Antonio Cervantes aka Kid Pambelé (born in San Basilio de Palenque, Bolivar on December 23, 1945) is a Colombian boxing trainer and former two time world Jr. San Basilio de Palenque or Palenque de San Basilio is a Palenque village and Corregimiento in the Municipality of Mahates, Bolivar Events 962 - Byzantine-Arab Wars: Under the future Emperor Nicephorus Phocas, Byzantine troops stormed the city Year 1945 ( MCMXLV) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar Colombia (kəˈlʌmbɪə officially the Republic of Colombia () is a country in northwestern South America. Boxing (sometimes also known as English boxing or pugilism) is a Combat sport in which two participants generally of similar weight, Welterweight champion. Cervantes, who is Afro-Colombian, was born in Palenque, also known as the first site of a slave rebellion in Latin America. Afro Colombians refers to Colombians of Black African ancestry and the great impact they have had on Colombian culture Cervantes used to sell contraband cigarettes and shine shoes as a child to survive.
He met boxing trainer Carmelo Prada, who helped shape his style. Cervantes only had three amateur bouts, winning two and losing one. On January 31, 1964, Cervantes entered the boxing ring as a professional for the first time, beating Juan Martinez by decision in six rounds. Events 1504 - France cedes Naples to Aragon. 1606 - Gunpowder Plot: Guy Fawkes Year 1964 ( MCMLXIV) was a Leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display full calendar of the 1964 Gregorian calendar. Juan Martínez Brito (born May 17, 1958 in Havana, Cuba is a retired Discus thrower from Cuba, who represented his native country His first 32 bouts as a professional were in Colombia, and he won 27, lost 4 and drew (tied) one of them. Realizing his pupil needed publicity outside Colombia, Prada then moved with Cervantes to Venezuela, where, on November 25, 1968, he knocked out Orlando Ruiz in the first round for his first fight abroad. Venezuela (ˌvɛnəˈzweɪlə) officially the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (Spanish República Bolivariana de Venezuela) is a country on the Events 1034 - Máel Coluim mac Cináeda, King of Scots dies Donnchad, the Year 1968 ( MCMLXVIII) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. He followed that win with a ten rounds decision over Nestor Rojas in the very short time of only three days later.
On December 23 of that year, he suffered his first knockout defeat when Cruz Marcano, a fringe contender of the time, beat him in four rounds in Caracas. Events 962 - Byzantine-Arab Wars: Under the future Emperor Nicephorus Phocas, Byzantine troops stormed the city Caracas (kaˈɾakas is the Capital and largest city of Venezuela.
He won five and lost two in 1969, splitting his fights between Colombia and Venezuela, and losing a ten round decision to Antonio Gomez, former world champion. Year 1969 ( MCMLXIX) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar.
He won two more in 1970, then he and Prada moved once again, this time to Los Angeles. Year 1970 ( MCMLXX) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link shows full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Los Angeles (lɑˈsændʒələs los ˈaŋxeles in Spanish) is the largest City in the state of California and the American West In California, he began by beating Jose Rodriguez by a knockout in the first round in San Jose, and on December 17, he beat Rodolfo Gato Gonzalez, a very famous Mexican boxer of the time, by knockout in round eight. California ( is a US state on the West Coast of the United States, along the Pacific Ocean. Events 546 - Gothic War (535–554: The Ostrogoths of King Totila Rodolfo González was a Mexican boxer who was undefeated in his first 52 boxing matches The United Mexican States ( or commonly Mexico (ˈmɛksɪkoʊ () is a federal constitutional Republic in North America. After this and a 1971 win over Argentine Enrique Jana, Cervantes was ranked as a Jr. Year 1971 ( MCMLXXI) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar of the 1971 Gregorian calendar. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Argentina topics. Welterweight by the WBA. The World Boxing Association (WBA is a Boxing organization that sanctions official matches and awards the WBA world championship title at the professional level On December 11 of that year, he had his first world title try, against Nicolino Locche, in Buenos Aires. Events 359 - Honoratus, the first known Prefect of the City of Constantinople, takes office Nicolino Locche ( September 2, 1939 &ndash September 7, 2005) was an Argentine boxer from Tunuyán Buenos Aires is the Capital and largest city of Argentina. It is geographically located on the southern shore of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern Cervantes lost a 15 round decision that time, however.
After winning three fights in 1972, Cervantes, who had by then returned to Colombia, had another world title try: Alfonso Frazer, who had dethroned Locche of the world title, gave Cervantes a chance on October 28 at Panama City. Year 1972 ( MCMLXXII) was a Leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 306 - Maxentius is proclaimed Roman Emperor. 312 - Battle of Milvian Bridge: Constantine Panama City (Ciudad de Panamá is the Capital and largest city of the Republic of Panama. Cervantes knocked Frazer out in round ten and became world champion for the first time.
