Edwin Rosario


Edwin "Chapo" Rosario Rivera was a Puerto Rican professional boxer who competed from 1979 to 1997. He was a world champion in two weight classes, having held the WBC lightweight title from 1983 to 1984, the WBA lightweight title twice between 1986 and 1990, and the WBA super lightweight title from 1991 to 1992.
Rosario was posthumously inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2006.

Early life and career

Edwin Rosario was born in Toa Baja, Puerto Rico|Candelaria] barrio, Toa Baja, an extremely poor barrio on the north coast of Puerto Rico. Rosario's older brother Papo became a professional boxer, beginning what looked like a promising career. Edwin and Papo were the sons of Antonio Rosario and Elizabeth Rivera. They also had three sisters.
His boxing manager and coach, Manny Siaca Sr., had noticed the younger Edwin Rosario's talent when the boy was 8 years old. Inspired by his brother Papo, Chapo Rosario, as he became known in the world of boxing, had a stellar amateur boxing career.

Professional boxing career

Chapo's brother Papo died unexpectedly, purportedly due to drugs, two years after his entry into professional boxing. Rosario persevered, wanting to honor his brother's memory by winning a world championship. He scored big knockout wins over Young Ezzard Charles and Edwin Viruet. He beat Charles in three rounds on the Benitez-Duran undercard in January 1982 in Las Vegas. He also defeated Viruet in three rounds; that opponent had boxed 25 rounds against Roberto Durán-including a world lightweight championship bout-without being knocked out.
Rosario eventually gained a record of 21–0 with 20 knockouts. This led to talks of a title fight against World Boxing Council lightweight champion Alexis Argüello, to be held in Miami. But Argüello relinquished the title in order to move up in weight to challenge junior welterweight champion Aaron Pryor.

Boxing champion

With Arguello moving divisions, Rosario was matched with Mexico's José Luis Ramírez on May 1, 1983 for the vacant WBC lightweight title. Rosario seemed to have the momentum over the first half of the fight, but tired down the stretch to make for a very close outcome. The judges, as well as most of the public present, felt Rosario had done enough to win. He became world lightweight champion by the unanimous score of 115–113 on all 3 judging cards. Rosario injured his hand during the fight and needed surgery, for which the World Boxing Council gave him a dispensation.
He didn't return to the ring until 1984. In his first defense of the title, he faced Roberto Elizondo, who had lasted 7 rounds with Argüello in a previous world title challenge and was expected to give him a tough fight. Rosario knocked out Elizondo in one round. Howard Davis Jr proved more of a challenge – Davis Jr was ahead on all scorecards with ten seconds remaining in the bout, but was dropped by Rosario for the second time in their fight at that point, and lost a split decision.
A rematch with Ramírez was scheduled, again in San Juan, Puerto Rico, on November 3, 1984. Rosario dropped Ramírez once in round one and again in the second, but the challenger got off the canvas to take Rosario's title away with a fourth-round TKO. This was Rosario's first defeat. Some fans felt he never fully recovered, although he won three more championships.
Rosario won a comeback fight against Frankie Randall, the future world champion, in London. He had to wait another year before an opportunity to regain the title. On June 13, 1986, he met the world champion Hector 'Macho' Camacho at Madison Square Garden in New York. The fight was televised by HBO, and although Rosario shook Camacho badly in the fifth round and rallied down the stretch, Camacho swept the middle rounds. The judges, in a split decision, awarded Camacho the fight.
Because of the closeness of that bout, the WBA gave Rosario a chance to challenge Livingstone Bramble, one of two other world lightweight champions. Rosario went to Miami and defeated Bramble by knockout in the second round to become world lightweight champion for the second time. His pose, raising his arms after the fight, became The Ring magazine's cover for the next month — the only time Rosario was featured on its English-version cover.
Rosario defended the WBA lightweight title against fellow Puerto Rican Juan Nazario with a knockout in eight in Chicago.
In Rosario's next defense, he faced WBC super featherweight title holder Julio César Chávez, on November 21, 1987, in Las Vegas. Chavez moved up in weight to challenge for Rosario's title, and he battered the lightweight champion. By the tenth round, Rosario's left eye was completely shut. His right eye was swollen, and he was bleeding from the nose and mouth. Referee Richard Steele stopped the fight at 2:38 of the eleventh round at the request of Rosario's corner. At the time of the stoppage, Rosario trailed on the judges' scorecards by the following scores: Jerry Roth: 98-92. Bob Watson: 99-91. Albert Tramari 100-92.
Rosario was inactive for seven months then went 7–0 with 6 KO's in his next fights. After Chavez vacated the title in 1989, Rosario came back and won it again, beating Anthony Jones, a tough Kronk prospect for the championship.
Rosario joined a small group of men who had become world champions three times in the same division. This time, however, he didn't hold the title for long. When he gave Nazario a 1990 rematch at Madison Square Garden, he was defeated on cuts in the 8th round.
Rosario moved up a weight class to the junior welterweight division, and defeated defending world champion Loreto Garza in three rounds in Sacramento's Arco Arena to become a world champion for the 4th time.
However, personal problems started to take their toll. In his first defense, against Japanese Akinobu Hiranaka in Mexico City on April 10, 1992, he lost by a 1st-round TKO. He later lost a rematch to Frankie Randall, by technical knockout in seven rounds.

