Carlos Cruz
Encyclopedia
Carlos Teo Cruz was a boxer
from the Dominican Republic
. Considered by many Dominican boxing fans to be one of the finest boxers ever born in that country, Cruz was world Lightweight
champion from 1968 to 1970.
. They were married in 1961 when Ortiz was 24 years old. Cruz had two children; Carlos, Jr. (born 1962)who has four children, Bradely Cruz (born 1990) Clifford Allen Cruz & Clifton Allen Cruz ( born 1992 ),Brandon Miguel Cruz (born 1996 ) , and Hermina (born 1963) having 2 children Alexis Tatia Cruz ( born 1998 ) and Bryant Lope Cruz
( born 2000) .
Cruz's younger brother, Leo Cruz
, later on went on to become a world champion.
After one more win in Santo Domingo, he moved to San Juan, Puerto Rico
. There, he posted a record of 7 wins and 2 losses before returning to Santo Domingo in 1962. Out of the 7 wins in Puerto Rico
during that era, 5 were by knockout
. In his return to Santo Domingo, he posted a decision win over Acevedo in a rematch. Towards the end of 1962, he started campaigning in the United States, particularly in New York. There, he boxed 5 times before returning to San Juan for another bout. He won 4 and drew 1 of those fights, all wins by decision.
He spent the first half of 1964 touring Australia, where he won 5 fights and lost one. Then, he returned to Latin America, his first fight after arriving in Australia being a major step up in quality of opposition for him: In Caracas
, he met fellow world champion boxer Carlos Morocho Hernández. He was knocked out in four rounds by Hernandez. On to Panama City, where he lost a ten round decision to Julio Ruiz. He finished his year by beating Marcos Morales in Santo Domingo.
In 1965, he was undefeated. He fought in St. Croix, in Mayagüez
, in Caguas
and in London among other places. He won all ten of his bouts that year.
He won 8 bouts, lost 1 and drew 1 in 1966. He drew with Jaime Valladares in Quito
, and lost to Frankie Narvaez
in San Juan. But he also beat former world title challenger Bunny Grant. In 1967, he avenged his loss to Narvaez, and went undefeated the rest of the year, securing his position as the world's number one challenger among Lightweights.
He won three more fights to begin 1968, and then, on June 29 in Santo Domingo, he was given his first chance to challenge for a world title. He became world Lightweight champion when he defeated Carlos Ortiz
by a decision in fifteen rounds.
He defended the world title with a fifteen round decision over Mando Ramos
in Los Angeles
, and then, he closed the year by winning a non-title bout in Tokyo, also by decision, in ten.
There was a rematch between Cruz and Ramos, also held in Los Angeles. The second time around, Ramos became world Lightweight champion by beating Cruz with a nine round knockout. Cruz went on to win his next three bouts of 1969.
On January 17 of 1970, Cruz won what would turn out to be, tragically, his last fight. He beat Benito Juarez in San Juan by a decision in ten, and then returned to Santo Domingo.
plane crashed into the waters of the Caribbean shortly after take-off, killing Cruz, his wife and 18-month child, and the rest of the passengers, among which also were a large part of Puerto Rico's national volleyball
team .
Cruz had a record of 66 wins, 6 losses and 2 draws as a professional boxer, 34 wins coming 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 the Dominican Republic
Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic is a nation on the island of La Hispaniola, part of the Greater Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean region. The western third of the island is occupied by the nation of Haiti, making Hispaniola one of two Caribbean islands that are shared by two countries...
. Considered by many Dominican boxing fans to be one of the finest boxers ever born in that country, Cruz was world Lightweight
Lightweight
Light-weight is a class of athletes in a particular sport, based on their weight.-Professional boxing:The lightweight division is over 130 pounds and up to 135 pounds weight class in the sport of boxing....
champion from 1968 to 1970.
Amateur career
Cruz claimed he didn't put on his first pair of boxing gloves until his 20th birthday. He fought as an amateur from 1957–1959, posting a 14-3 record.Personal
Cruz's father, Francisco Rosario Almonte was an army officer in the Dominican military. Cruz met his wife, Mildred Ortiz in the town of Río Piedras in Puerto RicoPuerto 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...
. They were married in 1961 when Ortiz was 24 years old. Cruz had two children; Carlos, Jr. (born 1962)who has four children, Bradely Cruz (born 1990) Clifford Allen Cruz & Clifton Allen Cruz ( born 1992 ),Brandon Miguel Cruz (born 1996 ) , and Hermina (born 1963) having 2 children Alexis Tatia Cruz ( born 1998 ) and Bryant Lope Cruz
( born 2000) .
Cruz's younger brother, Leo Cruz
Leo Cruz
Leonardo Cruz , better known in the world of boxing as Leo Cruz, was a world Jr. Featherweight champion from the Dominican Republic.-Personal:...
, later on went on to become a world champion.
