PIPINO CUEVAS!.... QUESTION!

[silkov]

Just wondering if someone can tell me whether Cuevas was ever dropped before the Hearns fight?... and if so by whom.... I've got the feeling that the Hearns fight was the first time he'd been dropped but want to know for sure!...
Also any general info and comments on the great Cuevas would be welcome!... 8)

[barry]

Talk about a bone-crusher, Cuevas was one of the hardest hitting fighters I have ever seen. As to him being knocked down before Hearns...I would say that it is very possible since he started boxing at such an early age, I'll try to find out!

[silkov]

Thanks!... Pipino is one of my favourites... I think he is generally underestimated these days due to the high profile Hearns and Duran defeats, ...But in his prime he was awesome!.... the way he dismantled Ranzany and Weston for instance was quite scary!... He seemed to have an iron chin in his title fights up to the Hearns bout and afterwards looked a bit chinny, but I'm thinking that his chin 'went' like it does for some fighters who do so much so early and if he wasnt floored prior to the Hearns fight this would prove my theory. He certainly had a good chin during his prime as champ imo....

[silkov]

Had the vague recollection that he'd never been floored before the Hearns fight!.... should have watched the fight again!!... proves my point though, Cuevas was certainly not chinny in his prime...

[barry]

Cuevas had a great chin before Hearns softened it. Same thing happened to Simon Brown...Brown seemed nearly invincible until Pettway iced him and then it was rather easy for fighters to drop him.

[silkov]

Yeah I have the Duran fight, Pipino looked okay to start with and seemed to be hurting Duran to the body but then got caught... but if you watch Pipino against say Ranzany or Weston and then watch the Duran fight he is only about 60% of the fighter he was and while as champion he could walk through shots after the Hearns fight he didnt seem to take a solid shot so good.
Actually if you watch him against Weston you see he used to avoid and 'ride' a lot of shots... much better technically than people give him credit for.

[silkov]

Cuevas had a great chin before Hearns softened it. Same thing happened to Simon Brown...Brown seemed nearly invincible until Pettway iced him and then it was rather easy for fighters to drop him.

Yeah, simular thing happened to Lloyd Honeyghan, after the Starling fight he became very vulnerble to a decent shot, though his chin wasnt as good as Cuevas to start with. Cuevas had an iron chin at his peak, took some real shots from Espada for instance and never changed that poker face of his...

[silkov]

I cant recall many other fighters breaking their opponents bones as much as Cuevas... especially at his weight... jaws, cheekbones, eye sockets.... I read somewhere that he used to break a speedball off its moorings or something like that, don't know if it was ballyhoo but it wouldnt surprise me if it was true....

[KO Artist]

I cant recall many other fighters breaking their opponents bones as much as Cuevas... especially at his weight... jaws, cheekbones, eye sockets.... I read somewhere that he used to break a speedball off its moorings or something like that, don't know if it was ballyhoo but it wouldnt surprise me if it was true....

Cuevas was brutal.

Remember his walloping of Backus, a seventies version of Jorge Vaca?

[Tantum]

It was summertime, and sweltering, and every Latino worker in the garment area-- and their families-- would go to watch their hero train at lunch time.

The gym was like a steam room, and jammed cheek-to-jowl with the adoring. . They pressed so close, they barely left Duran enough room to do his floor exercises. And then he went into the ring to shadow box.

Spanning what looked like a crowded subway, you could see chests swell and faces full of pride. Plump mothers holding babies in their arms stood right at the ring apron, while their little children looked up saucer eyed at this god.

In the midst of all of this, somebody in the back--unbelievably!-- kept yelling at Duran in Spanish: "PIPINO CUEVAS WILL KILL YOU!

Duran paid him no mind and continued to shadow box. But the heckler was
insistant: "PIPINO CUEVAS WILL KILL YOU! "PIPINO CUEVAS WILL KILL YOU!

Finally, Duran fixed a glare at him, stretched as far over the ropes as he could--just above the glowing faces of mothers and infants--and yanked down his trunks, grabbed his nuts, and roared in Spanish: "PIPINO CUEVAS CAN SUCK MY COCK!

- john garfield

[silkov]

The thing that strikes me most about Cuevas is that he was one of the few fighters who looked 100% solid, compact and comfortable at his weight. He didn't fluctuate massively and always looked healthy and comfortable in his welterweight fights. His balance was impressive and eve as he got further in his carer his punch selection was very good. Bumping into the freaskish Hearns before Hearns became stale at the weight was a massive set-back for Cuevas.

Silkov, yes that Duran fight was ace whilst it lasted, I really enjoyed it when I got my hands on it, a real taste of what could have been plus it set Duran up for one of his best nights and performances IMO when he beat Moore.

People talk about the Fantastic Four and rightly so but Cuevas and Benitez played a part.

I think the win over Cuevas gave Duran his confidence back....

[Ambling Alp]

It was summertime, and sweltering, and every Latino worker in the garment area-- and their families-- would go to watch their hero train at lunch time.

The gym was like a steam room, and jammed cheek-to-jowl with the adoring. . They pressed so close, they barely left Duran enough room to do his floor exercises. And then he went into the ring to shadow box.

Spanning what looked like a crowded subway, you could see chests swell and faces full of pride. Plump mothers holding babies in their arms stood right at the ring apron, while their little children looked up saucer eyed at this god.

In the midst of all of this, somebody in the back--unbelievably!-- kept yelling at Duran in Spanish: "PIPINO CUEVAS WILL KILL YOU!

Duran paid him no mind and continued to shadow box. But the heckler was
insistant: "PIPINO CUEVAS WILL KILL YOU! "PIPINO CUEVAS WILL KILL YOU!

