Esteban de Jesús

Esteban de Jesús (August 2, 1950 – May 11, 1989) was a Puerto Rican world lightweight champion boxer. De Jesús, a native of the town of Carolina, Puerto Rico, was a gymmate of Wilfred Benítez and was trained by Benitez's father, Gregorio Benitez. He was the first boxer to defeat Roberto Durán as a pro, and the only fighter to defeat Duran during his lightweight reign. His career was mired in controversy, problems, and scandals.

Professional career

Template:Main De Jesús debuted as a professional in 1969, he won his first twenty fights, thirteen by knockout. He then stepped up in class, for the first time, when he boxed future world title challenger Josue Marquez in 1971, beating him in a twelve-round decision to claim the Puerto Rican national Lightweight championship.. His next fight was a fourth-round knockout victory over Victor Ortíz. After that, there was a rematch with Marquez, who was beaten again, also over twelve rounds, to retain the Puerto Rican Lightweight title.

Next came his first international fight, in Caracas, Venezuela, against the future four-time world title challenger Leonel Hernandez. De Jesús won the ten round fight by unanimous decision in what was the start of a four fight tour of Venezuela. That Venezuelan campaign ended with a ten-round decision loss against former world champion Antonio Gomez in Caracas.

1972 was a pivotal year in de Jesús' career. He won six fights in a row, including a twelve-round knockout win in a third fight with Marquez to again retain the Puerto Rican Lightweight title, and a ten-round decision over Doug McClendon. Despite all the wins, he was virtually unknown to most boxing fans. That changed quickly in his last fight of 1972 against the undefeated new world's Lightweight champion Roberto Durán at the Madison Square Garden arena. In a televised bout that marked the beginning of the "Durán - de Jesús trilogy", de Jesús dropped Durán in round one and went on to inflict Durán's first defeat in a ten-round decision.<ref name="fightland">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="Duran rivalry">Template:Cite web</ref>

In 1973, he was rewarded for his efforts, receiving a chance to challenge Ray Lampkin for the North American Boxing Federation lightweight belt. He won the vacant title by beating Lampkin in a twelve-round decision. He went on to beat Johnny Gant and Raul Montoya in ten-round decisions and beat Lampkin by decision in a rematch in New York. He finished 1973 with a first-round knockout win over fringe contender Al Foster.

He began 1974 by knocking out former world Jr. Welterweight champion Alfonso "Peppermint" Frazer in ten rounds in San Juan, Puerto Rico, after which he traveled to Panama City to receive his first world title shot and, at the same time, face Durán in the second fight of their trilogy. He once again dropped Durán in round one, but this time Durán rebounded and dominated the bout, retaining the title in an eleventh-round knockout. He recovered from that defeat with two more wins before the end of the year.

In 1975, he went up in weight briefly, and after beating Jesse Lara by a knockout in three, he returned to Panama City to challenge Colombia's Antonio Cervantes for the world's Jr. Welterweight title, losing in a fifteen-round decision. He beat Rudy Barros by knockout in round five to end that year, and started 1976 by beating Valentin Ramos by knockout in round two.

Next came his third world title try when the WBC's world Lightweight champion Ishimatsu Suzuki of Japan traveled to Puerto Rico to defend his title against de Jesús. The third time proved to be the charm for de Jesús, who won the world title by beating Suzuki in a fifteen-round decision. He retained the title against Hector Medina with a knockout in round seven.

De Jesús admitted publicly to using drugs during his boxing career.<ref name="auto">Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> He began using cocaine and heroin early in his boxing career with an older brother, Enrique.<ref name="auto"/>

In 1977, he retained the title against Buzzsaw Yamabe by knockout in round six and against Vicente Mijares Saldivar by knockout in round eleven.

1978 began with the third and final chapter of his trilogy with Durán. In a title unification bout in Las Vegas, which displayed Durán at the peak of his power, Durán systematically broke down de Jesús resulting in a twelfth-round knockout.

De Jesús rebounded with three wins before the end of that year, including one over former world title challenger Edwin Viruet.

In 1979, he had two more wins, including one over Jimmy Blevins. After beating José Vallejo by a knockout in round seven in San Juan to start 1980, he traveled to Bloomington, Minnesota, to challenge Saoul Mamby for Mamby's WBC world Jr. Welterweight title, in the major supporting event of the Larry Holmes-Scott Le Doux world heavyweight championship bout's undercard. In what turned out to be his last fight, he was beaten by a knockout in thirteen rounds.

His record was 57 wins and 5 losses, with 32 wins by knockout.

