Samuel 'Sammy' Serrano 'The WBA's Favorite Protected Champion'

Samuel 'Sammy' Serrano

'El Torbellino', the 'the slickster' Super-Featherweight from Bayamon, Puerto Rico.

Very talented, but one of the most protected WBA Champions.

A 5' 8 1/2" fast-handed boxer, with good footwork, who was regarded as a master in ring generalship.
But, though Sammy had busy hands, he lacked a world-class power punch.

By early 1976, 23 year-old Sammy had worked his way up to the #1 WBA Super-Featherweight by
compiling a record of 31-2-0 (7 KO's) and earned a challenge for the WBA Championship versus
Ben Villaflor, the Hawaii-based Filipino.

In a 'suprise' performance, Sammy danced, jabbed and counter-punched his way over the 'heavily-favored'
Champion in an April 13, 1976 Championship bout in Hawaii, in what appeared to be a convincing decision win.

Sammy neutralized the Champion's powerful left hand in the early rounds. Serrano then made use of his
great left jab in the middle rounds, by boxing smartly and using shifty movement. By the end of the 12th Round,
Serrano appeared to a have a safe lead on the scorecards, and fought defensively over the last 3-Rounds.

The Champion made an aggressive attack in the last 3-Rounds, but it did not appear enough to overcome
Serrano's early and middle rounds point lead.

But, the scoring officials had the bout a 15-Round Draw, in what appeared to be a not-above-board judgement
by one of the judges.

Referee, Walter Minn scored the bout 70-70 (5-5-5, Even)
Judge, Tomo Tomihara scored the bout 72-67 (8-3-4, for Samuel Serrano)
Judge, Walter Cho scored the bout 73-67 (8-2-5, for Ben Villaflor)

Angelo Dundee, who was the 'chief second' for Sammy Serrano couldn't believe the decision, and immediately
called it a 'home-island decision'.

Jose 'Pepito' Cordero, Sammy Serrano's manager, immediately filed a protest with the WBA, and was granted an
immediate rematch for his fighter. The rematch was supposed to take place within 90-Days (by July 13, 1976).

Jose 'Pepito' Cordero is a well-connected fight manager, who has close ties to the WBA.

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October 16, 1976

Hiram Bithorn Stadium - Puerto Rico

WBA Super-Featherweight Championship

Ben Villaflor vs. Samuel Serrano - The Rematch

On the undercard of the Wilfred Benitez vs. Tony Petronelli WBA Light-Welterweight Championship.

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Master Flea,

A great article to check out, March 23, 1981 in Sports Illustrated by Pat Putnam.

'Fighting The Rulers Of The WBA'

Samuel 'Sammy' Serrano....WBA Super Featherweight Champion

After defeating Ben Villaflor on October 16, 1976 for the Championship

Between October 1976 and April 1980, (42-months)

Serrano had '10' defenses, and only '3' mandatory defenses against a #1 WBA-ranked Challenger.

The WBA, in their own rules, mandated that a Champion must face the #1 Challenger every
6-months.

In 'two' of his defenses, the #1 Challenger's were (Young-Ho Oh and Nkosana Mkxaji), and both
bouts were 'farces'.

Serrano's manager, Jose 'Pepito' Cordero was a 'shady sort', who also handled Angel Espada,
Ernesto Espana, and Esteban De Jesus.

 

Flea,,,,,

First defense for the 24 year-old WBA Champion - Samuel 'Sammy' Serrano

January 15, 1977

The Champion, at 5' 8 1/2" and with a record of 34-2-1 (9 KO's).

Down at the 'Bull Ring' in Guayaquil, Ecuador - #8 WBA-ranked - Alberto Herrera.

Herrera a 28 year-old - 5' 7" southpaw boxer-puncher, with a pretty good right hand.

Had been a professional for 10-Years, but was little known outside of Ecuador.

Was the Pride of Ecuador at the time, with a record of 41-1-0 (11 KO's), and Alberto
held one of the South American Super-Featherweight Championships, but he never
fought outside of Ecuador.

The Skinny; A good southpaw boxer, worthy of a Top 10 ranking. A decent right cross,
but his overall power rating was 'average'.

Alberto had some very good Decision wins over Latin American Super-Featherwights,
A) Ramiro Bolanos
B) Victor Echegaray
C) Antonio Amaya
D) Roberto Quintanilla
E) Miguel Betruz

The Fight,

Proved he packed a good right hand, when he floored the Champion (the first time Serrano was
ever floored in his career), with a right cross to the chin, but Alberto failed to follow up.

The Champion won Rounds 2, 3 and 4 - by scoring with right-hand leads on his southpaw Challenger.

Herrera had a good 5th Round, when he pounded the Champion's body with hooks, including
hurting Serrano briefly. And Herrera fought the Champion 'evenly' in Round 6.

But that was it for the Ecuadorian.

Serrano won Round 7 solidly, by landing hard right-hands to Herrera's head. Serrano then took complete
control in Round 8, when he dropped Alberto with a hard right-cross.

From there, Serrano domintated, and pounded the home-country Ecuadorian with numerous
right-hand crosses in Rounds 9, 10 and 11, before finishing off the worn-out Challenger late in
Round 11 with a right uppercut that dropped Herrera on his back for the 'full-count'.

Time 2:17 of Round 11. (KO 11)

 

Flea Man,,,,,

Samuel Serrano's Title Defenses

January 15, 1977......(Ecuador)...........#8 WBA - Alberto Herrera
June 26, 1977..........(Venezuela).........#1 WBA - Leonel Hernandez
August 27, 1977.......(Puerto Rico)...... #6 WBA - Apollo Yoshio
November 19, 1977...(Puerto Rico).......#9 WBA - Tae-Ho Kim

February 18, 1978.....(Pueto Rico)......#10 WBA - Mario Martinez
July 8, 1978.............(Puerto Rico)......#1 WBA - Young-Ho Oh
November 29, 1978....(Japan).............#10 WBA - Takou Maruki

February 17, 1979.....(Puerto Rico)......#9 WBA - Julio Valdez
April 4, 1979.............(South Africa)....#1 WBA - Nkosana Mgxaji

April 3, 1980.............(Japan)............#10 WBA - Kiyoshi 'Battlehawk' Kazama
August 2, 1980..........(MIchigan)........#1 WBA - Yatsutsune Uehara

Yatsutsune Uehara scored a 'one-punch' (KO 6) over Sammy Serrano in his 11th Title Defense.

 

Blade,,,

The WBA's Favorite.......'Protected Champion'.

Samuel 'Sammy' Serrano did 'not' have to abide by the WBA rules.

Fight Purse Fee of $150,000 to get him to go to a Challenger's country.

 

True Mr. Lufcrazy,,,,

Not even in the same universe with Mr. Arguello

Samuel Serrano was aiming for a bout with WBA Lightweight Champion - Hilmer Kenty in 1980,
rather than take on the Explosive Thin Man.

But he got upset by a 'Tokyo Express'.