Rafael del Valle (born October 16, 1967) is a Puerto Rican former professional boxer who reigned, from May 13, 1992, to July 30, 1994, as the

WBO The World Boxing Organization (WBO) is an organization which sanctions professional boxing bouts. It is recognized by the International Boxing Hall of Fame (IBHOF) as one of the four major world championship groups, alongside the World Boxin ...

's World Bantamweight champion. A puncher with a sturdy chin, del Valle was born and resides at Santurce,

San Juan, Puerto Rico San Juan ( , ; Spanish for "Saint John the Baptist, John") is the capital city and most populous Municipalities of Puerto Rico, municipality in the Commonwealth (U.S. insular area), Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, an unincorporated territory of the ...

Amateur career

del Valle won a bronze medal in the bantamweight category at the

1987 Pan American Games The 1987 Pan American Games, officially known as the X Pan American Games, was a major international multi-sport event held in Indianapolis, Indiana, United States, on August 7–23, 1987. Over 4,300 athletes from 38 countries in the Americas ...

Professional boxing career details

del Valle debuted on May 19, 1989, with a victory over the also debuting Hector Correa, at the El San Juan Hotel and Casino at Isla Verde, winning by knockout. del Valle had run his record to 11-0, 8 knockouts, when he fought former two-time world title challenger Juan Carazo, a fellow Puerto Rican, with a WBO number 1 ranking on the line. del Valle outpointed Carazo, 22-4 before their bout, over ten rounds on June 10, 1991, at San Juan, and then outpointed Luis Yampier on November 4, also at San Juan. The Yampier fight was a mismatch that served as a preparation bout for del Valle's upcoming world title challenge; Yampier was 3-4-1 compared to del Valle's 12-0 record at the time.

World champion

del Valle next traveled to

England England is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is located on the island of Great Britain, of which it covers about 62%, and List of islands of England, more than 100 smaller adjacent islands. It ...

, where he faced the heavy favorite

Duke McKenzie Duke McKenzie (born 5 May 1963) is a British former professional boxer who competed from 1982 to 1998.. Retrieved 13 December 2016. He is a three-weight world champion, having held the International Boxing Federation (IBF) flyweight title fro ...

, May 13, 1992. McKenzie, the defending world champion, was 31-2 coming into their encounter, but del Valle was able to win the world title with a highlight-reel first-round knockout win. del Valle defended the title two times, including wins over fellow Puerto Rican Wilfredo Vargas, stopped in five on March 24, 1993, and over 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 ...

Bantamweight world champion, Colombia's Miguel Lora, who was dropped in round ten and beaten by unanimous decision at the

Roberto Clemente Coliseum Roberto Clemente Coliseum (Spanish language, Spanish: ''Coliseo Roberto Clemente'') is a sports and concert arena located in San Juan, Puerto Rico. It was, for many years, Puerto Rico's largest indoor event facility, and remains one of the large ...

in San Juan on June 19, 1993. On July 30, 1994, del Valle once again fought in

London London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...

, this time at the

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York Hall The York Hall, officially known as York Hall Leisure Centre, is a multi-purpose indoor arena and leisure centre in Bethnal Green, London. The building opened in 1929 and it is most famous as an international boxing venue with the first nights o ...

, where he lost for the first time in his professional boxing career, beaten on points by Al Kotey, 17-1, by 12 round unanimous decision to lose the world title. The loss to Kotey was followed by five wins, four by knockout over mostly overmatched competition; his five rivals' combined record over that period consisted of 34 wins, 32 losses, and four draws; one of them (Miguel Ochoa) had no wins in four previous fights, and another (Alfonso Coronado) was making his debut against the former world champion. Nevertheless, those five wins led to a title try for the WBA's Fedelatin regional title, which del Valle won by knocking out Ramon Guzman, 22-4, on March 9, 1996, in

Miami, Florida Miami is a East Coast of the United States, coastal city in the U.S. state of Florida and the county seat of Miami-Dade County, Florida, Miami-Dade County in South Florida. It is the core of the Miami metropolitan area, which, with a populat ...

. del Valle's last fight was against Mexican Enrique Sanchez, for the WBA's vacant world Super Bantamweight title. del Valle lasted the twelve round distance but lost by unanimous decision on February 8, 1998, at the

Harrah's Harrah's Entertainment (later named Caesars Entertainment Corporation, previously The Promus Companies) was an American casino and hotel company founded in Reno, Nevada, and based in Paradise, Nevada, that operated over 50 properties and seven go ...

Casino in

Lake Charles, Louisiana Lake Charles is the List of municipalities in Louisiana, fifth-most populous city in the U.S. state of Louisiana, and the county seat, parish seat of Calcasieu Parish, Louisiana, Calcasieu Parish, located on Lake Charles (Louisiana), Lake Char ...

, retiring soon after. del Valle had a record of 26 professional boxing bouts, winning 23 (17 by knockout), losing 2, both on points, and drawing (tying) once.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:del Valle, Rafael (boxer) 1967 births Living people Puerto Rican male boxers Bantamweight boxers Super-bantamweight boxers World bantamweight boxing champions World Boxing Organization champions Boxers from San Juan, Puerto Rico Boxers at the 1987 Pan American Games Pan American Games bronze medalists for Puerto Rico Pan American Games bronze medalists in boxing Medalists at the 1987 Pan American Games 20th-century American sportsmen

Amateur career

Professional boxing career details

World champion

See also

References

External links