Rocky Juarez

Rocky Juarez
Statistics
Real name	Ricardo Juárez
Nickname(s)	Rocky
Rated at	Super featherweight Featherweight
Height	5 ft 5 in (165 cm)
Reach	69 in (175 cm)
Nationality	American
Born	(1980-04-15) April 15, 1980 Houston, Texas, U.S.
Stance	Orthodox
Boxing record
Total fights	41
Wins	30
Wins by KO	20
Losses	10
Draws	1
Medal record Competitor for  United States Men's boxing Olympic Games 2000 Sydney Featherweight World Amateur Championships 1999 Houston Featherweight

Ricardo "Rocky" Juárez (born April 15, 1980) is an American professional boxer. He is a former WBC Silver featherweight champion and a multiple-time world title challenger.

Amateur career

Juarez had a lustrous amateur career with a 145-17 record, which included a 68 fight winning streak, a Featherweight Olympic silver medal and a Junior Olympic World and National gold medal. In 1999 he won the world title at the 1999 World Amateur Boxing Championships in his home town. During the 2000 Olympics Gold medal round, Juarez loss controversially against Bekzat Sattarkhanov who was warned several times for holding and not penalized. It should be also noted that by the end of the second round Juarez was losing 11 points and had only 4 points to lose the match by RSC.^[1] Juarez accepted the silver medal.

• 1998 United States Amateur Featherweight champion. Results were:
  • Undepited Daniel Chavez points
  • Defeated Darling Jimenez points
  • Defeated Aaron Torres points
  • Defeated Hong Gu points
• 1999 United States Amateur Featherweight champion. Results were:
  • Defeated Jose Santa Cruz points
  • Defeated Francisco Valentin TKO 3
  • Defeated Ray Martinez points
  • Defeated Aaron Torres points
  • Defeated Steve Luevano points
• 2000 United States Amateur Featherweight champion
• Member of the 2000 U.S. Olympic team as a Featherweight, winning a silver medal. Results were:
  • Defeated Bijan Batmani (Iran) RSC-3
  • Defeated Falk Huste (Germany) points
  • Defeated Somluck Kamsing (Thailand) RSC-4
  • Defeated Kamil Dzamalutdinov (Russia) points
  • Lost to Bekzat Sattarkhanov (Kazakhstan) points

Professional career

Juarez turned pro on January 25, 2001 with a unanimous decision against Pascali Adorno. A highly touted prospect, Juarez rose up the ranks with wins against Hector Velazquez, and Joe Morales. Juarez's 10th round knockout of Antonio Diaz was named Ring Magazine Knockout of the Year for 2003. His first challenge came from 1996 Olympian Zahir Raheem on July 17, 2004, in which he won by controversial decision, possibly due the fight taking place at Juarez's hometown in Houston, Texas. Juarez's first career loss came to Humberto Soto, who was a late sub replacement to In Jin Chi, Soto outboxed Juarez in the whole fight to win the Interim version of the WBC featherweight title. Juarez bounced back with back-to-back wins against Reynaldo Hurtado and Backlin Medrano and earned a shot against Mexican legend, Marco Antonio Barrera for his WBC Super featherweight title.

Juarez fought Barrera on May 20, 2006 in the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California. Barrera used his jab to win the early rounds, but it was obvious from the start that Juarez wasn't backing down hurting Barrera's nose in the process. During the second half of the fight Juarez took control by rocking Barrera and making him spit out his mouthpiece several times. In a very close fight, the bout was announced originally as a draw, but later it was revealed that two of the judges scorecards had an error, as Barrera was granted the win by split decision.^[2] Despite losing, Juarez gained notoriety by standing toe to toe with one of the best pound-for-pound boxers in the world. Although not required by contract, Barrera and Juarez met in a rematch on September 16, this time Barrera winning comfortably on points through a unanimous decision (117-111, 115-113, 115-113).^[3]

As a replacement for Jorge Rodrigo Barrios, Rocky Juarez stepped in and fought Juan Manuel Márquez for the WBC Super Featherweight title on November 3, 2007. He lost to Marquez on a unanimous decision. Juarez fought most of the fight with a bad cut above his left eye due to an accidental headbutt in the first round.^[4]

On September 6, 2008, Rocky Juarez, (27-4, 19 KO's) won by TKO at 2:55 in the 11th round of the 12-rounder over former WBO Junior Lightweight Champion Jorge Rodrigo Barrios, (47-3-1, 34 KO's).^[5][6]

In his fourth attempt at a title, Juarez fought Chris John to a controversial draw on February 28, 2009 in his hometown of Houston. Most ringside observers thought John won.^[7] The two were supposed to fight a rematch on June 27 of that year but John withdrew from the fight due to problems with his blood tests.^[7] The rematch finally took place on September 19 and the fight was won by John.^[8]

Rocky Juarez fought Jason Litzau on April 3, 2010, losing by a controversial technical decision when the fight was halted in the seventh round due to a cut on Litzau's cheek which referee Jay Nady ruled was caused by an accidental head butt. The judges scored it 68-65 and 67-66 twice, in favour of the winner, Jason Litzau.^[9]

Professional boxing record

29 Wins (21 knockouts, 8 decisions), 9 Losses, 1 Draw (s), 0 No Contests[10]
Result	Record	Opponent	Type	Round	Date	Location	Notes
Win	29-9-1	Antonio Escalante	TKO	8 (10)	2012-10-27	Freeman Coliseum, San Antonio, Texas, USA
Loss	28-9-1	Andrew Cancio	UD	10	2012-06-02	Fantasy Springs Casino, Indio, California, United States
Loss	28-9-1	Vicente Escobedo	UD	10	2011-09-23	Fantasy Springs Casino, Indio, California, United States
Loss	28-8-1	Alejandro Sanabria	UD	12	2011-02-19	Auditorio Ernesto Rufo, Rosarito, Baja California, Mexico	vacant WBC Continental Americas Super Featherweight title on the line.
Loss	28-7-1	Jorge Linares	UD	12	2010-07-31	Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino, Las Vegas, Nevada, United States	interim WBA Fedelatin Lightweight title on the line.
Loss	28-6-1	Jason Litzau	TD	7 (10)	2010-04-03	Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino, Las Vegas, Nevada, United States	NABF Fedelatin Super Featherweight title on the line.
Loss	28-5-1	Chris John	UD	12	2009-09-19	MGM Grand, Las Vegas, Nevada, United States	WBA Super World Featherweight title on the line.
Draw	28-4-1	Chris John	D	12	2009-02-28	Toyota Center, Houston, Texas, United States	WBA World Featherweight title on the line.
Win	28-4	Jorge Barrios	TKO	11 (12), 2:55	2008-09-06	Toyota Center, Houston, Texas, United States	Won vacant WBO Latino Super Featherweight title.

External links

• Professional boxing record for Rocky Juarez from BoxRec

References