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The Cruiserweight Dynasty

An unparalleled chronicle of Carlos De León's historic four-time world championship reign, solidifying his status as a legend in boxing history.

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Biographical Overview

Personal Details

Carlos De León, affectionately known as "Sugar" De León, was a formidable Puerto Rican professional boxer. Born on May 3, 1959, in Trujillo Alto, Puerto Rico, he carved a significant niche in the cruiserweight division. His professional journey spanned from 1974 until his final bout in 1995, culminating in a career marked by remarkable resilience and championship success.

Lifespan and Demise

De León's life concluded on January 1, 2020, at the age of 60. His passing occurred in Buffalo, New York, attributed to cardiac arrest. His legacy, however, continues to resonate within the annals of boxing history, particularly for his groundbreaking achievements in the cruiserweight division.

Physical Attributes

Standing at 6 feet 0 inches (1.83 meters), De León competed primarily in the cruiserweight and light heavyweight divisions. His orthodox stance provided a solid foundation for his offensive and defensive strategies, enabling him to face a diverse range of opponents throughout his extensive career.

Professional Boxing Record

Championship Summary

Carlos De León's professional boxing career encompassed 62 bouts, resulting in 53 victories, 8 losses, and 1 draw. Of his victories, 33 were secured by knockout, demonstrating his significant power. His record reflects a sustained presence at the highest level of the sport, marked by numerous championship contests.

The following table details Carlos De León's professional boxing career:

