Where did Jose 'Pipino' Cuevas come from so fast ? Saturday - July 12, 1975 Palacio de Deportes - Mexico City, Mexico On the undercard of the World Welterweight Championship between Champion * Jose Napoles and #2 Armando Muniz. Jose 'Pipino' Cuevas A 17 1/2 year-old, unranked Jose 'Pipino' Cuevas 12-5-0 (11 KO's), a 'super popular' and local Mexico City 'hard-hitting' Welterweight gets to fight in front of 18,000 fans in Mexico City. Coming into this bout, Pipino had last fought on January 25, 1975, where he struggled in winning a 'close' 10-Round Decision over Mexican 'trial-horse' Ruben Vazquez Zamora 43-13-0, a fighter who had been stopped in his previous '2-bouts' - by Light-Welterweight prospects - Monroe Brooks and Arturo Zuniga. Carlos Obregon A 22 year-old 5' 9" 147 lb. who was 'undefeated, rough and hard-banging', the #9 WBC-ranked Welterweight, Columbian - Carlos Obregon 21-0-0 (16 KO's). Obregon is the Columbian Welterweight Champion, and has just come off a 'stoppage' (KO 6) over Eddie Gazo 28-2-2 (a future WBA Light-Middleweight Champion). Boxing Manager/Promoter, Ramiro Machado has visions of matching his fighter Carlos Obregon with the winner of the Welterweight Championship bout, for possibly October 1975. Top 10 Rankings *** Jose Napoles #1...John H. Stracey #2...Armando Muniz #3...Bruno Arcari #4...Rocky Mattioli #5...Angel Espada #6...Joseph Bessala #7...Clyde Gray #8...Shoji Tsujimoto #9...Carlos Obregon #10..Germain LeMaitre The Fight Pipino opened up by 'swinging booming' left hooks from mid-range, as Obregon backed into the ropes and tried to deflect the punches. Some were blocked, but some got in and rocked the Columbian back. By Round 4, Obregon was sporting a deeply swollen right eye. Cuevas maintained the pressure, and was still winging punches through the 5th Round. Carlos Obregon finally got off the ropes in Round 6, and brought the fight to center-ring, where he was able to land with stiff left-jabs, as Cuevas had slowed down a bit. In Round 7, Obregon started to exchange with Cuevas who was countering only with left jabs. By Rounds end, it was Carlos who was now the aggressor, as he was pushing Pipino around. In Round 8, Obregon 'stunned' Cuevas with a short right hand to the chin, and Pipino backed into the ropes, where Obregon raked him with short left and rights to the head and body. In Round 9, an exhausted Pipino tried to smother Obregon by getting in close, but Obregon was able to spin free several times, and counter with solid left jabs. Cuevas was arm-weary, and had nothing left in the power department. In the all important 'final round', the Columbian attacked from the opening bell, backing Pipino up. But Cuevas, danced and moved, avoiding any exchanges with the fresher and more experienced Obregon. Obregon pressed, but was anable to land a 'telling blow' on the suprisingly elusive 17 1/2 year old. The Decision was announced as Unanimous for Jose 'Pipino' Cuevas. Scorecards { 96-94 / 96-94 / 96-95 } Following the bout, in the new WBC and WBA rankings, Pipino Cuevas was slotted as the #9 Welterweight.
