Eusebio Pedroza (March 2, 1956 – March 1, 2019) was a Panamanian boxer who held the WBA and lineal featherweight championship from 1978 to 1985, having defended the title against 18 different contenders, more than any other boxer in featherweight history. His cousin, Rafael Pedroza, was a world champion also, in the junior bantamweight division, although Rafael's reign as world champion was short-lived. Eusebio Pedroza died one day before his 63rd birthday.

Biography Pedroza started out as a professional boxer on December 1, 1973, with a four-round knockout win over Julio Garcia. His first 15 bouts were all in Panama. He went 14–1 over that span of fights, including a win over Jacinto Fuentes, a boxer who would later draw and lose to Wilfredo Gómez. His one defeat over that period of his career came to Alfonso Pérez by a knockout in three.

For fight number 16, Pedroza went to Mexicali, Mexico, in the last week of March 1976 to challenge WBA world bantamweight champion Alfonso Zamora for the world title. In his first championship try, Pedroza suffered his second loss, being knocked out in two rounds. After returning to Panama, he beat Pablo Jimenez by a decision in ten, then lost to Oscar Arnal in Venezuela by a knockout in six. He would not lose again for nine years.

Pedroza won three fights in 1977, two by knockout, and then, in April 1978, the WBA featherweight champion, Cecilio Lastra of Spain, travelled to Panama to defend his title on April 18 against Pedroza, who knocked him out in round 13 to become the new WBA featherweight champion.

Pedroza, during the next seven years, travelled the world to defend his title. Among 18 fighters Pedroza defended the title against were Enrique Solis in Puerto Rico, in a 15-round decision win, former world champion Royal Kobayashi (in Japan), knocked out in 14, Sa Wang Kim (in South Korea), knocked out in 8, former three-time world champion and fellow Hall of Famer Rubén Olivares, who lasted 12, Johnny Aba (in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea), who lost in 11, future world junior lightweight champion Rocky Lockridge, who went the distance with Pedroza in New Jersey and in Italy but lost by decision both times, Carlos Piñango (in Venezuela), knocked out in seven, Juan Laporte by decision, Jose Caba in Italy, also by decision, and Bernard Taylor in North Carolina by the way of draw. He also defended in his home country many times during that span, including a decision win over countryman and former WBA world Bantamweight champion Jorge Lujan, and became a household name in Latin America, his face appearing on the cover and posters of Ring En Español and Guantes magazines multiple times. Pedroza finally lost his title in England, being defeated by Ireland's Barry McGuigan in London in a 15-round decision.

During Pedroza's reign, talks surfaced of a unification bout against World Boxing Council and lineal featherweight champion Salvador Sanchez. These hopes were dashed when Sanchez died in an automobile accident in 1982. By virtue of his win over LaPorte, who succeeded Sanchez as WBC champion, Pedroza was recognized as the new lineal featherweight champion.

Between 1986 and 1992, Pedroza tried various comebacks, going 3–2 in total on those comeback attempts.

He retired with a record of 42 wins, 6 losses and one draw, with one no contest, and 25 wins by knockout. He is a member of the International Boxing Hall Of Fame.

Pedroza was one of a few whose fights inspired young Mike Tyson.Mike Tyson - 1987 Des Lynam Interview - part 2

Professional boxing record

ResultRecordOpponentTypeRound, timeDateLocationNotes49LossMauro GutierrezSD1021 Nov 199248Win41–5–1 Tomas QuinonesKO3 (8)14 Mar 199247Win40–5–1 Jorge RomeroUD1015 Dec 199146Win39–5–1 Tomas RodriguezUD1025 Oct 199145Loss38–5–1 Edgar CastroSD109 Aug 198644Loss38–4–1 Barry McGuiganUD158 Jun 198543Win38–3–1 Jorge LujanUD152 Feb 198542Win37–3–1 Gerald HayesTKO10 (10)23 Jun 198441Win36–3–1 Angel MayorUD1527 May 198440Win35–3–1 Jose CabaUD1524 Oct 198339Win34–3–1 Rocky LockridgeUD1524 Apr 198338Draw33–3–1 Bernard TaylorSD1516 Oct 19823733–3 Rudy AlpizarNC2 (10)17 Jul 198236Win33–3Juan LaporteUD1524 Jan 198235Win32–3Bashew SibacaKO5 (15)5 Dec 198134Win31–3Carlos PinangoKO7 (15)1 Aug 198133Win30–3Patrick FordKO13 (15)14 Feb 198132Win29–3Raul SilvaKO5 (10)17 Jan 198131Win28–3Rocky LockridgeSD154 Oct 198030Win27–3Sa Wang KimKO8 (15)20 Jul 198029Win26–3Juan Domingo MalvarezKO9 (15)29 Mar 198028Win25–3Spider NemotoUD1522 Jan 198027Win24–3Johnny AbaTKO11 (15)17 Nov 197926Win23–3Rubén OlivaresTKO12 (15)21 Jul 197925Win22–3Hector CarrasquillaTKO11 (15)7 Apr 197924Win21–3Royal KobayashiRTD13 (15)9 Jan 197923Win20–3Enrique SolisUD1527 Nov 197822Win19–3Ernesto HerreraTKO12 (15)2 Jul 197821Win18–3Cecilio LastraTKO13 (15)15 Apr 197820Win17–3Rodolfo FrancisTKO7 (10)26 Nov 197719Win16–3Reynaldo HidalgoTKO9 (10)14 May 197718Win15–3Jose SantanaUD102 Apr 197717Loss14–3Oscar ArnalKO6 (10)11 Jul 197616Loss14–2Alfonso ZamoraKO2 (15)3 Apr 197615Win14–1Orlando AmoresTKO9 (10)15 Nov 197514Win13–1Guillermo AlmengotTKO7 (10)19 Jul 197513Win12–1Marcos BrittonKO4 (10)26 Apr 197512Win11–1Benicio SosaUD1021 Mar 197511Win10–1Ernesto MathiasUD1022 Feb 197510Loss9–1Alfonso PérezKO3 (10)18 Jan 19759Win9–0Senen RiosTKO6 (10)14 Sep 19748Win8–0Vicente Worrel JrKO1 (10)20 Jul 19747Win7–0Ernesto DavisKO1 (8)14 Jun 19746Win6–0Ricardo VegaTKO2 (6)4 May 19745Win5–0Jacinto FuentesPTS430 Mar 19744Win4–0Loitolier ChaconKO1 (4)2 Mar 19743Win3–0Jorge BernalPTS48 Feb 19742Win2–0Jose SantanaUD422 Dec 19731Win1–0Julio GarciaTKO4 (4)1 Dec 1973

See also List of featherweight boxing champions

References

External links

Eusebio Pedroza, International Boxing Hall of Fame Latino Sports Legends Eusebio Pedroza's boxing stats