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Carlos "Teo" Cruz (November 4, 1937-February 15,
1970) was a Boxing|boxer from the Dominican
Republic. Considered by many Dominican boxing fans
to be one of the finest boxers ever born in that
country, Cruz was world Lightweight champion from
1968 to 1969.

He started his career as a professional boxer with
a loss, being defeated by decision in eight rounds
by Juan Jose Jimenez, October 23 of 1959 in Santo
Domingo, Dominican Republic|Santo Domingo. His
first win came on December 3 of that year, also in
Santo Domingo, with a ten round decision win over
Rafael Acevedo.

After one more win in Santo Domingo, he moved to
San Juan, Puerto Rico. There, he posted a record
of 7 wins and 6 losses before returning to Santo
Domingo in 1962. Out of the 7 wins in Puerto Rico
during that era, 5 were by knockout. In his return
to Santo Domingo, he posted a decision win over
Acevedo in a rematch. Towards the end of 1962, he
started campaigning in the United States,
particularly in New York. There, he boxed 5 times
before returning to San Juan for another bout. He
won 4 and drew 1 of those fights, all wins by
decision. 

He spent the first half of 1964 touring Australia,
where he won 2 fights and lost one. Then, he
returned to Latin America, his first fight after
arriving in Australia being a major step up in
quality of opposition for him: In Caracas, he met
fellow world champion boxer Carlos
Hernandez|Carlos Morocho Hernandez. He was knocked
out in two rounds by Hernandez. On to Panama City,
Panama|Panama City, where he lost a ten round
decision to Julio Ruiz. He finished his year by
beating Marcos Morales in Santo Domingo.

In 1965, he was undefeated. He fought in St.
Croix, in Mayagüez, Puerto Rico|Mayagüez, in
Caguas, Puerto Rico|Caguas and in London among
other places. He won all six of his bouts that
year.

He won 4 bouts, lost 1 and drew 1 in 1966. He drew
with Jaime Valladares in Quito, and lost to
Frankie Narvaez in San Juan. But he also beat
former world title challenger Bunny Grant. In
1967, he avenged his loss to Narvaez, and went
undefeated the rest of the year, securing his
position as the world's number one challenger
among Lightweights.

He won two more fights to begin 1968, and then, on
June 29 in Santo Domingo, he was given his first
chance to challenge for a world title. He became
world Lightweight champion when he defeated Carlos
Ortiz by a decision in fifteen rounds.

He defended the world title with a fifteen round
decision over Mando Ramos in Los Angeles,
California|Los Angeles, and then, he closed the
year by winning a non-title bout in Tokyo,
Japan|Tokyo, also by decision, in ten.

There was a rematch between Cruz and Ramos, also
held in Los Angeles. The second time around, Ramos
became world Lightweight champion by beating Cruz
with a nine round knockout. Cruz went on to win
his next three bouts of 1969.

On January 17 of 1970, Cruz won what would turn
out to be, tragically, his last fight. He beat
Benito Juarez (boxer)|Benito Juarez in San Juan by
a decision in ten, and then returned to Santo
Domingo.

On February 15, he was flying back to San Juan
alongside his family for a rematch with Ortiz,
when their Dominicana de Aviacion DC-9 plane
crashed into the waters of the Caribbean Sea
shortly after take-off, killing Cruz, his wife and
18-month child, and the rest of the passengers,
among which also were a large part of Puerto
Rico's national volleyball team (see: Dominicana
DC-9 air disaster)

Cruz had a record of 41 wins, 14 losses and 2
draws as a professional boxer, 13 wins coming by
knockout.

Cruz's younger brother, Leo Cruz, later on went on
to become a world champion too.