Argenis Mendez

Argenis Méndez
Statistics
Real name Argenis Alexander Méndez Zapata
Rated at Super featherweight
Lightweight
Nationality Dominican
Born (1986-07-03) July 3, 1986
San Juan de la Maguana, San Juan, Dominican Republic
Stance Orthodox
Boxing record
Total fights 29
Wins 23
Wins by KO 12
Losses 4
Draws 1
No contests 1
This name uses Spanish naming customs: the first or paternal family name is Méndez and the second or maternal family name is Zapata.

Argenis Méndez (born Argenis Alexander Méndez Zapata; July 3, 1986 in San Juan de la Maguana) is a Dominican professional boxer best known for winning the silver medal at the junior world championships in 2004. He is a former IBF Super Featherweight champion.

Early life and amateur career

Argenis Mendez started boxing at the age of 12.[1] Mendez won featherweight silver at the World Junior Championships 2004 where he beat Eddy Flores Cotilla but lost to Eduard Ambartsumyan, in the final.[2]

He lost in the first round of the Olympics in 2004 against the Ukrainian, Maksym Tretyak.[3] Mendez qualified for the Olympic Games by ending up in first place at the 2nd AIBA American 2004 Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.[2]

In 2005, he beat Abner Cotto on his way to winning the PanAm Championships).[2][4]

He also holds several wins over Carlos Velazquez.[2]

Defeated Naskali Jyri Jarmo on points, 20-8 at the 2005 World Amateur Boxing Championships,[5] but lost early against Russian amateur standout Aleksei Tishchenko[6] who had beaten him earlier in the year.[2]

Professional career

He debuted in 2006, knocking out Jose Fonseco in the second round at Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic.[7] Achieving a 12 fight win streak, mainly at super featherweight, until losing a close split decision to Jaime Sandoval, wherein he knocked down Sandoval in the first round.[1]

He came back to win 6 consecutive fight including 12-round decision victories over fringe contender Martin Honorio and former IBF super featherweight champion Cassius Baloyi. Mendez fought Honorio on May 8, 2010 in the Home Depot Center in Carson, California, winning a close majority decision with scores, of 114-114,116-112, and 116-112. Honorio pressured Mendez using body attacks, while Mendez used his superior hand speed and combination punching to counter Honorio.[8] In an IBF super featherweight title eliminator, Mendez fought Baloyi in Brakpan, Gauteng, South Africa on January 29, 2011. Mendez won a unanimous decision victory, with scores of 117-110, 117-110, and 117-111, outclassing the former champion with his speed, and combination punching.[9]

Argenis Mendez finally got his chance for the vacant IBF super featherweight against former World Boxing Council super featherweight champion and Jorge Linares conqueror Juan Carlos Salgado. On September 10, 2011, at Zapopan, Jalisco, Mexico, Mendez lost a close decision victory to Salgado. Both boxers landed good combination punches, and fought competitively. Mendez lost a point in the fifth round for hitting behind the head, but was able to drop Salgado in the final round.[10]

He had a quick bounce-back victory over Alex Perez, on November 18, 2011 in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, winning a knockout in the second round.[11]

In April 2012, Castillo signed for the boxing promoter Acquinity Sports alongside compatriots Manuel Félix Díaz and Gilbert Lenin Castillo.[12]

