Ricardo Mayorga

Infobox_Boxer
name=Ricardo Mayorga


width= 214
caption= Mayorga (right) Hits Vargas With A Tremendous Body Shot: November 23rd 2007
realname=Ricardo Antonio Mayorga Perez
nickname=El Matador
weight=Light Middleweight
nationality=flagicon|Nicaragua Nicaraguan
birth_date=birth date and age|1973|10|3
death_date=
birth_place=Managua, Nicaragua
home=Managua, Nicaragua
style=Orthodox
total=38
wins=29
KO=23
losses=7
draws=1
no contests=1

Ricardo Mayorga (born October 3, 1973 in Managua, Nicaragua), is a Nicaraguan professional boxer. He is the former WBA/WBC Welterweight champion and the former WBC Junior Middleweight champion. He holds a fair record of 29-7 with 23 knockouts and 1 draw. He was featured for the first time on the cover of Ring Magazine on the December 2003 issue, released in October. The cover read "The craziest man in the sport: Mayorga lights up boxing."

Professional career

Early Years

Mayorga lost his first pro bout, being beaten by a TKO in the sixth round of his first professional bout by Humberto Aranda in 1993.

He came back in 1994 to win three fights, all by knockout, including the third round knockout win over José Morales, which was his first career win.

His first fight in 1995 was also his first fight in Nicaragua, and it was fought for the Nicaraguan Welterweight title. Mayorga won the title when he knocked out Miguel Pérez in six rounds. After two more knockout wins, he defended it in a rematch with Perez, and the second time, he defeated Perez by a knockout in three.

He then took off three years from boxing, and when he returned, in 1998, he beat German Espinales by a knockout in four, but in his next bout, he lost a ten round decision to former Edwin Rosario rival Roger Flores. After the Flores bout, he fought Henry Castillo and suffered his second loss in a row, also by decision in ten.

In his next fight, in 1999, he beat Porfirio Miranda by a knockout in one round. After one more win, he gained revenge against Castillo, defeating him by a knockout in seven, and then he met Jose Cordova for the Central American Welterweight title. He added that belt by beating Cordova by a decision in twelve.

After one more win, Mayorga went to Puerto Rico to meet Cuba's fringe contender Dyobelis Hurtado, a boxer who had faced Pernell Whitaker and Kostya Tszyu in world title tries, among others. Mayorga and Hurtado came up with a technical draw in two rounds, and in his next fight, Mayorga lifted the WBA's Latin American Jr. Middleweight belt with a two round knockout of Marcos Avendano. A rematch with Espinales for the "Fecarbox" Welterweight title, brought Mayorga exactly the same result as their first encounter: A four round knockout win, and another minor title belt.

He won seven more fights in a row, including 2 defenses each of his WBA Latin American and Fecarbox belts.

Mayorga Vs. Lewis I & II

On July 28 of 2001, he challenged the WBA's World Welterweight Champion Andrew "Six Heads" Lewis at the Los Angeles Roy Jones Jr.-Julio César González undercard. The fight was declared a no contest after two rounds because both fighters had cuts opened by a headbutt and they were unable to continue.

However, they had a rematch on March 3 of 2002 and Mayorga became the fifth Nicaraguan to win a title, by knocking Lewis out in the 5th round. Even though Lewis was very aggressive in the fight, Mayorga was able to withstand his attacks, and sent a flurry of right crosses which sent Lewis crashing to the canvas. As a result, Mayorga was crowned the new WBA's World Welterweight Champion.

Mayorga Vs. Forrest I & II

Mayorga and then WBC Welterweight Champion Vernon Forrest quickly signed up for an unification bout, and on January 25, and in front of an HBO Boxing audience, Mayorga upset most boxing critics and experts by dropping Forrest in round one, and once again in round three, winning the fight by a knockout in the third, and becoming the WBA and WBC's Unified World Champion.

On July 12, also in front of an HBO boxing audience, Mayorga and Forrest had a rematch, and this time Mayorga retained the title by a 12 round majority decision. The decision caused controversy among some, as many felt Forrest had won the fightFact|date=March 2008. Many people were amused that Mayorga stuck his chin out to Forrest. In an interview, he stated why he did that. "I wanted him to know that he couldn't hurt me," Mayorga said with a smirk after the fight. "I know it's not a wise thing to want to get hit, and Mr. King told me after the fight that he doesn't want to see me doing that again, but it's what I wanted to do at the time. I wanted to let him know that I was the boss, I was his daddy, I was the champ."Mayorga's comments about Forrest - http://www.hbo.com/boxing/fighters/mayorga_ricardo/bio.html]

Mayorga Vs. Spinks

On December 13, 2003, Mayorga lost his world titles, to Cory Spinks, the son of former heavyweight champion Leon Spinks, by a majority decision in Atlantic City. This came after Mayorga had made tasteless remarks about Spinks's deceased mother. Mayorga apologized after the fight.

