Joel Casamayor facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Joel Casamayor |
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| Real name | Joel Casamayor Johnson | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Nickname(s) | El Cepillo ("The Brush") | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rated at |
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| Height | 5 ft 7 in | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Reach | 69 in | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Nationality |
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| Born | July 12, 1971 Guantánamo, Cuba |
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| Stance | Southpaw | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Boxing record | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Total fights | 45 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Wins | 38 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Wins by KO | 22 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Losses | 6 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Draws | 1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Medal record
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Joel Casamayor Johnson (born July 12, 1971) is a Cuban-American former professional boxer who fought from 1996 to 2011. He was a world champion in two different weight classes. He is famous for winning an Olympic gold medal and later becoming a professional world champion.
As an amateur boxer, Casamayor won a gold medal at the 1992 Summer Olympics. He later moved to the United States to start his professional career. In the pros, he held the WBA super featherweight title and later the WBC and Ring magazine lightweight titles.
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Amateur Career and Olympic Gold
Before becoming a professional, Casamayor was a star amateur boxer for Cuba. He had an amazing record of 363 wins and only 30 losses. His biggest achievement was winning the gold medal in the bantamweight division at the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona, Spain.
Here are some of his major amateur awards:
- 1989 – Gold medal at the Junior World Championships
- 1992 – Gold medal at the 1992 Summer Olympics
- 1993 – Silver medal at the 1993 World Amateur Boxing Championships
- 1994 – Silver Medal at the Goodwill Games
In 1996, just before the Olympics in Atlanta, Casamayor made the life-changing decision to move to the United States to become a professional boxer.
Professional Career
Casamayor started his professional career in 1996. He quickly showed he had the skills to be a top fighter. He fights in a southpaw style, meaning he leads with his right hand and foot, which can be tricky for opponents.
Becoming a World Champion
In 1999, Casamayor won his first professional title, the NABF Super Featherweight belt. Later that year, he fought for a world title. He defeated Jong-Kwon Baek to become the WBA Super Featherweight Champion.
In 2002, he fought Acelino Freitas to unify the WBA and WBO titles. Casamayor lost a close and debated decision. Many people who watched the fight thought Casamayor should have won.
He later fought another famous boxer, Diego Corrales, twice. In their first fight in 2003, Casamayor won. But in their rematch in 2004, Corrales won by a very close decision.
Winning a Second World Title
Even after some tough losses, Casamayor did not give up. In 2006, he got a third fight with Diego Corrales. This time, Casamayor won by split decision. With this victory, he became the WBC and The Ring magazine Lightweight Champion. This meant he was recognized as the best lightweight boxer in the world.
He defended his title against Jose Armando Santa Cruz in 2007. Then, in 2008, he fought the tough, undefeated Australian boxer Michael Katsidis. Casamayor won by TKO (Technical Knockout) in the 10th round, becoming the first person to ever beat Katsidis.
Famous Fight Against Márquez
On September 13, 2008, Casamayor faced another boxing legend, Juan Manuel Márquez. The fight was for Casamayor's Ring magazine title. For the first few rounds, Casamayor used his skill to counter-punch Márquez.
However, Márquez adjusted his strategy. In the 11th round, Márquez knocked Casamayor down. Casamayor got up, but Márquez attacked again and knocked him down a second time. The referee stopped the fight, and Márquez was declared the winner. Even though he lost, Casamayor was respectful and said, "Marquez was the best this night."
Later Career
Casamayor continued to fight a few more times after the Márquez match. In 2010, he fought a rising star named Robert Guerrero. Although Casamayor knocked Guerrero down in the final round, Guerrero won the fight by decision.
Joel Casamayor's final professional fight was in 2011. He retired with a record of 38 wins, 6 losses, and 1 draw, with 22 of his wins coming by knockout.
See also
In Spanish: Joel Casamayor para niños
