So Whatever Became of Cornelius Boza Edwards After Arguello?

............After Arguello? Well, his best years came after that fight. He went on to win the junio-lightweight crown from Limon in a highly entertaining 15-round decision, decking the iron-chinned Mexican in the process. He stopped Chacon in his first title defense when Bobby couldn't continue after the 13th round, then got pole-axed by Navarette in 5.

He probably should have moved up to 135 after that, but got a shot at Chacon's newly-won 130 pound title and barely lost a thrilling 12-round decision. 1983's fight of the year. You could tell then why he should have moved up, though. His legs started to betray him, presumably from the struggle to make 130. After then dropping a ten rounder to Rocky Lockridge, he did move up, and ran off a succession of impressive victories as a lightweight. He was easily decisioned by Camacho and destroyed in five by Jose Luis Ramirez in title tries, and that was the end of a stellar career.

 

Nice post, Boza was one of my favourite 80's fighters.

 

Yep, one of my favorite's. All three of the Limon, Chacon fights were wars! Still can't believe he got kayoed by Navarette. Then Navarette lost it in his first defense to Bazooka Limon in another ablsolute war! Those were great days for the Jr. Lightweight Division. After that Limon was pretty much done as he put up feeble resistance, as he gave a title shot to a young up & coming kid-Hector Camacho.

 

Yeah, I'd say he did his best work post-Arguello. He looked good in the Arguello fight as was. But as was usually the case with Alexis, if he was getting outboxed early he'd turn it up another notch as the fight wore on, and end up stopping you. But Boza's wars with Chacon are probably what he's most remembered for.

I've seen the Navarette fight as well. Navarette looked excellent, I rate him quite high at his best around 130 pounds. Would've liked to have seen him against the other Pinoy power-puncher of today.

 

& Also he is a trainer, based out of his hometown of Las Vegas. Ocasionally you can see him in a fight on TV working one of the corners.

 

Corny really was a spectacularly exciting fighter. Arguello was his introduction to most American fans, and while he did succumb to Arguello's power, he also managed to be on his feet when the action ended.

For some reason, John Verderosa angered him tremendously, and Corny looked awsome in pounding The Heat out of the unbeaten ranks. His next display was in a scorching ten rounder with Roberto Elizondo, broadcast on ABC by Sal Marciano. When that one began, Boza Edwards tried to utilize movement, not wanting to become a battered warrior after too many hard fights, like Chacon and Saad Muhammad. But he quickly discovered that his legs tired quickly on that particular ring surface, so he went to the ropes against Elizondo as Arguello had done in Roberto's previous fight (an unsuccessful challenge for Arguello's lightweight title a year earlier, where Alexis fractured his jaw with that lethal counterpunching of his).

Boza Edwards countered Elizondo's aggressive body attack with blistering uppercut combinations off the ropes, and won the decision after 30 minutes of nonstop action. Melvin Paul was coming off the ropes when Corny nailed him with one of the deadliest looking right hooks I've ever seen, for the definitive one punch knockout win of his career. He was the first one to ever stop Arturo Leon, one of the most rugged journeymen of his era (whose resume is a who's who of noteworthy opponents).

In the first battle with Chacon, Corny had a hairy moment when Bobby made him dance a wild jig with one of those spectacular right hands Schoolboy was noted for. He dropped Rafael Limon at a time in Bazooka's career when his chin was starting to seem impervious.

With Limon, Navarrete, Boza Edwards and Camacho, the early 1980s were something of a southpaw golden age, as well as glory days for the super featherweight division. Chacon, Navarrete, Limon and Boza Edwards always guaranteed excitement.

 

He was working some kid's corner on wednesday Night
fights last night.

 

Boza went on to become a staple of 80's boxing....ahhaa.... to be able to watch TERRIFIC fights without PPV. Lobotmy's post brought back some fond memories. He is another fighter that would be making lots of $$ today.

Alexis really crippled Boza to the body from this fight, if I remember correctly. Just devastating work, & a great example of how patient Alexis was as a fighter. A patient, thinking fighter with power is a deadly combination.

 

Hey, thanks for the affirming feedback! I don't consider myself much of a poster, but when I've managed to jog somebody else's recall of specific details, then I truly feel I've done about as well as I can. Boza Edwards probably did make a tidy sum while he was competing. He boxed at a time when televised exposure made him much more of a household word to the general public than most boxers are today.

When Corny fought Navarrete, I was shopping in a high end department store, and their bout was being displayed on a huge projection screen set for sale. A whole bunch of shoppers were gathered around to gawk at the technology, and watch the action. Men, women, boys and girls of all ages knew the participants involved. It's difficult for me to imagine such a collection of people doing that today for a boxing broadcast in public.

Not only was his bodywork ruinous, but he kept knocking Boza Edwards woozy with head shots. Just when it looked like Corny was going to fall, Arguello slipped to the deck himself, enabling Boza Edwards to finish the round on his feet. (Micky Duff stopped it between rounds.)

Just as with Joe Louis, the conventional wisdom with Arguello was to stick and move. But that only worked for Vilomar Fernandez the first time around, and then largely because that was scheduled for ten rounds. (If Alexis had gotten him in a 15 rounder like Duran did, then he too would have eventually caught Vilomar downstairs. Still, Fernandez outmaneuvered Arguello inside a small ring in a masterful display of mobility, quickness, intelligence and skill, although he was just starting to tire at the end.)

The 15 round distance was integral to the patient success of Arguello, Sanchez and their ilk. I've often wondered how successful they would have been in an era that rewards doping while penalizing patience and strategy.

In the poll on who the greatest 130 pounder of all time is, the caliber of Arguello's challengers and achievers in that division could heavily tilt those results in his favor. Boza Edwards, Limon, Chacon, Navarrete, Escalera twice, and then 47-0-0 Ruben Castillo make for a pretty impressive resume. Alexis had problems with Marcel and Olivares at 126, and difficulties with Vilomar Fernandez and Jose Luis Ramirez at 135, but 130 was all his.

 

I remember when I started RECORDING some of those fights in 80's. Was a big, big, deal-those VHS recorders.

Boza, Bazooka, Chacon, & others certainly made that particular era memorable- but Arguello clearly was a cut above them. Always admired Arguello's professionalism-there was something very "noble" in the way he carried himself as a champion. He went after Pryor rather than merely get a "belt" to make history. I will always remember that.

 

Glad to hear Boza Edwards is still around the game. He was a great exciting fighter and fun to watch, you always knew you'd be getting a great fight when his name was on the card.

 

I'd read somewhere that Boza literally crapped his pants in this fight! :yikes
Anyone else have any info?

 

Yes, Boza Edwards has been a boxing trainer for at least the past 20 years now, maybe longer. I remember around 1989-1990, he was training a prospect who regularly appeared on ESPN named Kelcie Banks. Not sure, if the kid ever went anywhere, but Edwards seems to still be in the business of training young fighters.

 

A guy I work with used to know Cornelius in the 70's before he went to las vegas. I was wondering if anyone knew where he could be found these days as this guy is going to las vegas and wants o try and track him down.