Antonio Cervantes
Titles: Jr. welterweight champion 1972-1976 and 1977-1980
Record: 66-12-1 (37 K.O's)
Born: December 23, 1945 in San Basilio De Palenque, Colombia
Years active: 1964-1983
Nickname: "Kid Pambele"
Should be thought of as one of 5 best jr. welterweights ever, and the
best Colombian fighter of all-time. Cervantes was a classy boxer with
the ability to hurt anyone who got careless. His early career saw him win
over local competition before moving his training base to Venezuela.
Cervantes won the jr. welterweight title at the age of 26 over well
regarded Alfonso "Peppermint" Frazer leaving him unconscious for 2 minutes.
Cervantes would hold on to the crown for 8 years, facing all worthy
contenders. Esteban DeJesus, Pepermint frazer, Nicolino Loccche and Miguel
Montilla were all defeated in impressive fashion. His finest victory was
probably in 1975 when he won a points victory over Estebahn Dejesus. His
reign was only briefly interrupted by the child prodigy known as Wilfredo
Benitez who took a 15 round decision and his title from him. 5 wins after
this defeat earned Cervantes a shot at the vacated crown against Carlos
Gimenez whom he destroyed in 6 rounds. Four of his next 8 successful title
defenses were in the other mans home town until Cervantes traveled to
Cincinnati to face Aaron Pryor. Again it took a legend bolstered by his
hometown fans to defeat the tough Colombian. Cervantes 20 year career
included 16 defenses of his title all over the world, with the help of his
long reach and calm defense. Only the best were able to beat this man and
he lost his title to 2 other hall of famers in Wilfred Benitez and Aaron
Pryor. Cervantes was 34 when he lost his title to Aaron Pryor, he would
fight on but never again reach a world class level.
Antonio Cervantes
Career record: 91 W, 12 L, 3 D (45 K.O's)
1964
Jan 31 Juan Martinez Cerete, Colombia W 6
Feb 28 Rodolfo Marquez Valledupar, Colombia W 4
Apr 21 Rodolfo Marquez Maria le Baja, Colombia KO 3
May 5 Oscar Gonzalez Medellin, Colombia W 8
Jun 20 Felix Salgado Barranquilla, Colombia W 4
1965
Oct 2 Antonio Yi Barranquilla, Colombia W 6
1966
Jan 7 Oscar Gonzalez Cartegena W 4
Jan 19 Rafael Donado Cartegena KO 2
Feb 2 Rodolfo Marquez Cartegena W 4
Feb 27 Rodolfo Marquez Barranquilla, Colombia KO 2
Mar 16 Eliodoro Pitalua Cartegena W 10
Mar 19 Antonio Yi Cartegena W 6
Mar 28 Eliodoro Pitalua Cartegena W 10
Apr 29 Jose Godoy Cartegena W 6
May 10 Jesus Cardenas Turbaco, Colombia KO 7
May 24 Jose Godoy Calamar, Colombia W 8
Jun 21 Rafael Donado Cartegena W 10
Jun 24 Jose Luis Zuniga Cartegena W 6
Jul 29 Reynaldo Lopez Cartegena D 8
Aug 20 Eliodoro Pitalua Cartegena KO 2
Sep 23 Cipriano Zuluaga Monteria, Colombia L 10
Oct 1 Jose Godoy Cartegena W 10
Nov 6 Cipriano Zuluaga Monteria, Colombia L 10
Nov 16 Antonio Yi Barranquilla, Colombia KO 6
1967
Feb 3 Victor Cano Bogota, Colombia L 8
Feb 8 Jose Godoy Cartegena W 10
Mar 1 Antonio Yi Cartegena W 10
Apr 2 Eliodoro Pitalua Cartegena L 8
May 20 Eliodoro Pitalua San Andres, Colombia W 10
May 30 Jose Godoy Cartegena W 10
Jun 3 Reynaldo Lopez San Andres, Colombia W 10
Jun 14 Antonio Yi Cartegena W 10
Jul 14 Nestor Rojas Caracas, Venezuela L 8
Jul 28 Rala Rojas Cartegena KO 5
Aug 5 Rafael Rojas Barranquilla, Colombia KO 5
Sep 30 Jesus Gonzalez Cartegena KO 3
Oct 15 Reynaldo Lopez Cartegena D 10
Nov 16 Reynaldo Lopez Cartegena W 10
Nov 21 Eliodoro Pitalua Cartegena W 10
Dec 7 Milton Mendez Bogota, Colombia D 10
Dec 21 Victor Cano Cartegena KO 8
1968
Jan 21 Eliodoro Pitalua Cartegena W 10
Mar 3 Milton Mendez Cartegena W 10
