That depends entirely on the ship that tackled you. A ceptor can be destroyed by light fighters if not flown correctly. Assault Frigates are a different caliber if flown and fitted properly. Some AF can be fitted in a way to be completely undestroyable by a poorly fitted carrier.
Light fighters should in fact apply DPS a lot better on cruisers, but Heavy Assault Cruisers and Hictors can have significant hit points, which means it will still take time to wear them down.