kids encyclopedia robot

Jorge Linares facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts
Quick facts for kids
Jorge Linares
JorgeLinaresMeridiano410NF01.jpg
Linares in 2013
Statistics
Real name Jorge Luis Linares Palencia
Nickname(s) El Niño de Oro
("The Golden Boy")
Rated at
  • Super bantamweight
  • Featherweight
  • Super featherweight
  • Lightweight
  • Light welterweight
Height 5 ft 7 in
Reach 69 in
Born (1985-08-22) 22 August 1985 (age 39)
Barinas, Venezuela
Stance Orthodox
Boxing record
Total fights 56
Wins 47
Wins by KO 29
Losses 9

Jorge Luis Linares Palencia, born on August 22, 1985, is a retired professional boxer from Venezuela. He was a world champion in three different weight classes. He held the WBC featherweight title from 2007 to 2008. He also won the WBA super featherweight title from 2008 to 2009. Later, he held the WBA, WBC, and Ring magazine lightweight titles between 2014 and 2018.

Jorge Linares' Early Boxing Journey

Amateur Boxing Days

Jorge Linares had a great start in amateur boxing. He won 89 fights and only lost 5. He also won several national junior championships in his home country, Venezuela. When he was 17, Linares moved to Japan. This move was suggested by Gilberto Mendoza, who was the president of the WBA. Linares wanted to become a professional boxer as soon as possible. In Venezuela, he would have had to wait until he turned 18.

Starting as a Professional Boxer

Linares began his professional boxing career in December 2002. He was managed by the Teiken Boxing Gym in Japan. His trainer there was Sendai Tanaka. Another boxer, Antonio Esparragoza, who was also trained by Tanaka's teacher, gave Linares his famous nickname: El Niño de Oro, which means "The Golden Boy."

Linares had his first professional fight at age 17. It was a featherweight fight in Osaka, Japan, on December 15, 2002. He won by knocking out Kyong-Soo Chung in the first round. His next fight was in February 2003 in Tokyo. He won that fight by a unanimous decision. For his next five fights, Linares stayed undefeated, winning three of them by stopping his opponents early.

On January 31, 2004, when he was 19, Linares fought for his first title. He faced Hugo Rafael Soto, an experienced boxer, in Venezuela. Linares won the WBA Fedelatin super bantamweight title by a unanimous decision. Soto retired from boxing after this fight. In August 2004, Linares won another title, the WBA Fedelatin featherweight title, in Tokyo.

After winning four more fights by stopping his opponents, Linares challenged Jean Javier Sotelo. This was for the vacant WBA Fedecentro featherweight title on May 6, 2005. Linares was knocked down for the first time in his career in the second round. But he got back up and then knocked Sotelo down twice, winning the fight. For the next year, Linares fought in Venezuela, Japan, and South Korea.

Becoming a Featherweight Champion

Winning the WBC Interim Title

On July 21, 2007, Linares fought in the United States for the first time. He faced Óscar Larios for the vacant WBC interim featherweight title. Linares showed his skill with jabs and powerful punches. In the tenth round, Linares landed many punches, sending Larios to the floor. The referee stopped the fight, giving Linares the win by technical knockout.

First Title Defense

Linares defended his world title for the first time on December 15, 2007. He fought Gamaliel Díaz in Cancun, Mexico. Linares knocked Diaz down in the eighth round with a strong right hand, winning the fight by knockout. Diaz had also been knocked down earlier in the fourth round.

On August 13, 2008, Linares decided to give up his title. He wanted to move up to the super featherweight division. He also needed more time to recover from some injuries.

Moving Up to Super Featherweight

Winning the WBA Super Featherweight Title

About eleven months after his last fight, Linares challenged Whyber Garcia for the vacant WBA super featherweight title. The fight happened on November 28, 2008, in Panama City. Linares won the fight and the WBA title by technical knockout in the fifth round.

