Joselito Velázquez


Joselito Velázquez Altamirano is a Mexican professional boxer. As an amateur, he won gold medals at the 2011 and 2015 Pan American Games, and represented Mexico at the 2016 Olympics.

Early life

Velázquez was born in the city of Oaxaca, Mexico, but had to leave at the age of two because of his family's financial needs. He then moved with his family to Cancun, where he grew up. His father worked as a cab driver and a baker, while his mother worked at a daycare.
Velázquez was introduced to boxing through his older brother, who was a member of the Quintana Roo state boxing team. He decided to practice the sport after seeing his brother compete in a national tournament. Joselito also played soccer as a teenager. He was part of Cruz Azul's U-14 team. However, he could not make it to a professional level because of his slight build.

Amateur career

Velázquez was the Pan American Games gold medalist in 2011 and 2015 in the light flyweight category. He defeated Cuban amateur world champions Yosvany Veitía and Joahnys Argilagos, respectively, in each competition's final match. Velázquez was the first athlete from Cancún to compete in the Olympic Games. Months before the 2016 Olympics, Velázquez suffered a dislocated shoulder that did not let him practice nor compete for two months. He was reportedly not healthy in the lead-up to the Olympics but he won the 2016 APB and WSB Olympic Qualifier to earn a spot. According to several analysts, he was part of the most talented generation of Mexican boxers at the amateur level. Velazquez won his first Olympic fight against Argentinian Leonardo Blanc. He'd lose in the next round against the eventual gold medalist, Uzbek Hasanboy Dusmatov.
As an amateur, Velázquez accrued a 138-40 record. Analysts see him as a technical boxer with speed in hands and legs, with ability to work in short distances. He's quoted Julio César Chávez as his role model.

Professional career

Velázquez turned professional in October 2016. He is represented by Teiken Promotions. His manager is Frank Espinoza and he is coached by Francisco Bonilla. Velázquez ran into some controversy in his 4th pro bout, as the referee incorrectly gave Erick Zamora a count following a low blow from Velázquez. The referee declared the contest a KO win for the former Olympian, as Zamora squirmed in the floor in pain.

Professional boxing record

No.ResultRecordOpponentTypeRound, timeDateLocationNotes
21Win19–1–1Luis Araujo ArellanoUD1022 Mar 2024Cancún, Mexico
20Win18–1–1Pablo CarrilloUD1024 Nov 2023Cancún, Mexico
19Win17–1–1Juan ToscanoKO3, 2:5810 Jun 2023Centro de Convenciones CEART, Mexicali, Mexico
18Win16–1–1Edgar Pulido RodriguezTKO4 3 May 2023El Domo del Code Jalisco, Guadalajara, Mexico
17Loss15–1–1Cristofer RosalesUD103 Dec 2022Desert Diamond Arena, Glendale, Arizona, U.S.
16Win15–0–1Jose SotoKO6 30 Nov 2019Arena La Paz, La Paz, Mexico
11Win11–0Francisco BonillaKO4, 2:5414 Sep 2019Dignity Health Sports Park, Carson, California, U.S.
10Win10–0Martin Tecuapetla822 Jun 2019Ahualulco de Mercado, Mexico
9Win9–0Angel GuevaraTKO4, 2:286 Apr 2019Arena Sonora, Hermosillo, Mexico
8Win8–0Kevin VillanuevaTKO5, 1:4623 Feb 2019Auditorio Municipal, Tijuana, Mexico
7Win7–0Jesus Cervantes Villanueva2, 3:0010 Nov 2018Auditorio Municipal, Tijuana, Mexico
6Win6–0Jose Flores Chanez68 Sep 2018The Forum, Inglewood, California, U.S.
5Win5–0Armando VazquezTKO5, 1:279 Dec 2017Mandalay Bay, Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S.
4Win4–0Erick ZamoraKO2, 1:3630 Sep 2017Arena Oasis, Cancún, Mexico
3Win3–0Rogelio ArmentaKO1, 1:0916 Jun 2017Salón Mezzanine, Tijuana, Mexico
2Win2–0Diego Guerrero3, 2:0010 Mar 2017Carpa Astros, Mexico City, Mexico
1Win1–0Eduardo Casimiro1, 2:1317 Dec 2016Arena Oasis, Cancún, Mexico