Pro career
He started his career as a professional boxer with a loss, being defeated by decision in eight rounds by Juan José Jiménez, October 23 of 1959 in Santo Domingo. His first win came on December 3 of that year, also in Santo Domingo, with a ten round decision win over Rafael Acevedo.After one more win in Santo Domingo, he moved to San Juan, Puerto Rico
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...
. There, he posted a record of 7 wins and 2 losses before returning to Santo Domingo in 1962. Out of the 7 wins in 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...
during that era, 5 were by knockout
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...
. In his return to Santo Domingo, he posted a decision win over Acevedo in a rematch. Towards the end of 1962, he started campaigning in the United States, particularly in New York. There, he boxed 5 times before returning to San Juan for another bout. He won 4 and drew 1 of those fights, all wins by decision.
He spent the first half of 1964 touring Australia, where he won 5 fights and lost one. Then, he returned to Latin America, his first fight after arriving in Australia being a major step up in quality of opposition for him: In Caracas
Caracas
Caracas , officially Santiago de León de Caracas, is the capital and largest city of Venezuela; natives or residents are known as Caraquenians in English . It is located in the northern part of the country, following the contours of the narrow Caracas Valley on the Venezuelan coastal mountain range...
, he met fellow world champion boxer Carlos Morocho Hernández. He was knocked out in four rounds by Hernandez. On to Panama City, where he lost a ten round decision to Julio Ruiz. He finished his year by beating Marcos Morales in Santo Domingo.
In 1965, he was undefeated. He fought in St. Croix, in Mayagüez
Mayagüez, Puerto Rico
Mayagüez is the eighth-largest municipality of Puerto Rico. Originally founded as "Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria" it is also known as "La Sultana del Oeste" , "Ciudad de las Aguas Puras" , or "Ciudad del Mangó"...
, in Caguas
Caguas, Puerto Rico
Caguas , founded in 1775, is a city and municipality of Puerto Rico located in the Central Mountain Range of Puerto Rico, south of San Juan and Trujillo Alto, west of Gurabo and San Lorenzo, east of Aguas Buenas, Cidra, and Cayey....
and in London among other places. He won all ten of his bouts that year.
He won 8 bouts, lost 1 and drew 1 in 1966. He drew with Jaime Valladares in Quito
Quito
San Francisco de Quito, most often called Quito , is the capital city of Ecuador in northwestern South America. It is located in north-central Ecuador in the Guayllabamba river basin, on the eastern slopes of Pichincha, an active stratovolcano in the Andes mountains...
, and lost to Frankie Narvaez
Frankie Narvaez
Frankie Narvaez was a Puerto Rican boxer. He beat world champions Carlos Cruz, Chango Carmona and Pedro Adigue, and lost to Ismael Laguna, among others.He died in New York at the age of 64....
in San Juan. But he also beat former world title challenger Bunny Grant. In 1967, he avenged his loss to Narvaez, and went undefeated the rest of the year, securing his position as the world's number one challenger among Lightweights.
He won three more fights to begin 1968, and then, on June 29 in Santo Domingo, he was given his first chance to challenge for a world title. He became world Lightweight champion when he defeated Carlos Ortiz
Carlos Ortiz
For the Cuban wrestler with the same name see Carlos Julian OrtízCarlos Ortiz is a Puerto Rican who was a three time world boxing champion, twice in the lightweight division and once in the Jr. Welterweights....
by a decision in fifteen rounds.
He defended the world title with a fifteen round decision over Mando Ramos
Mando Ramos
Armando Ramos was a Mexican-American professional boxer and the former two-time WBC and WBA Lightweight Champion. He was born in Long Beach, California. Armando "Mando" Ramos was one of the most popular and exciting fighters in Southern California during the 1960s. Ramos was an outstanding amateur...
in Los Angeles
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...
, and then, he closed the year by winning a non-title bout in Tokyo, also by decision, in ten.
There was a rematch between Cruz and Ramos, also held in Los Angeles. The second time around, Ramos became world Lightweight champion by beating Cruz with a nine round knockout. Cruz went on to win his next three bouts of 1969.
On January 17 of 1970, Cruz won what would turn out to be, tragically, his last fight. He beat Benito Juarez in San Juan by a decision in ten, and then returned to Santo Domingo.
Death
On February 15, he was flying back to San Juan alongside his family for a rematch with Ortiz, when their Dominicana de Aviación DC-9Dominicana DC-9 air disaster
The Dominicana de Aviación Santo Domingo DC-9 air disaster occurred on February 15, 1970 when a Dominicana de Aviación McDonnell Douglas DC-9-32 twin-engine jet airliner crashed on takeoff from Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic en route to San Juan, Puerto Rico.The aircraft used for the Dominicana...
plane crashed into the waters of the Caribbean shortly after take-off, killing Cruz, his wife and 18-month child, and the rest of the passengers, among which also were a large part of Puerto Rico's national volleyball
Volleyball
Volleyball is a team sport in which two teams of six players are separated by a net. Each team tries to score points by grounding a ball on the other team's court under organized rules.The complete rules are extensive...
team .
Cruz had a record of 66 wins, 6 losses and 2 draws as a professional boxer, 34 wins coming by knockout.