The Eusebio Pedroza Appreciation Thread

He was a great fighter. I'm pretty sure he fought Juan Laporte before the Super Bowl in '82. He just mugged Laporte over 15 rounds. It was a clinic in borderline/Over the border tactics.

 

Pedroza won a lot a fights...he was good, but dirty.

My favorite memory of him, was Pedroza getting smoked by Barry McGuigan...
what goes around, finally comes around.

 

Ugh, I need to see more from this guy.

Raging Buuuull!

 

He unlike Salvador Sanchez had a couple of controversial fight's. People always say how Sanchez didn't look good in certain fight's well atleast he came on and won them.

 

He was one of my favorites back in the day.
I loved his awkward style. I remember him fouling the hell out of Laporte,his close calls with Lockridge and most of all was how he handled Patrick Ford alot easier than Sanchez.
I always looked forward to watching Pedroza on TV back then.
Its a shame he is so overshadowed by Sanchez.

 

Definitely the Super Bowl Sunday fight. I appreciated being able to watch a fight instead of the usual 6 hour buildup to the game. I was actually rooting against him in the Bernard Taylor (D 15) and Mcguigan (L 15) fights. I appreciated his skill but not so much some of his tactics.
I saw him in the early/mid 80's. To someone a little more versed on him, I'd ask what was his peak? Was he better in the late 70's?

 

Maybe a clinic in roughousing, but not in boxing. I had that fight scored a draw.

Pedroza got off to his customary slow start and gave away quite a few of the early rounds through inactivity before pouring it on in the end to salvage the win.

Although I acknowledge Pedroza as a great fighter, he only ever really wowed me in the Ford fight, where he turned brawler and disposed of a very talented, determined fighter.

I thought his fights with Lockridge and Laporte were all close affairs (had the first Lockridge fight a draw, had Pedroza winning the second fight by a point) and his fight with Taylor was an out and out stinker (not Pedroza's fault).

He did have excellent stamina, and a really good body attack as well, and not too many weaknesses as a fighter (good chin, handspeed, footwork, defense, ring generalship etc).

If he did have a deficiency I'd say it was in physical strength. Both Lockridge and Laporte managed to push him around the ring quite a bit and apply good pressure to him and for that reason I'd expect the likes of Armstrong, Nelson and Saldivar to have sucess against him in this regard and beat him.

I think the best boxers of the division would also outbox him (guys like Pep, Driscoll) but not too many others would have the an easy time with him.

Whilst I see him giving Sanchez trouble, Sal did bring his best for his biggest fights and I'd expect him to up the pressure and take more risks to get in range to land his shots and get the win against Pedroza in a close fight.

 

I always pick Sanchez over Pedroza but can't be positive my judgement isn't clouded by favoritism. The other thing is, you can go on Youtube and see 20 of Sanchez's fights any time you want to. It's a shame Pedroza is so overlooked that there's really none of his fights out there to see. I remember he was great but haven't watched a full fight of his in at least 15 years (on tape). It's a crime Sanchez - Pedroza wasn't made.

 

Superb fighter.

Could work off a very underrated jab on the outside, or grind an opponent down in close with body blows..and low blows...and elbows...and kidney punches. One of the more efficient defenses that I've seen, it was rare for him to get clocked with any more than one clean shot at a time when he was at his best.

Looked great against Ford, and good against the likes of Lockridge in the second fight, Caba, and certainly in the later rounds against LaPorte, too.

My opinions on a fight with Sanchez are well known, but regardless of the outcome, it can safely be stated that both were great, great featherweights who dominated a pretty solid era when they fought.

 

his fight with Carrasquilla is my favourite.

the smaller man gives an excellent effort before beign worn down.

 

I scored his fight with LaPorte as a DQ win for LaPorte.

I felt Pedroza beat Lockridge both times. I didn't understand the "robbery" claims in the first fight.

The best Pedroza ever looked (in a fight I saw) was against Ford.

Pedroza's uppercut to the body (and sometimes below) was excellent. Duran, Arguello, and Pedroza were 3 guys who had great uppercuts to the body.

 

I wish he and Sanchez would've fought.

Most accounts say Sanchez wasn't really interested in a unification bout.