'PIPINO' CUEVAS: PUNCHER SURROUNDED BY SHARKS

The depth of destructive history in the welterweight division is soaked in the richest waters of them all. The tip of the tongue spouts boxing folklore which echoes with familiarity; Hearns, Hagler, Durán and Sugar Ray Leanard. All four etched in the foundations and explosion of growth for the sport during their explosive reigns and battles. It's easy to be forgotten as a great fighter in the waves, when such beauty surrounds them.

In 1957, a small Mexican town named Santo Tomás de los Plátanos produced orthodox fighter José ‘Pipino’ Cuevas who would become one of the most revered punchers in boxing history. Thirty-one victories would come by KO out of thirty-five fights in his career. Archived footage rarely shows Pipino ever taking a step backwards, the style of compact front-foot marching onwards bares resemblance to an angered bull chasing a red muleta. The 'Bull' would have been a fitting nickname.

The nature of Pipino exhibits the extreme youthful Mexican culture still alive today. Aged just fourteen, in 1971, Pipino would make his professional debut in Mexico City, a unique beginning of an eventual hall of famer. Pipino would carve a legacy in Mexico City as his main battleground, fighting at the Arena Coliseo. The Arena Coliseo would also have ‘La Layenda’ (The Legend) Julio Cesar Chavez walk through the doors a few years after Pipino’s career.

Imagine jumping back in time and buying a ticket to this under ten thousand capacity arena to see some future Mexican stars forge their craft. It's open to this day, and still hosts boxing events. A Dimly lit canvas, with two men looking rather lonely engulfed in the Mexican heat. Bloodthirsty jeers that only increase when leather meets flesh in the ring. Close your eyes and imagine it. Whiffs of booze and tobacco fill the air, and cowboy boots are aplenty.

Despite losing by KO in the second round of his debut, Pipino would go on to an illustrious career; becoming WBA World champion in 1976, the youngest to ever do so, and defending it an extraordinary eleven times. Learning on the job is a forgotten art in modern day boxing.

Records are preciously protected thanks to the Mayweather effect. Pipino lost five of his first twelve bouts but still went on to be remembered in history. His mixed record early on likely led to his opponents underestimating his ability, especially in his first world title fight in 1976 against Puerto Rican Angel Espada where Pipino went into the bout off the back of a loss.

Pipino, embarking on the beginning of one of the greatest world title runs In history, against the odds, would triumph over Espada in a shock second round TKO to claim his first world title glory, and giving a glimpse to the audience of his God given power. 

The pair would have a famous trilogy over their careers where Pipino won all three contests. Fearlessly, in Pipino’s first world title defence, he travelled to Japan to face Shoji Tsujimoto, winning by KO in Tsujimoto's backyard. Said one astute boxing fan, “He cracked more bones than a chiropractor!” This would be a reference to breaking two jaws of his opponents consecutively over two fights; firstly in the Espada rematch and then against New Yorker Harold Weston.

Two broken jaws can’t be put down to coincidence, Pipino possessed hands of stone forged from a young age. Weston would go on to fight Hearns and Benitez. If you were a welterweight during this era that’s either bad luck or good luck; you’re fighting the slickest monsters in the closet but also sharing the ring with some of the best to ever lace them up.

Pipino would only be dethroned by Thomas Hearns four years later in 1980 as the Kronk style and the freakish stance of the Hitman would prove too overwhelming for the Mexican, which lets be honest, has no shame attached at all to it. Pipino’s decline became more noticeable after being stopped in the fourth round against Roberto Duran in 1983 and it was clear his best days were now in his past.

Questions have since arisen whether miles on the clock began adding up at too fast of a rate from his early entrance to the sport and the nature of punishment sustained as a young man. The trend of turning professional at a young age doesn’t seem to be diminishing. Fellow Mexican and star of the current modern world, Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez turned professional aged fifteen in 2005 and is still going strong, despite two high profile loses to Floyd Mayweather and Dimitri Bivol in his career. Canelo has campaigned from the welterweight division all the way to light heavyweight, incredibly. 

Whilst outsiders may perceive understandable imminent danger to youthful combat taking place, Pipino will be remembered in history as one of the youngest world champions ever at age eighteen years, six months and twenty-one days, which has remnants of the saying ‘the higher the risk, the greater the reward.’ Pipino is in a category of the youngest world champions in history, which rarely is altered. A truly prestigious accolade.

Cuevas’ company exclusively consists of Wilfred Benitez, Mike Tyson, Tony Canzoneri and more recently David Benavidez and Deven Haney; all aged twenty and below to hold world champion status glory in the history of Boxing. Pipino’s trademark, the left hook, could knock down brick walls and at the slightest hint of his opponent showing vulnerability, he would show relentless brutality.

Witness the overshadowed Jose ‘Pipino’ Cuevas on YouTube and his wrath in one of the toughest eras to grace the sport of boxing, the man surrounded by sharks.