1979-12-08 : Pipino Cuevas 146 lbs beat Angel Espada 144½ lbs by TKO at 1:18 in round 10 of 15
Location: Sports Arena, Los Angeles, California, USAReferee: Jerry Smith
"Jose (Pipino) Cuevas of Mexico City knocked out Angel Espada of Puerto Rico in the 10th round Saturday to retain his WBA welterweight championship. Cuevas started fast using his jab and left hooks to the head. In the 3rd round, a Cuevas left send Espada reeling and the champion closed in, landing nearly 20 blows while the challenger was in his corner. Espada rallied in the 4th but Cuevas came back in the 5th and 6th, although he was warned for a low blow in the latter and again in the 10th. Espada looked strong with head shots in the 7th, 8th and 9th rounds but took severe punishment to the body as the Cuevas corner urged the champion to use that strategy. Cuevas opened a cut over Espada's right eye and had it bleeding badly in the 7th. Then he switched to a body attack in the 8th and 9th to slow the challenger before putting him away at 1:18 of the 10th round in the scheduled 15 rounder at the Sports Arena." -Associated Press
