Ricardo Cardona 'WBA Super Bantamweight Champion'

Part III

Following the end of the bout, the Decision of the Referee and '2' Judges
were read, with all favoring the Champion - Ricardo Cardona.

Scorecards;
Referee, Stanley Christodulou......146-145 (5-4-6 in Rounds)
Judge, Jesus Celis......................146-144 (6-4-5 in Rounds)
Judge, Rodolfo Hill......................146-144 (6-4-5 in Rounds)

After the announcement, the ChangChung Gymnasium fans attacked,
the ring, tossing cups and beer bottles at the Cardona Team, the Columbian
band and the '3' scoring officials.

Ricardo Cardona and his associates rushed to the locker room, where they
barracaded themselves for 4-hours.

150 Police were called to the Arena, where 17 arrests were made.

After the bout, the Promoter appologized to Ricardo Cardona and Ramiro
Machado, and had a police escort drive them back to their Hotel, as
well as providing around the clock security during their stay in South Korea.

 

September 6, 1979

WBA Super-Bantamweight Championship

Hachinohe Municipal Stadium - Aomori, Japan

26 year-old Champion - Ricardo Cardona (now 25-4-1 with 13 KO's) defended his WBA Championship for the
'4th-time' with a 'close' hard-fought 15-Round Unanimous Decision over #7 WBA Challenger -
25 year-old Yukio Segawa (now 8-2-0 with 7 KO's) of Japan.

The Japan Challenger, a 5' 5" southpaw with only '8-bouts', stunned the Champion early in the '1st-Round'
with a 'knockdown' by way of a short right hook.

Yukio Segawa put forth a furious fast-pace in the early rounds, by scoring with fast rights and lefts
from his 'southpaw stance'. The Champion couldn't find the rhythm in the early going, as he missed
badly with 'wild right uppercuts' in attempt to slow the faster Yukio down.

By Round 8, the 'speedy Challenger' began to slow down, and the 5' 8" Cardona was able to get the range
and score with combinations.

In Round 10, the Champion staggered Yukio with a hard left hook, and had the Challenger on
'wobbly legs' at Rounds end.

Both fighters fought on 'even' terms in Round 11, but the Challenger Segawa was having difficulty
with his legs has he was having stamina problems.

In Rounds 12, 13 and 14, the Champion pressed, and scored with continuous lefts and rights, leaving
the exhausted Yukio Segawa staggering.

The Champion himself was exhausted, as the fast pace he set in Rounds 12, 13 and 14 had him on
wobbling legs at the end of Round 14.

In the 'final round', the Champion battered Segawa with an assortment of lefts and rights to the
jaw and body, scoring a 'knockdown'. The Challenger did rise after a '6-Count' and withstood
an all-out attack from Ricardo Cardona until the 'final bell'.

The UPI scored the bout for the Champion -Ricardo Cardona (144-141).

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December 15, 1979

The Bull Ring - Barranquilla, Columbia

WBA Super-Bantamweight Championship

Champion - Ricardo Cardona (Columbia) 25-4-1 (13 KO's)
vs.
#1 WBA Challenger - Sergio Palma (Argentina) 35-2-4 (13 KO's)

The 27 year-old Champion will be attempting to make the '5th-Defense' of
his Championship. The 5' 8" Ricardo Cardona will have the advantage of fighting
in his home-country. The Champion possesses a formidable left jab, and a hard
right hand. The Columbian has exhibited good leg movement in his Championship
bouts, as well as smart boxing skills.

The 5' 4 1/2" - 23 1/2 year-old, Argentinian called 'Chaco La Tigra' is a classic
counter-puncher with fast hands, and is very strong despite his compact frame.
Sergio likes to counter with chopping right-hands, which is his best power punch.
His style is to lay back and counter-punch over the first-half of the bout, then make
a charge in the later rounds.

Sergio also holds the South American and Argentinian Super-Banatamweight Title's.

The Fight

The Champion got off to a fast start, and peppered the shorter Challeger with solid left jabs
over the 'first 4-rounds'.

In Round 5, Sergio Palma switches from 'counter-punching' to 'stalking', and finds success,
as he is able to back Cardona up and score with good body punches.

In Round 6, the Champion goes to a 'stick-and-move' style, and frustrates Sergio over the next
'5-Rounds' - who cannot pin Cardona into a stationary position. The Champion has a 'commanding lead'
after '10-Rounds'.

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In Round 11, the Champion opened up with a '7-punch barrage', but lowered his left guard
while attempting a right upper-cut. At that moment, Sergio 'unloaded' with a crushing
right-hand counter-punch square on Cardona's jaw. The Champion staggered to the
ropes as Sergio bored-in, and ripped away with both hands on a hurt Champion.

But the cagey Cardona, used all his experience and good legs to dance away and scamper,
avoiding anymore heavy-blows from the hard-charging Argentinian.

In Rounds 12 and 13, Sergio pressed the fading Champion, but he absorbed many left jabs
which cut his skin around his eyes.

Over the last '2-Rounds' (14 and 15), Sergio went after the Champion like a 'raging Tiger',
and plastered him with a two-fisted assault until the 'final bell'.