Defending the Title

On June 27, 2009, Linares defended his title against Josafat Perez in Mexico. Linares kept his title after landing a strong right punch that knocked Perez down. Perez got up, but he was unsteady. The referee then stopped the fight, giving Linares the win.

In September 2009, Linares signed a contract with Golden Boy Promotions. He also continued to work with Teiken Promotions.

Losing the Title to Salgado

On October 10, 2009, Linares went back to Japan to defend his title again. He fought an unbeaten Mexican boxer named Juan Carlos Salgado. Linares lost his WBA super featherweight title and his undefeated record in the first round. Salgado started aggressively and knocked Linares down with a powerful left hook. Linares got up, but Salgado quickly attacked again, knocking him down a second time. The referee stopped the fight. This defeat was named the "Upset of the Year" by Ring Magazine in 2009.

Linares took five months off after this loss. He then returned to Venezuela and won a fight against Francisco Lorenzo by a majority decision.

Becoming a Lightweight Champion

Fighting Rocky Juarez

On July 31, 2010, Linares fought in the United States again. He easily defeated Mexican-American boxer Rocky Juarez by a unanimous decision. Linares even knocked Juarez down in the fifth round. With this win, Linares claimed the interim WBA Fedelatin lightweight title.

Linares continued to win, including a technical knockout victory over Adrian Verdugo in May 2011. After that fight, Linares trained with famous coach Freddie Roach in Hollywood. He also trained with the U.S. Olympic boxing team and helped Manny Pacquiao prepare for his fights.

Challenging for the WBC Lightweight Title

Linares fought for the vacant WBC lightweight title against Antonio DeMarco on October 15, 2011. Linares landed many more punches than DeMarco. However, he suffered a bad cut on his nose. The referee stopped the fight in the eleventh round because of the cut, and Linares lost by TKO. Both Golden Boy Promotions and Teiken Promotions asked the WBC for a rematch.

A rematch with DeMarco was planned for July 7. However, Linares lost to Sergio Thompson in a fight that would have led to a WBC Lightweight title shot. Thompson stopped Linares in the second round on March 31, 2012.

Linares then faced Jorge Francisco Contreras on November 10, 2013, and knocked him out in the first round.

Winning the WBC Lightweight Title

After four more wins, Linares was set to fight Nihito Arakawa in a WBC lightweight title eliminator. This fight took place on March 8, 2014. Linares used his quick movements and boxing skills to win by a unanimous decision after 10 rounds.

On August 16, Linares had another fight where he won by knockout in the second round.

On November 10, 2014, the WBC ordered Linares to fight Javier Prieto for the vacant WBC lightweight title. The fight was scheduled for December 30, 2014, in Tokyo. Linares became the youngest Venezuelan to win a world title in three different weight divisions at age 29. He knocked Prieto out in the fourth round to win the WBC title on his second try.

Defending Against Kevin Mitchell

Jorge Linares - O2 Arena (2015-05-30)
Linares vs. Mitchell, 2015

British boxer Kevin Mitchell challenged Linares for his WBC title on May 30, 2015, in London. This was Linares' first time fighting in the UK. Linares was knocked down in the fifth round. However, he came back to win in the tenth round by technical knockout. Mitchell had a bad cut above his left eye, and the referee stopped the fight.

Defending in Venezuela

Linares returned to his home country, Venezuela, for a fight on October 10, 2015. It was his first world title fight in Venezuela. He defended his WBC title against Ivan Cano. Linares knocked Cano out in the fourth round in a one-sided fight.

Fights Against Anthony Crolla

On September 24, 2016, Linares challenged Anthony Crolla for the WBA lightweight title in Manchester, England. Linares won the WBA lightweight title and also claimed the vacant The Ring Magazine and WBC Diamond titles by unanimous decision. After the fight, Linares offered Crolla a rematch.

A rematch was announced for March 25, 2017, again in Manchester. Linares put on an even stronger performance this time. He knocked Crolla down in the seventh round and won by a wider unanimous decision (118–109 on all three scorecards). With this win, Linares kept his WBA, The Ring, and WBC Diamond lightweight titles.

