Argenis Alexander Méndez Zapata (born July 3, 1986) is a
professional boxer
Professional boxing, or prizefighting, is regulated, sanctioned boxing. Professional boxing bouts are fought for a purse that is divided between the boxers as determined by contract. Most professional bouts are supervised by a regulatory autho ...
best known for winning the silver medal at the junior world championships in 2004. He is a former
International Boxing Federation
The International Boxing Federation (IBF) is one of four major organizations recognized by the International Boxing Hall of Fame (IBHOF) which sanctions professional boxing bouts, alongside the World Boxing Association (WBA), World Boxing Counci ...
Super Featherweight champion.
Early life and amateur career
Argenis Mendez started boxing at the age of 12.
Mendez won featherweight silver at the World Junior Championships 2004 where he beat Eddy Flores Cotilla but lost to Eduard Ambartsumyan, in the final.
He lost in the first round of the Olympics in 2004 against the Ukrainian,
Maksym Tretyak. Mendez qualified for the Olympic Games by ending up in first place at the
2nd AIBA American 2004 Olympic Qualifying Tournament
The 2nd AIBA American 2004 Olympic Boxing Qualifying Tournament was held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil from April 4 to April 11, 2004. The competition was the final opportunity for amateur boxers from North-, Central- and South America to qualify f ...
in
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Rio de Janeiro ( , , ; literally 'River of January'), or simply Rio, is the capital of the state of the same name, Brazil's third-most populous state, and the second-most populous city in Brazil, after São Paulo. Listed by the GaWC as a b ...
.
In 2005, he beat
Abner Cotto
Abner Cotto Román (born August 10, 1987) is a Puerto Rican professional boxer who currently competes in the lightweight division. He is a member of the Cotto family, which has produced a professional world champion and multiple amateur ...
on his way to winning the PanAm Championships).
He also holds several wins over
Carlos Velásquez
Carlos Iván Velásquez (born August 4, 1984, in Cataño, Puerto Rico) is a Puerto Rican former boxer best known for winning the featherweight title at the 20.Central American and Caribbean Games 2006 in Cartagena. He is the twin brother of Jua ...
.
Defeated Naskali Jyri Jarmo on points, 20-8 at the
2005 World Amateur Boxing Championships
The men's 2005 World Amateur Boxing Championships were held in Mianyang, China, from November 13 to November 20. The competition was organised by the world's governing body for amateur boxing AIBA.
Medal winners
Medal table
External lin ...
, but lost early against Russian amateur standout
Aleksei Tishchenko
Aleksei Viktorovich Tishchenko (russian: Алексей Викторович Тищенко; born 29 May 1984) is a former Russian Olympic boxer best known to dominate the lower weight classes in the last years winning numerous tit ...
who had beaten him earlier in the year.
Professional career
He debuted in 2006, knocking out Jose Fonseco in the second round at Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic. Achieving a 12 fight win streak, mainly at
super featherweight
Super featherweight, also known as junior lightweight, is a boxing weight classes, weight division in professional boxing, contested between and .
The super featherweight division was established by the New York Walker Law in 1920, although firs ...
, until losing a close split decision to Jaime Sandoval, wherein he knocked down Sandoval in the first round.
He came back to win 6 consecutive fight including 12-round decision victories over fringe contender Martin Honorio and former
IBF
The International Boxing Federation (IBF) is one of four major organizations recognized by the International Boxing Hall of Fame (IBHOF) which sanctions professional boxing bouts, alongside the World Boxing Association (WBA), World Boxing Counci ...
super featherweight champion
Cassius Baloyi. Mendez fought Honorio on May 8, 2010, in the
StubHub Center
Dignity Health Sports Park is a multi-use sports complex located on the campus of California State University, Dominguez Hills in Carson, California. The complex consists of the 27,000-seat Dignity Health Sports Park soccer stadium, the Dignity ...
in
Carson, California
Carson is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States, in the South Bay region of Los Angeles, located south of downtown Los Angeles and approximately away from Los Angeles International Airport. Incorporated on February 20, 1968, ...
, winning a close majority decision with scores, of 114-114,116-112, and 116-112. Honorio pressured Mendez using body attacks, while Mendez used his superior hand speed and combination punching to counter Honorio. In an IBF super featherweight title eliminator, Mendez fought Baloyi in
Brakpan
Brakpan is a mining town in the Gauteng province of South Africa.
