Eddie Gazo '1977 Ring Magazine Progress Fighter of the Year'

Eddie Gazo

Yes, the WBA Light-Middleweight Champion,,, March 1977 thru August 1978

Ring Magazine, voted him the Progress Fighter of the Year in 1977.

In August 1978, after losing his WBA Title to a former amateur wrestler
turned professional boxer Japan's Masashi Kudo,,,

Later,,,,,,,,The Ring Magazine called him the 'The Most Inept Champion of 1978'.

March 5, 1977
Eddie Gazo winning the WBA Light-Middleweight Championship over Champion Miguel Castellini in Managua, Nicaragua.

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The WBA Light-Middleweight Division Championship 'Flip-Flop'

6/14/74.....Oscar Alvarado
1/21/75......Koichi Wajima
6/17/75......Jae-Doo Yuh
5/18/76......Jose Manuel Duran
10/8/76......Miguel Castellini
3/5/77........Eddie Gazo

Sports Illustrated in an article about the plight of the WBA Light-Middleweight Division.

Oriental, Central and South American Light-Middleweights are like Mexican Heavyweights,
they are just not any good.

In the last 3-years, '6' different Champions have successfully defended their crown a
Grand Total of '2' times.

Maybe, the new champion, Eddie Gazo of Nicaragua can restore some luster to this tarnished
division. One can only think, of what Sugar Ray Robinson, who truly was at his best weight at 154 lbs.,
on what he would do to this division in his 'Hey Day'.

 

June 7, 1977
WBA Light-Middleweight Championship

* Eddie Gazo 35-4-2 (19 KO's)
vs.
#6 Koichi Wajima 31-5-1 (25 KO's)

The Players;

The 26 1/2 year-old Eddie Gazo from Nicaragua will make the first defene of his
WBA Light-Middleweight Title that he won from Argentinian Miguel Castellini in March 1977.

The 5' 10" Gazo, a competitive-scrapper, with a typical orthodox-style,
uses his physical strength and in-fighting to overwhelm his opponents in the later rounds.
Though slow afoot, he is a plodder who is persistent, and can absorb
punishment to get inside and score.

Does not have good hand-speed, but has improved his punching ability
in recent bouts. Is strong and durable, and has very good endurance.
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Koichi Wajima, the 34 year-old from Japan, is a former three-time
WBA Light-Middleweight Champion.

Wajima, last fought 13-months ago, when he was stopped in his challenge
for a '4th' World Title, by TKO 14 to Jose Manuel Duran.

The #6 WBA-ranked Wajima is looking for one more try at the title, and the boxing
promoters have given both participants large fight purses. The 'Man Of Fire" is one of
Japans most popular boxer, and he has stated that this is his last bout.

Koichi, at 5' 8", is a strong-willed boxer, called the 'Man of Persistance'. Using a low crouching style,
he can fire strong uppercuts with lightning speed. A furious attacker, and with the
stamina of a bull, a result of his intense conditioning. Koichi is famous for for his 'Frog Jump',
in which he fires an uppercut from a crouching position.

The downside, Koichi is 34 years-old, and his ability to absorb punches has diminished greatly.

The Skinny:

This bout is held at the Nihon Budokan in Tokyo, Japan. The Japanese fight fans should be
14,000 strong to cheer on the 34 year-old 'Man Of Fire' in his final bout, as he has stated.
The home-county fans should be a big-advantage for Wajima.

For Eddie Gazo, this is his first-bout in the Orient, and that should affect
his performance early. But, the physically strong Gazo usually comes on
late, and his pressure style may wear down the 34 year-old Wajima.

Betting Line:
Eddie Gazo.....7-5 Favorite

 

June 7, 1977

WBA Light Middleweight Championship

WBA Light-Middleweight Champion, Eddie Gazo from Nicaragua retained his
Championship last night, by scoring a TKO 11 over the popular Koichi Wajima.

Gazo, using his slow but steady style, wore down the #6 WBA Challenger from
Japan. The Champion boxed defensively over the first 3-rounds, but started to make
his charge in Round-4, by scoring with hard punches to the shorter Wajima's body.

Wajima, the former 3-Time WBA Champion, tried to rally briefly in Round-5, and he was
motivated by the 14,000 Nihon Budokan fans, with chants of 'Hon no Otko' (Man of Fire),
but the 34 year-old could not maintain his offensive strikes.

By Round-7, the 26 year-old Champion was in complete control, and started to
batter the stationary Wajima with heavy punches. In Round-10, Gazo staggered the
fading Wajima with several right hands to the head, and snapped his head back several times with hard punches.

In Round-11, Gazo went after the fading Wajima immediately, and pinned the former
3-Time Champion along the ropes, where he battered him for 25-Seconds, before dropping him with a
left-right combination. Wajima rose at the 8-Count, but his corner threw in the towell, forcing Referee Jay Edson
to call a halt to the fight at 0:45 of the 11th Round.

