bout with Jose Napoles fell through 'twice', the
promoter scrambled to save the July 17, 1976 fight date.

Pipino Cuevas was 'the right fighter, at the right place and at the right time';
A 'popular' Mexican, available, cheap fight purse, with limited skills, and not too much of a risk'.

:shock::shock:

I don't think it was as much as that Angel Espada wanted to fight Jose 'Pipino' Cuevas,
but more of that they didn't think 'Pipino' was that much of a risk, as he didn't show
much in getting out-boxed by Andy Price 6-weeks earlier.

Remember 'Pipino' Cuevas was a replacement fighter, and the bout still had to sanctioned by
the WBA $$$$.

Angel Espada was supposed to get $200,000 to defend against Jose Napoles. The bout with 'Pipino'
was an easy $85,000 pay-day, or so Angel Espada thought.

 

Cuevas vs Espada II

* Jose 'Pipino' Cuevas 19-6-0 (17 KO's)
vs.
#3 Angel 'Cholo' Espada 39-8-4 (22 KO's)

November 17, 1977
Saturday @ Roberto Clemente Stadium
Attendance; 12,000

Pipino Cuevas makes the 4th Defense of his WBA Welterweight Championship.

Pipino Cuevas, since Knocking-out Champion *Angel Espada (KO 2) in July 1976,
has defended his title against #1 Shoji Tsujimoto (KO 6), #1 Miguel Campanino (KO 2),
and #4 Clyde Gray (KO 2).

Angel Espada (29 1/2 year-old) has fought only 3-times in 16-months. He has won all '3' bouts, '2' by knock-out, and a
solid 10-Round decision win over #9 WBA Welterweight 'Sugar' Ray Hammond 15-1-1 (6 KO's) on
August 27, 1977.

The 19 1/2 year-old Pipino Cuevas, a 5-1 heavy underdog in their first bout, is now a slight 10-8 betting favorite.

 

MK-99

This fight is available on You Tube.

Pipino Cuevas is wearing 'yellow trunks' and Angel Espada is wearing 'black trunks' with
white stripes.

Round 1, Pipino came out fast, with wreckless abandon, and started winging his left hook, as he chased
the 'frightened' Angel Espada all over the ring.

In Round 2, Pipino nailed Espada with a double left hook, which sent him to the canvas.
Espada is hurt, but not out of it. Pipino tries to finish him off, but Espada moved away and avoided
any other bombs, by clinching, holding and running.

Round 3 thru 5, Pipino still continued charging like a run-a-way train, but Espada was able to withstand
the bombs, which were still landing. Espada does start to land with some scoring punches, but not with
much authority.

Round 6, Espada finally got his offense going, and landed some crisp right hand counters, to back Pipino off.
Pipino has slowed down, which allows Espada to throw some combinations.

Round 7, Espada actually started to land some good punches, and finally nailed Pipino with a booming right
hand flush on the jaw, which shook Pipino and had him in brief trouble. Espada scores with a few solid volley's
but can't find the finisher. Pipino is now on the defensive and backing up.

Round 8, was the last round that Espada put a charge in, as he caught Pipino with some good left hooks,
and several right hand counters. Espada opens up, but expends alot of energy. Pipino comes back firing at
the end of the round, and pins 'Cholo' along the ropes, while landing heavy lefts and rights.

Round 9, Pipino is now driving through the weakening Espada, and starts to nail him with some hard left hooks,
and looping right hands. Espada is fading, but does score with some decent jabs, and a counter right-hands.

Round 10, Pipino starts winging his left hook again, but Espada meets him in center-ring, and starts to fire back.
They exchange right hands, and each other is rocked. Pipino comes back first, and lands a booming straight right-hand to
Espada's jaw, and a left hook to the body. Espada is hurt, but holds on.

Round 11, Pipino really pours it on, with a variety of hard punches, that hurt Espada, and has him holding on.
Referee Jesus Celis looks in several times, and thinks about stopping the fight. Espada is stationary now along the
ropes, and is absorbing hard left and right punches from 'Pipino'.

Round 12, Angel Espada stumbles out of his corner, and Referee Jesus Celis immediately calls for the Ringside
Doctor. After an examination, the Doctor and has concluded that Angel Espada has a broken jaw.