No. Result Record Opponent Type Round, time Date Location Notes
62 Loss 53–8–1 Brian Nielsen TKO 3 (8) Nov 24, 1995 Randers, Denmark
61 Loss 53–7–1 Corrie Sanders TKO 1 (10), 0:49 Aug 13, 1994 Convention Hall, Atlantic City, New Jersey, U.S.
60 Win 53–6–1 Bobby Arthurs MD 10 Feb 17, 1994 Joliet, Illinois, U.S.
59 Win 52–6–1 Brian Morgan PTS 8 Jan 14, 1994 Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
58 Win 51–6–1 Jordan Keepers TKO 5 (?) Nov 5, 1993 Gary, Indiana, U.S.
57 Win 50–6–1 Andre Crowder KO 1 (8) Jun 19, 1993 Davenport, Iowa, U.S.
56 Win 49–6–1 Joey Christjohn PTS 6 May 15, 1993 Milwaukee, Wisconsin, U.S.
55 Win 48–6–1 James Wilder UD 10 Mar 13, 1993 Aurora, Illinois, U.S.
54 Win 47–6–1 Rocky Bentley UD 10 Jan 22, 1993 Countryside, Illinois, U.S.
53 Win 46–6–1 Bruce Johnson TKO 4 (10) Jun 27, 1992 Miami, Florida, U.S.
52 Loss 45–6–1 Massimiliano Duran DQ 11 (12) Jul 27, 1990 Capo d'Orlando, Sicilia, Italy Lost WBC cruiserweight title; DeLeon disqualified for hitting after the bell
51 Draw 45–5–1 Johnny Nelson SD 12 Jan 27, 1990 City Hall, Sheffield, England Retained WBC cruiserweight title
50 Win 45–5 Sammy Reeson TKO 9 (12), 2:04 May 17, 1989 London Arena, London, England Won vacant WBC cruiserweight title
49 Loss 44–5 Evander Holyfield TKO 8 (12), 1:08 Apr 9, 1988 Caesars Palace, Paradise, Nevada, U.S. Lost WBC cruiserweight title; For WBA and IBF cruiserweight titles
48 Win 44–4 Jose Maria Flores Burlon UD 12 Jan 22, 1988 Atlantic City, New Jersey, U.S. Retained WBC cruiserweight title
47 Win 43–4 Larry Phelps KO 1 (10), 1:33 Aug 1, 1987 Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S.
46 Win 42–4 Angelo Rottoli TKO 5 (12) Feb 21, 1987 Bergamo, Lombardia, Italy Retained WBC and The Ring cruiserweight titles
45 Win 41–4 Michael Greer TKO 8 (12), 1:43 Aug 10, 1986 Giardini Naxos, Sicilia, Italy Retained WBC and The Ring cruiserweight titles
44 Win 40–4 Bernard Benton MD 12 Mar 22, 1986 Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S. Won WBC and The Ring cruiserweight titles
43 Loss 39–4 Alfonzo Ratliff SD 12 Jun 6, 1985 Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S. Lost WBC and The Ring cruiserweight titles
42 Win 39–3 Dorcey Gaymon TKO 9 (10) Jan 12, 1985 Oranjestad, Aruba
41 Win 38–3 Bash Ali UD 12 Jun 2, 1984 Oakland, California, U.S. Retained WBC and The Ring cruiserweight titles
40 Win 37–3 Anthony Davis UD 12 Mar 9, 1984 Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S. Retained WBC and The Ring cruiserweight titles
39 Win 36–3 Yaqui Lopez TKO 4 (12), 2:51 Sep 21, 1983 San Jose, California, U.S. Retained WBC cruiserweight title
38 Win 35–3 S.T. Gordon UD 12 Jul 17, 1983 Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S. Won WBC cruiserweight title
37 Win 34–3 Leon Spinks RTD 6 (10), 3:00 Mar 6, 1983 Atlantic City, New Jersey, U.S.
36 Win 33–3 Ivy Brown PTS 10 Nov 26, 1982 Houston, Texas, U.S.
35 Loss 32–3 S.T. Gordon TKO 2 (15), 2:51 Jun 27, 1982 Highland Heights, Ohio, U.S. Lost WBC cruiserweight title
34 Win 32–2 Marvin Camel TKO 8 (15) Feb 24, 1982 Atlantic City, New Jersey, U.S. Retained WBC cruiserweight title
33 Win 31–2 Greg Payne TKO 3 (10), 1:38 Dec 12, 1981 Houston, Texas, U.S.
32 Win 30–2 Marvin Camel MD 15 Nov 25, 1980 New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S. Won WBC cruiserweight title
31 Win 29–2 Mario Rosa PTS 8 Jun 28, 1980 San Juan, Puerto Rico
30 Win 28–2 Waldemar Paulino KO 1 (12), 0:28 Apr 25, 1980 Anaheim, California, U.S.
29 Win 27–2 Christy Elliott TKO 4 (12), 1:15 Sep 25, 1979 Miami Beach, Florida, U.S
28 Win 26–2 Willie McIntyre TKO 1 (10) Aug 25, 1979 San Juan, Puerto Rico
27 Win 25–2 Manny Freitas TKO 1 (?), 1:25 Apr 8, 1979 Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S.
26 Win 24–2 Bonifacio Avila TKO 2 (10), 2:46 Jan 27, 1979 San Juan, Puerto Rico
25 Win 23–2 Wendell Joseph PTS 10 Nov 18, 1978 Saint Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands, U.S.
24 Win 22–2 Rennie Pinder TKO 3 (10) Sep 26, 1978 Miami Beach, Florida, U.S.
23 Win 21–2 Roy Harry KO 1 (10), 2:14 Sep 8, 1978 Saint Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands, U.S.
22 Win 20–2 Tyrone Freeman TKO 3 (10), 2:28 Apr 8, 1978 Bayamón, Puerto Rico
21 Win 19–2 Jesse Lara TKO 2 (?) Mar 25, 1978 Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S
20 Win 18–2 Ray Bryant TKO 5 (10) Jan 28, 1978 San Juan, Puerto Rico
19 Win 17–2 Eddie Davis TKO 5 (10) Nov 8, 1977 Orlando, Florida, U.S.
18 Win 16–2 Battling Douglas TKO 5 (10), 2:12 Oct 14, 1977 Saint Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands, U.S.
17 Loss 15–2 Ray Hammond PTS 8 Sep 10, 1977 San Juan, Puerto Rico
16 Win 15–1 Mustapha Ali UD 10 Jul 29, 1977 Saint Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands, U.S
15 Win 14–1 Eddie Davis TKO 3 (?) Jun 25, 1977 Bayamón, Puerto Rico
14 Win 13–1 Antonio Colon TKO 6 (?) Feb 12, 1977 Bayamón, Puerto Rico
13 Win 12–1 Carlos Soto PTS 8 Oct 11, 1976 San Juan, Puerto Rico
12 Win 11–1 Astor Agosto PTS 8 Aug 16, 1976 San Juan, Puerto Rico
11 Win 10–1 Dario de Jesus PTS 8 Jul 19, 1976 San Juan, Puerto Rico
10 Win 9–1 Carlos Soto PTS 8 Apr 5, 1976 San Juan, Puerto Rico
9 Loss 8–1 Roberto Colon PTS 4 Feb 15, 1976 Ponce, Puerto Rico
8 Win 8–0 Larry Adkins PTS 8 Sep 15, 1975 Port-of-Spain, Trinidad and Tobago
7 Win 7–0 James Jackson TKO 3 (?) Nov 11, 1975 Port-of-Spain, Trinidad and Tobago
6 Win 6–0 Cubby Jackson TKO 4 (?) May 17, 1975 Philipsburg, Sint Maarten, Netherlands Antilles, Netherlands
5 Win 5–0 Kid Gavilan TKO 6 (?) Apr 5, 1975 Philipsburg, Sint Maarten, Netherlands Antilles, Netherlands
4 Win 4–0 Tripodi Guadalupe TKO 5 (?) Mar 17, 1975 Philipsburg, Sint Maarten, Netherlands Antilles, Netherlands
3 Win 3–0 Vernon Laws TKO 3 (?) Nov 2, 1974 Saint Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands, U.S.
2 Win 2–0 Jesse Torres TKO 2 (?) Oct 19, 1974 Saint Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands, U.S.
1 Win 1–0 Roy Harris TKO 4 (?) Aug 3, 1974 Saint Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands, U.S.

