He went 14-1 over that span of fights, including a win over Jacinto Fuentes, a boxer who would later draw and lose to Wilfredo Gómez.
After returning to Panama, he beat Pablo Jimenez by a decision in ten, then lost to Oscar Arnal in Venezuela by a knockout in six.
Among 18 fighters Pedroza defended the title against were Enrique Solis in Puerto Rico, in a 15-round decision win, former world champion Royal Kobayashi (in Japan), knocked out in 14, Sa Wang Kim (in South Korea), knocked out in 8, former three-time world champion and fellow Hall of Famer Rubén Olivares, who lasted 12, Johnny Aba (in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea), who lost in 11, future world junior lightweight champion Rocky Lockridge, who went the distance with Pedroza in New Jersey and in Italy but lost by decision both times, Carlos Piñango (in Venezuela), knocked out in seven, Juan Laporte by decision, Jose Caba in Italy, also by decision, and Bernard Taylor in North Carolina by the way of draw.
He also defended in his home country many times during that span, including a decision win over countryman and former WBA world Bantamweight champion Jorge Lujan, and became a household name in Latin America, his face appearing on the cover and posters of Ring En Español and Guantes magazines multiple times.
During Pedroza's reign, talks surfaced of a unification bout against World Boxing Council and lineal featherweight champion Salvador Sanchez.