Professional boxing record

23 Wins (12 Knockouts), 4 Defeats, 1 Draw, 1 No Contest[7]
Res. Record Opponent Type Rd., Time Date Location Notes
Loss 24-4-1-(1) United States Robert Easter, Jr. TKO 5 (10), 2:43 2016-04-01 United States D.C. Armory, Washington, District of Columbia
Win 23-3-1-(1) Mexico Miguel Vázquez UD 10 2015-10-06 United States Cowboys Dance Hall, San Antonio, Texas
Win 22-3-1-(1) Mexico Daniel Evangelista, Jr. RTD 6 (10), 3:00 2015-02-20 United States Consol Energy Center, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Loss 21-3-1-(1) Cuba Rances Barthelemy UD 12 2014-07-10 United States American Airlines Arena, Miami, Florida Lost IBF Super Featherweight title.
NC 21-2-1-(1) Cuba Rances Barthelemy ND 2 (12), 2:59 2014-01-03 United States Target Center, Minneapolis, Minnesota For IBF Super Featherweight title.
Original KO loss overturned.
Draw 21-2-1 Afghanistan Arash Usmanee MD 12 2013-08-23 United States Turning Stone Resort & Casino, Verona, New York Retained IBF Super Featherweight title.
Win 21-2 Mexico Juan Carlos Salgado KO 4 (12)
0:45		 2013-03-09 United States The Hangar, Costa Mesa, California Won IBF Super Featherweight World Title.
Win 20-2 Mexico Martin Honorio UD 12 2012-07-21 United States Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino Hollywood, Hollywood, Florida IBF Super Featherweight World Title Eliminator.
Win 19-2 Cuba Alex Perez TKO 2 (12)
2:41		 2011-11-18 Dominican Republic Hotel Jaragua, Santo Domingo
Loss 18-2 Mexico Juan Carlos Salgado UD 12 2011-09-10 Mexico Universidad Autónoma de Guadalajara, Zapopan, Jalisco For vacant IBF Super Featherweight World title.
Win 18-1 South Africa Cassius Baloyi UD 12 2011-01-29 South Africa Carnival City, Brakpan, Gauteng IBF super featherweight title eliminator.
Win 17-1 United States Shamir Reyes UD 8 2010-07-28 United States BB King Blues Club & Grill, New York, New York
Win 16-1 Mexico Martin Honorio MD 12 2010-05-08 United States Home Depot Center, Carson, California Won vacant USBA super featherweight title

References

  1. 1 2 "Argenis Mendez Bio". Dibella Entertainment. Retrieved 20 January 2012.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 "Argenis Alexander MÉNDEZ ZAPATA". Retrieved 20 January 2012.
  3. ↑ "El otro lado de la moneda" (in Spanish). ESPN Deportes. EFE. 2004-08-17. Retrieved 2012-05-31.
  4. ↑ "Cubanos se quedaron con nueve de los once oros del Panamericano" (in Spanish). Terra. EFE. 2005-10-02. Retrieved 2012-05-31.
  5. ↑ "XIII World Senior Boxing Championships" (PDF). AIBA. 2005-07-16. Retrieved 2012-05-31.
  6. ↑ "2005 Results" (PDF). United States Olympic Committee. 2005-07-17. Retrieved 2012-05-31.
  7. 1 2 "Argenis Mendez". Retrieved 20 January 2012.
  8. ↑ Gabion, Ernest. "Paul Williams Decisions Kermit Cintron, A Wild Ending". Retrieved 20 January 2012.
  9. ↑ Labate, Chris. "Joyi-Takayama a No-Contest, Mendez Decisions Baloyi". Retrieved 20 January 2012.
  10. ↑ Rivera, Miguel. "Salgado Survives Argenis Mendez, wins the IBF Title".
  11. ↑ Woods, Michael. "Agbeko out, so who's No. 1 on the NY P4P Top 5?". Retrieved 20 January 2012.
  12. ↑ Sánchez, Reynaldo (2012-04-06). "Acquinity Sports firma a Lenin Castillo, Argenis Mendez y Felix Diaz". BoxeoMundial.net. Retrieved 2012-07-31.

External links

Preceded by
Juan Carlos Salgado		 IBF Junior Lightweight Champion
March 9, 2013 – January 3, 2014 		Succeeded by
Rances Barthelemy
Preceded by
Rances Barthelemy
Stripped		 IBF Junior Lightweight Champion
January 30, 2014 – July 10, 2014
Reinstated 		Succeeded by
Rances Barthelemy
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