Cecilio Lastra
Encyclopedia
Cecilio Lastra is a former Spanish
professional boxer
. He fought 54 times between 1975 and 1982; winning 39 (24 by knockout
), losing 13 and drawing 2. The highlight of Lastra's career came in 1977 when he won the WBA
world featherweight title against Rafael Ortega
. During his career he also became the Spanish champion and twice challenged for the EBU
title.
against Juan Barros in December 1975. As with the majority of his early fights, the bout took place in his hometown of Santander. Lastra won the first twelve fights of his career, including six first round knockout
s, before losing for the first time, in September 1976, against Carlos Hernandez. Following this defeat, Lastra won eight successive fights in Santander, before beating Isidoro Cabeza for the Spanish featherweight title. He suffered his first knockout defeat in August 1977, losing in the eleventh round against Roberto Castanon in his first title defence.
In December 1977 Lastra challenged Rafael Ortega
for the WBA featherweight title in front of an estimated crowd of 6,300 in Santander. Ortega, an Argentine
who had won the title earlier in the year, was knocked down
in the second round after a left jab to the nose. The champion rose from the canvas at the count of eight and lasted the full fifteen rounds. At the end of the contest the scorecards revealed a split decision
in Lastra's favour. For the first defence of his title Lastra travelled to Panama City
to fight Eusebio Pedroza
in April 1978. The 22-year-old challenger knocked Lastra down three times en route to a thirteenth-round technical knockout victory.
Although Lastra never fought for a world title again, he twice challenged Roberto Castanon for the EBU title; losing the first fight on points and the second by a fourth round technical knockout. After four losses in a row, including two Spanish title fights, Lastra fought for a final time in July 1982, losing in the fifth round against Amalio Galan.
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
professional boxer
Boxing
Boxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...
. He fought 54 times between 1975 and 1982; winning 39 (24 by knockout
Knockout
A knockout is a fight-ending, winning criterion in several full-contact combat sports, such as boxing, kickboxing, Muay Thai, mixed martial arts, Karate and others sports involving striking...
), losing 13 and drawing 2. The highlight of Lastra's career came in 1977 when he won the WBA
World Boxing Association
The World Boxing Association is a boxing organization that sanctions official matches, and awards the WBA world championship title at the professional level. It was previously known as the National Boxing Association before changing its name in 1962...
world featherweight title against Rafael Ortega
Rafael Ortega
Rafael Ortega is a former professional boxer. The highlight of his career came in 1977, when he won the WBA World featherweight title.-Professional career:...
. During his career he also became the Spanish champion and twice challenged for the EBU
European Boxing Union
The European Boxing Union is an organization that oversees competition in that sport over the continent of Europe.-History:The EBU started life as the International Boxing Union in Paris in 1910...
title.
Professional career
Lastra made his professional debut at the age of 24, with a six round points victoryPoints decision
A points decision is a winning criterion in several full-contact combat sports, such as boxing, kickboxing, Muay Thai, mixed martial arts and others sports involving striking unlike normal decisions where there is three judges that agree on which fighter won the match the fight is scored by the...
against Juan Barros in December 1975. As with the majority of his early fights, the bout took place in his hometown of Santander. Lastra won the first twelve fights of his career, including six first round knockout
Knockout
A knockout is a fight-ending, winning criterion in several full-contact combat sports, such as boxing, kickboxing, Muay Thai, mixed martial arts, Karate and others sports involving striking...
s, before losing for the first time, in September 1976, against Carlos Hernandez. Following this defeat, Lastra won eight successive fights in Santander, before beating Isidoro Cabeza for the Spanish featherweight title. He suffered his first knockout defeat in August 1977, losing in the eleventh round against Roberto Castanon in his first title defence.
In December 1977 Lastra challenged Rafael Ortega
Rafael Ortega
Rafael Ortega is a former professional boxer. The highlight of his career came in 1977, when he won the WBA World featherweight title.-Professional career:...
for the WBA featherweight title in front of an estimated crowd of 6,300 in Santander. Ortega, an Argentine
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
who had won the title earlier in the year, was knocked down
Knockdown
Knockdown may refer to:*"Knockdown" , a song by Alesha Dixon* Knockdown, in full-contact combat sports, when a fighter is down or vulnerable, often preliminary to a knockout...
in the second round after a left jab to the nose. The champion rose from the canvas at the count of eight and lasted the full fifteen rounds. At the end of the contest the scorecards revealed a split decision
Split decision
A split decision is a winning criterion in several full-contact combat sports, such as boxing, kickboxing, Muay Thai, mixed martial arts and others sports involving striking in which two of the three judges score for the same fighter as the winner, while the third judge scores for the other...
in Lastra's favour. For the first defence of his title Lastra travelled to Panama City
Panama City
Panama is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Panama. It has a population of 880,691, with a total metro population of 1,272,672, and it is located at the Pacific entrance of the Panama Canal, in the province of the same name. The city is the political and administrative center of the...
to fight Eusebio Pedroza
Eusebio Pedroza
Eusebio Pedroza is a native of Panama who holds two records in boxing: His 19 defenses as world featherweight champion are a record for that division, and his seven years as world champion non-stop are a division record too...
in April 1978. The 22-year-old challenger knocked Lastra down three times en route to a thirteenth-round technical knockout victory.
Although Lastra never fought for a world title again, he twice challenged Roberto Castanon for the EBU title; losing the first fight on points and the second by a fourth round technical knockout. After four losses in a row, including two Spanish title fights, Lastra fought for a final time in July 1982, losing in the fifth round against Amalio Galan.