Nicolino Locche ~ "The Comeback"

[Bill Paxtom]

~ Antonio Cervantes vs. Nicolino Locche 'II ~

Round 6

Both meet at Center-Ring, as each look to counter. At the {0:15 Mark}, Cervantes
opens up with a fast '3-Punch' flurry.

At the {0:20 Mark} each trade with '4' solid left-jabs to each other's face. Locche
now attacks, but is missing with his left-hands.

Cervantes is countering well at the {0:29 Mark}. Cervantes is jabbing, and lands with
a solid combination at the {1:00 Mark} which drives Nicolino to the front-right Ropes.

Both meet at Center-Ring at the {1:25 Mark}, and both trade with medium power-
punches. Nicolino goes to pressing, and Cervantes circles away to the back Ropes.

As Nicolino moves in and punches, Cervantes counters with a hard '5-Punch' barrage
at the {1:39 Mark}.

Both continue to trade at the {2:00 Mark}, and the action is 'even'. Nicolino goes to slapping
away with his left hands into the Champion's face, and forces him to give ground.

Cervantes comes back with 'spearing' left-jabs to the face at the {2:20 Mark}.

Cervantes is firing out left-jabs, but he is missing at the {2:45 Mark}. Nicolino continues
to press, while flicking in an occasional left-hook or left-jab.

The Champion rallies back well over the last 7-Seconds.

Round 6 ........ {10-10} 'Even'
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Round 7

Again both meet at Center-Ring, and trade light left-jabs. Cervantes is slowly moving to his left.

At the {0:25 Mark}, the Champion lands a hard left, and comes over the top with a tremendous
looping right-hand that catches Nicolino over his left-eye.



Cervantes continues to send out sharp left-jabs. At the {0:41 Mark}, Nicolino starts to press, and
backs Cervantes up, while attacking with 'left-right-left' combinations.

Cervantes tries to counter, but is missing with his punches. Cervantes does catch Nicolino with a
good left-jab to the cut-eye, and Nicolino starts wiping away the blood at the {0:55 Mark}. But
Locche attacks, and drives Cervantes to the right-side Ropes.

Cervantes blocks the punches, and comes off the Ropes with an all-out attack at the {1:18 Mark}.

The Champion drives Locche backwards and across the Ring, and into the back Ropes, and
swarms all over the Argentinian with a barrage of punches.

At the {1:26 Mark}, Referee - Luis Salbaran moves in and halts the action, to have the Ringside
Physician examine the cut over Locche's left-eye.

After 18-Seconds, the bout resumes at the {1:44 Mark}.

Both meet at Center-Ring, and Locche immediately puts on the pressure for the next {20-Seconds},
forcing the Champion to back away.

But Cervantes steps in at the {2:06 Mark} and counters with a hard 'left-right' that jars Locche.

But the Challenger digs in, and presses forward with a hard attack, including landing with a solid
'left-right-left-right' that sends Cervantes backwards and into the back Ropes.

But Cervantes fights back, and at the {2:28 Mark} he catches Locche with a big left-hook to the chin
rocking the Argentinian, and forcing him to bend-low to avoid any follow up punches.

Cervantes maintains the late-Round pressure, and backs Locche up to the back Ropes at the
{2:54 Mark}, where he pins the Challenger, and unloads with a '6-Punch' barrage to the head.

Round 7 ......... {10-9} Antonio Cervantes

[Bill Paxtom]

~ Antonio Cervantes vs. Nicolino Locche ~

Round 8

Again both meet at Center-Ring, and exchange measuring left-jabs. Nicolino goes
aggressive, and scores with a series of left-hands at the {0:19 Mark}.

Nicolino stays aggressive, and forges ahead by flicking in left-hands. Cervantes counters
with hard looping right-hand at the {0:26 Mark}.

But Nicolino stays aggressive while exhibiting good defense at the {0:40 Mark}. Cervantes
counters with sharp left-jabs at Nicolino's cut left-eye. But Nicolino is still forcing the fight,
and keeps moving forward at the {1:10 Mark}.

