From the Archives: Carlos ‘Teo’ Cruz defends world lightweight title
In the 1968 world lightweight boxing championship, teenager Mondo Ramos, 19, went up against the veteran Carlos “Teo” Cruz, age 30.
The Los Angeles Times reported that “About all teen-ager Mando Ramos had going for him Friday night in his bid for Carlos (Teo) Cruz’s world lightweight title was youth, guts and an unquenchable spirit … but they weren’t enough against the rugged, ringwise campaigner from Santo Domingo.”
Ramos won a Feb. 18, 1969, title rematch against Cruz. Ramos held the combined World Lightweight Champion and WBC Lightweight Champion titles twice in the early 1970s.
Carlos Cruz died in a Feb. 15, 1970, plane crash.
Ramos passed away at his San Pedro home on July 6, 2008. Here is a link to his Los Angeles Times obituary: L.A. fighter's career cut short by addictions.
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