Pedroza-Laporte

Discussion in 'Classic Boxing Forum' started by salsanchezfan, Aug 28, 2010.


Page 1 of 2
  1. salsanchezfan

    salsanchezfan Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

    15,800
    11,424
    Aug 22, 2004
    I began my love affair with boxing in 1983, which in many ways was a very cool thing; we had free network TV fights every weekend (so long as it didn't interfere with football; boxing was always aired more in the summer months when such a thing wasn't a factor), we had plenty of great fighters to see.........but there were several fights of that storied era I missed, this one coming a good year before I caught the bug. Having no youtube then to catch up with, I had only the writeups in the back-issues boxing magazines I would order religiously to learn about the past.

    I just finished watching this one for the first time and felt pretty well-served by what I read once upon a time in the magazines. It was described then as a horrible foulfest, with Pedroza basically mugging the younger Laporte and turning every dirty trick in the book to retain is title. That was pretty much what I saw.

    Laporte started off strong, rocking the champion here and there (particularly in the third), but faced with a stern challenge, Pedroza turned dirty. Check that, he turned FILTHY. One of the worst displays of fouling I have ever seen. Guy Jutras was impotent as referee that day, and should have been banned from ever officiating another fight after that debacle. Pedroza really should have been DQ'ed by the seventh round, but he saw Jutras had no sack, and so continued his onslaught.

    I ended up scoring it 143-139 Pedroza, having deducted the three points Jutras took from him for fouling. I have to say Pedroza's workrate and stamina were awesome to see, he really built momentum from the midpoint on and would have won comfortably anyway without the fouling, which perhaps upsets me even more. He didn't need to fight dirty to win, but he was beyond filthy in this fight, it really was a travesty.

    Given time, we sporting fans tend to look the other way at these things, chalking them up eventually to the rough "good old days" and describe with a sparkle in our eyes the savvy such fighters displayed, as if it were just part and parcel of the game we love. Perhaps it is, and I am too much the prude, but I find this a stain on Pedroza's record more than anything.

    Somewhere, Fritzie Zivic was smiling.
     
    salsanchezfan, Aug 28, 2010
    salsanchezfan, Aug 28, 2010
    #1
  2. Thread Stealer

    Thread Stealer Loyal Member Full Member

    41,963
    3,442
    Jun 30, 2005
    I just put the whole fight on youtube yesterday for anyone who wants to see it.
     
    Thread Stealer, Aug 28, 2010
    Thread Stealer, Aug 28, 2010
    #2
  3. salsanchezfan

    salsanchezfan Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

    15,800
    11,424
    Aug 22, 2004
    "erratic?" Then I have you to thank, sir..........
     
    salsanchezfan, Aug 28, 2010
    salsanchezfan, Aug 28, 2010
    #3
  4. MRBILL

    MRBILL Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

    21,116
    110
    Oct 9, 2008
    LaPorte was more a slugger and game, rather than a skilled boxer with finess........

    Juanito LaPorte was never truly in the class of a "Pedroza, Sanchez, Nelson or even a fading Gomez for Christ sake.....

    Hell, I doubt LaPorte could even beat a charged Barry McGuigan, who's been overrated by many in the U.K. / Ireland......

    LaPorte won his title in 1982 by beating ho-hum Mario Miranda for the vacant WBC title left behind by the deceased Sal Sanchez........

    LaPorte had wicked power at 126 / 130 pounds and owned a beard, but his skills were average.......

    No IBHOF for LaPorte...... NO!!

    MR.BILL
     
    MRBILL, Aug 28, 2010
    MRBILL, Aug 28, 2010
    #4
  5. Thread Stealer

    Thread Stealer Loyal Member Full Member

    41,963
    3,442
    Jun 30, 2005
    On my other channel, I have just the highlights of this fight

    [ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f0AF57VMgL4[/ame]

    Watch at the 1:35 mark how Pedroza hits him with a blatant low blow. After being warned, Pedroza hits him with 2 more low blows and pushes Laporte's face with the inner portion of his glove. I agree that Pedroza should've been DQ'd.

