Luis Villalta Aquino (October 2, 1969 in

Lima, Peru Lima ( ; ), founded in 1535 as the Ciudad de los Reyes (, Spanish for "City of Biblical Magi, Kings"), is the capital and largest city of Peru. It is located in the valleys of the Chillón River, Chillón, Rímac River, Rímac and Lurín Rive ...

– 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, Florida, Fort Lauderdale and 36 miles north of Miami. The nearby Hillsboro Inlet forms part ...

) 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, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. Located in the Raritan Valley region, the township is a suburban and exurban bedroom community of New York City within the New York Metropolitan Area. A ...

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 The North American Boxing Association (NABA) is a boxing governing body which was established in 1997. It is affiliated with the World Boxing Association (WBA) and recognizes champions in 17 weight classes Weight classes are divisions of competiti ...

lightweight title against Ricky Quiles at the

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Coconut Creek Casino. He collapsed in his dressing room moments after losing. Villalta was rushed to the North Broward Medical Center. He died after undergoing surgery for

head trauma A head injury is any injury that results in trauma to the skull or brain. The terms ''traumatic brain injury'' and ''head injury'' are often used interchangeably in the medical literature. Because head injuries cover such a broad scope of inj ...

. His wife, Miraebel, and father, Luis, Sr. who were 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.

Resources

External links

* 1969 births 2004 deaths Deaths due to injuries sustained in boxing Martial artists from Lima Peruvian male boxers Sports deaths in Florida Peruvian emigrants to the United States Lightweight boxers 20th-century Peruvian sportsmen {{Peru-boxing-bio-stub