Moving To Junior Middleweight

Mayorga next would have fought for the WBA's version of the world Welterweight title on April 17, 2004 at Madison Square Garden in New York, New York against the Puerto Rican champion, José Antonio Rivera. However, Mayorga showed up six pounds over the Welterweight division limit, prompting an unexpected debut at the Jr. Middleweight division instead in which he beat Eric Mitchell by decision in ten rounds.

Mayorga Vs. Trinidad

Mayorga was in a training camp for an upcoming fight on October 2 with Félix Trinidad, but Mayorga was arrested on September 3Fact|date=February 2007, putting his fight with Trinidad in serious jeopardy. However, soon after, he was arrested at Augusto C. Sandino International Airport, and his lawyer obtained permission for him to leave the country because he was leaving the country for a job that he had been contracted to do. Mayorga resumed his training once he arrived to the United States, having to face the criminal charges after his fight with Trinidad.

Mayorga dropped Trinidad in round three of their confrontation, but he was dropped himself three times in round eight, the only three times Mayorga had ever been knocked down in his pro career, leading to a technical knockout loss.

Coming Out Of Retirement

On October 5, 2004, three days after his fight with Trinidad, Mayorga announced his retirement from boxing, but he returned to boxing, and, on August 13, 2005, Mayorga became a two division world champion by gaining the vacant WBC world Super Welterweight title with a twelve round unanimous decision over Michele Piccirillo of Italy, in Chicago.

Mayorga vs De La Hoya

On May 6, 2006 Mayorga lost to Oscar de la Hoya by TKO in the 6th round. Although Oscar de la Hoya had been very inactive in the ring, due to the high personal disregard Mayorga had against him, including saying that Oscar's people are behind Mayorga, and comments about his wife,Mayorga Vs. De La Hoya press conference] de la Hoya decided to put the gloves back on and fight Mayorga.

Mayorga vs Vargas

SHOWTIME PPV showcased Ricardo "El Matador" Mayorga in a boxing match against "Ferocious" Fernando Vargas on November 23, 2007, at a catch-weight of 164-pounds, 10 pounds higher than the Jr. Middleweight limit. Vargas stated that making 154-pounds was "too much for his body to take". It was rumored that Vargas had to melt off close to 100 pounds to make 164 lbs.Mayorga-Vargas fight date - http://fernando-vargas-news.newslib.com/story/7285-61/]

In a closely contested bout, for the WBC Continental Americas Super Middleweight title, Mayorga makes his comeback by defeating Vargas by majority decision. The scores were 113-113, 114-112, and 115-111 in favor for Mayorga. Mayorga dominated early in the fight by outbrawling and knocking Vargas down in the 1st round, getting him off balance in the 2nd round, and cutting him open above the right eye by a right hand in the 3rd round. Vargas made a comeback in the middle rounds by hitting Mayorga with left hooks and counter punches. Mayorga regains the upper hand in the closing rounds of the fight by flurring. Mayorga offers a right hand which sends Vargas to the canvas in the 11th round. Vargas was unable to keep up in the 12th round. Post-fight, Vargas officially declared his retirement. Boxing fans were pleased by the fight, and were surprised that the fight went the distanceFact|date=March 2008. Boxing critics were shocked by Mayorga's improved performance by seeing a more controlled side of himFact|date=March 2008.

Mayorga vs Mosley

Mosley-Mayorga was originally scheduled for for Oct. 11 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, Golden Boy Promotions CEO Richard Schaefer and Mosley's wife and adviser, Jin Mosley, told ESPN.com.

On July 18, 2008, it was reported on espn.com's quick hits that The fight between Mayorga and Mosley was moved to the Home Depot Center in Carson, CA and set for September 27th because of the Pavlik-Hopkins fight agreement for October 18th on HBO PPV. And the good news for fight fans is that the Mayorga-Mosley bout will not be on HBO PPV anymore but will be telecast on HBO.

Shane Mosley stopped Ricardo Mayorga with one second left in the 12th round of their junior middleweight bout, Mosley led by one point on judge Nelson Vasquez's scorecard and five on Tony Crebs' entering the 12th round. Mayorga had a one-point lead on judge Pat Russell's card. The Associated Press had Mosley ahead by three points entering the 12th.

Professional Championships

References

See also

* List of WBC world champions
* Reigning boxing champions

External links

* [http://www.hbo.com/boxing/fighters/mayorga_ricardo/bio.html Official Website]
* [http://boxing.about.com/od/records/a/mayorga.htm Ricardo Mayorga Fight-by-Fight Career Record]
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