Vinny’s Views: Ringside Report Remembers the Late former WBA Featherweight Champion Eusebio Pedroza (1956-2019)
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By Vinny “Glory Days” Lucci
Back in the late seventies there was an historic wave of fistic action among the featherweight division as it procured a log jam of talent with a long roll call of talented contenders. Reminiscing over an era when the boxing universe contained only two champions per division there were no less than ten icons vying for supremacy while fighting to put food on the table. While there was less managerial corruption, the decade was a throwback to the glorious forties and fifties when boxers learned their trade the hard way; they took their training days off from the gym only to do ring combat in main events and undercards.
Among the legends and future hall of famers there was a boxing adage around gym rats and match makers, “Never step on a scorpion.” The fascinating axiom was a warning reference and tribute to the tough “son of a bitch” who wore the moniker. I state this in total awe and inspiration as few men could box so well and be tough as nails in every exchange. That was Eusebio Pedroza, the Panamanian WBA Featherweight champion who racked up no less than an unprecedented nineteen successful defenses during an eight year reign.
Sadly the boxing world lost the phenomenon on March 1, as the luminary succumbed to the battle of his life with pancreatic cancer one day short of his sixty third birthday. Eusebio was permitted to leave the hospital and return home to prepare for the long goodbye.
His career stats were tantamount to the greatness and longevity he is associated with as his ring exploits spanned nearly two decades. His final ledger will forever read 41-6-1, 25 KO’s but “El Alacran” is deservedly enshrined in the boxing hall of fame and will now rest among the pantheon of ring gods who passed before him.
Pedroza’s championship reign was ushered in with a thirteenth round TKO stoppage of defending southpaw champion Cecilio Lastra in 1978 and came to a noble finality against Ireland’s popular Barry McGuigan by unanimous decision in 1985. In between he turned back the challenges of Jorge Lujan, Rocky Lockridge 2x’s, Bernard Taylor, Juan Laporte and Ruben Olivares among other deserving and mandatory contenders.
Unfortunately for boxing fans and prosperity of the sport a unification match with WBC champion Salvador Sanchez never materialized. There was a public clamor for Sanchez to fight WBC super-bantamweight champion Wilfredo Gomez which Sanchez won by TKO in 8 back in 1981 when both he and Pedroza were steam rolling the competition. Sanchez was tragically killed instantly in an automobile crash the following year leaving historians to ponder who would have had the upper hand in a proposed battle of little giants.
Eusebio failed miserably in his first title try against Bantamweight champion Alfonso Zamora who was defending his WBA title for the third and running his unblemished record to 25-0. Pedroza was knocked out in the second round in 1976.
From there he picked himself up off the metaphoric canvas and reinvented himself at 126 pounds filling out his 5’8” frame with thicker muscles while maintaining his lean frame. Upon winning the featherweight title he became a world traveler hosting his belt on many a challenger’s home turf.
“The Scorpion” was as complete a boxer as you’ll ever find at any weight as he threw and mastered every punch in the boxing dictionary while displaying incredible defensive mobility inside the pocket at less than arm’s length. His lightning quick speed and reflexes enabled him to unleash his power with either hand provoking the imagery of comparison to the predatory arachnids venomous giant stinger.
Since his retirement in 1992 after a brief ill-advised comeback one image of Eusebio Pedroza stands out above all others; his steely eyes and expressionless gargoyle face of stone that never rattled, waivered or faltered in combat. Whether he boxed or sought the knockout he was instinctively a stone cold assassin who was truly something to behold.
Rest in peace champ, you did good.
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