Facing Luke Campbell

On September 23, 2017, Linares defended his WBA world title against Luke Campbell in California. Linares won his 12th straight fight by a split decision after 12 rounds. Linares knocked Campbell down in the second round. Campbell fought back well in the middle rounds, but Linares regained control in the later rounds.

Defending Against Mercito Gesta

On January 27, 2018, Linares headlined a boxing event in California. He defended his WBA and The Ring Magazine titles against Filipino boxer Mercito "No Mercy" Gesta. Linares showed his class, winning by a 12-round unanimous decision. He landed many combinations and controlled the fight.

Losing to Vasiliy Lomachenko

On May 12, 2018, Linares faced two-weight world champion Vasiliy Lomachenko in New York City. Linares knocked Lomachenko down in the sixth round. However, Lomachenko recovered and won by TKO in the tenth round with a perfect body shot. This loss ended Linares' 13-fight winning streak. Lomachenko became the fastest boxer to win titles in three different weight classes.

Moving to Light Welterweight

First Fight at New Weight

On September 29, 2018, Linares moved up to the light welterweight division. He fought Abner Cotto in California. Linares won the fight by knockout in the third round. He knocked Cotto down in the second round and twice more in the third. This showed that Linares could carry his power to a higher weight class.

Loss to Pablo César Cano

In January 2019, Linares fought Pablo César Cano in New York City. Linares lost this fight by technical knockout in the first round.

Returning to Lightweight

Back to Winning Ways

On September 7, 2019, Linares returned to the lightweight division. He faced Al Toyogon and won convincingly by a unanimous decision. In his next fight on February 14, 2020, Linares faced Carlos Morales. He knocked Morales down twice and won by knockout in the fourth round.

Challenging Devin Haney

On May 29, 2021, Linares challenged Devin Haney for his WBC lightweight title in Nevada. Haney controlled most of the fight. However, Linares hurt him with a strong combination at the end of the tenth round. Haney managed to survive the last two rounds. Haney was awarded a unanimous decision, giving Linares his first loss by decision in his professional career.

Final Fights and Retirement

Linares then challenged Zaur Abdullaev for the WBC Silver lightweight title on February 19, 2022, in Russia. Linares started strong but began to tire. He was knocked down twice and lost the fight by technical knockout in the twelfth round.

Jorge Linares officially announced his retirement from professional boxing on Sunday, October 22, 2023. He had a long and successful career, becoming a world champion in three different weight classes.

