Carlos De Leon
Encyclopedia
Carlos De León, also known as "Sugar" De Leon, (born May 3, 1959) is a Puerto Rican
former boxer
who made history by becoming the first Cruiserweight to win the world title twice. Subsequently, he kept breaking his own record for the most times as Cruiserweight champion by regaining it twice more.
, first won a world title when faced with WBC
world champion Marvin Camel
on November 25, 1980, at the undercard of Sugar Ray Leonard
and Roberto Durán
's second fight in New Orleans. De León outpointed Camel over 15 rounds. After he knocked out Camel in 8 in a rematch, countryman Ossie Ocasio
won the WBA
world title, becoming the second pair of Puerto Ricans to share world titles in the same division at the same time, after Alfredo Escalera
and Samuel Serrano
had achieved the feat in the 1970s at Jr. Lightweight. De León lost his title in a shocking upset to former Gerry Cooney
victim S. T. Gordon
by a knockout
in round 2 at Cleveland
in 1982, and won a comeback fight versus former world Heavyweight champion Leon Spinks
by a knockout in round six in 1983. After that, he and Gordon boxed a rematch in Las Vegas
, and De León dropped Gordon once in the first round and once in the twelfth, en route to a unanimous decision win in a history making bout: De León had now become the first boxer to win the world Cruiserweight title twice.
He defended his title against Álvaro Yaqui López by a knockout in four at San Jose, California
, and with decisions over Anthony Davis, José María Flores Burlón
, and Bashiru Ali. The Davis and Burlon bouts took place in Las Vegas and the fight with Ali was in Oakland, California
. De León next lost his title in Las Vegas to Alfonzo Ratliff by a decision. Ratliff was in turn beaten by Bernard Benton
, who defended against De León on March 22, 1986, once again in Las Vegas. De León joined the likes of Sugar Ray Robinson
and Muhammad Ali
in becoming one of the few boxers ever to win one division's world championship at least three times, defeating Benton by decision. He made a couple of defenses in Italy and then in 1988, lost his titles in a unification bout with WBA
world champion Evander Holyfield
, by TKO in the eighth round, also in Las Vegas. But Holyfield soon left the division to pursue the world Heavyweight championship, and De León was left with an open door to break his own record and win the title for a record fourth time. He went to London, where he beat the WBC's number 2 challenger, Sammy Reeson, by a knockout in the Ninth round, breaking his own record and crowning himself world Cruiserweight champion once again. This time, he held on to the title for two years, until losing it to Massimiliano Duran
in Italy by an 11 round disqualification.
During the 1990s, De León ran afoul of the law a number of times, once while he was carrying a rifle. Today, he concentrates on helping the career of his son Carlos De León Jr.
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Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
former boxer
Boxing
Boxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...
who made history by becoming the first Cruiserweight to win the world title twice. Subsequently, he kept breaking his own record for the most times as Cruiserweight champion by regaining it twice more.
Career
De León, a native of Trujillo Alto, Puerto RicoTrujillo Alto, Puerto Rico
-Barrios :*Carraízo*Las Cuevas*Dos Bocas*La Gloria*Quebrada Grande*Quebrada Negrito*Saint Just*Trujillo Alto Pueblo*Cooperativa Jardines de Trujillo Alto-Geo/Topography:*Carraízo dam...
, first won a world title when faced with WBC
World Boxing Council
The World Boxing Council was initially established by 11 countries: the United States, Argentina, United Kingdom, France, Mexico, Philippines, Panama, Chile, Peru, Venezuela and Brazil plus Puerto Rico, met in Mexico City on February 14, 1963, upon invitation of the then President of Mexico, Adolfo...
world champion Marvin Camel
Marvin Camel
Marvin Camel is a boxer and member of the Salish Kootenai Nation of the Flathead Indian Reservation in Northwestern Montana. He was born in Ronan and fought out of Missoula...
on November 25, 1980, at the undercard of Sugar Ray Leonard
Sugar Ray Leonard
Sugar Ray Leonard is an American retired professional boxer and occasional actor. He was named Ray Charles Leonard, after his mother's favorite singer, Ray Charles...
and Roberto Durán
Roberto Durán
Roberto Durán Samaniego is a retired professional boxer from Panama, widely regarded as one of the greatest boxers of all time. A versatile brawler in the ring, he was nicknamed "Manos de Piedra" during his career....
