Rudy Cruz, Former Top Boxer, Dead at 62
Rudy Cruz, top-ranked Los Angeles lightweight boxer of the post-World War II era, died Friday of cancer at the City of Hope Medical Center in Duarte. He was 62.
Cruz, born in Los Angeles, fought most of the world’s top lightweights after serving as an Army combat infantryman in Europe in World War II. He never fought for the world title, but he did fight two boxers who later became world lightweight champions--Jimmy Carter and Ike Williams. He lost a decision to Williams but won a decision over Carter, in 1949.
A Rosary will be said tonight at 7 at Rose Hills Memorial Park in Whittier. Funeral services will be Wednesday at 10 a.m. at the same site.
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