Jorge Linares' Boxing Record

Professional record summary
56 fights 47 wins 9 losses
By knockout 29 6
By decision 18 3
No. Result Record Opponent Type Round, time Date Location Notes
56 Loss 47–9 Jack Catterall UD 12 21 Oct 2023 M&S Bank Arena, Liverpool, England
55 Loss 47–8 Zhora Hamazaryan UD 10 11 Dec 2022 DIVS, Ekaterinburg, Russia
54 Loss 47–7 Zaur Abdullaev TKO 12 (12), 2:55 19 Feb 2022 RCC Boxing Academy, Ekaterinburg, Russia For WBC Silver lightweight title
53 Loss 47–6 Devin Haney UD 12 29 May 2021 Michelob Ultra Arena, Paradise, Nevada, U.S. For WBC lightweight title
52 Win 47–5 Carlos Morales KO 4 (12), 2:09 14 Feb 2020 Honda Center, Anaheim, California, U.S.
51 Win 46–5 Al Toyogon UD 10 7 Sep 2019 Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan
50 Loss 45–5 Pablo César Cano TKO 1 (12), 2:48 18 Jan 2019 Hulu Theater, New York City, New York, U.S. For WBC Silver International super lightweight title
49 Win 45–4 Abner Cotto KO 3 (12), 1:31 29 Sep 2018 Fantasy Springs Resort Casino, Indio, California, U.S.
48 Loss 44–4 Vasiliy Lomachenko TKO 10 (12), 2:08 12 May 2018 Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York, U.S. Lost WBA and The Ring lightweight titles
47 Win 44–3 Mercito Gesta UD 12 27 Jan 2018 The Forum, Inglewood, California, U.S. Retained WBA and The Ring lightweight titles
46 Win 43–3 Luke Campbell SD 12 23 Sep 2017 The Forum, Inglewood, California, U.S. Retained WBA and The Ring lightweight titles
45 Win 42–3 Anthony Crolla UD 12 25 Mar 2017 Manchester Arena, Manchester, England Retained WBA and The Ring lightweight titles
44 Win 41–3 Anthony Crolla UD 12 24 Sep 2016 Manchester Arena, Manchester, England Won WBA and vacant The Ring lightweight titles
43 Win 40–3 Ivan Cano KO 4 (12), 0:58 10 Oct 2015 Poliedro, Caracas, Venezuela Retained WBC lightweight title
42 Win 39–3 Kevin Mitchell TKO 10 (12), 2:57 30 May 2015 The O2 Arena, London, England Retained WBC lightweight title
41 Win 38–3 Javier Prieto KO 4 (12), 1:50 30 Dec 2014 Metropolitan Gymnasium, Tokyo, Japan Won vacant WBC lightweight title
40 Win 37–3 Ira Terry KO 2 (8), 1:21 16 Aug 2014 StubHub Center, Carson, California, U.S.
39 Win 36–3 Nihito Arakawa UD 10 8 Mar 2014 MGM Grand Garden Arena, Paradise, Nevada, U.S.
38 Win 35–3 Francisco Contreras TKO 1 (10), 3:08 10 Nov 2013 Ryōgoku Kokugikan, Tokyo, Japan
37 Win 34–3 Berman Sanchez TKO 3 (10), 1:09 25 Aug 2013 Ariake Coliseum, Tokyo, Japan
36 Win 33–3 David Rodela TKO 8 (10), 2:51 16 Mar 2013 Grand Oasis, Cancún, Mexico
35 Win 32–3 Héctor Velázquez UD 10 6 Oct 2012 Memorial Auditorium, Sacramento, California, U.S.
34 Loss 31–3 Sergio Thompson TKO 2 (12), 2:27 31 Mar 2012 Grand Oasis, Cancún, Mexico
33 Loss 31–2 Antonio DeMarco TKO 11 (12), 2:32 15 Oct 2011 Staples Center, Los Angeles, California, U.S. For vacant WBC lightweight title
32 Win 31–1 Adrian Verdugo TKO 7 (10), 1:49 28 May 2011 Mazatlan International Center, Mazatlán, Mexico
31 Win 30–1 Jesús Chávez RTD 4 (12), 3:00 24 Oct 2010 Ryōgoku Kokugikan, Tokyo, Japan
30 Win 29–1 Rocky Juarez UD 10 31 Jul 2010 Mandalay Bay Events Center, Paradise, Nevada, U.S. Won WBA Fedelatin interim lightweight title
29 Win 28–1 Francisco Lorenzo MD 10 27 Mar 2010 Polideportivo José María Vargas, La Guaira, Venezuela
28 Loss 27–1 Juan Carlos Salgado TKO 1 (12), 1:13 10 Oct 2009 Yoyogi National Gymnasium, Tokyo, Japan Lost WBA super featherweight title
27 Win 27–0 Josafat Perez TKO 8 (12), 1:40 27 Jun 2009 Plaza de Toros, Nuevo Laredo, Mexico Retained WBA super featherweight title
