Ringside Report Puts Tommy Cordova in the RSR Spotlight
Photo credit Amy Stein
Tommy Cordova, 22-15-3, 9 KO’s was a scrappy brawler from Albuquerque, New Mexico, who battled some of the top fighters in the super featherweight division in the 1980’s. Cordova, a true warrior with tremendous heart, never backed away from a challenge. Resembling a wild west gun-slinger, Cordova would face several fighters on the upstart of their careers, and would never back down from any opponent.
Tommy’s career got off to a great start with nine victories in a row, six coming via by knockout. Most of his competition were soft opponents though, merely club fighters who offered no resistance. Cordova’s first tough opponent, Kenny Baysmore, was an undefeated prospect who was undefeated after thirteen bouts. At the Graham Central Station in Pheonix, AZ, on March 5, 1984, Cordova walked away with the first professional loss of his career, dropping an unanimous decision.
Tommy rebounded nicely after suffering the defeat, winning three decisions in succession, including a split-decision win over lightweight contender Freddie Roach. On June 12, 1984, Roach entered the Showboat Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas (NV) hoping to pick up a win that would put him in line for a possible future world title shot. However, Cordova had different plans for his opponent that night, stealing a split-decision verdict, one that would be the highlight of his fighting career.
After his tough match with Roach, Cordova would battle Rocky Garcia twice later that year, with both contests ending in a draw. The next year offered better results for Tommy, with the young brawler winning his first five contests, including a win over future world champion Kelvin Seabrooks in Atlantic City. Seabrooks would go on a win the vacant IBF World Bantamweight title in 1987.
With an opportunity to win the vacant NABF Featherweight title, Tommy dropped a majority decision to Joe Ruelaz in Las Vegas. Having had trouble making weight and needing to lose eight pounds quickly. Cordova suffered a disappointing loss. The judges sided with “Baby Joe” from California by scores of 115-113,116-112, and 114-114. Two fights later, Cordova would be dismantled by future world champion Steve “Super Kid” Cruz.
On December 3, 1985 Cruz defeated Tommy Cordova at the Showboat Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas in in a ninth-round technical knockout. Cordova was down twice in the eighth and once in the ninth. Using hard rights, body shots, and an explosive left jab, Cruz sent Cordova to the canvas three times in the bout and gave him a considerable beating. Cordova, who lacked proper defensive skills, was floored first from a left, and then from a right to the body. The bout was stopped by the referee, 2:32 into the ninth round, after Cordova had been down once, and then nearly fell again. Cruz would go on and defeat Barry McGuigan two fights later to claim the WBA World Featherweight championship.
Tommy would win two consecutive fights following his loss to Cruz, with one being disqualification victory over Robert Anderson in Albuquerque (NM). Unfortunately, Cordova would win only two more times before finally retiring. Two streaks of five losses in a row punctuated a tough ending to the warrior’s journey. One of his final defeats came at the hands of future junior lightweight champion Tony Lopez at the Arco Arena in Sacramento (CA) on February 15, 1987.
On August 28, 1987, Tommy travelled to Melbourne, Australia, to square off with Lester Ellis. The free-swinging American, who often was willing to take several shots in an attempt to land some of his own, absorbed several big left hooks in the ninth round, touching the canvas with his right hand to keep from going down completely in the closing moments of the round. In the tenth and final round, Ellis landed a big right hand in the opening seconds to send Cordova down to the mat. Several big hooks to the head and body from the bigger Ellis buckled Tommy again and put him down once again. After rising, Ellis pounded Cordova with more power shots, causing the referee to halt the contest.
Writer Dennis Latta summoned up Tommy Cordova’s career and life in the local Albuquerque Journal, “Tommy Cordova once was deemed Albuquerque’s boxing champion. Now he’s a forgotten man. Tommy Cordova hasn’t forgotten about boxing, but boxing has forgotten about him. Cordova really didn’t quit boxing. At 35, he’d like to climb into the ring again. Men older than he still are going. But boxing has quit Cordova”.
“Cordova, the best boxer from Albuquerque in 1984 and ’85, now spends most of his time sitting around a South Valley home. Because of boxing, he’s not able to hold a job. Because of boxing, he depends on his girlfriend, Sandy Davis”.
”I can’t work,” says Cordova, who has regrets but no anger. “I got hurt from boxing. I got memories. I kept my ESPN belt. That’s about all I got.
”I can’t go to fights. When I do, I want to get in the ring again. I want to get back into it. I wish I had a gym. If I can’t fight, then I can work with fighters.”
Cordova, who fought a killer schedule, never had the guidance that fellow Albuquerque native and world champion Johnny Tapia had, nor honest promoters watching out for his best interests. However, Tommy gave everything he always had when he entered the squared-circle.
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