Cecilio Lastra facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Cecilio Lastra |
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|---|---|
| Statistics | |
| Real name | Cecilio Lastra |
| Rated at | Featherweight |
| Height | 5 ft 5 in (1.65 m) |
| Nationality |  Spanish |
| Born | August 12, 1951 Santander, Spain |
| Stance | Southpaw |
| Boxing record | |
| Total fights | 54 |
| Wins | 39 |
| Wins by KO | 24 |
| Losses | 13 |
| Draws | 2 |
| No contests | 0 |
Cecilio "Uco" Lastra, born on August 12, 1951, in Santander, Spain, is a famous former Spanish professional boxer. He had an exciting career from 1975 to 1982. During this time, he fought 54 matches. He won 39 of these fights, with 24 wins coming from a knockout. He lost 13 times and had 2 draws.
The most important moment in Lastra's career happened in 1977. He won the WBA world featherweight title. He achieved this by defeating Rafael Ortega. Cecilio Lastra also became the Spanish champion during his career. He also competed twice for the EBU title.
Contents
Cecilio Lastra's Boxing Journey
Starting His Professional Career
Cecilio Lastra began his professional boxing journey when he was 24 years old. His very first fight was in December 1975. He won this six-round match against Juan Barros by points. Most of his early fights took place in his hometown of Santander.
Lastra started his career with an impressive winning streak. He won his first twelve fights in a row. Six of these wins were by knockout in the very first round! His first loss came in September 1976 against Carlos Hernandez.
Becoming Spanish Champion
After his first defeat, Lastra bounced back strongly. He won eight more fights in a row, all in Santander. This winning streak led him to a big opportunity. He fought Isidoro Cabeza for the Spanish featherweight title and won!
However, his first defense of the Spanish title did not go as planned. In August 1977, he faced Roberto Castanon. Lastra suffered his first knockout defeat in this match, losing in the eleventh round.
Winning a World Title
In December 1977, Cecilio Lastra had the biggest fight of his life. He challenged Rafael Ortega for the WBA featherweight world title. The fight took place in Santander, in front of about 6,300 excited fans.
Ortega, who was from Panama, had won the title earlier that year. In the second round, Lastra landed a strong left jab to Ortega's nose. This caused Ortega to be knocked down. Ortega got back up at the count of eight and continued fighting. The match went all fifteen rounds.
At the end of the fight, the judges' scores were very close. It was a split decision, meaning the judges didn't all agree. But the decision went in Lastra's favor, making him a world champion!
Defending the World Title
For his first defense of the world title, Lastra traveled to Panama City. He fought Eusebio Pedroza in April 1978. Pedroza was a young and strong challenger, only 22 years old.
Pedroza knocked Lastra down three times during the fight. In the thirteenth round, Pedroza won by technical knockout. This meant Lastra lost his world title.
Later Career Fights
Even though he lost his world title, Lastra continued to fight. He never fought for a world title again. However, he did challenge Roberto Castanon twice more for the EBU title. He lost their second fight by points and their third fight by a fourth-round technical knockout. This meant he lost all three of his fights against Castanon.
After four losses in a row, including two Spanish title fights, Lastra had his final professional fight. This was in July 1982. He lost in the fifth round against Amalio Galan.
See also
In Spanish: Cecilio Lastra para niños