The Champion is slowing down some, and backs away while looking to counter. Nicolino
lands a good 'right-left' to Cervantes head, forcing him to back up to the front Ropes at
the {1:30 Mark}.

Nicolino steps in close at the {1:39 Mark}, and lands with a hard 'left-right-left-right'. But
Cervantes rallies, and scores with a solid 'left-right-left-right' to the Argentinian's head
driving him backwards at the {1:45 Mark}.

Cervantes is now putting on the pressure, and drives Nicolino into the right-side Ropes
at the {1:56 Mark}.

Cervantes lands with '2' hard left-hands, and drives Nicolino into the back right Corner at the
{2:02 Mark}.

The Referee - Luis Salbaran moves in, and has the Ringside Physician examine the cut
over Nicolino's left-eye. The Physician says that the bout can continue, but for the Referee
to watch the cut, and to stop the bout if it gets any worse.

The action resumes at the {2:20 Mark}.

Locche immediately goes to center-Ring, and aggressively charges into the Champion with
left-hands. Cervantes is forced to counter, and does well by landing in with quick 'left-right'
punches at the {2:30 Mark}.

Nicolino continues to press, and drives Cervantes into the back right Corner, and wails away.
But, Cervantes comes back with his own hard punches.

Nicolino scores with a good 'left-left-right' at the {2:45 Mark}, but Cervantes counters with
a sharp 'right-left-left' to the head.

Nicolino is still pressing at the end of the Round, as the Champion slows a bit.

Round 8 ...... {10-9} Nicolino Locche
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In between Rounds, the Nicolio Locche corner worked feverishly on the cut over the left-eye,
as the 'gash' was very bad.

Round 9

[Bill Paxtom]

~ Antonio Cervantes vs. Nicolino Locche ~

Round 9

Both meet at Center-Ring, and fling out left-jabs at each other. Cervantes takes the
lead at the {0:21}, and starts by firing out a sharp 'left-right' into Nicolino's left-eye.

Nicolino makes a hard charge at the {0:31 Mark}, and scores with a 'left-right-left-right'
to the head that drives Cervantes into the right-side Ropes.

Nicolino continues to press, and flicks in left-hands into the Champion. But Cervantes is
too fast, and avoids Nicolino's second-charge at the {0:54 Mark}.

Cervantes attacks with a 'wild' right-hand, as both fighters clinch at the {1:00 Mark}.

Cervantes goes to jabbing at Nicolino's left-eye, as he moves to his right at the {1:10 Mark}.

Nicolino continues to press, but he cannot get off with any solid punches. Nicolino is directly
in front of the Champion, but he is not firing any punches at the {1:17 Mark}.

Cervantes digs in a good right-hand to the body, and follows with a solid left-hook to the
head at the {1:21 Mark}.

Nicolino gets through with '2' left-hands at the {1:30 Mark}, and backs up Cervantes.

The Champion is 'loading up' and is looking to fire a right-hand. Cervantes scores with a
fast '4-Punch' combination at the {1:48 Mark}. The Champion follows up with a sharp
right-hand lead to Nicolino's damaged left-eye at the {1:54 Mark}.

Cervantes is too fast for Nicolino, who cannot land a counter-punch. Cervantes now moves
to his right, while sticking in straight right-hand leads into Nicolino's left-eye.

Nicolino's left-eye is in bad shape now {2:08 Mark}. Cervantes scores with a fast '3-Punch'
combination, and continues to target the left-eye at the {2:16 Mark}.

Nicolino is now at Center-Ring, as Cervantes easily circles around him, and flicks out left-jabs.

Cervantes moves in and fires away at the {2:41 Mark}, and catches Nicolino with a hard left-hook,
and then continues to circle and jab.

Nicolino is stlll trying to get in close, and both trade-punches at the {2:55 Mark}.

