Antonio Esparragoza
Antonio Esparragoza Betancourt (born September 2, 1959) is the former WBA Featherweight Champion of the World, from Venezuela.
| Antonio Esparragoza | |
|---|---|
| Statistics | |
| Real name | Antonio Esparragoza |
| Weight(s) | Featherweight |
| Height | 5 ft 7 in (1.70 m) |
| Nationality | Venezuelan |
| Born | September 2, 1959 Cumaná, Venezuela |
| Stance | Orthodox |
| Boxing record | |
| Total fights | 36 |
| Wins | 30 |
| Wins by KO | 27 |
| Losses | 2 |
| Draws | 4 |
| No contests | 0 |
Amateur career
Esparragoza represented Venezuela as a Featherweight at the 1980 Moscow Olympic Games. Below are the results from that tournament:
- Round of 64: bye
- Round of 32: lost to Peter Hanlon (Great Britain) by decision, 1-4
Professional career
Esparragoza turned pro in 1981 and after largely fighting unproven fighters in his native Venezuela was granted a shot at Lineal & WBA Featherweight Titles holder Steve Cruz in 1987. Esparragoza pulled off an upset with a TKO in the 12th round. Esparragoza defended the titles against seven contenders before losing the belts to Yong-Kyun Park in 1991 via unanimous decision. He retired after the loss.
Due to his incredible knockout power, Esparragoza is ranked at 75 in Ring Magazine's list of 100 Greatest Punchers.
References
| Achievements | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Steve Cruz |
WBA Featherweight Champion March 6, 1987 - March 30, 1991 |
Succeeded by Park Yong-kyun |
| The Ring featherweight champion March 6, 1987 - 1990 Title discontinued until 2002 |
Vacant Title next held by Marco Antonio Barrera | |
| Lineal Featherweight Champion March 6, 1987 - March 30, 1991 |
Succeeded by Park Yong-kyun | |