26 Win 26–0 Whyber Garcia TKO 5 (12), 1:08 28 Nov 2008 Atlapa Convention Centre, Panama City, Panama Won vacant WBA super featherweight title
25 Win 25–0 Gamaliel Díaz KO 8 (12), 2:02 15 Dec 2007 Plaza de Toros, Cancún, Mexico Retained WBC featherweight title
24 Win 24–0 Óscar Larios TKO 10 (12), 2:37 21 Jul 2007 Mandalay Bay Events Center, Paradise, Nevada, U.S. Won vacant WBC interim featherweight title
23 Win 23–0 Ramiro Lara TKO 3 (10), 1:37 3 Feb 2007 Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan
22 Win 22–0 Humberto Martinez TKO 6 (10), 2:34 7 Oct 2006 Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan
21 Win 21–0 Pedro Navarrete UD 10 3 Jun 2006 Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan
20 Win 20–0 Saohin Srithai Condo UD 10 1 Apr 2006 Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan
19 Win 19–0 Jeffrey Onate KO 1 (10), 1:59 7 Jan 2006 Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan
18 Win 18–0 Denchai Sor Tiebkoon TKO 1 (10), 2:30 3 Nov 2005 Seoul, South Korea
17 Win 17–0 Ayon Naranjo UD 6 25 Sep 2005 Yokohama Arena, Yokohama, Japan
16 Win 16–0 Jesus Perez RTD 4 (10), 3:00 13 Aug 2005 Circulo Militar, Maracay, Venezuela
15 Win 15–0 Jean Javier Sotelo TKO 2 (10), 1:56 26 May 2005 Estadio Luna Park, Buenos Aires, Argentina Won vacant WBA Fedecentro featherweight title
14 Win 14–0 Luis Perez Vicente KO 4 (6), 1:49 16 Apr 2005 Nippon Budokan, Tokyo, Japan
13 Win 13–0 Melvin Ayudtud KO 1 (10), 2:07 5 Feb 2005 Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan
12 Win 12–0 Rafael Castillo TKO 4 (8), 2:16 3 Dec 2004 Figali Convention Center, Panama City, Panama
11 Win 11–0 Sung-Hoon Park KO 1 (10), 2:42 2 Oct 2004 Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan
10 Win 10–0 Renan Acosta UD 10 7 Aug 2004 Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan Won vacant WBA Fedelatin featherweight title
9 Win 9–0 Michael Domingo UD 10 1 May 2004 Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan
8 Win 8–0 Hugo Rafael Soto UD 10 31 Jan 2004 Poliedro, Caracas, Venezuela Won vacant WBA Fedelatin super bantamweight title
7 Win 7–0 Pederito Laurente UD 10 18 Oct 2003 Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan
6 Win 6–0 Jung-Keun Woo KO 2 (8), 2:12 20 Sep 2003 Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan
5 Win 5–0 Thunder Ito TKO 3 (10), 2:44 12 Jul 2003 Pacifico, Yokohama, Japan
4 Win 4–0 Ariel Austria UD 8 19 Apr 2003 Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan
3 Win 3–0 Singdam Monsaichon KO 3 (8), 1:02 15 Mar 2003 Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan
2 Win 2–0 Chawal Sor Vorapin UD 6 15 Feb 2003 Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan
1 Win 1–0 Kyong-Soo Chung KO 1 (6), 0:45 15 Dec 2002 Prefectural Gymnasium, Osaka, Japan

Boxing Titles Held by Jorge Linares

Major World Titles

  • WBC Featherweight Champion (126 lbs)
  • WBA Super Featherweight Champion (130 lbs)
  • WBA Lightweight Champion (135 lbs)
  • WBC Lightweight Champion (135 lbs)

The Ring Magazine Titles

  • The Ring Lightweight Champion (135 lbs)

Interim World Titles

  • WBC Interim Featherweight Champion (126 lbs)

Regional and International Titles

  • WBA Fedelatin Super Bantamweight Champion (122 lbs)
  • WBA Fedelatin Featherweight Champion (126 lbs)
  • WBA Fedecentro Featherweight Champion (126 lbs)

Interim Regional Titles

Special Honorary Titles

  • WBC Diamond Lightweight Champion

More About Boxing

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Jorge Linares para niños

kids search engine
Jorge Linares Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.