Rodolfo Casanova, also known as ''Baby'' Casanova or ''Chango'' Casanova (June 21, 1915 – November 23, 1980) was a Mexican 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 ...
. He was also the first Mexican to fight a Puerto Rican in the
Mexico – Puerto Rico boxing rivalry.
Early life
Rodolfo was born during the
Mexican Revolution
The Mexican Revolution ( es, Revolución Mexicana) was an extended sequence of armed regional conflicts in Mexico from approximately 1910 to 1920. It has been called "the defining event of modern Mexican history". It resulted in the destruction ...
, his father Don Rafael Casanova died in that war. His mother moved the family to
Mexico City
Mexico City ( es, link=no, Ciudad de México, ; abbr.: CDMX; Nahuatl: ''Altepetl Mexico'') is the capital and largest city of Mexico, and the most populous city in North America. One of the world's alpha cities, it is located in the Valley o ...
after the death. Casanova grew up very poor and started boxing only after his older brother Carlos, an amateur boxer, had no official government backing to attend the
1928 Summer Olympics
The 1928 Summer Olympics ( nl, Olympische Zomerspelen 1928), officially known as the Games of the IX Olympiad ( nl, Spelen van de IXe Olympiade) and commonly known as Amsterdam 1928, was an international multi-sport event that was celebrated from ...
.
Professional career
World Bantamweight Championship
In his first attempt at a world title, Casanova lost to
Sixto Escobar
Sixto Escobar (March 23, 1913 – November 17, 1979) was a Puerto Rican professional boxer. Competing in the bantamweight division, he became Puerto Rico's first world champion.
Escobar was born in Barceloneta and raised in San Juan. There he r ...
the
World Bantamweight Champion
This is a list of world bantamweight boxing champions, as recognized by the four major sanctioning organizations in boxing:
* The World Boxing Association (WBA), established in 1921 as the National Boxing Association (NBA). The WBA often recognize ...
. This would be the first world title fight between a Mexican and a Puerto Rican.
See also
*
Mexico – Puerto Rico boxing rivalry
References
External links
*
Boxers from Guanajuato
Sportspeople from León, Guanajuato
Featherweight boxers
1915 births
1980 deaths
Mexican male boxers
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