Ernesto España


Ernesto España is a Venezuelan former professional boxer who held the World Boxing Association lightweight championship in 1979 and 1980.

Career

España became a professional boxer in 1975 and initially won all of his bouts except one, including one in 1981, when he beat future champion Arturo Frias. España fought Claude Noel on June 16, 1979, for the vacant WBA lightweight title that had been given up by Roberto Durán. España knocked out Noel in the thirteenth round to win the title. He defended it once, recuperating from a knockdown in round seven before knocking out Johnny Lira in round nine of a fight which has been showcased on ESPN Classic, before losing the title to Hilmer Kenty by knockout in round nine in March 1980. In a rematch in September, Kenty knocked España out again, this time in the fourth round.
For a period during this era, España was a resident of Puerto Rico.
When Frias won the WBA lightweight title, España challenged him but Frias avenged his only loss and won a technical decision over España in 1982.
España's next fight was another challenge for the WBA lightweight title, but this time Ray Mancini knocked him out in six rounds in July 1982. España never challenged for a world title again and retired in 1988.

Professional boxing record

No.ResultRecordOpponentTypeRound, TimeDateLocationNotes
44Loss36–8Michael BenjaminUD12Aug 29, 1988National Park, Georgetown, GuyanaFor vacant WBC Continental Americas lightweight title
43Loss36–7Lester EllisUD10Mar 13, 1987Melbourne Town Hall, Melbourne, Australia
42Win36–6Junel RodriguezPTS12Jun 1, 1985Caracas, VenezuelaWon vacant WBC FECARBOX lightweight title
41Loss35–6Rafael WilliamsMD10Jan 19, 1985Arena Panama Al Brown, Colón City, Panama
40Loss35–5Ray ManciniTKO6, 2:59Jul 24, 1982Mollenkopf Stadium, Warren, Ohio, U.S.For WBA lightweight title
39Loss35–4Arturo FriasTD9, 0:26Jan 30, 1982Olympic Auditorium, Los Angeles, California, U.S.For WBA lightweight title; Unanimous technical decision
38Win35–3Eduardo IriartePTS10Nov 17, 1981Caracas, Venezuela
37Win34–3Jose RosasTKO5 Oct 26, 1981Caracas, Venezuela
36Win33–3Alvin FowlerTKO3 Aug 24, 1981Caracas, Venezuela
35Win32–3Jong Kil ChungTKO6 Jul 20, 1981Caracas, Venezuela
34Win31–3Arturo FriasMD10May 30, 1981Caracas, Venezuela
33Win30–3Jose OrtizKO2 May 9, 1981Caracas, Venezuela
32Win29–3Ki Hoon KwakKO5 Apr 13, 1981Caracas, Venezuela
31Win28–3Eduardo IriartePTS10Feb 21, 1981El Poliedro, Caracas, Venezuela
30Loss27–3Hilmer KentyTKO4, 2:57Sep 20, 1980Hiram Bithorn Stadium, San Juan, Puerto RicoFor WBA lightweight title
29Loss27–2Hilmer KentyTKO9, 2:53Mar 2, 1980Joe Louis Arena, Detroit, Michigan, U.S.Lost WBA lightweight title
28Win27–1Johnny LiraRTD9, 3:00Aug 4, 1979Conrad Hilton Hotel, Chicago, Illinois, U.S.Retained WBA lightweight title
27Win26–1Claude NoelKO13 Jun 16, 1979Roberto Clemente Coliseum, San Juan, Puerto RicoWon vacant WBA lightweight title
26Win25–1Eddie BracettyTKO1 Mar 25, 1979Hiram Bithorn Stadium, San Juan, Puerto Rico
25Win24–1Fernando JimenezTKO6 Feb 19, 1979San Juan, Puerto Rico
24Win23–1Johnny BarrKO1 Oct 28, 1978Roberto Clemente Coliseum, San Juan, Puerto Rico
23Win22–1Bienvenido QuintoTKO1 Sep 9, 1978Hiram Bithorn Stadium, San Juan, Puerto Rico
22Win21–1Tony AriasKO1 Aug 12, 1978Maestranza Cesar Giron, Maracay, Venezuela
21Win20–1Teodoro OsunaKO1 Jul 8, 1978Roberto Clemente Coliseum, San Juan, Puerto Rico
20Win19–1Gerardo AcevesKO2 Apr 22, 1978Roberto Clemente Coliseum, San Juan, Puerto Rico
19Win18–1Angel RosasTKO3 Aug 27, 1977Roberto Clemente Coliseum, San Juan, Puerto Rico
18Win17–1Salvador TorresKO1 Jul 3, 1977Caracas, Venezuela
17Win16–1Milton MendezKO1 May 15, 1977Nuevo Circo, Caracas, Venezuela
16Win15–1Isaac MarinTKO5 Jan 30, 1977Caracas, Venezuela
15Win14–1Ricardo ArredondoPTS10Nov 14, 1976Caracas, Venezuela
14Win13–1Andres FernandezKO1 Oct 16, 1976Caracas, Venezuela
13Win12–1Rolando MartinezKO1 Aug 29, 1976Caracas, Venezuela
12Win11–1Clemente MucinoKO1 Aug 22, 1976Caracas, Venezuela
11Win10–1Julio PenaTKO1 Jul 11, 1976Caracas, Venezuela
10Win9–1Juan SarmientoTKO3 Jun 13, 1976Caracas, Venezuela
9Win8–1Luis Beltran RodriguezPTS10Mar 6, 1976Caracas, Venezuela
8Win7–1Danton MorilloKO2 Feb 28, 1976Caracas, Venezuela
7Win6–1Cesar ChavezKO2 Feb 18, 1976Maturín, Venezuela
6Win5–1Ruben AriasKO1 Nov 17, 1975Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
5Win4–1Luis RomeroTKO2 Oct 4, 1975Caracas, Venezuela
4Loss3–1Luis Beltran RodriguezPTS6Aug 25, 1975Caracas, Venezuela
3Win3–0Freddy BricenoTKO3 Aug 8, 1975Caracas, Venezuela
2Win2–0Jose FiguereroPTS4Jul 14, 1975Caracas, Venezuela
1Win1–0Hernan RodriguezTKO1 Mar 17, 1975Caracas, Venezuela

Personal life

His brother Crisanto España won the WBA world welterweight title in the early 1990s, when he beat Meldrick Taylor and lost it in his third defense to Ike Quartey.