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

[Bill Paxtom]

August 15, 1969

~ Ring Magazine Ratings ~

*** Johnny Famechon > {WBC Champion}
#1 . Shozo Saijo > {WBA Champion}
#2 . Vicente Saldivar
#3. Dwight Hawkins
#4 . Cruz Marcano
#5 . Jose Legra
#6 . Fighting Harada
#7 . Felipe Torres
#8 . Jimmy Revie
#9 . Noboyo Chiba
#10. Fernando Sotelo

Fight Promoter ~ Ramiro Machado >

I want to send Cruz up to Los Angeles, California for 2-Months, to get him some good gym-sparring, and
then pick up a '2-Bouts in Los Angeles at the 'Olympic Auditorium' before the end of the year {1969}.

I want to 'smooth out' his rough edges before we send him into a World Championship bout in 1970.

I'd like him to have a bout in October, and then one in late-November. I have no opponents picked out
as of yet. I'm working with Mickey Davies {Olympic Matchmaker} to set up '2' opponents.

[Bill Paxtom]

~ Dangerous Venezuelan's ~

Cruz Marcano ...............Isaac Martin
............. Alfredo Marcano ......... Luis Vallejo

[Bill Paxtom]

August 15, 1969

~ Cruz Marcano vs. Alfredo Marcano ~

Venezuela's 1969 ~ 'Fight of the Year'

But a bizarre ending to this bout.

Approximatley 5-Minutes after the bout ended, the Ring Announcer > Ray Garcia announced that
Alfredo Marcano had won by a 'Majority Decision'.

* Referee - Luis Salbaran ...... 96-95 > {5-4-1 in Rounds} > Alfredo Marcano
* Judge - Carlos Cataya ........ 96-96 > {4-4-2 in Rounds} > 'Even'
* Judge - Santos Arizmendi ... 96-95 > {5-4-1 in Rounds} > Alfredo Marcano

After the announcement, all 'Hell' broke loose in the Cruz Marcano group, as they screamed that
they were 'robbed'.

And the Cruz Marcano supporters inside the Nuevo Circo Arena started 'booing' loudly, and many
were throwing objects at the Ring.

Immediately, the Venezuelan Boxing Commission got involved, and made an announcement that
they were going to 're-tabulate' the Scorecards.

What they found {or so stated}, that Judge - Santos Arizmendi had 'incorrectly' scored Round 8
{10-9} for Alfredo Marcano, instead of scoring the Round {10-10} 'Even', which is what he
intended to do.

That {1-Point} swing in difference made the bout a '10-Round Draw'.

~ Corrected Scorecard Reading ~

Referee - Luis Salbaran
> Alfredo Marcano > Rounds ... 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
> Cruz Marcano > Rounds ....... 6, 7, 9, 10
> 'Even' .................................. 8

Judge - Carlos Cataya
> Alfredo Marcano > Rounds ... 1, 2, 3, 5
> Cruz Marcano > Rounds ....... 6, 7, 9, 10
> 'Even' .................................. 4, 8

Judge - Santos Arizmendi
> Alfredo Marcano > Rounds .. 1, 2, 3, 5
> Cruz Marcano > Rounds ...... 6, 7, 9, 10
> 'Even' ................................ 4, 8

[Bill Paxtom]

~ Rare Photo ~

Friday ~ August 15, 1969

~ Venezuela's 1969 ~ 'Fight of the Year'

Cruz Marcano {left} versus Alfredo Marcano {right}

[Bill Paxtom]

Wednesday ~ August 20, 1969

Fight Promoter - Ramiro Machado

That bout on Friday Night {August 15th} at the Nuevo Circo 'New Circus' was a brutal battle.
Both fighters are bruised and sore.

Those type of fights can 'ruin' a fighter's career. Thankfully, both Cruz Marcano and Alfredo Marcano
are young, and strong. They will both bounce back, as long as they have a 'required' rest period.