Later career and death

Rosario disappeared from the boxing scene. Years later he received media attention after being arrested for stealing beer from a supermarket. He vowed to stay clean and went into a program to achieve this.
In 1997, he won two comeback fights, then won the Caribbean welterweight title by beating Roger Benito Flores of Nicaragua in Bayamón, Puerto Rico, in a twelve-round decision. Once an HBO staple, Rosario was then fighting on small cards without any TV showings. He was ranked #10 among Oscar De La Hoya's challengers at the welterweight division after his win over Flores, making him an official world title challenger once again.
He defeated Sanford Ricks at Madison Square Garden. In his final fight on September 25, 1997, Rosario knocked out Harold Bennett in two rounds at Bayamon. He died before fighting again.
On December 1, 1997, Rosario visited the home of his ex-wife and four daughters, but he cut his visit short an hour later, saying he felt ill. After returning home where he lived with his parents, Rosario was later found dead in his bed by his father. He was found to have died of an aneurysm on December 1, 1997, with fluid accumulated in the lungs. Doctors said that his history of narcotics and alcohol abuse was a factor.
Many celebrities and dignitaries attended his funeral, and a group of Puerto Rican world boxing champions were among the pallbearers. More than 5,000 people came to the funeral or watched from their homes as the coffin was driven from the funeral home to the cemetery.

