Cruz Marcano ~ The Boxer that they called 'El Loco"

[Bill Paxtom]

Friday ~ August 15, 1969

Nuevo Circo 'New Circus' ~ Caracas, Venezuela

* Cruz Marcano - 23-0-2 {12 KO's} ~ 5' 6 1/2" ~ 128 1/2 lbs. ~ {Age; 23 years, 5 months}
vs.
* Alfredo Marcano - 28-3-3 {19 KO's} ~ 5' 5" ~ 129 lbs. ~ {Age; 22 years, 7 months}
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

~ The Skinny ~

A battle between 'two' of the Top Venezuelan Featherweights, as well as '2' World Rated Boxers.

Both fighters are named 'Marcano', and both fighters are from Cumana, Venezuela.

This highly-anticipated 10-Round Bout is billed as ~ The Match of the Marcano's ~

Cruz, is rated by Ring Magazine as the #4 Featherweight. Cruz is a '5' 7" boxer-puncher,
who has 'heavy-hands'. He also has a very good defense with a 'rock-hard' chin.

Alfredo, is rated by Ring Magazine as the #8 Super-Featherweight. Alfredo is a muscular
and powerfully built fighter in a short frame {5' 4 1/2"}. Alfredo, can 'whack' with his
style, which resembles a 'Mason' smacking bricks.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

~ 'Fight Of The Year' ~

~ Cruz Marcano and Alfredo Marcano Battle To Draw ~

In one of the 'wildest shoot-outs' ever seen, two of Venezuela's top boxers > Cruz Marcano and Alfredo Marcano
battled to a 10-Round Draw.

In the early going, it looked like Alfredo would blow 'El Loco' out of the Ring, as the Alfredo {better technician} gave
Cruz an old-fashioned boxing-lesson.

Alfredo scored with accurate left-jabs and short right-hands to the chin, to rattle the 'Crazy Marcano' time and
again, while sending Cruz back in his heels. Alfredo swept Rounds 1, 2 and 3 > as he out-hit his opponent
4-to-1.

In Round 4, it was an 'all-out slugfest', as both boxers stood at Center-Ring and went toe-to-toe, slamming
each other with both 'body blows' and hooks to the head. Neither fighter gave ground, in a near 3-Minute
'non-stop' war of wills.

In Round 5, it was Alfredo who got back in control, as he stayed 'inside-and-close' at Center-Ring and worked
on Cruz's mid-section with repeated body-smashes. Cruz could not the distance to utilize his longer reach,
where he could whip-in-punches, and was forced to block and stay on the defensive.

By the end of Round 5, Alfredo had built up a 'wide' 4-Point lead on the Scorecards.

Round 6 went off the same way for Alfredo, as he again he got inside Cruz, and battered away at his taller
opponent's mid-section.

But just past the {2:00 Mark}., Cruz opened up and caught Alfredo with a 'right-left' to the head that sent
him stumbling backwards. Then, Cruz went on an 'all-out assault' and pummeled away on Alfredo as he was
sent into the left-side Ropes and took a pounding until the Bell.

In Round 7 > Cruz had it going all his way, and scored with repeated 'one-two' punches to Alfredo's head.
And then when Alfredo brought up his hands to cover his face and head, Cruz dug low with left-hooks into
the rib-cage. Basically, Alfredo 'ran'.

In Round 8 > Cruz continued to put the offensive-pressure on Alfredo, and worked away with 'one-two'
combinations over the first {1:00}.

But Alfredo was not about to give away the large Points lead that he had built up earlier. And, by the {1:10 Mark},
Alfredo's head had cleared, and by the {1:30 Mark} he was fighting back by sending in some heavy-blows to the body.

At the {1:45 Mark} it turned into an 'All-Out War', as both fighters were slamming each other at Center-Ring with
their best punches. Each fighter was 'rocked', but neither gave in as they went 'non-stop' over the last minute
of Round 8.

The Nuevo Circo Arena of { 9500 } roared with cheers and the 'sell-out' full-house gave a rousing standing
ovation for both fighters at the end of the Round.

Coming out for Round 9 {Cruz Marcano} was behind 1-or-2 Points.

Immediately, Cruz started jabbing away at Alfredo's head. On the other side, Alfredo was literally 'running'
and staying on the outside, as he was trying to protect his points lead and 'run-out-the-bout'.

While this was happening > Cruz was yelling at Alfedo > "Kill me. Hit me, don't run. Come on 'Fredo', hit me."
Alfredo continued to chase Alfredo for nearly the entire Round 9.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

In the 'Final Round' > Cruz Marcano again went after Alfredo. And over the first {1:20}, Alfredo stayed
away from exchanging and boxed from 'way' outside.

Then it turned into a War !!

Cruz was finally able to 'trap' Alfredo on the back-Ropes, and he let go with a 'blistering' 11-punch barrage that
'stunned' Alfredo at the {1:35 Mark}.

Just as it seemed that Cruz would put a 'hurting' on Alfredo, he made the 'mistake' of leaving himself 'wide open'.
Then Alfredo countered with a hard 'left-hook/right-hook' to the body, that took the wind out of Cruz.

Alfredo then added in a right to the head, and Cruz 'stumbled' forward and fell face first into the Ropes, where he
was momentarily 'out-on-his-feet'.

Alfredo then 'spun' 180*, and unloaded with a '12-Punch' bombardment on Cruz who was 'hanging' Ropes at
the {1:50 Mark}.

Cruz was able to 'right himself', but was now backed in the back-left Corner. As Alfredo kept throwing punches,
'amazingly' Cruz started screaming at Alfredo > "Kill me Fredo. Hit me. I Love you."

At the {2:10 Mark} > Cruz then even 'dropped' his hands, and said to Alfredo > "Hit me. Hit me here on the chin."

A 'perplexed' Alfredo was unsure of what to do, and he inexplicably backed off. Then, Cruz Marcano made his move,
and went after Alfredo like a 'Crazed Bull'. Cruz charged into Alfredo at Center-Ring at the {2:20 Mark}, and slammed
him with several wide-hooks.

To avoid the sudden attack, Alfredo backed up all the way across the Ring, and into the front-right Corner. There, Cruz
'bored-in' at the {2:35 Mark}, and continued to wing 'haymakers' from every angle

Cruz ripped away and slammed 'jarring' punches into Alfredo's head 'non-stop' for 25-Seconds. But Alfredo was
able to 'weather-the-storm', and was even able to land a good '3-Punch' combination just before the Bell sounded,
endinga 'wild' 10th and Final Round.