's second fight in New Orleans. De León outpointed Camel over 15 rounds. After he knocked out Camel in 8 in a rematch, countryman Ossie Ocasio
Ossie Ocasio
Osvaldo Ocasio, , better known as Ossie Ocasio and nicknamed Jaws, is a Puerto Rican who was a boxer and world Cruiserweight champion. He got his peculiar nickname after accidentally biting another boxer during a sparring session...
won the WBA
World Boxing Association
The World Boxing Association is a boxing organization that sanctions official matches, and awards the WBA world championship title at the professional level. It was previously known as the National Boxing Association before changing its name in 1962...
world title, becoming the second pair of Puerto Ricans to share world titles in the same division at the same time, after Alfredo Escalera
Alfredo Escalera
Alfredo Escalera is a Puerto Rican who was a world champion boxer. A native of Carolina, his nickname was "Salsero" because he was a fan of Salsa music.-Early boxing career:...
and Samuel Serrano
Samuel Serrano
Samuel Serrano , nicknamed Sammy and El Torbellino, is a Puerto Rican who won boxing's world junior lightweight championship twice.-Early history:...
had achieved the feat in the 1970s at Jr. Lightweight. De León lost his title in a shocking upset to former Gerry Cooney
Gerry Cooney
Gerry Cooney is a retired Irish-American professional boxer from Huntington, New York best known for his loss to Larry Holmes and defeat of aging ex-champion/contender Ken Norton.-Life before boxing:...
victim S. T. Gordon
S. T. Gordon
ST Gordon was an American professional boxer who won the World Boxing Council cruiserweight title in 1982.-Professional career:...
by a knockout
Knockout
A knockout is a fight-ending, winning criterion in several full-contact combat sports, such as boxing, kickboxing, Muay Thai, mixed martial arts, Karate and others sports involving striking...
in round 2 at Cleveland
Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Cuyahoga County, the most populous county in the state. The city is located in northeastern Ohio on the southern shore of Lake Erie, approximately west of the Pennsylvania border...
in 1982, and won a comeback fight versus former world Heavyweight champion Leon Spinks
Leon Spinks
Leon Spinks is a former American boxer. He had an overall record of 26 wins, 17 losses and 3 draws as a professional, with 14 knockout wins, and was the former World Boxing Council and World Boxing Association heavyweight champion of the world...
by a knockout in round six in 1983. After that, he and Gordon boxed a rematch in Las Vegas
Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...
, and De León dropped Gordon once in the first round and once in the twelfth, en route to a unanimous decision win in a history making bout: De León had now become the first boxer to win the world Cruiserweight title twice.
He defended his title against Álvaro Yaqui López by a knockout in four at San Jose, California
San Jose, California
San Jose is the third-largest city in California, the tenth-largest in the U.S., and the county seat of Santa Clara County which is located at the southern end of San Francisco Bay...
, and with decisions over Anthony Davis, José María Flores Burlón
Jose Maria Flores Burlon
José María Flores Burlón is a former boxer from Uruguay. Flores Burlón had a total of 115 professional bouts. He tried, without success, to become Uruguay's first world boxing champion.-Beginning:...
, and Bashiru Ali. The Davis and Burlon bouts took place in Las Vegas and the fight with Ali was in Oakland, California
Oakland, California
Oakland is a major West Coast port city on San Francisco Bay in the U.S. state of California. It is the eighth-largest city in the state with a 2010 population of 390,724...
. De León next lost his title in Las Vegas to Alfonzo Ratliff by a decision. Ratliff was in turn beaten by Bernard Benton
Bernard Benton
-Professional career:Known as "The Bull", Benton turned pro in 1981 and won the WBC cruiserweight title with a decision win over Alfonso Ratcliff in 1985. He lost the belt in his first defense to Carlos De León via decision the following year. He retired in 1995....
, who defended against De León on March 22, 1986, once again in Las Vegas. De León joined the likes of Sugar Ray Robinson
Sugar Ray Robinson
Sugar Ray Robinson was an African-American professional boxer. Frequently cited as the greatest boxer of all time, Robinson's performances in the welterweight and middleweight divisions prompted sportswriters to create "pound for pound" rankings, where they compared fighters regardless of weight...
and Muhammad Ali
Muhammad Ali
Muhammad Ali is an American former professional boxer, philanthropist and social activist...
in becoming one of the few boxers ever to win one division's world championship at least three times, defeating Benton by decision. He made a couple of defenses in Italy and then in 1988, lost his titles in a unification bout with WBA
World Boxing Association
The World Boxing Association is a boxing organization that sanctions official matches, and awards the WBA world championship title at the professional level. It was previously known as the National Boxing Association before changing its name in 1962...
world champion Evander Holyfield
Evander Holyfield
Evander Holyfield is a professional boxer from the United States. He is a former undisputed world champion in both the cruiserweight and heavyweight divisions, earning him the nickname "The Real Deal"...
, by TKO in the eighth round, also in Las Vegas. But Holyfield soon left the division to pursue the world Heavyweight championship, and De León was left with an open door to break his own record and win the title for a record fourth time. He went to London, where he beat the WBC's number 2 challenger, Sammy Reeson, by a knockout in the Ninth round, breaking his own record and crowning himself world Cruiserweight champion once again. This time, he held on to the title for two years, until losing it to Massimiliano Duran
Massimiliano Duran
Massimiliano Duran is a former Italian professional boxer who briefly held the Cruiser WBC title and the European championship.-Career:...
in Italy by an 11 round disqualification.
During the 1990s, De León ran afoul of the law a number of times, once while he was carrying a rifle. Today, he concentrates on helping the career of his son Carlos De León Jr.
See also
- List of famous Puerto Ricans
- List of cruiserweight boxing champions
- List of Puerto Rican boxing world champions
External links
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