Professional boxing record

No.ResultRecordOpponentTypeRound, timeDateAgeLocationNotes
53Win47–6Harold BennettKO2 Sep 25, 1997Bayamon, Puerto Rico
52Win46–6Sanford RicksKO8, 0:31Aug 23, 1997Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York, US
51Win45–6Roger FloresPTS12Jul 17, 1997Bayamon, Puerto RicoWon WBA Fedecentro welterweight title
50Win44–6Calvin MoodyDQ3, 1:09Jun 7, 1997Mahi Temple Shrine Auditorium, Miami, Florida, USMoody was DQ'd for holding
49Win43–6Maurice RobersonTKO4, 2:02May 22, 1997Bayamon, Puerto Rico
48Loss42–6Frankie RandallTKO7, 2:03Jan 30, 1993The Pyramid, Memphis, Tennessee, US
47Win42–5George KellmanTKO5 Aug 11, 1993San Juan, Puerto Rico
46Loss41–5Akinobu HiranakaTKO1, 1:32Apr 10, 1992El Toreo de Cuatro Caminos, Mexico City, MexicoLost WBA super lightweight title
45Win41–4Loreto GarzaTKO3, 1:09Jun 14, 1991Arco Arena, Sacramento, California, USWon WBA super lightweight title
44Win40–4Dwayne SwiftMD10Aug 23, 1990Villa Roma Resort, Callicoon, New York, US
43Loss39–4Juan NazarioRTD8, 3:00Apr 4, 1990Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York, USLost WBA lightweight title
42Win39–3Anthony JonesTKO6, 2:00Jul 9, 1989Showboat Hotel & Casino, Atlantic City, New Jersey, USWon vacant WBA lightweight title
41Win38–3Larry BensonRTD5 Mar 16, 1989Felt Forum, New York City, New York, US
40Win37–3Jesus GallardoTKO8, 1:26Feb 9, 1989Felt Forum, New York City, New York, US
39Win36–3Juan MinayaKO4, 1:44Oct 27, 1988Felt Forum, New York City, New York, US
38Win35–3Felipe AnguloTKO2 Sep 3, 1988Harrah's Marina Hotel Casino, Atlantic City, New Jersey, US
37Win34–3Rafael GandarillaTKO3, 1:19Aug 11, 1988Felt Forum, New York City, New York, US
36Win33–3Javier CernaKO1, 2:40Jul 31, 1988Felt Forum, New York City, New York, US
35Win32–3Ramiro LozanoTKO3 Jun 2, 1988Felt Forum, New York City, New York, US
34Loss31–3Julio César ChávezTKO11, 2:43Nov 21, 1987Las Vegas Hilton, Outdoor Arena, Las Vegas, Nevada, USLost WBA lightweight title
33Win31–2Juan NazarioKO8, 2:43Aug 11, 1987UIC Pavilion, Chicago, Illinois, USRetained WBA lightweight title
32Win30–2Roger BrownKO2, 0:36Mar 7, 1987Las Vegas Hilton, Outdoor Arena, Las Vegas, Nevada, US
31Win29–2Livingstone BrambleKO2, 2:28Sep 26, 1986Abel Holtz Stadium, Miami Beach, Florida, USWon WBA lightweight title
30Loss28–2Hector CamachoSD12Jun 13, 1986Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York, USFor WBC lightweight title
29Win28–1Roque MontoyaKO7, 1:25Dec 27, 1985Latham Coliseum, Latham, New York, US
28Win27–1Frankie RandallPTS10Jun 16, 1985York Hall, Bethnal Green, London, England, UK
27Win26–1Alberto RamosKO2, 1:08Apr 15, 1985Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York, US
26Win25–1Eduardo ValdezTKO3, 1:36Mar 13, 1985Harrah's Marina Hotel Casino, Atlantic City, New Jersey, US
25Loss24–1José Luis RamírezTKO4, 2:52Nov 3, 1984Hiram Bithorn Stadium, San Juan, Puerto RicoLost WBC lightweight title
24Win24–0Howard Davis Jr.SD12Jun 23, 1984Coliseo Roberto Clemente, San Juan, Puerto RicoRetained WBC lightweight title
23Win23–0Roberto ElizondoTKO1, 1:57Mar 17, 1984Hiram Bithorn Stadium, San Juan, Puerto RicoRetained WBC lightweight title
22Win22–0José Luis RamírezUD12May 1, 1983Coliseo Roberto Clemente, San Juan, Puerto RicoWon vacant WBC lightweight title
21Win21–0Edwin ViruetTKO3, 1:37May 30, 1982The Aladdin, Las Vegas, Nevada, US
20Win20–0Dennis QuimayousieTKO1, 1:52Mar 21, 1982Showboat Hotel & Casino, Las Vegas, Nevada, US
19Win19–0Ezzard Charles AdamsKO3, 2:07Jan 30, 1982Caesars Palace, Las Vegas, Nevada, US
18Win18–0Ernesto HerreraKO3, 2:02Dec 10, 1981Curtis Hixon Hall, Tampa, Florida, US
17Win17–0Roberto GarciaKO2, 1:45Nov 14, 1981Caesars Palace, Outdoor Arena, Las Vegas, Nevada, US
16Win16–0James MartinezUD10Sep 16, 1981Caesars Palace, Outdoor Arena, Las Vegas, Nevada, US
15Win15–0Rodrigo AguirreKO8, 2:38Jul 18, 1981Sun Dome, Tampa, Florida, US
14Win14–0Refugio RojasKO2, 1:47Jun 25, 1981Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York, US
13Win13–0Jose ResendezTKO6, 2:09May 23, 1981Caesars Palace, Las Vegas, Nevada, US
12Win12–0Tony TrisTKO4 Apr 10, 1981Felt Forum, New York City, New York, US
11Win11–0Javier FloresTKO9, 2:56Aug 22, 1980Caesars Palace, Sports Pavilion, Las Vegas, Nevada, US
10Win10–0Jose Luis LaraTKO2 Jul 7, 1980Metropolitan Sports Center, Bloomington, Minnesota, US
9Win9–0Pascual PolancoTKO4 Mar 10, 1980San Juan, Puerto Rico
8Win8–0Leopoldo FriasKO2 Feb 18, 1980Coliseo Roberto Clemente, San Juan, Puerto Rico
7Win7–0Pancho MulettaKO2 Sep 22, 1979San Juan, Puerto Rico
6Win6–0James SowellKO2 Aug 1, 1979Shrine Exposition Center, Los Angeles, California, US
5Win5–0Jose VillegasRTD5 Jul 20, 1979Coliseum, San Diego, California, US
4Win4–0Julio MirandaKO4 May 12, 1979Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
3Win3–0Enrique MaldonadoKO3 Mar 27, 1979Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
2Win2–0Juan CaroKO1 Mar 4, 1979Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
1Win1–0Jorge OrtegaKO2 Mar 3, 1979Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic

Legacy and honors

  • He won three world championships in the same division.
  • On January 12, 2006, Rosario was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame, the sixth Puerto Rican inducted into the hall.
  • According to Ring Magazine, Edwin Rosario ranks #36 on the list of "100 Greatest Punchers of All Time."