Round 9 ...... {10-9} Antonio Cervantes

[Bill Paxtom]

~ Antonio Cervantes vs. Nicolino Locche 'II" ~

After Round 9

Scorecards
* 98-96 > {3-1-5 in Rounds} > Antonio Cervantes
* 96-95 > {5-4-0 in Rounds} > Antonio Cervantes
* 97-95 > {5-3-1 in Rounds} > Antonio Cervantes

All of the scoring officials were more than fair in awarding points to Nicolino Locche.
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In Nicolino Locche's corner, handlers {Trainer; Miguel Pavillon} and {Physician; Dr. Robert Paladino}
desperately work on the cut left-eyebrow of their fighter.

Manger/Advisor; Carlos 'Tito' Lectoure leans through the Ropes to discuss the situation with Nicolino.
Mr. Lectoure wants to stop the bout, and pleads with Nicolino to end it.

The great Argentinian Warrior refuses, and wants to go on and believes he can turn the bout around.

Referee - Luis Salbaran [center] looks in on the group in Locche's corner.

[Bill Paxtom]

~ It's All Over For Nicolino ~

Nicolino Locche is checked out by his handler {Dr. Robert Paladino}. Nicolino waited in
his corner for the Bell to sound to start Round 10.

Just as the Bell sounded, Dr. Paladino threw a white-towel into the center of the Ring.

Nicolino who did not know it, but his Trainer - Miguel Pavillon was directly behind him,
standing behind the Ring Post outside the Ring.

As Dr. Paladino threw in the towel, Trainer - Miguel Pavillon grabbed the back waist-band
of Nicolino's boxing-trunks, preventing him from walking out of the Corner.

Nicolino was visibly upset, and wanted to go out to fight on. Then Referee - Luis Salbaran
waved that the bout was over.



Immediately Manager/Advisor - Carlos 'Tito' Lectoure jumped up into the ring to console his
fighter.

Also, Argentinian compatriot and World Middleweight Champion - Carlos Monzon went up into
the Ring immediately to console his fellow countryman.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Carlos 'Tito' Lectoure >

"The cut was very bad at the end of Round 8. And, I told the {corner}, if the cut got any worse
to stop the bout, as I knew Nicolino would never quit."


"Then in Round 9, Nicolino was badly out-punched by Cervantes, and he could not see the hard
right-hand punches coming in on his left-eye. There was no need to let it go any further as the
Champion {Cervantes} had too much speed and power."

[Bill Paxtom]

Monday ~ March 19, 1973

~ Nicolino Locche To Retire ~

33 1/2 year-old Nicolino Locche of Argentina will retire, with a record of 110-4-14 in '128-Bouts'
over a '14-Year' career that started on December 11, 1958.

Nicolino, 'El Intocable' was stopped by a TKO 10 by WBA Champion - Antonio Cervantes on
Saturday Night {March 17th} in an attempt to regain his Light-Welterweight Championship.

In that bout, Antonio Cervantes had too much speed and power for Nicolino to overcome, as the
Champion took control from the outset of their bout, and was the more effective boxer.

The 'popular' Argentinian suffered a bad gash on his left eyebrow in Round 3, and it was examined
'3' separate times by the Ringside Physician during the bout. The cut was re-opened in Round 7,
and hampered the Argentinian's vision over the last 2 1/2 Rounds.

Antonio Cervantes continually targeted the left-eye, by placing sharp left-jabs on the eye area.
The Champion had Locche spinning dizzily during Round 9, as he circled to his right and sent slashing
right-hands into the cut, opening the gash further.

Nicolino made a great show, but he was no match for Cervantes, the same fighter he handily defeated
a 15-Months earlier, on December 11, 1971.
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Nicolino Locche >

"I was never hurt by Cervantes' punches, but that right-hook in Round 3 damaged my eyebrow. My
cornermen did a good job of sealing the cut, but he {Cervantes} re-opened it again in Round 7."

"I had a good Round 8, and I thought that I could swing the tide, but the blood from the cut got in
my left-eye, and I had a hard time seeing out the eye in Round 9."

"Cervantes was very good, and he now has a hard right-hand to go with a slashing left-jab. He hit
me with more punches than anybody else has in all my previous '127-Bouts'.