Moving up from lightweight, Pryor finally landed the title opportunity he had been chasing after struggling to secure the biggest fights at 135 pounds. Cervantes, a future Hall of Famer from Colombia, brought years of championship experience into his second reign as WBA champion. Many viewed the 34-year-old veteran as a fighter nearing the end of his best years, while the younger challenger was entering his prime.
Around 10,000 fans packed the arena hoping to witness history, and they nearly saw disaster strike in the opening round. Cervantes caught Pryor charging in with a perfectly timed counter that dropped
