Editing Leo Cruz

{{short description|Dominican Republic boxer}}
{{About||the Mexican boxer|Leo Santa Cruz|this boxer's brother, nicknamed "Teo"|Carlos Cruz (boxer)}}

{{Infobox boxer
|name=Leo Cruz
|realname=Leonardo Cruz
|nickname=Leo  
|weight={{plainlist|
*[[Super bantamweight]]}}
|height=5 ft 5+1/2 in
|nationality=Dominican
|birth_date={{Birth date and age|1953|1|17|mf=y}}
|birth_place=[[Santiago de los Caballeros]], Dominican Republic  
|style=[[orthodox stance|Orthodox]]
|total=51
|wins=41
|KO=18
|losses=8
|draws=2
}}

'''Leonardo Cruz''' (born January 17, 1953, in [[Santiago de los Caballeros]], [[Dominican Republic]]), better known in the [[world]] of [[boxing]] as '''Leo Cruz''', was a world Jr. Featherweight champion from the [[Dominican Republic]]. He is the younger brother of former lightweight world champion of boxing, [[Carlos Cruz (boxer)|Carlos Cruz]].

==Personal==
Leo was the brother of Carlos Cruz. Carlos had conquered the world Lightweight title by beating [[Carlos Ortiz (boxer)|Carlos Ortiz]] in 1968, but lost his life in a [[Dominicana DC-9 air disaster|plane crash]] on February 15, 1970 that killed all 102 passengers and crew on board.<ref name="END">{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=2012-02-12 |title=Una tragedia aérea que aún duele |trans-title=An aerial tragedy that still hurts |url=http://www.elnuevodia.com/nota-1188363.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140505004408/http://www.elnuevodia.com/nota-1188363.html |archive-date=2014-05-05 |access-date=2024-08-22 |website= |publisher=[[El Nuevo Dia]] |language=es}}</ref>

==Early life==
Leo moved to [[Puerto Rico]] early in the 1970s, and began identifying himself as half [[Puerto Rican people|Puerto Rican]] almost immediately.

==Pro career==
He began his successful professional boxing career in Puerto Rico, with a string of wins. Despite having beaten future two time world champion [[Lupe Pintor]], however, Cruz was still a virtual unknown when given a chance to win the [[World Boxing Council|WBC]] world Jr. Featherweight championship. Despite losing by a [[knockout]] in the 13th round against world champion [[Wilfredo Gómez]],<ref name="time">{{cite news|last=Perez|first=Santos|title=Palma vs. Cruz, one more time|work=The Miami News|date=1982-06-10|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=8rgmAAAAIBAJ&sjid=cQIGAAAAIBAJ&pg=3158,2702626|accessdate=2010-12-17}}</ref> his stock around the boxing world rose after that fight. Cruz kept on fighting, and winning, until he was given a second world title try, this time by the [[World Boxing Association|WBA]] world champion [[Sergio Victor Palma]], in [[Buenos Aires]]. Cruz was beaten by a decision in 15 by the [[Argentina|Argentine]] world champion,<ref name="time"/> but in a rematch on 12 June 1982 at [[Miami, Florida|Miami]], Cruz became world champion by defeating Palma by a decision, also in 15 rounds.<ref>{{cite news|title=Fans' Spirit Helps Cruz Earn Decision|work=Gainesville Sun|agency=Associated Press|date=1982-06-14|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=hXMfAAAAIBAJ&sjid=sukDAAAAIBAJ&pg=4220,5221967|accessdate=2010-12-17}}</ref>

Cruz in his first defense knocked out Benito Badilla of [[Chile]] in eight rounds, at [[Roberto Clemente Coliseum]] in [[San Juan, Puerto Rico|San Juan]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Leo Cruz makes first title defense|work=St. Joseph News-Press|agency=Associated Press|date=1982-11-13|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=ns1bAAAAIBAJ&sjid=pFINAAAAIBAJ&pg=2493,1862982|accessdate=2010-12-17}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Mancini blasts rival, who is critical|work=Star-News|date=1982-11-14|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=8AEzAAAAIBAJ&sjid=dBMEAAAAIBAJ&pg=6506,3283516|accessdate=2010-12-17}}</ref> When Gómez left his WBC title vacant soon after, Cruz became recognized by most fans as the universal world champion. Then, he defeated [[South Korea]]n challenger Soon-Hyun Chung,<ref name="defends">{{cite news|title=Cruz defends title|work=Reading Eagle|agency=United Press International|date=1983-03-16|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=clMiAAAAIBAJ&sjid=OacFAAAAIBAJ&pg=6025,5314096|accessdate=2010-12-17}}</ref> by decision in 15; after dropping him in round eight; also in San Juan.<ref name="defends"/> In his first defense at his home country, Cruz put his title on the line in August 1983 against [[Nicaragua]]n challenger Cleo Garcia at [[Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic|Santo Domingo]]. Cruz retained the title by a decision.

With a defense against Puerto Rican ''[[Victor Callejas|Victor Luvi Callejas]]'' looming ahead,<ref>{{cite news|title=Sports Shorts|work=The Lewiston Daily Sun|agency=Associated Press|date=1984-02-22|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=jJMgAAAAIBAJ&sjid=m2cFAAAAIBAJ&pg=5668,3632306|accessdate=2010-12-17}}</ref> Cruz went to [[Milan, Italy|Milan]] in February 1984, and, while defending his crown against [[Italy|Italian]] [[Loris Stecca]], was stopped in round 12, therefore losing the WBA world junior featherweight title.<ref>{{cite news|title=Stecca overcomes Cruz|work=Reading Eagle|agency=Associated Press|date=1984-02-23|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=rFciAAAAIBAJ&sjid=lacFAAAAIBAJ&pg=2724,1401530|accessdate=2010-12-17}}</ref>

==Comeback==
Cruz attempted a comeback in 1985, winning one fight, but retiring for good after losing a second comeback fight in 1989.

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*{{boxrec|id=11144}}

{{S-start}}
{{s-ach|ach}}
{{s-bef|before=[[Sergio Victor Palma]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[List of WBA world champions#Super bantamweight|WBA Super Bantamweight Champion]]
| years=June 12, 1982 - February 22, 1984}}
{{s-aft|after=[[Loris Stecca]]}}
{{S-end}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Cruz, Leo}}
[[Category:1953 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Super-bantamweight boxers]]
[[Category:World super-bantamweight boxing champions]]
[[Category:World Boxing Association champions]]
[[Category:Sportspeople from Santiago de los Caballeros]]
[[Category:Dominican Republic expatriates in Puerto Rico]]
[[Category:Dominican Republic male boxers]]
[[Category:20th-century Dominican Republic sportsmen]]