Rances Barthelemy


Rances Barthelemy is a Cuban professional boxer. He is a former two-weight world champion, having held the IBF junior lightweight title in 2014, and the IBF lightweight title from 2015 to 2016.
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Amateur career

Barthelemy was a standout amateur, competing in more than 200 fights and winning a Cuban junior national championship.
Barthelemy defected to the United States prior to the 2008 Summer Olympics. He left Cuba over frustration with how his brother Yan’s career was developing and the implications that it could have for his own future in the sport.

Professional career

Barthelemy defeated Arash Usmanee on 4 January 2013 by a controversial twelve-round unanimous decision which many observers thought Usmanee had won and became the #2 contender for the IBF junior lightweight title. Barthelemy would later become the #1 contender by defeating Fahsai Sakkreerin on 21 June 2013 by second-round knockout.
Barthelemy originally defeated Argenis Mendez on 3 January 2014 to win the title, but the win was considered controversial, as Barthelemy knocked Mendez out seconds after the bell to signal the end of the second round came. Mendez and his team filled an appeal to the Minnesota Combative Sports Commission and IBF shortly after the fight, and after the appeal was successful on 30 January 2014, the result was changed to a no decision and Mendez was reinstated as the IBF junior lightweight champion. Barthelemy later defeated Mendez in a rematch on 10 July 2014 via unanimous decision to win the title. He vacated his title in February 2015 in anticipation of moving up in weight category.
In his next contest, fighting in the super lightweight division against Antonio DeMarco at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, on 21 June 2015, Barthelemy gained a convincing victory. Barthelemy showed his versatility early, coming out orthodox before switching up to southpaw midway throughout the first round. Barthelemy scored a knockdown with a huge left in the fourth round, but DeMarco survived the round. Barthelemy lost a point in the ninth round for excessive low blows, but it wasn’t enough to affect the outcome as he won 99–89 on all three cards.
On 20 May, 2017, Barthelemy fought Kiryl Relikh in a WBA eliminator. Both fighters exchanged knockdowns in the fight, The judges scored the fight in favor of Barthelemy, 117-109, 116-110 and 115-111 the decision was seen as controversial. Shortly after the fight, the WBA ordered a rematch.
In the rematch, Relikh managed to get his revenge, clearly being the better man on the night, and getting the unanimous decision victory, while also winning the vacant WBA super lightweight title.
On 27 April, 2019, Barthelemy fought Robert Easter Jr for the vacant WBA interim super lightweight title. In a very uneventful match, neither fighter looked like they deserve the win. The judges scored the fight as a split-draw, leaving both fighter without the secondary WBA belt.
On April 27, 2024 in Fresno, CA, Barthelemy was scheduled to face Jose Ramirez. He lost the fight by unanimous decision.

Professional boxing record

No.ResultRecordOpponentTypeRound, timeDateLocationNotes
36LossFrank MartinKO4, 2:56Dec 06, 2025Frost Bank Center, San Antonio, Texas, U.S.
35LossJosé RamírezUD1227 Apr 2024Save Mart Center, Fresno, California, US
34Win30–2–1 Omar Juarez1013 May 2023The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, Las Vegas, Nevada, US
33Loss29–2–1 Gary Antuanne RussellTKO6, 0:5030 Jul 2022Barclays Center, New York City, New York, US
32Win29–1–1 Gustavo David VittoriTKO2, 1:546 Nov 2021MGM Grand Garden Arena, Las Vegas, Nevada, US
31Win28–1–1 All RiveraUD1030 Jan 2021Shrine Exposition Center, Los Angeles, California, US
30Draw27–1–1 Robert Easter Jr.1227 Apr 2019Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, Paradise, Nevada, USFor vacant WBA (Regular) and IBO lightweight titles
29Win27–1 Robert FrankelTKO3, 2:3822 Dec 2018Barclays Center, New York City, New York, US
28Loss26–1 Kiryl RelikhUD1210 Mar 2018Freeman Coliseum, San Antonio, Texas, USFor vacant WBA super lightweight title
27Win26–0 Kiryl RelikhUD1220 May 2017MGM National Harbor, Oxon Hill, Maryland, US
26Win25–0 Mickey Bey123 Jun 2016Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino, Hollywood, Florida, USRetained IBF lightweight title
25Win24–0 Denis ShafikovUD1218 Dec 2015Palms Casino Resort, Paradise, Nevada, USWon vacant IBF lightweight title
24Win23–0 Antonio DeMarcoUD1020 Jun 2015MGM Grand Garden Arena, Paradise, Nevada, US
23Win22–0 Angino PerezTKO2, 0:1526 Mar 2015Park Race Track, Hialeah, Florida, US
22Win21–0 David SaucedoUD124 Oct 2014Foxwoods Resort, Ledyard, Connecticut, USRetained IBF junior lightweight title
21Win20–0 Argenis MendezUD1210 Jul 2014American Airlines Arena, Miami, Florida, USWon IBF junior lightweight title
2019–0 Argenis MendezKO2, 2:593 Jan 2014Target Center, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USFor IBF junior lightweight title;
Originally KO win for Barthelemy, later ruled NC due to Barthelemy hitting after the bell
19Win19–0Fahsai SakkreerinKO2, 1:2621 Jun 2013Convention Center, Minneapolis, Minnesota, US
18Win18–0Arash UsmaneeUD124 Jan 2013Magic City Casino, Miami, Florida, US
17Win17–0Alejandro RodríguezUD818 Aug 2012Doubletree Miamimart Hotel, Miami, Florida, US
16Win16–0Robert OsiobeUD811 May 2012Texas Station Casino, North Las Vegas, Nevada, US
15Win15–0Hylon Williams, Jr.UD83 Feb 2012Texas Station Casino, North Las Vegas, Nevada, USRetained UBO International lightweight title
14Win14–0Alejandro BarreraKO2, 1:225 Nov 2011Pepsi Coliseum, Quebec City, Quebec, Canada
13Win13–0Gerardo RoblesUD829 Jul 2011Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, Paradise, Nevada, USWon vacant UBO International lightweight title
12Win12–0Rynell GriffinTKO2, 2:5929 Apr 2011Cosmopolitan Resort, Paradise, Nevada, US
11Win11–0James HopeTKO4, 2:0425 Mar 2011Cosmopolitan Resort, Paradise, Nevada, US
10Win10–0Anthony WoodsTKO2, 2:5911 Feb 2011Magic City Casino, Miami, Florida, US
9Win9–0Roberto AcevedoTKO1, 2:5919 Nov 2010Magic City Casino, Miami, Florida, US
8Win8–0Àngel LópezTKO3, 1:3415 Sep 2010Verizon Wireless Arena, Manchester, New Hampshire, US
7Win7–0John TempleTKO1, 1:5018 Aug 2010Civic Center, Monroe, Louisiana, US
6Win6–0John BarnesKO1, 0:4430 Jul 2010Buffalo Run Casino, Miami, Oklahoma, US
5Win5–0James OwensUD414 May 2010Civic Center, Kissimmee, Florida, US
4Win4–0Robert Guillen412 Mar 2010War Memorial Auditorium, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, US
3Win3–0Andrew Barnes1, 1:0710 Oct 2009Coliseum Complex Events Center, Greensboro, North Carolina, US
2Win2–0Vineash RungeaKO1, 2:4028 Aug 2009Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino, Hollywood, Florida, US
1Win1–0Jamal Clay1, 0:148 Aug 2009Metropolitan Convention Center, Columbia, South Carolina, US