Jun 14 Barbulito Luluaga Cartegena W 10
Aug 29 Barbulito Luluaga Cartegena W 10
Aug 31 Jose Godoy Bogota, Colombia W 8
Oct 7 Juan Martinez Cartegena KO 7
Nov 25 Orlando Ruiz Caracas, Venezuela KO 1
Nov 28 Nestor Rojas Caracas, Venezuela W 10
Dec 14 Orlando Rivas Caracas, Venezuela W 10
Dec 23 Cruz Marcano Caracas, Venezuela KO by 4
1969
Feb 9 Jesus Gonzalez Cartegena KO 2
Apr 15 Frank Leroy Caracas, Venezuela KO 2
May 15 Jose Torres Cartegena KO 2
Jun 4 Milton Mendez Cartegena W 10
Jul 21 Francisco Bolivar Caracas, Venezuela L 10
Aug 16 Orlando Rivas Caracas, Venezuela KO 2
Oct 11 Antonio Gomez Caracas, Venezuela L 10
1970
Feb 21 Pedro Chirinos Caracas, Venezuela W 10
Mar 23 Diego Tovar Caracas, Venezuela KO 1
Nov 6 Jorge Rodriguez San Jose, CA KO 8
Dec 17 Rodolfo Gonzalez Los Angeles KO 8
1971
Feb 19 Enrique Jana Los Angeles KO 8
May 28 Lupe Ramirez Caracas, Venzuela W 10
Jul 10 Gerardo Ferrat Valencia, Venzuela W 10
Oct 18 Julio Viera Caracas, Venezuela W 10
Dec 11 Nicolino Loche Buenos Aires L 15
(For WBA and World Jr. Welterweight Titles)
1972
Mar 10 Jose Escudero Barranquilla, Colombia KO 1
Apr 26 Frank Medina Barranquilla, Colombia KO 8
Aug 19 Lupe Ramirez Maracay, Venezuela W 10
Oct 28 Alfonso "Peppermint" Frazer Panama City KO 10
(Wins WBA and World Jr. Welterweight Titles)
1973
Feb 15 Josue Marquez San Juan W 15
(Retains World Jr. Welterweight Title)
Mar 17 Nicolino Loche Maracay, Venezuela KO 9
(Retains World Jr. Welterweight Title)
Apr 28 Benny Huertas Cali, Colombia KO 1
May 19 Alfonso "Peppermint" Frazer Panama City KO 5
(Retains World Jr. Welterweight Title)
Jul 20 Rey Mercado Barranquilla, Colombia KO 5
Sep 8 Maria Gimenez Bogota, Colombia KO 5
(Retains World Jr. Welterweight Title)
Dec 5 Tetsuro Furuyama Panama City W 15
(Retains World Jr. Welterweight Title)
1974
Mar 2 Chang-Kil Lee Cartegena KO 6
(Retains World Jr. Welterweight Title)
Jun 8 Pedro Adigue Maracay, Venezuela KO 5
Jul 27 Victor Ortiz Cartegena KO 2
(Retains World Jr. Welterweight Title)
Oct 26 Yasuaki Kadota Tokyo KO 8
(Retains World Jr. Welterweight Title)
1975
Mar 15 Ray Chavez Caracas, Venezuela KO 2
May 17 Esteban DeJesus Panama City W 15
(Retaisn World Jr. Welterweight Title)
Sep 20 Kiyoshi Kazama Caracas, Venezuela KO 6
Nov 15 Hector Thompson Panama City KO 7
(Retains World Jr. Welterweight Title)
1976
Mar 6 Wilfred Benitez San Juan L 15
(Loses World Jr. Welterweight Title)
May 21 Javier Ayala Maracay, Venezuela KO 1
Jul 17 Beau Jaynes Maracaibo, Venezuela KO 1
Oct 16 Ariel Maciel Maracay, Venezuela KO 2
Nov 13 Saoul Mamby Maracay, Venezuela W 10
1977
Mar 19 Adriano Marrero Maracay, Venezuela W 10
Jun 25 Carlos Maria Gimenez Maracaibo, Venezuela KO 5
(Regains Vacant WBA Jr. Welterweight Title)
Nov 5 Adriano Marrero Maracay, Venezuela W 15
(Retains WBA Jr. Welterweight Title)
1978
Mar 18 Johnny Copeland Cartegena KO 3
Apr 29 Tongta Kiavayupak Udon Thani, Thailand KO 6
(Retains WBA Jr. Welterweight Title)
Aug 26 Norman Sekgapane Mabatho, Bophtswana KO 9
(Retains WBA Jr. Welterweight Title)
1979
Jan 18 Miguel Montilla New York W 15
(Retains WBA Jr. Welterweight Title)
Aug 25 Kwang-Min Kim Seoul W 15
(Retains WBA Jr. Welterweight Title)
1980
Mar 29 Miguel Montilla Cartegena KO 7
(Retains WBA Jr. Welterweight Title)
Aug 2 Aaron Pryor Cincinnati KO by 4
(Loses WBA Jr. Welterweight Title)
1981
Dec 5 Lennox Blackmoore Bogota, Colombia KO 9
1982
Apr 3 Jerome Artis Cartegena W 10
1983
Mar 25 Amancio Castro Cartegena W 10
Jul 30 Sergio Alvarez Cartegena KO 2
(Wins Central American Jr. Welterweight Title)
Dec 9 Danny Sanchez Miami L 10