Luis Villalta Aquino (October 2, 1969 in

Lima, Peru Lima ( ; ), originally founded as Ciudad de Los Reyes (City of The Kings) is the capital and the largest city of Peru. It is located in the valleys of the Chillón River, Chillón, Rímac River, Rímac and Lurín Rivers, in the desert zone of t ...

– March 3, 2004 in

Pompano Beach, Florida Pompano Beach ( ) is a city in Broward County, Florida, United States. It is located along the coast of the Atlantic Ocean, just north of Fort Lauderdale. The nearby Hillsboro Inlet forms part of the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway. As of the 2020 ...

) was a professional

boxer Boxer most commonly refers to: * Boxer (boxing), a competitor in the sport of boxing *Boxer (dog), a breed of dog Boxer or boxers may also refer to: Animal kingdom * Boxer crab * Boxer shrimp, a small group of decapod crustaceans * Boxer snipe ee ...

, who was nicknamed "El Puma" during his career. He moved to

Hillsborough Township, New Jersey Hillsborough Township is a township in Somerset County, New Jersey, United States. The township is centrally located in the Raritan Valley region within the much larger New York Metropolitan Area. As of the 2010 United States Census, the tow ...

to be near his trainer and improve his career opportunities while trying to get entry visas for his family. He shared an apartment with two roommates and worked at a local

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. On February 28, 2004, he defended his North American Boxing Association lightweight title against

Ricky Quiles Ricky Quiles (born 1970 in Lorain, Ohio) is a retired American-born Puerto Rican lightweight boxer who has won two titles. His career record stands at 39 wins, 8 losses, and 2 draws. He has 4 regional titles and fought for 1 world title but lost ...

at the Seminole Tribe of Florida Coconut Creek Casino. He collapsed moments after losing a unanimous decision, and was rushed to the North Broward Medical Center. He died after undergoing surgery for head trauma. His wife, Miraebel, and father, Luis, Sr. (granted emergency visas), were at his bedside. He never regained consciousness. Villalta is the fifth Peruvian fighter to die in the ring. His career record was 29-6-1.

References

* 1969 births 2004 deaths Deaths due to injuries sustained in boxing Sportspeople from Lima Peruvian male boxers Sports deaths in Florida Peruvian emigrants to the United States {{Peru-boxing-bio-stub