the juggernaut prime Tony Ayala Jr. would've been. Older, more experienced guys were afraid to spar with Jose, who also stated in no uncertain terms that he wasn't going to take it easy on Torito just because he was a kid. Cuevas vs. Torito: The ring legend of Tony Ayala Jr. was just beginning when WBA welterweight champion Pipino Cuevas came to town in the summer of 1977 to train for a title defense against Clyde Gray of Canada. Like all champions, Cuevas knew good sparring was a prerequisite for a good performance in the fight. But there was just one welterweight at San Fernando Gym 14-year-old Tony Ayala Jr. "Cuevas' manager, Lupe Suarez, said they couldn't afford to bring sparring partners with them from California," Tony Ayala Sr. said. "So Tony says, 'Let me spar with him.'" It was on a Saturday and San Fernando Gym was packed with onlookers to see Cuevas' public workout. The sparring session turned into a fight, with Ayala taking it to the 19-year-old Cuevas. Ayala hit Cuevas with a series of body shots that left the champion dazed and more than a little embarrassed. Sanchez told Tony Sr. that his fighter had had enough and Team Cuevas moved its training camp to Houston shortly thereafter. - John Whisler
I doubt very much the validity of that story...... ....I dont doubt that Ayala and Cuevas sparred......but something about the story does'nt make sense to me.... ....a 14 year old Ayala was a welterweight?.....and the same fighter over 20 years later after years in jail is fighting just 10 pounds above his weight when he was 14 years old? ......that just does'nt add up to me!:? I believe the story is greatly exaggerated!
Tony was chubby as a kid. By the time he turned pro at 17, he was already a Jr. MW. Post-prison, with the exception of the Campas and Cardonas fights, Ayala fought as a full-fledged MW.
The story does'nt add up to me as its told..... ....that story is told from the perspective of someone who is trying to make Ayala look more of a beast than he really was at 14 years old..... .....when you really think about it, put yourself in Cuevas' shoes.....here is a 14 year old chubby kid going all out on me, what to do???? I know if I were in Pipino's shoes at that time, I'm sure as hell am not going to respond in kind and stretch out a 14 year old chubster. The way I would envision it, Ayala even at 14 was strong and powerful, and he was probably really laying it on Pipino.....if you were Pipino would you actually push yourself during that sparring session to get Ayala out of your chest and risk the chance of laying this kid out and having to live with your conscious afterward???? I always take these types of stories with a grain of salt!
Jose had stated in no uncertain terms that he wasn't going to take it easy on Tony just because he was a kid.
Well excuse me.....Pipino stated it so it must be so!:roll: Could it be by Pipino stating that, that it was his way to ask for real sparring? Not everyone comes out and states it point blank! The story goes that the gym was packed with onlookers..... .....my common sense would tell me that Pipino must have been thinking, what will be the reaction of the onlookers if I laid this kid out? ......Obviously a 14 year old who by now we can gather has no respect for anybody, was trying to impress everyone and go all out to hurt Pipino........ .....now we obviously know that Pipino's stenghths was not his boxing skill......Had that been a great boxer in there against the 14 year old young Ayala, there would be no qualms about propinating him a boxing lesson, as usually you dont risk knocking him out silly by doing so...... .....the fighter giving the lesson or the crowd would not have had any reservation to see a 14 year old wise guy get schooled, as long as he did'nt get hurt....... But when you have a World Champion like Pipino who's only way to fight is to come foward throwing hard leather......think about it, the only way to get him off of you is to KHTFO.....I doubt that Pipino as a World Champion and a human being, wanted to put that stain on himself and knockout a child who was trying to impress those in the Gym. .....my common sense guess here is that Pipino Cuevas and his handlers realized this and called a halt to the sparring session! I dont even have to be there to figure out what might have happened.....I dont care how much of a beast Ayala was back when he was 14, but he was not about to get the better of a Pipino Cuevas the Welterweight world champion as a 14 year old if Pipino would have really layed it out and went all out on him!
Divac, is that Jim Plunkett in your avatar? I always liked him. It always escaped me why they would choose Marc Wilson over him, esp. in critical games.
Yes, its Jim Plunkett, imo the most underrated quarterback in the history of Pro football. .....there was a brief couple of years period when Plunkett was benched for a few games in favor of Marc Wilson.....back in those days, it was'nt what you've done for me in tha past, the Raiders demanded winning and contending for a Superbowl every year.....so if the Raiders offensive line was busted up and injured, the easy thing to do was to blame the quarterback for any defeats.... Coach Flores decided in a couple of instances to start Marc Wilson because he was a more mobil quarterback and with a busted up offensive line, he less likely to get sacked. ....and Wilson did throw a gem of a spiral. The Raiders found out quickly that mobility and spirals does'nt necessarily =winning and Plunkett was thrown back in to start where he belonged, and winning he did! Two Super Bowl Championships, a superbowl MVP, and a winner when surrounded by a good cast around him.....which was not the case in his early years in the NFL. Plunkett belongs in Footballs HOF and they've been shunning him for years now! I chose Plunkett as my avatar because he was a humble Warrior on the football field and in life. Win of lose, he was a sportsman that offered no excuses, and held his head up high regardless! A CHAMPION in every sense of the word!