Cervantes immediately became a national hero in Colombia, and many enterprises made him their spokesman in the coffee producing country, most notably Sanyo, whose name the popular champion advertised on his clothing and fight trunks (boxer's shorts). () is a major Japanese electronics company and member of the Fortune 500 whose headquarters is located in Moriguchi, Osaka prefecture, Japan
Cervantes made nine defenses, including a knockout in nine of Locche in a rematch, a knockout in five of Frazer, also in a rematch, a 13th. round knockout win over Josue Marquez in Puerto Rico (in the first world title bout ever held at Roberto Clemente Coliseum) and a 15 round decision against future world Lightweight champion Esteban De Jesus. Puerto Rico (ˌpwertoˈriko officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico ("Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico" {{lang-en|"Associated Free State of Puerto Rico"}} The Roberto Clemente Coliseum (or Coliseo Roberto Clemente in Spanish) is a sporting events and Concert arena in San Juan Esteban De Jesus ( August 2, 1951 - May 11, 1989) was a Puerto Rican world lightweight champion boxer whose life was full But on March 6, 1976 at San Juan, he lost a 15 round decision and the world title to 17 year old Puerto Rican Wilfredo Benitez, who with that became boxing's youngest champion ever. Events 1079 - Omar Khayyám completes the Iranian calendar. 1454 - Thirteen Years' War: Delegates of Year 1976 ( MCMLXXVI) was a Leap year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. San Juan (saŋ hwaŋ (from the Spanish San Juan Bautista, " Saint John the Baptist " is the Capital and largest municipality in Puerto Rico (ˌpwertoˈriko officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico ("Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico" {{lang-en|"Associated Free State of Puerto Rico"}} Wilfred Benitez (born September 12, 1958 in New York New York) is a Puerto Rican boxer.
Cervantes won five more fights in a row, including a win over Saoul Mamby, before fighting for the world title again. Saoul Paul Mamby (born 1947-06-04 in the Bronx NY) was a professional boxer between 1969 and 2000 After Benitez had left the Jr. welterweight belt vacant, Cervantes regained it on June 25, 1977, with a five round knockout over Carlos Maria Gimenez, once again in Venezuela. Events 524 - Battle of Vézeronce, the Franks defeat the Burgundians Also 1977 (album by Ash. Year 1977 ( MCMLXXVII) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays His second reign as world champion took him to such places as Thailand, Botswana and South Korea, among others. The Kingdom of Thailand (ˈtaɪlænd ราชอาณาจักรไทย, râːtɕʰa-ʔaːnaːtɕɑ̀k-tʰɑj The Republic of Botswana (Lefatshe la Botswana is a Landlocked nation in Southern Africa. South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea and often referred to as Korea ( Korean: 대한민국 tɛː He retained the title five times, beating the likes of Adrian Marrero and Miguel Montilla (twice), among others. By this time, there was much talk about a superfight with world Lightweight champion Roberto Duran, who was coming up in weight. Roberto Durán (born June 16 1951 is a retired professional boxer from Panama, widely regarded as one of the greatest boxers of all-time Duran decided to challenge Sugar Ray Leonard instead, however, and Cervantes vs. Ray Charles Leonard (born May 17, 1956) is a retired American professional boxer. Duran never materialized.
On August 2, 1980, Cervantes dropped his next title challenger, Aaron Pryor, to the canvas in the first round. Events 338 BC - A Macedonian army led by Philip II defeated the combined forces of Athens and Thebes in the Year 1980 ( MCMLXXX) was a Leap year starting on Tuesday (link displays the 1980 Gregorian calendar) In 1983 after defending his crown against former WBC world champion Sang Hyun Kim (KO 3 Pryor defended against Arguello again this time winning by a knockout in 10 Pryor recovered, however, and beat Cervantes by a knockout in round four. This turned out to be Cervantes' last title fight.
Cervantes went on boxing until 1983, winning four fights and dropping his last one, a ten round decision loss to Danny Sanchez on December 9, 1983 at Miami. Year 1983 ( MCMLXXXIII) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays the 1983 Gregorian calendar) Events 536 - Byzantine General Belisarius enters Rome while the Ostrogothic garrison peacefully leaves the city Year 1983 ( MCMLXXXIII) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays the 1983 Gregorian calendar)
In retirement, his life was almost as public as it was during his boxing career: In 1985, for example, he and a passenger in one of the boats Cervantes owned, suffered a water accident, and the passenger almost drowned, but Cervantes was able to save her life. Year 1985 ( MCMLXXXV) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link displays 1985 Gregorian calendar)
Cervantes was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1998, and in 2000, he was declared by the Colombian Boxing Federation and National Association of Professional Boxing as Colombia's Fighter of the Century. The modern International Boxing Hall of Fame (IBHOF is located in Canastota, New York, United States, within driving distance from the Baseball Hall Year 1998 ( MCMXCVIII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display full 1998 Gregorian calendar) 2000 ( MM) was a Leap year that started on Saturday of the Common Era, in accordance with the Gregorian calendar. For that award, the WBA issued him a special, commemorative belt. Cervantes' nickname, Kid Pambelé, became almost as famous as Cervantes himself: as a matter of a fact, many fans called him only Pambelé or Pambe (the name of a song by Carlos Vives about him). Biography Carlos Vives was born in August 7 1961 in Santa Marta, Magdalena, Colombia, where he spent his first 12 years of life
His record has been of some dispute. Listed at 91 wins, 12 losses and 3 draws with 45 knockouts, some websites and fans allege that he actually won 66, with 12 losses, only 1 draw and 37 knockouts.
| Preceded by Alfonso Frazer |
WBA Light Welterweight Champion 28 Oct 1972– 6 Mar 1976 |
Succeeded by Wilfred Benitez |
| Preceded by Wilfred Benitez Stripped |
WBA Light Welterweight Champion 25 Jun 1977– 2 Aug 1980 |
Succeeded by Aaron Pryor |
External links
- International Boxing Hall of Fame Bio
- Professional boxing record for Antonio Cervantes from Boxrec
Dapyx Software network: MP3 Explorer | Ebook Manager | Zenithic