Eusebio Pedroza - who at about 5-foot-9
was tall for a featherweight - won the W.B.A title in 1978 with a
13th-round technical knockout of Cecilio Lastra in Panama City. He
did not lose it until he faced the Irishman Barry McGuigan in June
1985 at Loftus Road Stadium, a soccer pitch, in London.
Eusebio Pedroza,
a Panamanian boxer with a sharp jab and a reutation for dirty tactics
who successfully defended the World Boxing Association featherweight
title 19 times over seven years.
Pedroza fought professionally from
1973 to 1992 and fell short in his first attempt at a world title
in 1976, being knocked out in two rounds by Alfonso Zamora for the
WBA bantamweight title after another KO loss in his next fight, Pedroza
went unbeaten in his next 26 fights, capturing the WBA featherweight
title two years later in 1978 with a 13th round stoppage of Cecilio
Lastra.
Among the notables he faced in title defenses were Ruben Olivares
(TKO12), Juan Laporte (UD15), and Rocky Lockridge, whom he defeated
the first time in a controversial split decision before winning a
more convincing unanimous decision in the rematch.
Pedroza had uncommon
reflexes and was capable of making opponents miss with his head movement
and could uncoil his long arms to throw whip-like combinations to
the head and body.
"Pedroza was one of history's best stretch-drive
fighters," said The Ring's Lee Groves in a previous article about
Pedroza. "Everyone knew that rounds 11 through 15 was Pedroza's turf.
He seemed to draw the strength from his opponents' weakness and, once
he sensed that weakness, he put the hammer down."
The night most would
remember of his career was on June 8th, 1985 when Pedroza traveled
to London to face "The Clones Cyclone" Barry McGuigan. McGuigan's
homeland of Ireland was deeply entrenched in a period known as The
Troubles, but as least on this night, the Irish stood united to cheer
on McGuigan as he lifted the title from Pedroza by unanimous decision
in front of 26,000 fans.
McGuigan took to Twitter to pay tribute to
Pedroza, calling it a "sad day for me," and adding "it was a pleasure
to share the ring with him."
Pedroza fought infrequently afterwards,
coming back in Panama to lose a split decision 14 months later in
1986, then launching a short-lived comeback in 1991 before retiring
for good.
Pedroza had a career record of 41-6-1 (25 knockouts) and
was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1999.