What we saw on Friday Night, was 'two' future World Champion's. That I can guarantee. My plan
is to have both of them World Champion's in 1970.

But,

Cruz Marcano injured his right-hand in the bout with Alfredo Marcano on Friday Night.

He will be 'out-of-action' for 3-Months. I was going to take him to California in mid-September,
but those plans will now be 'scuibbed'.

The Doctor has told him, 'No Boxing' for 3-Months, and no sparring until he has been
re-examined in November 1969.

Alfredo Marcano is a little sore and bruised up. He's under orders from his Physician, to
rest for 1-Month, and not resume training during that time.

[Bill Paxtom]

~ Famous Photo ~

* Antonio 'Kid Pambele' Cervantes {wearing White Suit}....... WBA Light-Welterweight Champion

* Ramiro Machado {with Hat and reading Newspaper} ........ Venezuelan Fight Promoter and Boxing Manager

* Melquiades 'Tabaquito' Saenz {Super Afro hairdo} ............ Venezuelan Boxing Trainer

[Bill Paxtom]

Saturday ~ December 20, 1969

Nuevo Circo 'New Circus' ~ Caracas, Venezuela

~ Venezuela Featherweight Championship ~

* Pedro Gomez - 25-4-2 {12 KO's} ~ 5' 6" ~ 126 lbs. ~ {Age; 28 years, 0 months}
vs.
* Cruz Marcano - 23-0-3 {12 KO's} ~ 5' 6 1/2" ~ 125 1/2 lbs. ~ {Age; 23 years, 6 months}
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

~ The Skinny ~

Cruz 'El Loco' Marcano > Is fighting for the '1st-time' in over 4-months, after his 'war' on
August 15th in 'The Fight of the Year' with Alfredo Marcano.

Cruz has been recovering from a fractured-bone in his right-hand.

While the 'unbeaten' South American has been labeled a can't miss Champion by the 'boxing experts',
there has been a concern over his 'power-loss' in 1969.

In '6-Bouts', Cruz has had to go the 'full-route' in each bout, and has not scored a Knockout,
and only has registered '2' Knockdowns in '60-Rounds'.

Cruz Marcano is rated as the #3 WBA Featherweight.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Pedro Gomez > Is the older brother of Antonio Gomez. Pedro had been 'The Star' of Cumana
and Venezuela's 'Top' Featherweight in early-1969.

Also, Pedro had been the Venezuelan Featherweight Champion since February 1968.

The 4-Year Professional was the #1 WBA Featherweight in February 1969, and earned the challenge
for the WBA Featherweight Championship on February 9th against Japan's - Shozo Saijo in Tokyo, Japan.

In that bout, Pedro fell behind 'badly' after 10-Rounds, but put on a remarkable come-back over the
last 4-Rounds. But, Pedro came up just short and lost a 'tough' 15-Round Decision to the WBA Champion.

Since that loss on February 9th >

Pedro had lost 'back-to-back' bouts {L TKO 6} to Mexican - Vicente Garcia on 'May 1st', and a {L Dec 10}
to American - Richard Sue on 'August 1st'.

But on August 29th, Pedro 'reversed' the tables on Richard Sue, and won a {W Dec 10}.

Pedro is rated as the #11 WBA Featherweight.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

~ Cruz Marcano 'Captures' The Venezuelan Featherweight Championship, Defeats Pedro Gomez ~

'Unbeaten' Cruz Marcano made it '27-Straight' bouts without a loss, as he easily defeated Pedro Gomez to capture
the Venezuelan Featherweight Championship.

The 23 year-old Marcano used a 'steady' left-jab and 'crisp' right-hands in every Round, to bruise up the face of
the 28 year-old Champion.

Cruz Marcano, who is from Cumana, just like the Champion, was in control from the Opening Round, and out-sped
Pedro Gomez in every exchange, throughout the 12-Round bout.

El Nacionale' scored the bout {118-112} or {8-2-2} in Rounds for the 'new' Champion - Cruz Marcano.