Scorecards:
Referee; Jay Edson..........49-42 (8-1-1 in Rounds).......Eddie Gazo
Judge; Adan Gaitan..........50-39 (10-0-0 in Rounds).....Eddie Gazo
Judge; Takeo Ugo............49-43 (7-1-2 in Rounds)......Eddie Gazo

Champion, Eddie Gazo improves to 36-4-2 (20 KO's)
Challenger, Koichi Wajima drops to 31-6-1 (25 KO's)

Fight Purses in U.S. Dollars
Eddie Gazo.......$115,000
Koichi Wajima....$100,000

 

Eddie Jose Gazo Roa

Turned Professional on October 6, 1971 at Age 21.

Starts out 14-0-1 (6 KO's), campaigning as a 147 lb. Welterweight.

April 4, 1973, defeats Carlos Espinosa 12-1-0 (8 KO's), another prospect by 10-Round Split Decision. (W Split-Dec 10)

June 14, 1973, lost his first bout, a 10-Round Decision (L Dec 10) to Omar Perez 11-2-0 (7 KO's).... Falls to 16-1-1

July 5, 1973, reverses his Decision Loss to Omar Perez 12-2-0 (7 KO's).....(W Dec 10)

By late September 1973 improves to 19-1-1 (7 KO's)

September 20, 1973, is upset and Knocked-out by Carlos Espinosa 14-2-0 (10 KO's)...(L KO 10).... Record now 19-2-1.

October 11, 1973,,,rebounds with a Knock-out win (KO 6) over Gerardo Sanders 8-3-1 (4 KO's)

November 2, 1973, reverses loss to Carlos Espinosa 15-2-0 (11 KO's) and wins a 12-Round Unanimous Decision
to capture the Nicaraguan Welterweight Championship.

Record is now 21-2-1 (8 KO's) and earns a #20 WBA Welterweight ranking.

December 12, 1973,,,Scores another Knock-out (KO 6) over Gerardo Sanders 9-4-1 (5 KO's)

Closes out 1973 with a record of 22-2-1 (9 KO's).

* Regarded as a tough-plodding competitive-scrapper. Clumsy, but strong.

 

Eddie Jose Gazo Roa

1974

January 12, 1974,,Wins the Central American Welterweight Title by Knocking-out {KO 8}
Roberto Arias 15-1-3 (6 KO's) in Nicaragua.

February 4, 1974. Gets offered his first bout out of Nicaragua. Goes to Columbia to take
on talented Light-Welterweight, Adalberto Vanegas 15-1-0 (4 KO's).... Battles to a 10-Round Draw.

Record 23-2-2 (10 KO's) with a #18 WBA Welterweight ranking.

Scores '2' more wins and improves to 25-2-2 (12 KO's)

March 18, 1974, Defends his Central American Welterweight Title by Knocking-out (KO 4)
Hernan Grimaldi 13-4-3 (7 KO's) in Nicaragua.

April 8, 1974, Defends the Central American Welterweight Championship, by again defeating
former Champion Roberto Arias 16-2-3 (7 KO's) by a 10-Round Decision in Nicaragua.

Record improves to 27-2-2 (13 KO's), and earns a #13 WBA-ranking.

May 22, 1974, Travels to Costa Rica, to take on highly-regarded Panamanian Welterweight,
#16 WBA Rodolfo Contreras 18-0-2 (14 KO's). Scores an impressive TKO 10, in defending his
Central American Welterweight Title.

Record improves to 28-2-2 (14 KO's) and earns a #10 WBA Welterweight ranking.

Sets up residence in Costa Rica, due to political unrest in Nicaragua. Does not fight for 8-months.

 

Eddie Jose Gazo Roa

February 7, 1975,,,Returns to Nicaragua

Wins a (KO 6) over Edmondo Camayagua (No record available). Now has a record of 29-2-2 (15 KO's)

April 18, 1975,,,Travels to Columbia to take on Columbian Welterweight Champion,
Carlos Obregon, who is undefeated at 21-0-0 (13 KO's), and is the #9 WBA Welterweight.
Gets battered throughout, and is Knocked-Out (L KO 6).

Note: 3-Months later Carlos Obregon loses a close 10-Round Decision to future WBA Champion Jose 'Pipino' Cuevas.

May 18, 1975,,,,Eddie Gazo returns with a solid Decision win (W Dec 10) over Walter Zuniga 15-5-1 (6 KO's) in Costa Rica.

June 6, 1975,,,,,Gazo moves up to 154 lbs. and is upset by Costa Rican Light-Middleweight Jose Scott 14-1-1 (5 KO's) in Costa Rica, (L Dec 10)

Record drops to 30-4-2, and Gazo drops out of the WBA Top 20 Welterweight Rankings.

 

Eddie Jose Gazo Roa

June 17, 1975,,,Eddie Gazo stops Light Middleweight Ezequiel Obando 9-6-1 (5 KO's) by KO 4
in Nicaragua.

Moves back to Nicaragua, and takes 8-months off, to join the Nicaragua Security Forces.

March 13, 1976,,,Wins the Central American Light-Middleweight Championship by
stopping Columbian Rodrigo Delgado 20-3-1 (12 KO's) in 10-Rounds (KO 10) in
Nicaragua.

Improves to 31-4-2 (16 KO's), and earns a #18 WBA Light-Middleweight ranking.