    I read that this decision was overturned, but I look at the record books and it says it was still a win for Eusebio.


    http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1119481/2/index.htm
     
    Thread Stealer, Aug 28, 2010
    Thread Stealer, Aug 28, 2010
    #5
  6. Thread Stealer

    Thread Stealer Loyal Member Full Member

    41,963
    3,442
    Jun 30, 2005
    Thread Stealer, Aug 28, 2010
    Thread Stealer, Aug 28, 2010
    #6
  7. natonic

    natonic Boxing Addict Full Member

    5,581
    83
    Jul 9, 2008
    McGuigan actually did beat Laporte...................I remember Pedroza - Laporte well. It was on CBS in the US and was a leadin to the Super Bowl. Imagine that. A fight actually being shown on Super Bowl Sunday. Pedroza's fouling was outrageous, but in a strange way, I still admired the skill he exhibited executing all those fouls. Pedroza could be beautifully deranged at times.
     
    natonic, Aug 28, 2010
    natonic, Aug 28, 2010
    #7
  8. MRBILL

    MRBILL Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

    21,116
    110
    Oct 9, 2008
    See... I spaced.... Barry defended against Juan in circa--'85........ Barry beat, "Pedroza, Bernie Taylor, Juan LaPorte" before losing to Cruz in Vegas in '86...

    WTF about Danilo Cabrera?? I have Cabrera's loss to Az Nelson, but I think he also lost to Barry McGuigan, as well.?.?

    I'm too care LESS to scope out Boxrec......

    MR.BILL:hat
     
    MRBILL, Aug 28, 2010
    MRBILL, Aug 28, 2010
    #8
  9. lora

    lora Fighting Zapata Full Member

    10,305
    544
    Feb 17, 2010
    Laporte was bull strong.Even an older past prime Laporte had Azumah Nelson wanting no part of him in the exchanges.
     
    lora, Aug 28, 2010
    lora, Aug 28, 2010
    #9
  10. salsanchezfan

    salsanchezfan Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

    15,800
    11,424
    Aug 22, 2004
    He was built like a little tank. I found it interesting (though hardly surprising given the low blows sapping Laporte's energy) than in the later rounds Pedroza was the one doing the hunting.
     
    salsanchezfan, Aug 28, 2010
    salsanchezfan, Aug 28, 2010
    #10
  11. natonic

    natonic Boxing Addict Full Member

    5,581
    83
    Jul 9, 2008
    Yeah, you're right Bill. McGuigan beat Cabrera. Nelson - Cabrera was one of, if not THE first fight I recorded on VCR. I think McGuigan - Laporte was a 10 rounder (pre-Pedroza).
     
    natonic, Aug 28, 2010
    natonic, Aug 28, 2010
    #11
  12. MRBILL

    MRBILL Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

    21,116
    110
    Oct 9, 2008

    All this **** was WBA title fights, etc....... WORD! I have this stuff tucked away in boxes..... I never taped any of Barry's pre-title fights......

    I also have them comeback fights of '88 / '89 of Barry's as well....

    MR.BILL
     
    MRBILL, Aug 28, 2010
    MRBILL, Aug 28, 2010
    #12
  13. Duodenum

    Duodenum Boxing Junkie Full Member

    11,604
    290
    Apr 18, 2007
    Taking the title away from a champion as prominent and established as Pedroza on a disqualification would have been politically untenable, and the WBA certainly would have reversed such a ruling against their alternative to Sanchez.

    Instead, referee Jutras penalized him liberally enough to cast the outcome in doubt as Pedroza and his corner nervously awaited the official scores.
    Filthy Fritzie died two and a half years later after a long bout with Alzheimer's. If he still had his marbles in January 1982, he may well have watched Pedroza-Laporte. It would be interesting to know if he was indeed smiling while seeing it, or was dismayed at the fact Pedroza got caught fouling. He was fond of pointing out that he was never disqualified in 65 defeats out of 233 total fights. (Of course if he was in fact in the full grip of Alzheimer's by now, then ironically he wasn't likely smiling at anything.)
     
    Duodenum, Aug 28, 2010
    Duodenum, Aug 28, 2010
    #13
  14. johnmaff36

    johnmaff36 Boxing Addict Full Member

    5,793
    578
    Nov 5, 2009
    With respect, if your gonna call i guy over rated then at least do your homework on him. McGuigan fought and beat LaPorte over 10rounds in the kings hall, belfast :good
     
    johnmaff36, Aug 29, 2010
    johnmaff36, Aug 29, 2010
    #14
  15. johnmaff36

    johnmaff36 Boxing Addict Full Member

    5,793
    578
    Nov 5, 2009
    your right he did fight Cabrera in a title defence in Dublin. He did not however, defend against laporte as that was a 10 rounder and an eliminater for the title
     
    johnmaff36, Aug 29, 2010
    johnmaff36, Aug 29, 2010
    #15
Page 1 of 2