Pipino Cuevas retains his WBA Welterweight Championship by a TKO 11.

Scorecards after 11 Rounds;
108-104.....Pipino Cuevas.....5-2-4 in Rounds....Referee; Jesus Celis...(Venezuela)
107-105.....Pipino Cuevas.....4-3-4 in Rounds....Judge from Puerto Rico
108-103.....Pipino Cuevas.....6-2-3 in Rounds....Judge from Mexico

Fight Purses;
Jose 'Pipino' Cuevas.........$145,000
Angel 'Cholo' Espada.........$55,000

 

November 17, 1977

Jose 'Pipino' Cuevas vs. Angel 'Cholo' Espada II

Both fighters left this bout bruised, battered and broken.

Angel Espada suffered a broken jaw (double fracture, right side jaw) in Round 10, after absorbing a
Pipino Cuevas straight right-hand (Photo below).

Pipino Cuevas suffered a bruised jaw in Round 7, courtesy of an Angel Espada right hand bomb.

Angel Espada, 'I proved that I could take his best punches. That first fight, I was caught cold and
never recovered. Tonight, he shook me, but I came back after he wore down a bit. No one can match Pipino in the
early rounds, the only way to beat him is to take him into the late rounds. I had him going in the 7th-Round, but I
couldn't catch him again with the right-hand. In the 10th-Round, he caught me with that right-hand and it broke my jaw.
I tried, but I just couldn't continue.'

Angel Espada, 'I said I would retire if I didn't beat Cuevas. I'm going to think about it, as I have been boxing
for a long time. We'll see in a couple of months, after my jaw mends.'

Later, Pipino Cuevas said that, 'Angel hit me so hard, that I couldn't eat food for '3' weeks. I had to eat by sipping
milk-shakes through a straw. I had a badly bruised jaw. No one has even knocked me down, but that right hand he
hit me with in the 7th-Round, was the closest that I have ever come to going down.'

Round 10, Pipino Cuevas vs Angel Espada II (November 17, 1977)

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Jose 'Pipino' Cuevas vs. Angel 'Cholo' Espada III

December 8, 1979 (Saturday)
Sports Arena, Los Angeles, California

WBA Welterweight Championship

* Jose 'Pipino Cuevas...25-6-0 (22 KO's)
vs.
#8 Angel 'Cholo' Espada...43-9-4 (26 KO's)

Pipino Cuevas, 10th Defense of his WBA Championship Crown.
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Since his TKO 11 over Angel Espada back in November 1977, Pipino has successfully defended his Title '5' times.

* TKO 9....#2 Harold Weston
* TKO 2 ...#10 Billy Backus
* TKO 2 ...#1 Pete Ranzany
* TKO 2....#5 Scott Clark
* W DEC...#10 Randy Shields

Over the past 2-years, Angel 'Cholo' Espada has only had '4' bouts. He has won all '4' by Knock-out, but
'3' of his opponents were nothing more than soft-punching/soft-chinned 'cannon-fodders'.

The only half-way decent fighter he has fought since the TKO 11 loss in November 1977, was a KO 9 over
'club-fighter' Sam Hailstock 13-2-2 (5 KO's) in February 1979, 10-months earlier.

Since February 1979, Espada has had only one-bout, in June, a KO 6 over Fitzroy Edward 6-1-1 (3 KO's), who was
nothing more than a 6-round Preliminary-fighter.

 

Jose 'Pipino' Cuevas vs Angel 'Cholo' Espada III

The 'skinny' before this December 1979 fight at Sports Arena in Los Angeles, was that
'Pipino' (3-weeks shy of 22) was starting to show signs of fading, and
he was getting hit by too many punches.

Boxing insiders were saying that he was a 'sucker' for right hand punches over the top,
and that he was relying on his 'granite chin' way too much. This was evident in
his hair-line and controversial 15-Round Decision win over #7 Randy Shields in July 1979.

'Pipino' was out prove everyone wrong, and he was an 'animal' in the sparring session
work-outs at the Main Street Gym in Los Angeles leading up to the fight. This lead some
on the California Boxing Commission to think about preventing the 'shopworn'
Angel Espada from entering the ring against Pipino Cuevas, in fear that he may get
seroiusly hurt.

