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

[Bill Paxtom]

January 1, 1970

Ring Magazine Ratings

*** Johnny Famechon > {WBC Champion}
#1 . Shozo Saijo > {WBA Champion}
#2 . Vicente Saldivar
#3 . Fighting Harada
#4 . Cruz Marcano
#5 . Antonio Gomez
#6 . Kuniaki Shibata
#7 . Jimmy Revie
#8 . Jose Legra
#9 . Fernando Sotello
#10. Dwight Hawkins
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Friday ~ February 20, 1970

Nuevo Circo 'New Circus' ~ Caracas, Venezuela

* Cruz 'El Loco' Marcano - 24-0-3 {12 KO's} ~ 5' 6 1/2" ~ 127 1/2 lbs. ~ {Age; 23 years, 11 months}
vs.
* Guillermo 'Memo' Morales - 20-4-0 {18 KO's} ~ 5' 6 1/2" ~ 127 lbs. ~ {Age; 22 years, 2 months}
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~ The Skinny ~

Cruz Marcano > is on a roll, and has moved up to the #2 WBA-ranked Featherweight.
The Venezuelan is also ranked at #4 Ring Magazine.

Cruz has been labeled 'a complete fighter', and is unbeaten in '27' bouts. The one issue, is that
'El Loco' has been missing the 'KO Punch' in 1969, as he has gone 7-Straight bouts without
scoring a Knockout.

His last 'Knockout' {KO 4} was against Antonio Cervantes back in December 1968.

In fairness, Cruz has had some issues with his right-hand {bruised and hairline fracture}
since the Cervantes bout.
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Guillermo 'Memo' Morales > is a tough-and-young fighter from Mexicali. 'Memo' always
comes to fight, and never gives up, as he brings in an aggressive style

The Mexican 'now' usually fights in his opponents backyard. 'Memo' is an average boxer, but he
has a good left-hook that has 'helped' produce '18' Knockouts in '20' wins.

'Memo' got off to a 'blazing start' in his career, as he won his first '15' Bouts with {14 KO's}
thru May 1968.

But 'back-to-back' tough 10-Round Decision losses stalled his fast rise.
* June 19, 1968 ..... Richie Gonzalez
* August 9, 1968 ... Beto Maldonado

Then on August 23, 1968 > 'Memo' lost a tough bout {L TKO 7} to Baby Cassius, when he had
his 'left-eye' sliced up. It was his '3rd' straight loss, dropping him to 15-3-0.

After '3' straight losses, 'Memo' Morales moved to Honolulu, Hawaii in November 1968, as there
was a 'call' to get some West-Coast Featherweights out there.

In his '1st-Bout' in Honolulu {October 31, 1968} > 'Memo' was matched with 'unbeaten' and
highly-touted Filipino - Dominado 'Domi' Manalang.

Manalang had a record of 17-0-1 with {12 KO's}, and was the #7 WBA-ranked Bantamweight.

'The Filipino was moving up in weight, and in the bout > Manalang {123 lbs.} was too fast
for 'Memo' {126 lbs.}, and went on to score a {TKO 8} over Morales.

It was Morales' '4th' straight loss, dropping the young 21 year-old Mexican to 15-4-0.

3-Months later {January 29, 1969} 'Memo' was back in the Ring again in Honolulu. Again
'Memo' was facing another 'talented' Filipino in Roberto Andrade.

Roberto was the #7 WBA-ranked Featherweight, and was a 'big' fan favorite on the Island.

In a 'Major Upset' > 'Memo' Morales scored a Knockout {KO 3} over the World-Ranked
Filipino.

The 'upset win' moved 'Memo' Morales to the #10 WBA Featherweight in the February 1969
ratings. The win ended the '4-Bout' losing streak for 'Memo', as he upped his record of 16-4-0 {15 KO's}.

For the rest of 1969, 'Memo' went on to score '4' more wins, and with {3 KO's}.

At the end of 1969 > 'Memo' Morales had improved to 20-4-0 with {18 KO's}.