 

Eddie Jose Gazo Roa

May 15, 1976,,,Defeats Rosalio Matutie 9-2-1 (3 KO's) by (KO 6) in a Light-Middleweight bout in Nicaragua.

July 3, 1976,,,Faces Panamanian Knockout-Artist, Dino Del Cid, in Nicaragua to defend his
Central American Light-Middleweight Title.
The 31 year-old Del Cid, a tall 6' 0" 155-pounder., has knock-out power in posting a 77-15-2 (55 KO) record.

Eddie Gazo is floored in the 1st-Round, but battles back and drops Del Cid
'three times' in the 3rd-Round, and wins by KO 3.

Now with a record of 33-4-2 (18 KO's), Eddie Gazo is ranked #9 WBA, and is being mentioned as a possible challenger for the WBA Title.

September 4, 1976,,,Eddie Gazo scores an easy win (KO 7) over Jorge De Avila 11-4-1 (5 KO's) in Nicaragua.

Eddie Gazo moves up to #8 WBA Light-Middleweight, at 34-4-2 (19 KO's).

January 1977, #8 WBA Light-Middleweight Eddie Gazo signs to fight WBA Champion Miguel Castellini for the
World Championship, in Nicaragua on Saturday, March 5, 1977.

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March 5, 1977 (Saturday)

Estadio Nacional de Beisbol, Managua, Nicaragua

WBA Light-Middleweight Championship Bout

* Miguel 'Cloroformo' Castellini (Argentina) 62-5-10 (44 KO's)...Age 30..Height 5' 11"
vs.
#8 Eddie Jose 'Gato' Gazo Roa (Nicaragua) 34-4-2 (19 KO's)...Age 26..Height 5' 10"

Betting Line....5 to 2..Miguel Castellini (Favorite)

Miguel 'KO' Castellini is making the 'First Defense' of his WBA Light-Middleweight Title
that he won by Split-Decision over Spain's Jose Manuel Duran in October 1976, and
in Madrid, Spain.

The Bout;

From the outset, the physically stronger Eddie Gazo utilizes his strength, to back-up
the Champion, preventing him from using his usually precise left jabs. Thoughout the
early rounds, the younger Challenger scores with left jabs and clubbing rights to the
body of the immobile Champion.

In the middle rounds, Gazo is motivated by the 16,000 home-country Nicaraguan fans,
and repeatedly scores with clubbing rights to the body and arms of the suprisingly passive
and favored Champion. By Round 10, Castellini is completely frustrated, and is limited to
one-punch attacks.

Eddie Gazo maintains his aggression over the next 3-Rounds, preventing Castellini from mounting
a charge or landing his strong right hand. The #8 WBA-ranked boxer swarms over the Champion
in Round 14, scoring with his best punches, to insure a victory. In the final Round, Gazo boxes from
the outside and prevents any charge from the Champion.

Scorecards;
Referee; Jay Edson........149-144 (6-1-8 in Rounds)..Eddie Gazo
Judge; Juan Bade..........148-144 (6-2-7 in Rounds)..Eddie Gazo
Judge; Ricardo Rizo........148-143 (7-2-6 in Rounds)..Eddie Gazo

Fight Purses;
Miguel Castellini..........$90,000
Eddie Gazo................$45,000

Challenger, Eddie Gazo raises his hands at the end of Round 15, while a dejected Champion,
Miguel Castellini looks sullen after his 'poor performance' in defense of his WBA Light-Middlweight
Championship.

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Suprisingly,,,,,,,,Eddie Gazo defeated Miguel Castellini fairly easy,,,,,,,:huh

and Miguel 'KO' from Argentina was actually a pretty good fighter,,,:deal

 

Tha Japanese Promoter, Munekatsu Kawaragi wanted to give Koichi Wajima a retirement bout,
after all the years of class, professionalism and boxing excitement that he brought to Japan.

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D9,

Eddie Gazo actually fought well in 1977, enough to warrant Ring Magazine 'Progress Fighter of the Year' for 1977.

Eddie, was a 'favorte son' of the WBA's Mandry Galindez {President 1977/1978}
and was given an easy ride.

He was, if anything, a well-conditioned fighter, who had strength and stamina.
He was slow and clumsy, and had nothing more than clubbing punches with
below average power, but he was persistent. His chin, was reliable in his prime.

His best fights, were the win over WBA Champion Miguel Castellini in March 1977,
and the Knock-out (KO 11) over faded Koichi Wajima in June 1977.

In early 1977, after winning the WBA Championship, he moved back to Costa Rica, due to
the 'political unrest' in Nicaragua. Though he won his next '3' Title defenses, he was affected by the
'tension' in his country.

All of his Title defenses were fought on 'foreign soil and in the Orient'.

In August 1978, after an 8-month break, he gave a horrible performance in losing to Masashi Kudo in Japan, and blamed
the performance on his concern in Nicaragua, and could not focus on boxing.

Was supposed to get a rematch, but it never was offered. He then took 14-months off,
while waiting for issues to be settled in Nicaragua.

When he came back in October 1979, in a bout in Nicaragua, it was only his second bout in 22-months,
and the first bout in his home country since March 1977 (2 1/2 years).