Hurtado is fighting like a jazz musician at a rock concert… — HBO color commentator George Foreman
By Ted Sares: It really can’t be measured but you recognize it when you see it. On any number of occasions, I saw fighters win against great odds seemingly inspired to go beyond their self-imposed limitations–to stretch parameters of possibilities beyond the norm.
Hurtado, known as “The Oriental Kid,” began his professional career in 1994, and in 1997 challenged WBC welterweight title holder Pernell Whitaker. He was 20-0 at the time while Pernell was 39-1-1.
An inspired Hurtado started fast and dropped the champ with a right to his jaw which had been exposed by a sharp body shot only five seconds into the fight. Whitaker’s wide smile perhaps belied what was ahead.. Hurtado proceeded to fight with uncommon savvy and courage hitting the champion with two shots for every one he received and never backing down. He also threw lead rights and combinations from awkward positions confusing Pernell and forcing him to attack. This was a masterful strategy because it took him out of his defensive game. In addition to his effective hit-and-run tactics, the Cuban did more than his fair share of roughhousing which shook up the champ.
In the eight round, Hurtado again shocked everyone but himself as he launched a fast left to jaw that dropped Whitaker to one knee. In an act of theatrics, Whitaker grabbed the sides of his head and shouted an agonized “no!” but Arthur Mercante Junior would have none of it and administered his second eight-count. Whitaker was now behind and the crowd sensed major upset.
Point deductions resulted for both fighters as the roughhousing continued into the late rounds. This Cuban was turning out to be one tough customer.
Going into the eleventh stanza, most thought (and correctly so) that Whitaker needed a stoppage to win. Ronnie Shields said, “You need a knockout to win the fight.” Then, with 1:23 remaining in the 11th round, Whitaker proved his worth as a champion. He let go a vicious left that that snapped Hurtado’s head and sagged his legs. For all practical purposes, the fight was over.
With memories of Paret-Griffith lurking, the totally gassed challenger got snagged between the second and third strands of rope and “Sweet Pete” unleashed nine or ten murderous overhand lefts. Whitaker, with the WBC welterweight title and a mega pay day with Oscar De La Hoya at stake, had pulled it out. Hurtado, who was leading on all three judges’ cards by 93-92, 94-92 and 96-91, was fortunate to come out of that fight without serious damage (or worse). Many, including the HBO commentators, made quite a point over the helpless Cuban taking too many unnecessary shots as he absorbed one potentially lethal power punch after another with no way to defend himself. It was as if Whittaker was pounding nails into a piece of wood. These were monster shots the accumulation of which could well have caused permanent damage.
Still, Hurtado amazingly went on an 8 fight winning streak and seemingly has suffered no lasting effects from the fight. In fact, just 5 months later he iced Mexican bomber Jaime Balboa, 64 (KO 58)-23-1. He retired in 2004 but has since mounted a comeback and is 39-3-1, winning two recent fights in Spain against very poor opposition..
For his part, Whitaker also fought with inspiration, but it almost came too late, for the Cuban warrior came razor close to winning the title in a major upset. Indeed, the Hurtado fight would prove to be the last official win of his career.
Whitaker fought many formidable foes such as Jose Luis Ramirez, Freddie Pendleton, Jorge Paez, Oscar De La Hoya, Tito Trnindad, James “Buddy” McGirt and Hall of Famers Julio Cesar Chavez and Azumah Nelson, but none ever fought with more inspiration than “The Oriental Kid” on January 24, 1997 at the Convention Center in Atlantic City.