"Pipino" Cuevas: 50 Years as Mexico's Youngest World Champion
By Gabriel F. Cordero
PhilBoxing.com
Fri, 17 Jul 2026
On July 17, 1976—50 years ago—at the Calafia Bullring in Mexicali, Baja California, Mexico, 18-year-old José "Pipino" Cuevas became the youngest boxer in history to win the world welterweight championship. He knocked down the reigning champion, Ángel Espada, three times and secured a victory by technical knockout in the second round.
Cuevas would go on to defend the WBA welterweight title eleven times before losing it to Thomas Hearns in 1980.
Espada, who was making his second title defense, had won the vacant belt against Clyde Gray in June 1975 via a unanimous decision after 15 rounds.
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