01.12.06 – By Ted Sares: Maybe there will be party…I hope so. But there sure as hell won’t be any gold watch, much less insurance, pension and 401K benefits. That’s what happens when you are forced to retire from boxing. Few leave on their own terms, unless, of course, you are on the tip of the boxing iceberg with other champions and top contenders. And even then, unless you are smart enough to get the right financial advice, pensions and other retirement benefits may be hard to come by. Hell, how do you spell “annuity?”
Alfred Freddie Cuevas almost made it to the tip when he ko’d tough Wilfredo Rivera on July 19, 2002 at the De Paul Athletic Center in Chicago. The bout was televised internationally.
Yes, this was the same Wilfredo Rivera who lost a battle for the WBC Welterweight Title in April 1996 to Pernell Whittaker by SD at Atlantis Casino, Cupecoy Bay, St. Maarten, Netherlands Antilles. Many though he had won including me. Just prior to Freddie’s shocking win, he tko’d former IBF Light Welterweight title holder Charles Murray, 44-6 coming in, at the Black Orchid Theatre in Chicago.
But then, his many hard fights began to catch up with him and in his last two, he was beaten up by an extremely fit and ready Kassim Ouma and most recently by rugged “Irish” John Duddy. “Ouma was a complete disaster for me,” Cuevas said. “I had problems during training that I didn’t let the media know about
Going into the Duddy bout, he said,
“I’m not a fool, and I understand the clock is ticking on me,” he said. “I need to prove something to myself and prove it to the people that are the powers that be in boxing. I want them to see I’m not going to be a stepping stone. I can still be a danger. “I kind of hate when you hear the world ‘retire.’ I think of a 65-year-old man. It’s unfortunate, but it’s something we have to say in our career.”
The fight with Duddy was for the WBC Continental Americas Middleweight Title. Cuevas’ corner stopped it before the start of round 8, but Freddy wanted to go on like the warrior he has always been. In so doing, he won the respect of both Duddy and the Garden fans even though he lost.
Then on November 20, 2006 the following boxing announcement was released.
“Popular Chicago middleweight Freddie Cuevas has retired from the squared circle after an eleven year professional career, it was announced today by Dominic Pesoli, President of 8 Count Productions.….
“Said the classy Cuevas, ‘it’s been a good run and it’s been an honor to fight in front of the fans of Chicago. They were always there for me. I’d also like to thank 8 Count, My trainers Al Ortiz and Al Jr. And the rest of the local fighters who have performed so well on cards I’ve fought on.’
“Said Pesoli about working with Cuevas, ‘Freddie was one of the first fighters we signed. Our fans loved him, he was a true warrior and always was a class act in and out of the ring. It was a pleasure working with him and 8 Count wishes him all the best.”
The retirement announcement also appeared on the EastSideBoxing Internet site but only received 2 or 3 posts before it faded into the archives.
Cuevas, closed out his career with a record of 27- 9-1 with 17 ko’s, and was one of the most popular and cagey Chicago fighters since his pro debut in February 1995. He was an old school type who did his talking in the ring and was always respectful to both his opponents and his fans. He began his career fighting in ballrooms, expo centers, fair grounds and union halls in and around Chicago, places like Waukegan, Westmont. Hammond, Dalton, Cicero and Elgin. But he also fought in Denmark, Atlantic City, Las Vegas, Little Rock (where he lost to Jermain Taylor by UD and never came close to being hurt) and, of course, Madison Square Garden where he fought Duddy.
He was the type of fighter whose hand would be raised by his opponents after a fight out of respect. But after the Duddy fight, it was time to make the inevitable decision…the one that many 65 year olds have to make. This was a particularly difficult thing for Cuevas to do since he had been laid off by the by a Chicago phone company earlier this year after 14 years of employment. The HBO team or the announcers on Showtime or ESPN never have anything to say about guys like Freddy Cuevas. We hear a lot about Jermain Taylor’s and John Duddy’s and the late career guys like Roy Jones Junior, Bernard Hopkins and Oscar De La Hoya, but without the Cuevas’s, there would be no big names.
The 37 year old Cuevas represented the major part of the boxing iceberg………….the one composed of former contenders, journeymen, and club fighters. Along with hundreds of others, he is what boxing is all about. He was a savvy and heavy handed junior middleweight contender; he was also a realist. While he never fought for a world title, he was a fan favorite and top attraction in Chicago boxing and that counts for something.
I hope it will be enough for a warrior by the name of Alfred Freddie Cuevas.
Ted Sares can be reached at
tedsares@adelphia.net