Joan Guzmán facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Joan Guzmán
Statistics
Nickname(s)	El Pequeño Tyson ("The Little Tyson") Sycuan Warrior
Rated at	Super bantamweight Featherweight Super featherweight Lightweight Light welterweight
Height	5 ft 7 in
Reach	67 in
Born	(1976-05-01) May 1, 1976 (age 48) Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
Stance	Orthodox
Boxing record
Total fights	37
Wins	34
Wins by KO	21
Losses	1
Draws	1
No contests	1
Medal record Men's amateur boxing Representing  Dominican Republic Pan American Games Gold 1995 Mar del Plata Flyweight Central American and Caribbean Games Gold 1993 Ponce Light flyweight

Joan Guzmán (born May 1, 1976) is a Dominican former professional boxer who competed from 1997 to 2014. He held world championships in two weight classes, including the WBO super bantamweight title from 2002 to 2005, and the WBO junior lightweight title from 2006 to 2008.

Amateur career

Having started boxing at nine, Guzman won 310 out of 320 bouts as an amateur. Included in these victories was a gold medal winning bout at the 1995 Pan American Games. He also competed in the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia where he lost to future record setting world champion Omar Andrés Narváez from Argentine.

Professional career

Guzmán began his professional career in the United States. His debut fight, on September 23, 1997, was held in Phoenix, Arizona. There, he knocked out Juan Miguel Rivera in two rounds. After another second-round knockout win (this time at the Madison Square Garden in New York City), he returned to the Dominican Republic.

He took off two years from boxing, then he came back for his first fight in his homeland. On March 11, 1999, he outpointed Orlando Mateo over eight rounds at Santo Domingo. He fought six more times before being given a title try for the Dominican featherweight title.

During his two-year lay-off, he dropped off in weight, from the featherweight division to the super bantamweight division.

On October 25, 1999, he knocked out Francisco de Leon in round eleven to win the national title. He retained the title once, with a two-round knockout of Santiago Matos. He later knocked out Hector Julio Avila in the second round on August 9, 2001, for the vacant NABO regional super bantamweight title.

Another win was especially significant, since it was for the WBO's Latino title, as well as for the WBO's vacant intercontinental title and for Guzman's NABO title. Guzman added those two new regional championships and retained the one he already owned, by beating Edel Ruiz by decision, in a fight held in Tacoma, Washington on September 29, 2001.

World championships

Guzmán became ranked number one in the super bantamweight division of the WBO. The WBO's world super bantamweight champion, Agapito Sanchez, travelled to Cardiff, Wales, to defend his title against Guzmán, but was diagnosed with a detached retina during a required medical check-up days before the fight and was then removed of the title. Sánchez temporarily retired from boxing and Guzmán found himself fighting Fabio Oliva for the vacant WBO's world super bantamweight title on August 17, 2002. Guzmán won the championship with a 3rd-round knockout win. Sánchez returned to boxing and at last fought Guzmán on February 26, 2004, in San Diego, California. Guzmán retained the title, knocking out the former world champion in seven rounds. He later defended that title, defeating previously unbeaten Fernando Beltrán by unanimous decision on April 22, 2005. Following his impressive victory, Guzmán moved to the super featherweight division.

At the weigh-in before his scheduled fight for the WBO super featherweight title on September 16, 2006, the title holder, Jorge Rodrigo Barrios, was overweight was eventually stripped of the WBO super featherweight title. Guzman then won the fight and the title by split decision. Guzman then defended his new title with wins over contender Antonio Davis on December 18, 2006, and future two division champion Humberto Soto on November 17, 2007, both by unanimous decision.

Move to lightweight

In May 2008, Guzman elected to vacate his WBO super featherweight title in order to continue his career in the lightweight division. He was supposed to fight for Nate Campbell's unified WBA super, WBO and IBF titles, on September 13, 2008. Disappointingly, he came in 3½ pounds over the 135 lb. limit. Thus, the fight was cancelled and Guzman was rushed to a hospital after experiencing dehydration and coughing blood. A dismayed Campbell who went through such trouble to fight him, branded Guzman's pull-out as an unprofessional gesture. With regards to his failure, Guzman issued an apology to his fans, people surrounding the scheduled bout, and to Campbell in particular.

On December 20, 2008, Guzman took on Ameth Diaz for the WBA lightweight title eliminator. Unlike his bout with Campbell, Guzman successfully made the weight limit. Guzman won his first-ever match as a lightweight by unanimous decision.

In an attempt to win a world title at a third weight division, Guzman challenged well regarded Ali Funeka on November 28, 2009, for the vacant IBF lightweight title. Unfortunately for both fighters, the bout resulted in a majority draw which most believed Funeka won by a wide margin.

Guzman and Funeka fought again on March 27, 2010, for the same championship. This time however, only Funeka had a chance to win the title as Guzman was 9 pounds above the lightweight limit. Nevertheless, the bout went on as scheduled. There, Guzman managed to score a knockdown as well as scoring enough points to win by split decision, leaving the belt vacant.

Light welterweight

Guzman's well documented struggles to make the 135 lb lightweight limit prompted him to move to junior welterweight. His first bout at 140 lbs against Jason Davis took place on the undercard of Amir Khan vs. Marcos Maidana on December 11 at the Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino in Las Vegas. The bout was ended by TKO in just the second round in the favour of Guzman, although he notably failed to make the weight for the second consecutive bout, coming in at 144.5 lbs

Unbeaten streak ends

On November 30, 2012, Guzman challenged Khabib Allakhverdiev for the IBO and vacant WBA super lightweight championship. The bout ended in the 8th round as Guzman hurt his knee which resulted from an accidental foul. The verdict was a technical decision in favor of Allakhverdiev. Guzman was knocked down in the third round, the result of a left; and blood readily flowing from the boxer's nose in the fifth set the momentum for the loss. The Sycuan Warrior did not show his trademark elusive style until it was practically too late in the fight. Only in rounds 6 and 7 did Guzman employ the kind of fighting technique that had kept him undefeated during his career. He circled, jabbed, and effectively counter-punched the Russian, evidently frustrating him. But, when in the 8th, he tripped and hurt his leg in the fall, Khabib responded with everything he had, setting the impression that he was the dominant fighter. Guzman could not go on due to the leg injury and the referee stopped the fight due to 'accidental foul', which led to the score cards deciding the winner. Two judges declared Khabib the better man on the ring. Talks of a rematch immediately ensued.

Professional boxing record

Post-boxing

Guzman is currently serving as a trainer to newcomer boxer named Mikkel LesPierre.

See also

In Spanish: Joan Guzmán para niños