Antonio Cervantes
Antonio Cervantes ( born December 23, 1945 in Palenque, Colombia ) is a retired Colombian boxer.
"Kid Pambele " 1964 professional featherweight after he had completed previously only three amateur fights. By 1970, he boxed exclusively in Colombia and Venezuela. Fall alone eight of his twelve defeats due to his inexperience and lack of boxing training step, in this early stage of his career. He lost, among others in November 1969 against the eventual featherweight world champion Antonio Gomez.
On 11 December 1971 he got a title shot against Argentina's WBA light welterweight world champion Nicolino Locche, which he, however, was defeated in Buenos Aires on points.
Locche lost his title a little later but to the trained by Ray Arcel Panamanians " Peppermint " Frazer Alfonso, what Cervantes already on October 28, 1972 allowed for a renewed shot at the title. He succeeded in the tenth round KO and thus winning the WBA champion title.
He defeated Locche in a rematch, this time on neutral ground in Venezuela, early and hit a second time Frazer KO. In 1975, he defeated also Durán -slayer Esteban de Jesús and Hector Thompson.
After ten title defenses he lost his title in 1976 in San Juan by one point defeat to the 17 -year-old undefeated Puerto Rican Wilfred Benitez.
He suggested Saoul Mamby in a non-title fight and won in 1977 the now vacant WBA title against Carlos Gimenez, back in Venezuela again against a Argentinians by technoische knockout in the sixth round back and defended it six times, including in 1979 against Miguel Montilla.
In August 1980, he fought in the U.S. against the undefeated Aaron Pryor in his hometown. He suggested Pryor in the first round to the ground, but then went himself in the fourth round knockout and had to give up the belt again. It was one of only two knockout defeats of his career.
He made a few more fights, mainly in his native Colombia, and finished his career in 1983.
He is the only Colombian in the " International Boxing Hall of Fame". The " Ring Magazine " rated him as the fourth best Halbweltergewichtler of all time behind Julio César Chávez, Pryor and Barney Ross.