Carlos Cuadras: Perfectly Positioned

by Cliff Rold

Sometimes it’s good to be one step removed.

Hardcore fight followers know how good Flyweight (112 lbs.) is at the moment.  Led by one of the best fighters in the world in any weight class, lineal World Champion Roman Gonzalez, co-starring talented titlists Juan Francisco Estrada and Amnat Runeroeng, and also featuring a strong assortment of still game former beltholders and solid contenders, Flyweight has a tantalizing combination of depth, danger, and action. 

Three pounds north, Jr. Bantamweight does not.

That might be a very good thing for Mexico’s Carlos Cuadras.

The undefeated WBC titlist (30-0-1, 24 KO) from Mexico attempts the second defense of his title Thursday night at the Washington D.C. Hilton as part of a black tie event raising funds for “Fight for Children,” an organization dedicated to early education and healthcare for low income children. 

Only 26 years old, there is plenty of time on the young titleholder’s side.  His division isn’t one of the game’s current hot spots but that could change quickly.  Sooner or later, some of the men who make Flyweight so good right now will look north.

If Cuadras is waiting for them, it could be good for him fistically and financially. 

A professional since May 2008, Thursday’s defense against Filipino Marvin Mabait (19-2-2, 13 KO) is a chance to try to get some momentum going in a reign already featuring a pair of hiccups.  Mabait steps in as a late replacement for former lineal Flyweight champion Sonny Boy Jaro.

Both Cuadras’ title win, and first defense, ended early due to accidental head clashes.  There were enough rounds in the book in May against Srisaket Sor Rungvisai to garner Curadras a technical decision over eight rounds to win the title.  There weren’t enough rounds in the book in his first defense against Jose Salgado in September, Cuadras forced to settle for a technical draw in the fourth round.

Cuadras will want to finish his year with more flourish than that.

Assuming he does, and Mabait will have something to say about that first, what does the future hold for Cuadras?

The immediate future could feature Cuadras in an interesting test.  The number one contender of the WBC is former WBA Flyweight beltholder Luis Concepcion (32-3, 23 KO).  The big swinging Panamanian has won nine straight since a pair of title-fight losses to Tyson Marquez, the first a memorable Fight of the Year contender.  Only 29, Concepcion is the sort of dangerous contender who could tell us more about Cuadras.

He’s also the sort of aggressive fighter who could make Cuadras look good, increasing his impression on the boxing landscape.

Cuadras might already be the best fighter in the division.  He doesn’t have the resume yet to prove it.  Veteran Omar Narvaez, a longtime WBO titlist, remains the division’s de facto figurehead.

How much longer that is the case will be determined before the year is out.  Narvaez (43-1-2, 23 KO) is set to defend against 108 lb. titlist Naoya Inoue (7-0, 6 KO) on December 30th.  The ingénue has the talent to upset Narvaez, particularly fighting at home in Japan.  It’s an intriguing match, as discussed here recently , and not just for the fight itself.

The thinking there was that Inoue, if he can successfully jump from 108 to 115, skips the threats at 112 for now and positions himself for the challenges to come down the road while marking himself a man to beat on the way up the scale. 

The same is true for Cuadras, and unlike Inoue he isn’t moving anywhere.  After waiting his turn to enter the title ranks, Cuadras has the opportunity to build credentials and fans among the Mexican faithful while Flyweight sorts itself out.  If a year from now he has added a few exciting knockouts against foes like Mabait or Concepcion, he adds value to his title and his name. 

That value could be attractive to a Gonzalez or Estrada in late-2015 or even 2016. 

Until then, Cuadras has to win and find ways to look good doing it.  He has a chance to do begin that process on Thursday night. The bigger rewards will take shape as he goes.

Cliff’s Notes…

Bernard Hopkins can go out on a noble note or he can take one more stab at a victorious finish before he’s done.  The allure of trying to add one more piece to his trophy case on the way to Canastota, at 50 years of age, is going to be hard to avoid.  While there has been talk this week of Gennady Golovkin and even Adonis Stevenson, isn’t a showdown with unified Super Middleweight titlist Carl Froch the biggest possible money fight Hopkins could make?  If Hopkins were willing to travel, the drama of seeing him try in front of a stadium in the UK would be fascinating…Manny Pacquiao is fighting Chris Algieri so of course talk turns to someone else.  Get over it folks.  It ain’t happening…Big Hero 6 is so much fun.  Recommended family film and, yes, Stan Lee got his screen shot…TCU gets a step closer.  Could the Big 12 chips fall just right for two of their teams to make the CFP?  It’s not that ludicrous right now…Wladimir Klitschko-Kubrat Pulev might be a better fight than expected. Or not.  It’s interesting if only because it’s a mystery.

Cliff Rold is the Managing Editor of BoxingScene, a founding member of the Transnational Boxing Rankings Board, and a member of the Boxing Writers Association of America.  He can be reached at roldboxing@hotmail.com