Scorecards;
Referee, Waldemar Schmidt.........145-141 (9-5-1 in Rounds)
Judge,.....................................146-145 (5-4-6 in Rounds)
Judge,.....................................147-145 (5-3-7 in Rounds)

Ricardo Cardona, 'Sergio is very strong. He had me hurt in the 11th-Round, but I used my
skills and experience to carry me through. I controlled the first '10-Rounds', and boxed
smartly over the last '4-Rounds' after I got hurt'.

Sergio Palma, 'I waited too long to start punching, and let him build a lead. I had him
out in the 11th-Round, but he has incredibly strong legs and danced away. I can't
believe he took that punch, and continued to fight.'

 

May 4, 1980

"The Great Fight at 122 lbs. in Seattle"

WBA Super-Bantamweight Championship

WBA Champion - Ricardo Cardona (San Basillio de Palenque, Columbia)
vs.
#5 WBA Challenger - Leo Randolph (Tacoma, Washington)

The WBA Champion, will be making the '6th-defense' of his Championship. But, at
age 27 1/2, the difficult task of getting down to 122 lbs. on his 5' 8" frame took its
toll in his last bout with Sergio Palma (6-months earlier). The rumor-mill has it, that
the Columbian is having trouble getting down to the Super-Bantawweight weight limit,
and will undoubtedly have stamina problems in this upcoming bout.

The Champion, at 26-4-1 (13 KO's), still possesses a great left jab and a stiff right hand,
to go along with great ring generalship. The 5' 8" Cardona, will again have a height
and reach advantage over another 'shorter' Challenger. This will be the '7th' time,
in 'all' of Cardona's Championship fights that he has had this advantage.

Leo 'The Lion', a 22 year-old, 5' 5" Super-Bantamweight, is a 'power-pak' boxer, who
throws 'punches-in-bunches', and tries to overwhelm his opponents with a volume of
punches to keep them on the defensive.

The 'skinny' on Leo, who has a record of 16-1-0 (8 KO's), is that he has shown tremendous heart
and stamina in his bouts, but is lacking experience, and does have difficulty with taller opponents.

Note: This bout will be promoted by Muhammad Ali Pro Sports, Inc. - and also televised
by CBS-Sports.

 

It's up next.

To get Ricarda Cardona (Columbia) to come to Seattle, Pro Sports Inc. had to offer the Champion a
fight purse of $100,000 plus $10,000 in expenses.

Leo 'The Lion' Randolph received $25,000.

Leo Randolph, was the 1976 Olympic Gold Medal Winner in the Flyweight Division, in Montreal.

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The Fight,

May 4, 1980 (Seattle Center Arena)

Attendance; 1109 (A suprisingly small attendance)

The Champion, utilizing his 3" height and 3" reach advantage, starts out with long-range
left jabs, to keep the pressing Challenger off of him, and wins Rounds 1 and 2.

In Rounds 3 and 4, Leo is able to get under the Champion's jab, and scores with
several good body punches, while backing Cardona to the ropes.

In Round 5, Leo is still pressing, as the Champion is looking to unload a right hand
over Leo's left. The opening comes mid-way through the round, as Cardona drops
in a right-hand bomb, which drops Leo. Randolph gets up at the '3-Count', but is
seriously dazed and groggy, and also now with a bloody nose.

The Champion stalks the fleeing Challenger, and looks to land the 'finisher' but cannot
land with another hard right hand.

In Rounds 6 and 7, the Champion stalks and uses alot of energy in trying to stop the still
groggy Randolph, but Leo is able to slide and move while trying to clear his head.

In Round 8, the Champion is obviously fatigued, and Leo Randolph seizes the opportunity by
hammering Cardona with steady left-rights, while pushing him backwards.

In Rounds 9 thru 13, the Challenger continues with his steady assault, and continues
to punish the 'tired' Champion, who can only muster an occassional left jab and weak right hand
counter-punches.

In Round 14, Leo goes out to finish the 'exhausted and battered' Champion, and
scores with hard punches to drive Cardona back into the ropes. Leo then pummels
a near 'defenseless' Cardona with a heavy-barrage, as Referee Larry Rozadilla looks
to step in to stop it, but suprisingly allows the fight to continue.

At the bell, Ricardo Cardona, hopelessly behind on the scorecards, barely makes it to
back to his corner.

Scorecards after 14-Rounds;
Refree, Larry Rozadilla......138-132
Judge, Rogelio Perez........138-132
Judge, John Nerizich........138-133

Amazingly, Ramiro Machado sends his exhausted fighter out for Round 15. In the
opening moments, Leo sends a volley of sharp left-rights to the battered Champion,
who starts his backward pattern, as Leo stalks without worry of a counter.

Then while pinning the Champion to the ropes, Leo unloads 'left and right bombs' flush
on the head of Cardona, when finally Referee Larry Rozadilla jumps in the stop the
bout at 1:31 of Round 15.

Moments later, Ricardo Cardona collapses to the canavas, where he lay for 20-minutes.

The ex-Champion was then brought to the Seattle General Hospital where he was
treated for exhaustion.

The new WBA Champion, 22 year-old Leo Randolph ups his record to 17-1-0 (9 KO's).

 

Sis Sledge,

Amazingly, Ricardo Cardona continued to compete at 122 lbs., and a year and half later
was fighting for the WBA Super-Bantamweight Championship again at age 29.

Kind of remarkable, that the 5' 8" Columbian could maintain that weight after 8+ years.