Joey Olivo

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Joey Olivo
Born (1958-01-25) January 25, 1958 (age 66)
San Fernando, California, U.S.
NationalityAmerican
Statistics
Weight(s)
Height5 ft 9 in (175 cm)
StanceOrthodox
Boxing record[1]
Total fights47
Wins39
Wins by KO11
Losses8

Joey Olivo (born January 25, 1958) is an American former

IBF-USBA flyweight
title in 1984; and the WBC-NABF flyweight title in 1988.

Olivo is the first American to hold a version of the world Junior Flyweight title.

Biography

Olivo who is of Mexican descent, was a gang member in East L.A. before he started boxing as an amateur. He once worked part time as an assistant at a dental laboratory, while still fighting as a professional boxer.[2]

Professional boxing career

Olivo began boxing as a professional on June 19, 1976, when he was eighteen years and five months of age. That night, he beat Paz Mena by four-round

Alexis Arguello and Sal Torres.[3]

Olivo built a record of 15–0 (3 KOs), fighting in places like the Forum, the

Houston, Texas. Olivo won the regional title by defeating Madera via unanimous decision over twelve rounds.[5]

Having reached a record of 22–0 (6 KOs), Olivo had his first professional fight to be held abroad when he went to

Estadio Chile on November 16, 1979. According to Olivo himself in an interview with Richard Hoffer of the Los Angeles Times in 1986, he dropped Vargas in round nine and had photographers asking him to look their way as they thought Olivo was going to win the bout.[6] Olivo, nevertheless, lost the fight and his undefeated record by points decision over ten rounds.[7]

His next bout was a defense of his WBC-NABF light flyweight title against future WBC flyweight champion Amado Ursua of Mexico. Ursua had 21 wins and 4 losses when the two fought on February 9, 1980 at the Olympic Auditorium on the undercard of an event headlined by Lupe Pintor's WBC bantamweight title defense against Alberto Sandoval in another show promoted by Aileen Eaton. Olivo retained the regional title with a twelve-round unanimous decision victory.[8]

Olivo ran his record to 26–1 (7 KOs) by scoring three more victories before receiving his first world title fight. His bout with Panama's

Mexico City.[11]

Back in the US, Olivo won five fights in a row, including a successful defense of his WBC-NABF light flyweight title against 6–6 trialhorse Luis Fernando Hernandez by twelve-round unanimous decision on Sunday, October 9, 1983 in

Don King's company, Don King Productions.[13]

World champion

Olivo won one more fight and then, with a record of 34–4 (9 KOs), he once again attempted to become a light flyweight world champion when he faced the WBA champion, the Dominican Republic's

no contest, when challenged by Olivo on March 29, 1985 at the Convention Center in Miami Beach, Florida. Olivo became the WBA light flyweight champion when he beat Quiroz by a close but unanimous fifteen-round decision with scores of 145–143, 144–143 and 143–142, all in favor of the Californian.[14] With the win, Olivo became the first American world junior flyweight boxing champion in history.[15]

Olivo's first title defense took him to South Korea, where the champion duly met challenger and South Korean national light flyweight champion

Seoul. Olivo retained the title by a close but unanimous fifteen-round decision.[17]

A return trip to South Korea meant losing his world title for Olivo, as he went back to the Asian country late in 1985 to defend the title against future International Boxing Hall of Fame member

Daegu. Olivo lost the bout via fifteen-round split decision with scores of 148–142 and 146–141 against him and 145–143 in his favor.[18]

Now near the end of his professional boxing career, Olivo pulled victories over

Jose Quirino before winning the vacant WBC-NABF flyweight title against 10–3–1 Fernando Varguez by twelve-round unanimous decision on June 16, 1988 at the Great Western Forum in Los Angeles.[19]

The win against Varguez was the last career win for Olivo, who next lost the WBC-NABF flyweight title in his first defense, to Mexico's former world title challenger

San Antonio, Texas.[20]

Professional boxing record

Olivo retired with a professional boxing record of 39 wins and 8 losses in 47 bouts, with 11 wins and 2 losses by knockout.

After boxing

Olivo began working as a boxing trainer at Norwalk during 1992 and has worked at the Norwalk Arts and Sports Complex since, training boxers such as world champion Abner Mares.[21]

References

  1. ^ "Boxing record for Joey Olivo". BoxRec.
  2. ^ "Joey Olivo". Los Angeles Times. 2 February 1986.
  3. ^ "BoxRec: Event".
  4. ^ "BoxRec: Event".
  5. ^ "BoxRec: Login".
  6. ^ "Joey Olivo". Los Angeles Times. 2 February 1986.
  7. ^ "BoxRec: Login".
  8. ^ "BoxRec: Login".
  9. ^ "Hilario Zapata".
  10. ^ "BoxRec: Login".
  11. ^ "BoxRec: Login".
  12. ^ "BoxRec: Login".
  13. ^ "BoxRec: Login".
  14. ^ "BoxRec: Login".
  15. ^ "A real tower of power".
  16. ^ "BoxRec: Moon Jin Choi".
  17. ^ "BoxRec: Event".
  18. ^ "BoxRec: Event".
  19. ^ "BoxRec: Event".
  20. ^ "BoxRec: Event".
  21. ^ "Norwalk's Joey Olivo inducted into national boxing Hall of Fame". 19 December 2017.

External links

Sporting positions
Regional boxing titles
Preceded by
Lupe Madera
 WBC-NABF light flyweight champion
March 5, 1979 – 1984 		Vacant
Title next held by
Willy Salazar
Preceded by
Henry Brent
IBF-USBA flyweight
champion
March 21, 1984 – June 1984 		Vacant
Title next held by
Henry Brent
Vacant
Title last held by
Orlando Canizales 		WBC-NABF flyweight champion
June 16, 1988 – October 3, 1988 		Succeeded by
Javier Lucas
World boxing titles
Preceded by WBA light flyweight champion
March 29, 1985 – December 8, 1985 		Succeeded by
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