Finally, Duran fixed a glare at him, stretched as far over the ropes as he could--just above the glowing faces of mothers and infants--and yanked down his trunks, grabbed his nuts, and roared in Spanish: "PIPINO CUEVAS CAN SUCK MY COCK!

- john garfield

Duran was always such a class act.

[Chuck1052]

Pipino Cuevas was an offensive-minded fighter with a
powerful left-hook and a tremendous fan base among
people of Mexican descent, but he also had very little
in the way of boxing skill. One reason for his successful
W.B.A. world welterweight title defenses is that his
management selected his opposition carefully. In
comparison to Cuevas, Carlos Palomino had much more
boxing skill and more durability in addition to having
underrated punching power. As a result, I think that
Palomino would take Cuevas apart.

- Chuck Johnston

[silkov]

Pipino Cuevas was an offensive-minded fighter with a
powerful left-hook and a tremendous fan base among
people of Mexican descent, but he also had very little
in the way of boxing skill. One reason for his successful
W.B.A. world welterweight title defenses is that his
management selected his opposition carefully. In
comparison to Cuevas, Carlos Palomino had much more
boxing skill and more durability in addition to having
underrated punching power. As a result, I think that
Palomino would take Cuevas apart.

- Chuck Johnston

Well I respect your opinion but we'll have to agree to disagree Chuck, I mean Pipinos opposition was hardly poor, Gray, Espada, Weston, Ranzany, Sheilds... several of these guys went on to face Hearns, Benitez and Leonard... Weston took Benitez the distance while Cuevas destroyed him in 9 rounds, breaking his jaw in the proccess.
You don't beat the likes of Ranzany and Weston the way Cuevas did without some skills. I think Cuevas would jump on the slow starting Palomino, who didnt have a great defence himself, and stay on top before scoring a late ko win.... he would just be too strong for Carlos...

[barry]

Cuevas beat some pretty solid opposition. His was a case that he almost immediately became a better fighter after winning the title...I guess it's the confidence factor as some fighters actually do reach they're full potential after winning the big one, but then again, some other fighters drop off, don't train and end up losing in they're first title defense!

[silkov]

Cuevas beat some pretty solid opposition. His was a case that he almost immediately became a better fighter after winning the title...I guess it's the confidence factor as some fighters actually do reach they're full potential after winning the big one, but then again, some other fighters drop off, don't train and end up losing in they're first title defense!

Plus he was only 15 when he turned pro so a lot of his early defeats can be put down to his learning as he went along, which is more or less unheard of today... I don't know how many Amutuer fights he had but their probably werent many...

[silkov]

It is an interesting perspective but he used his left hook excellently.

Reminds me of a criticism of Sonny Liston, he was accused of only having a left jab/hook and no a right hand that was a slap. It was answered with the remark that the right was a slap but it was a heavy slap and set you up for that left.

Cuevas was compact and his technique involved playing to his strengths, that left hook, plus maknig sure he got you onto his best shots. His movement was underrated in my opinion.

I think he had good movement also, he would feint very slightly as he came forward and he was very good at cutting off the ring... he had the ability to stay ontop of a slick boxer like Weston which says a lot... and his right didnt seem that bad either, he'd throw punches from all angles...

[Expug]

Pipino was one of the All-time bangers . If he caught you you were in big trouble for he was also one of the most ferocious finishers youll ever see. He had some problems with slicker guys . I was surprised when Roger Stafford beat him. Andy Price also.

[vagabundo55]

Pipino Cuevas was an offensive-minded fighter with a
powerful left-hook and a tremendous fan base among
people of Mexican descent, but he also had very little
in the way of boxing skill. One reason for his successful
W.B.A. world welterweight title defenses is that his
management selected his opposition carefully. In
comparison to Cuevas, Carlos Palomino had much more
boxing skill and more durability in addition to having
underrated punching power. As a result, I think that
Palomino would take Cuevas apart.

- Chuck Johnston

I'd call that fight a pick em. Both fighters are very underrated in my humble opinion. Cuevas had a bit of skill, more than he's given credit for but he definetely was not more skilled then Palomino. Pre Hearns Cuevas was a hell of a fighter with good chin. Cuevas's biggest weakness was his lack of defense but Palomino as mentioned, was not known for having the greatest defense either. A very hard one to pick.

[silkov]

Pipino was one of the All-time bangers . If he caught you you were in big trouble for he was also one of the most ferocious finishers youll ever see. He had some problems with slicker guys . I was surprised when Roger Stafford beat him. Andy Price also.

Yeah, but he wasn't the same fighter when he fought Stafford. Definately he had problems with movers but a peak Cuevas would have destroyed Stafford imo...

[Expug]

Yes , I agree . After Hearns he wasnt quite the same no question. I still thought he was gonna bang Stafford outta there. I think that fight was Rings upset of the year .

[Expug]

I was fortunate enough to see Cuevas fight live here in Chicago against Luis Mateo, a guy I used to spar with quite a bit. Pipino even at the end of his career was able to win via the big k.o.

[silkov]

Pipino must be one of the most popular fighters ever in Mexico... I remember reading about one of his comeback fights in Mexico, long after the Hearns fight, and about 60,000 turned up to watch him...

[barry]

Does anyone know what he is doing these days? Last I heard he was running a business and I think he invested his earnings pretty well, though I may be wrong!

[silkov]

I read an article about him in RING about 2 years back and he seemed to be doing very well, was healthy and had some buisness, though I cant remember in what. There was a funny story in it about when Cuevas went to the hall of fame meeting I think it was and his exmanager saw him talking to fans etc and was supposedly shocked and said Pipino had talked more in that night than in all the years he'd managed him!. Apparently he's very shy...
Have you seen his son fight?... he seems quite useful...