Angel 'Cholo' Espada (3-months shy of 32), had been minimally active in the last '2' years,
and the rumors were floating about, that he was on 'shaky pins' during active
sparring sessions. Despite his 'limited activity', the WBA Championship Committee
had him ranked #8, without Angel defeating a Top 10 fighter in the last '2' years.

The early betting line had Pipino Cuevas as a 10-1 Favorite. The general assumption by the
'boxing pundits', is that 'Cholo' Espada will be 'lucky' to make it to the 6th-Round.
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On the undercard of this WBA Championship bout, Californian Randy Shields 34-6-1 (18 KO's),
now the #4 WBA-ranked Welterweight, was taking on Maurcio Aladana 11-5-0 (5 KO's) in a
10-Round over-the-limit (150 lb.) Welterweight bout.

Randy Shields had wanted an immediate rematch with Pipino Cuevas, but the WBA sanctioned a
non-mandatory defense for Pipino, versus anyone of his choosing in the WBA Top 10.
Pipino's manager, Lupe Sanchez took the easiest opponent, the 'shopworn' Angel Espada.

Randy Shields was 'promised' a Championship Bout for March 1980 by the WBA. As a
'charitable token' Randy was put on the fight card as the 'featured undercard bout,
with him receiving a 'gift' fight purse of $28,000 to take on a Mexican-born, California-based,
Las Vegas 'club-fighter' Mauricio Aldana.

 

The Fight

December 8, 1979
Sports Arena, Los Angeles, California

Attendance; 16,000

Pipino is wearing red trunks with 'PIPINO' lettered on the front belt line. Angel Espada is wearing black trunks
with white side stripes.

An enraged Jose 'Pipino' Cuevas tears into Angel 'Cholo' Espada immediately from the
opening bell.

Rounds 1 thru 4, it is all Pipino, as he keeps the former Champion on the defensive
throughout, with his famous wild left-hook bombs. Espada does all he can, to keep
the powerful Mexican off of him, but he is getting hit with hard shots.

Round 5, Espada mounts a minor offensive charge, and for the 'first time' he keeps
Cuevas at bay. Left jabs and quick right crosses work for Espada.

Round 6, both fighters slow the pace, as Cuevas is looking for the one big bomb, and
Espada pecks with medium force jabs.

Round 7, Cuevas opens up with some heavy punches early, and backs Espada up.
Espada is on the complete defensive, and can't score with much. Cuevas starts throwing
right hand bombs which land, and shake Espada.

Round 8, Pipino starts working with straight lefts, and measures Espada. Pipino
is loading up with hard left hooks. Espada weathers the storm and surprises the
Sports Arena with an offensive charge, and lands counter right hands which land
and shake Pipino.

Round 9, Espada takes the offensive early, and shoots several left-right combinations.
Pipino is a bit flustered, but waits for his opening, and lands several hard lefts that
drive Espada back. Espada is showing signs of fading and his legs are weak from the
body punches.

Round 10, Espada shoots a home-run right that lands, but it has little effect as
Pipino absorbs the punch well. Pipino comes back with a two-fisted assault, and wobbles
Espada with a right hook to the jaw. Espada back up, and Pipino fires a
straight right to the eye that hurts Espada. Espada retreats to the corner where he is trapped,
and Pipino unloads a 5-punch barrage which drops Espada.
Espada gets to a crouch, but Referee Jerry Smith stops the bout.

Referee Jerry Smith stops the bout at 1:18 of the 10th Round.

Attendance; 16,000

Scorecards;
Referee; Jerry Smith........88-83.... Pipino Cuevas...(7-2-0 in Rounds)
Judge; James Jen-Kin.......88-84.....Pipino Cuevas...(6-2-1 in Rounds)
Judge; Isaac Herrera........87-84.....Pipino Cuevas...(6-3-0 in Rounds)

Fight Purses;
Pipino Cuevas.......$250,000
Angel Espada.........$40,000

 

Jose 'Pipino' Cuevas vs Angel 'Cholo' Espada III
December 8, 1979

Round 9, Pipino Cuevas shooting the hard left to the face of Angel Espada.

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Jose 'Pipino' Cuevas vs Angel 'Cholo' Espada III
December 8, 1979

Round 10, Angel Espada floored and in the process of having the bout stopped.

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