Angel Espada
Encyclopedia
Ángel Espada is a former boxer
from Puerto Rico
. He was the WBA
's world Welterweight champion in 1975-76. A music lover, Espada also organized, during the late 1970s, a salsa
orchestra. Espada's nickname is "Cholo".
world title challenger Josue Marquez, on a six round decision, at San Juan
. His next two fights were declared draws (ties). Both were against Luis Vinales.
After another defeat and a draw (both against Chris Fernandez), Espada got his first win. On April 1, 1968, he knocked out
Linfer Contreras in the first round in San Juan. After one more win, he fought outside Puerto Rico for the first time, losing on points after six rounds to future Roberto Durán
world title challenger Jimmy Robertson, on September 27, 1969, at Los Angeles, California
.
His next fight would be against Bobby Joe Hughes, April 9, 1969 in San Juan. Hughes was disqualified for using illegal tactics during the fight, and this victory marked the beginning of a fifteen fight winning streak for Espada. On November 7 of 1970, the streak was stopped by Matt Donovan, who beat him on points over ten rounds. Shortly after, Espada would beat former Emile Griffith
world title challenger Manuel Gonzalez
and lose to former world champion Eddie Perkins
, both times, on points after ten rounds.
Between 1972 and 1975, Espada posted twelve wins in a row, including a victory over perennial world title challenger Armando Muniz
, and a win in Panama
. He was beaten by Luis Acosta in Caracas by decision in ten rounds to stop that winning streak, but he avenged the defeat against Acosta with a ten round win over him in a rematch held in San Juan.
, was to fight Carlos Monzón
for the world's Middleweight title. The WBC
kept recognizing Nápoles as their world Welterweight champion, but the WBA, feeling that Espada deserved a chance at Nápoles' crown, decided to strip Nápoles of the world championship because Nápoles went ahead as planned and fought Monzon. Thus, on June 28, 1975, Espada became the WBA's world Welterweight champion, and Puerto Rico's fourth world boxing champion in history, by outpointing the well known |Canadian, Clyde Gray, over fifteen rounds in San Juan.
He retained the title with a fifteen round decision over Johnny Gant, and with an eighth round knockout over Alfonzo Hayman.
On July 11, 1976, Espada fought what would have been the start of a Mexican boxing tour. Espada, looking forward to meeting Miguel Campanino, was instead faced with a boxer who had a record of 16-5 and who was named José Cuevas
. Cuevas lifted the WBA world Welterweight title away from Espada with a second round knockout. They would fight again twice, with Cuevas retaining the title by ten and eleven round knockouts.
that he was putting together a salsa orchestra. The "Cholo Espada orchestra" had some success in Puerto Rico, appearing on television shows constantly during the late 1970s and early 1980s.
Espada lost his last important fight, against Thomas Hearns
, by a knockout in round four at the Joe Louis Arena
, in Detroit
, on March 2 of 1980. He then retired for a short period of time. Espada wanted to retire as a winner, however, and, after one year of inactivity, he made a one fight comeback, knocking out Julio Alfonso in four rounds, on December 10, 1981, in San Juan.
After retiring from boxing, Espada became a boxing trainer
, and he has remained in that position ever since. Espada had a record of 44 wins, 11 losses and 3 draws, with 27 wins by knockout.
Boxing
Boxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...
from Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
. He was the WBA
World Boxing Association
The World Boxing Association is a boxing organization that sanctions official matches, and awards the WBA world championship title at the professional level. It was previously known as the National Boxing Association before changing its name in 1962...
's world Welterweight champion in 1975-76. A music lover, Espada also organized, during the late 1970s, a salsa
Salsa music
Salsa music is a genre of music, generally defined as a modern style of playing Cuban Son, Son Montuno, and Guaracha with touches from other genres of music...
orchestra. Espada's nickname is "Cholo".
Early career
Espada began his professional boxing career on March 11, 1967, with a defeat at the hands of future Antonio CervantesAntonio Cervantes
Antonio Cervantes aka Kid Pambelé is a Colombian boxing trainer and former two time world Jr. Welterweight champion. He successfully defended the title 16 times. Cervantes fought 21 world title fights, keeping the 140 pounds title for almost 8 years...
world title challenger Josue Marquez, on a six round decision, at San Juan
San Juan, Puerto Rico
San Juan , officially Municipio de la Ciudad Capital San Juan Bautista , is the capital and most populous municipality in Puerto Rico, an unincorporated territory of the United States. As of the 2010 census, it had a population of 395,326 making it the 46th-largest city under the jurisdiction of...
. His next two fights were declared draws (ties). Both were against Luis Vinales.
After another defeat and a draw (both against Chris Fernandez), Espada got his first win. On April 1, 1968, he knocked out
Knockout
A knockout is a fight-ending, winning criterion in several full-contact combat sports, such as boxing, kickboxing, Muay Thai, mixed martial arts, Karate and others sports involving striking...
Linfer Contreras in the first round in San Juan. After one more win, he fought outside Puerto Rico for the first time, losing on points after six rounds to future Roberto Durán
Roberto Durán
Roberto Durán Samaniego is a retired professional boxer from Panama, widely regarded as one of the greatest boxers of all time. A versatile brawler in the ring, he was nicknamed "Manos de Piedra" during his career....
world title challenger Jimmy Robertson, on September 27, 1969, at Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
.