Championship Reigns

Historic Four-Time Champion

Carlos De León achieved an unprecedented feat in boxing history by becoming the first and only boxer to win the world cruiserweight championship four times. This remarkable accomplishment underscores his enduring skill and ability to adapt and triumph over multiple eras and challengers.

Key Title Fights

De León's championship journey is a testament to his tenacity:

  • First Reign: Won the WBC title on November 25, 1980, defeating Marvin Camel.
  • Second Reign: Regained the WBC title on July 17, 1983, after losing it to S.T. Gordon. This marked his second world title win, a new record.
  • Third Reign: Secured the WBC title for a third time on March 22, 1986, by defeating Bernard Benton.
  • Fourth Reign: Achieved his record-breaking fourth world title on May 17, 1989, winning the vacant WBC crown against Sammy Reeson.

Recognition and Titles

Beyond the WBC, De León also held The Ring magazine's cruiserweight title during significant periods of his championship runs. His ability to consistently compete for and win world titles across different eras highlights his exceptional talent and longevity in a demanding sport.

Career Trajectory

Early Successes and First Title

De León's professional career began in 1974. His early years were characterized by consistent victories, building a strong record that led to his first world title opportunity. On November 25, 1980, he faced Marvin Camel for the WBC cruiserweight championship, securing a victory that marked the beginning of his legendary status.

Ups and Downs

The path to sustained championship success was not without its challenges. De León experienced notable losses, including a surprising upset to S.T. Gordon in 1982. However, his resilience was evident in his immediate comeback, notably defeating former heavyweight champion Leon Spinks and then reclaiming the WBC cruiserweight title from Gordon in a rematch, becoming the first two-time champion in the division.

Facing Elite Competition

Throughout his career, De León faced numerous notable opponents, including Marvin Camel, S.T. Gordon, Leon Spinks, Alfonzo Ratliff, Bernard Benton, and Evander Holyfield. These contests against top-tier fighters solidified his reputation as a durable and skilled competitor in the cruiserweight division.

Enduring Legacy

A Pioneer of the Cruiserweight Division

Carlos De León is unequivocally recognized as a foundational figure in the cruiserweight division. His multiple championship reigns not only set records but also elevated the profile of the weight class, demonstrating that it could host fighters of immense skill, power, and longevity. His status as the first four-time world cruiserweight champion remains a benchmark achievement.

Family and Later Life

In his post-boxing years, De León faced legal challenges but also dedicated himself to supporting the professional boxing career of his son, Carlos De León Jr. This familial connection to the sport highlights the deep roots boxing held within his life, extending beyond his own illustrious career.

International Recognition

De León's career spanned various international venues, from Puerto Rico and the United States to Italy and England. This global exposure and success against diverse opponents further cemented his status as an internationally recognized boxing icon.

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References

References

A full list of references for this article are available at the Carlos De León Wikipedia page

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Important Notice

This page has been generated by an Artificial Intelligence and is intended for informational and educational purposes only. The content is derived from publicly available data, including Wikipedia, and has been refined for clarity and depth. While efforts have been made to ensure accuracy, it may not be entirely comprehensive or up-to-date.

This is not professional sports or biographical advice. The information provided is not a substitute for consulting official boxing records, historical archives, or seeking expert analysis from sports historians or biographers. Always refer to primary sources and consult with qualified professionals for specific inquiries.

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