Everaldo Costa Azevedo (born July 24, 1944) is a Brazilian former

professional boxer Professional boxing, or prizefighting, is regulated, sanctioned boxing. Professional boxing bouts are fought for a purse that is divided between the boxers as determined by contract. Most professional bouts are supervised by a regulatory autho ...

who competed from 1963 to 1982. Azevedo was ranked as the best

Junior Welterweight Light welterweight, also known as junior welterweight or super lightweight, is a weight class in combat sports. Boxing Professional boxing In professional boxing, light welterweight is contested between the lightweight and welterweight divisions, ...

in the world by the WBA in 1974 and No. 2 in the world by the WBC in 1972. Azevedo would fight for the

World Title A world championship is generally an international competition open to elite competitors from around the world, representing their nations, and winning such an event will be considered the highest or near highest achievement in the sport, game, ...

twice in his career. His first world title challenge came in 1972 when he lost a 15-round decision to the champion Bruno Arcari. The second world title fight Azevedo lost a controversial 15-round decision to Carlos Palomino. Azevedo was winning after the first 10 rounds and Palomino had only won the last five rounds.

Professional career

Azevedo fought many champions and top rated contenders throughout his career, including Bruno Arcari, Carlos Palomino,

Nicolino Locche Nicolino Locche (September 2, 1939 – September 7, 2005) was an Argentine boxer from Tunuyán, Mendoza who held the World Junior Welterweight title from 1968 to 1972. Locche is often cited as one of the finest defensive boxers of all time an ...

, Joergen Hansen, Rocky Fratto,

Billy Backus Billy Backus, (born March 5, 1943 in Canastota, New York) is a former World Welterweight Champion professional boxer. In the summer of 2006 Backus retired from his correctional facility job and moved to South Carolina."Canastota's last champ pulls ...

, Gianfranco Rosi, Marijan Beneš and Olympic Bronze medalist

Mario Guilloti Mario Guilloti González (20 May 1946 – 25 August 2021) was an Argentine boxer, who won the bronze medal in the men's welterweight (– 67 kg) category at the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City, Mexico. A year earlier he claime ...

1963-1966

Azevedo fought his first 28 fights in his home country of Brazil and had a record of 19 wins, 5 draws and 4 losses.

1967-1971

Azevedo spent the next four years fighting in

Argentina Argentina (), officially the Argentine Republic ( es, link=no, República Argentina), is a country in the southern half of South America. Argentina covers an area of , making it the second-largest country in South America after Brazil, th ...

and fought a total of 38 times. During this time he had a shocking 15 draws. His manager attributed the draws to Azevedo being a Brazilian in Argentina and the officials not wanting to give him the wins, while giving Argentine fighters losses.

First world title fight

For a five-year period from 1967 until 1972 Azevedo was undefeated in 40 consecutive bouts until he reached the ranking of #2 Junior Welterweight in the world by the WBC. On December 2, 1972 Azevedo lost a 15-round decision to the Italian world champion Bruno Arcari in Torino, Italy.

1973-1977

Azevedo would have two wins over European Champion Joergen Hansen, one by knockout. He would also outpoint 1968 Olympic Bronze medalist Mario Omar Guilloti for a decision victory. Azevedo would also have a three-year streak going undefeated until 1977.

Second world title fight

On September 13, 1977 Azevedo challenged champion Carlos Palomino for the WBC World Welterweight Championship. The first 10 rounds of the fight belonged to Azevedo with Palomino not winning one round. Commentators Chico Vejar and Gil Clancy stated that they did not give Palomino a round until the 11th. Palomino was awarded a controversial unanimous decision. A few months later Azevedo fought former Welterweight champion

in his hometown of Syracuse, New York. The referee had Azevedo winning 7 rounds to 5, but that was overruled by the other two judges and the fight was scored a draw.

1978-1982

Azevedo would end 1978 with losses to Rocky Fratto and Marijan Benes. 1979 would be a better year for Azevedo when he scored back to back victories over European Champions Louis Acaries and Alain Marion in

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. Its metropolitan area ...

. Azevedo's last fight would take place in 1982. He would end his career by knocking out the European and French Welterweight champion Alain Marion for a second time. Marion would end his career with only three losses, all by knockout. Two losses were suffered at the hands of Azevedo and the third at the hands of Joergen Hansen, who Azevedo also knocked out.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Azevedo, Everaldo Costa 1944 births Living people Brazilian male boxers Welterweight boxers