Antonio Cervantes

Antonio Cervantes, a boxer from Colombia, is regarded as one of the greatest fighters in the history of the super-lightweight division. Over a professional career that spanned more than 19 years, from 1964 to 1983, Cervantes established himself as a force to be reckoned with in the ring. Let's dive deeper into his impressive career and highlight his most notable achievements.

Cervantes fought a total of 80 times during his professional career, winning 67 of those fights while losing 12 and drawing one. His 37 knockout wins speak to his power in the ring, while his four world titles at super-lightweight underscore his skill and talent.

One of the most impressive highlights of Cervantes's career came in his first world-title fight on December 11, 1971. He fought against Nicolino Locche for the WBA and The Ring titles but lost via a 15-round unanimous decision. While he didn't win the title that night, it was important for Cervantes as it marked the beginning of an ascent to greatness.

Despite suffering his first loss in a title bout, Cervantes remained focused and went on to win his first world title in 1972. He faced Alfonso Frazer for the WBA and The Ring super-lightweight titles, beating him via a 10th-round knockout. From there, Cervantes defended his title 17 times, and during that period, he delivered some of the most memorable moments in the history of the division.

One of Cervantes's most notable victories came in May of 1973 when he defended his titles against Frazer. He won the fight via a 5th-round technical knockout. Later that year, he defended his titles successfully again, defeating Carlos Maria Gimenez by TKO in the 5th round.

In 1974, Cervantes continued his successful title defenses. He won a fight against Chang-Kil Lee via a 6th-round knockout, and then in July of the same year, he knocked out Victor Ortiz in the 2nd round to retain his titles.

In 1975, Cervantes faced Hector Thompson for his eighth title defense. After winning the fight via a 7th-round RTD, Cervantes prepared for one of the toughest challenges of his career. On November 29, 1975, Cervantes faced Wilfred Benitez, the WBC super-lightweight champion, in a unification bout. Although Cervantes was dropped in the first round, he fought valiantly, and the fight went the distance, with Benitez winning a close split decision.

In 1980, Cervantes successfully defended his titles once again, beating Miguel Montilla by TKO in the 7th round. From there, he fought just three more times in his career, with his final fight coming against Danny Sanchez on December 9, 1983. Although he lost via a 10-round unanimous decision, Cervantes retired with an incredible record of 67-12-1, including 37 knockout wins and just two losses via knockout.

Cervantes was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame (IBHOF) in 1998, a testament to his skill, talent, and dedication to the sport of boxing. His career is one that will go down in history and one that will inspire young fighters for years to come.

Antonio Cervantes Fight Record