His next fight would be against Bobby Joe Hughes, April 9, 1969 in San Juan. Hughes was disqualified for using illegal tactics during the fight, and this victory marked the beginning of a fifteen fight winning streak for Espada. On November 7 of 1970, the streak was stopped by Matt Donovan, who beat him on points over ten rounds. Shortly after, Espada would beat former Emile Griffith
Emile Griffith
Emile Alphonse Griffith is a former boxer who was the first fighter from the U.S. Virgin Islands ever to become a world champion. He is perhaps best known for his controversial third fight with Benny Paret in 1962 for the welterweight world championship...
world title challenger Manuel Gonzalez
Manuel González
Manuel del Refugio González Flores was a military general and Mexican politician, who eventually served as the 31st president of Mexico from 1880 to 1884...
and lose to former world champion Eddie Perkins
Eddie Perkins
Eddie Perkins was an American light welterweight boxer.-Professional career:Perkins turned professional in 1956 and captured the World Boxing Association light welterweight title with a decision win over Duilio Loi in 1962, but lost the belt in a rematch later that year...
, both times, on points after ten rounds.
Between 1972 and 1975, Espada posted twelve wins in a row, including a victory over perennial world title challenger Armando Muniz
Armando Muñíz
Cruz Armando Muñíz Hurtado is a retired Mexican professional boxer and the former NABF Welterweight Champion. Muñíz is a member and current president of the World Boxing Hall of Fame.-Amateur career:...
, and a win in Panama
Panama
Panama , officially the Republic of Panama , is the southernmost country of Central America. Situated on the isthmus connecting North and South America, it is bordered by Costa Rica to the northwest, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the south. The...
. He was beaten by Luis Acosta in Caracas by decision in ten rounds to stop that winning streak, but he avenged the defeat against Acosta with a ten round win over him in a rematch held in San Juan.
Champion
Espada became a world champion in a situation that could be described by some as bizarre: the undisputed world Welterweight champion of the era, José NápolesJosé Napoles
José Ángel Nápoles, nicknamed Mantequilla , is a Cuban-Mexican boxer and former world welterweight champion, who is frequently ranked as one of the greatest fighters of all time in that division...
, was to fight Carlos Monzón
Carlos Monzón
Carlos Monzón was an Argentine professional boxer who held the undisputed world middleweight title for 7 years, during which he successfully defended the title 14 times....
for the world's Middleweight title. The WBC
World Boxing Council
The World Boxing Council was initially established by 11 countries: the United States, Argentina, United Kingdom, France, Mexico, Philippines, Panama, Chile, Peru, Venezuela and Brazil plus Puerto Rico, met in Mexico City on February 14, 1963, upon invitation of the then President of Mexico, Adolfo...
kept recognizing Nápoles as their world Welterweight champion, but the WBA, feeling that Espada deserved a chance at Nápoles' crown, decided to strip Nápoles of the world championship because Nápoles went ahead as planned and fought Monzon. Thus, on June 28, 1975, Espada became the WBA's world Welterweight champion, and Puerto Rico's fourth world boxing champion in history, by outpointing the well known |Canadian, Clyde Gray, over fifteen rounds in San Juan.
He retained the title with a fifteen round decision over Johnny Gant, and with an eighth round knockout over Alfonzo Hayman.
On July 11, 1976, Espada fought what would have been the start of a Mexican boxing tour. Espada, looking forward to meeting Miguel Campanino, was instead faced with a boxer who had a record of 16-5 and who was named José Cuevas
Jose Cuevas
José Isidro "Pipino" Cuevas González is a Mexican former world champion boxer at the welterweight division.-Professional career:...
. Cuevas lifted the WBA world Welterweight title away from Espada with a second round knockout. They would fight again twice, with Cuevas retaining the title by ten and eleven round knockouts.
Retirement from the Ring
Towards the end of his career, Espada, realizing his best days as a boxer had probably passed him by, announced on the Vea magazineVea
Vea is a Puerto Rican gossip magazine that has been published weekly since 1968.As a periodical that reports on the lives and activities of many of the island's entertainment, sports, and political personalities, the magazine is no stranger to controversy...
that he was putting together a salsa orchestra. The "Cholo Espada orchestra" had some success in Puerto Rico, appearing on television shows constantly during the late 1970s and early 1980s.
Espada lost his last important fight, against Thomas Hearns
Thomas Hearns
Thomas "Hitman" Hearns is a retired American boxer. Nicknamed the "Motor City Cobra" and more famously "The Hitman", Hearns became the first boxer in history to win world titles in four divisions. He would also become the first fighter in history to win five world titles in five different divisions...
, by a knockout in round four at the Joe Louis Arena
Joe Louis Arena
Joe Louis Arena, nicknamed The Joe and JLA is a hockey arena located at 600 Civic Center Drive in Detroit, Michigan. It is the home of the Detroit Red Wings of the National Hockey League. Completed in 1979 at a cost of $57 million, Joe Louis Arena is named after boxer and former heavyweight...
, in Detroit
Detroit, Michigan
Detroit is the major city among the primary cultural, financial, and transportation centers in the Metro Detroit area, a region of 5.2 million people. As the seat of Wayne County, the city of Detroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and serves as a major port on the Detroit River...
, on March 2 of 1980. He then retired for a short period of time. Espada wanted to retire as a winner, however, and, after one year of inactivity, he made a one fight comeback, knocking out Julio Alfonso in four rounds, on December 10, 1981, in San Juan.
After retiring from boxing, Espada became a boxing trainer
Boxing training
Boxing training is the training method that boxers use in order to get more fit for their sport. This training method is often cited by medical doctors, boxing trainers, and writers as one of the most spartan forms of sports training.- Training :...
, and he has remained in that position ever since. Espada had a record of 44 wins, 11 losses and 3 draws, with 27 wins by knockout.
See also
- List of famous Puerto Ricans
- List of Puerto Rican boxing world champions