History
The name Brakpan comes from a small pan on a farm called Weltevreden, which was filled with very brackish water and was probably referred to as the "brakpan," and it was nea ...
,
Gauteng
Gauteng ( ) is one of the nine provinces of South Africa. The name in Sotho-Tswana languages means 'place of gold'.
Situated on the Highveld, Gauteng is the smallest province by land area in South Africa. Although Gauteng accounts for only ...
,
South Africa
South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the north by the neighbouring countri ...
on January 29, 2011. Mendez won a unanimous decision victory, with scores of 117-110, 117-110, and 117-111, outclassing the former champion with his speed, and combination punching.
Argenis Mendez finally got his chance for the vacant IBF super featherweight against former
World Boxing Council
The World Boxing Council (WBC) is an international professional boxing organization. It is among the four major organizations which sanction professional boxing bouts, alongside the World Boxing Association (WBA), International Boxing Federation ...
super featherweight champion and
Jorge Linares
Jorge Luis Linares Palencia (born 22 August 1985) is a Venezuelan professional boxer. He has held world championships in three weight classes, including the WBC featherweight title from 2007 to 2008; the WBA super featherweight title from 20 ...
conqueror
Juan Carlos Salgado
Juan Carlos Salgado (born December 20, 1984, in Mexico City, Mexico) is a Mexican professional boxer. He is the former World Boxing Association and International Boxing Federation Super Featherweight Champion.
Professional career
Juan Carlos w ...
. On September 10, 2011, at
Zapopan
Zapopan () is a city and municipality located in the Mexican state of Jalisco. Part of the Guadalajara Metropolitan Area, the population of Zapopan city proper makes it the second largest city in the state, very close behind the population of ...
,
Jalisco
Jalisco (, , ; Nahuatl: Xalixco), officially the Free and Sovereign State of Jalisco ( es, Estado Libre y Soberano de Jalisco ; Nahuatl: Tlahtohcayotl Xalixco), is one of the 31 states which, along with Mexico City, comprise the 32 Federal En ...
,
Mexico
Mexico (Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North America. It is bordered to the north by the United States; to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; to the southeast by Guatema ...
, Mendez lost a close decision victory to Salgado. Both boxers landed good combination punches, and fought competitively. Mendez lost a point in the fifth round for hitting behind the head, but was able to drop Salgado in the final round.
He had a quick bounce-back victory over Alex Perez, on November 18, 2011, in
Santo Domingo
, total_type = Total
, population_density_km2 = auto
, timezone = AST (UTC −4)
, area_code_type = Area codes
, area_code = 809, 829, 849
, postal_code_type = Postal codes
, postal_code = 10100–10699 (Distrito Nacional)
, websi ...
,
Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic ( ; es, República Dominicana, ) is a country located on the island of Hispaniola in the Greater Antilles archipelago of the Caribbean region. It occupies the eastern five-eighths of the island, which it shares wit ...
, winning a knockout in the second round.
In April 2012, Castillo signed for the
boxing promoter
A promoter works with event production and entertainment industries to promote their productions, including in music and sports. Promoters are individuals or organizations engaged in the business of marketing and promoting live, or pay-per-view ...
Acquinity Sports alongside compatriots
Félix Díaz and
Gilbert Lenin Castillo
Gilbert Lenin Castillo Rivera (born August 21, 1988) is a Dominican professional boxer who competed at the 2008 Summer Olympics.
Early and personal life
Castillo was born on August 21, 1988, in Santo Domingo. He boxed for the Julito López Clu ...
.
Professional boxing record
See also
*
List of world super-featherweight boxing champions
This is a list of Super featherweight boxing champions, as recognized by boxing organizations:
* The World Boxing Association (WBA), established in 1921 as the National Boxing Association (NBA).
* The World Boxing Council (WBC), established in 19 ...
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mendez, Argenis
1986 births
Living people
People from San Juan de la Maguana
Pan American Games competitors for the Dominican Republic
Boxers at the 2004 Summer Olympics
Olympic boxers for the Dominican Republic
Dominican Republic male boxers
Super-featherweight boxers
Lightweight boxers
World super-featherweight boxing champions
International Boxing Federation champions