Pipino Cuevas tribute

[Danieltapia]

One of boxing's greatest punchers

[Ray Corso]

I liked Pepino but in all seriousness he wasn't that great of a puncher.
His best tko and KO wins;
Camanaires
Gray
Espada (2)
Weston
Backus
Ranzany
..........all good fighter but none considered great! When Pepino stepped up he got stopped!
In 50 bouts he was stopped 6 times and lost 15 to non contenders.
Yes his left hook was strong but he never stopped any greats when he faced them.
Duran & Hearns are the greats he faced and they beat him easily.
I give him credit when you consider he had no amateur experience and started as a young teenager. He wasn't a great fighter and his power was handled by the upper tier guys. I doubt he's a top fifty welterweight.

Ray.

[Danieltapia]

He made 14 title defenses before the Hearns fight, so it is not like he was still in his prime. After that he was through as a top fighter

He lost many fights early because he turned pro at 14.

How can you not be a great puncher when you score six second round kos in title fights, four of them over the fighters you listed. His hard punches literally broke opponent's facial bones in three separate title defenses.
Including two broken jaws in a row.

[joseph5620]

I liked Pepino but in all seriousness he wasn't that great of a puncher.
His best tko and KO wins;
Camanaires
Gray
Espada (2)
Weston
Backus
Ranzany
..........all good fighter but none considered great! When Pepino stepped up he got stopped!
In 50 bouts he was stopped 6 times and lost 15 to non contenders.
Yes his left hook was strong but he never stopped any greats when he faced them.
Duran & Hearns are the greats he faced and they beat him easily.
I give him credit when you consider he had no amateur experience and started as a young teenager. He wasn't a great fighter and his power was handled by the upper tier guys. I doubt he's a top fifty welterweight.

Ray.

If we're only talking about punching power he could punch extremely hard. He was known for breaking jaws and eye sockets too. I don't even see how that's in question.

He didn't knock out Duran but how many fighters did?

[Ray Corso]

I didn't say he couldn't punch! I said he didn't KO any top tier guys! The guys he beat were good fighters but his KO count was built on d level guys. Look at his record and his opponents are far and few good fighters.
He won the title over Campaneres a guy who couldn't break an egg.'He was a controlled fighter by the WBA and was feed the fighters they wanted him to have. Once the Hearns fight was made he was cut loose!
He then went 8w--9L and was KO'd 5 times!

As I said I like him but he wasn't the great puncher everyone thinks he was.
He was a club styled fighter with a big left hook. He did well against Weston and Ranzany and those guys but thoughjs were pick em fights. He got blasted out when he fought A calibre guys. Hell even C guys stopped him in the end and he didn't fight past age 32.

[TBear]

I didn't say he couldn't punch! I said he didn't KO any top tier guys! The guys he beat were good fighters but his KO count was built on d level guys. Look at his record and his opponents are far and few good fighters.
He won the title over Campaneres a guy who couldn't break an egg.'He was a controlled fighter by the WBA and was feed the fighters they wanted him to have. Once the Hearns fight was made he was cut loose!
He then went 8w--9L and was KO'd 5 times!

As I said I like him but he wasn't the great puncher everyone thinks he was.
He was a club styled fighter with a big left hook. He did well against Weston and Ranzany and those guys but thoughjs were pick em fights. He got blasted out when he fought A calibre guys. Hell even C guys stopped him in the end and he didn't fight past age 32.

It was Angel Espada he beat to win the title.

[rightsideup]

He made 14 title defenses before the Hearns fight, so it is not like he was still in his prime. After that he was through as a top fighter

He lost many fights early because he turned pro at 14.

How can you not be a great puncher when you score six second round kos in title fights, four of them over the fighters you listed. His hard punches literally broke opponent's facial bones in three separate title defenses.
Including two broken jaws in a row.

I did not start following boxing deeply until the brawl in Montreal did Cuevas start showing signs of slippage even while winning prior to the hearns fight? Thanks

[Ray Corso]

Thanks t-bear, as if it made a difference!