Professional boxing record

Template:Abbr	Result	Record	Opponent	Type	Round, time	Date	Location	Notes
62	Template:No2Loss	57–5	Saoul Mamby	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small
61	Template:Yes2Win	57–4	José Vallejo	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small
60	Template:Yes2Win	56–4	Ruby Ortiz	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small
59	Template:Yes2Win	55–4	Jimmy Blevins	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small
58	Template:Yes2Win	54–4	Edwin Viruet	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small
57	Template:Yes2Win	53–4	Chuchu Hernandez	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small
56	Template:Yes2Win	52–4	Pablo Baez	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small
55	Template:No2Loss	51–4	Roberto Durán	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small
54	Template:Yes2Win	51–3	James Brackett	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small
53	Template:Yes2Win	50–3	Vicente Mijares	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small
52	Template:Yes2Win	49–3	Buzzsaw Yamabe	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small
51	Template:Yes2Win	48–3	Hector Julio Medina	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small
50	Template:Yes2Win	47–3	Guts Ishimatsu	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small
49	Template:Yes2Win	46–3	Valente Ramos	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small
48	Template:Yes2Win	45–3	Rudy Barro	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small
47	Template:No2Loss	44–3	Antonio Cervantes	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small
46	Template:Yes2Win	44–2	Jesse Lara	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small
45	Template:Yes2Win	43–2	Javier Ayala	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small
44	Template:Yes2Win	42–2	Gerardo Ferrat	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small
43	Template:No2Loss	41–2	Roberto Durán	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small
42	Template:Yes2Win	41–1	Alfonso Frazer	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small
41	Template:Yes2Win	40–1	Al Foster	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small
40	Template:Yes2Win	39–1	Miguel Mayan	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small
39	Template:Yes2Win	38–1	Radames Checo	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small
38	Template:Yes2Win	37–1	Ray Lampkin	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small
37	Template:Yes2Win	36–1	Raul Montoya	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small
36	Template:Yes2Win	35–1	Johnny Gant	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small
35	Template:Yes2Win	34–1	Ray Lampkin	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small
34	Template:Yes2Win	33–1	Roberto Durán	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small
33	Template:Yes2Win	32–1	Doc McClendon	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small
32	Template:Yes2Win	31–1	Raimundo Dias	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small
31	Template:Yes2Win	30–1	Chuck Wilburn	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small
30	Template:Yes2Win	29–1	Angel Robinson Garcia	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small
29	Template:Yes2Win	28–1	Josue Marquez	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small
28	Template:Yes2Win	27–1	George Foster	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small
27	Template:Yes2Win	26–1	Percy Hayles	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small
26	Template:Yes2Win	25–1	Milton Mendez	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small
25	Template:Yes2Win	24–1	Johnny Harp	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small
24	Template:Yes2Win	23–1	Frank Leroy	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small
23	Template:Yes2Win	22–1	Josue Marquez	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small
22	Template:Yes2Win	21–1	Victor Ortiz	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small
21	Template:Yes2Win	20–1	Josue Marquez	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small
20	Template:Yes2Win	19–1	Armando Mendoza	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small
19	Template:Yes2Win	18–1	Leonel Hernandez	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small
18	Template:Yes2Win	17–1	Gustavo Briceno	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small
17	Template:No2Loss	16–1	Antonio Gómez	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small
16	Template:Yes2Win	16–0	Jose Llanos	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small
15	Template:Yes2Win	15–0	Johnny Sandoval	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small
14	Template:Yes2Win	14–0	Jose Jimenez	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small
13	Template:Yes2Win	13–0	Coverly Kid Daniels	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small
12	Template:Yes2Win	12–0	Ike Estrada	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small
11	Template:Yes2Win	11–0	Jose Jimenez	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small
10	Template:Yes2Win	10–0	Bobby Parnell	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small
9	Template:Yes2Win	9–0	Braulio Rodriguez	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small
8	Template:Yes2Win	8–0	Chino Guerrero	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small
7	Template:Yes2Win	7–0	Ramon Dominguez	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small
6	Template:Yes2Win	6–0	Ivelaw Eastman	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small
5	Template:Yes2Win	5–0	Tommy Sheffield	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small
4	Template:Yes2Win	4–0	Ramon Montes	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small
3	Template:Yes2Win	3–0	Johnny Sandoval	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small
2	Template:Yes2Win	2–0	Francisco Maldonado	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small
1	Template:Yes2Win	1–0	Braulio Rodriguez	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small

Crime, commuted sentence and death

On November 27, 1980, in what became a famous case in Puerto Rico, after having injected himself with cocaine, de Jesús was involved in a traffic dispute with 17-year-old Roberto Cintron Gonzalez, which ended in de Jesús fatally shooting Gonzalez in the head.<ref name="auto"/> De Jesús was sentenced to life in prison. There, he excelled in another sport, baseball, making the Puerto Rico penal system all star team three times. In 1984, he became a born-again Christian and started to turn his life around, becoming a preacher.

In 1985, he learned that his brother Enrique, with whom he had shared needles, had died of AIDS. De Jesús tested positive for the virus, and symptoms began to appear.<ref name="auto"/> After it became public knowledge that de Jesús had acquired HIV and had become a sufferer of AIDS, governor Rafael Hernández Colón commuted his sentence.

After returning to spend his last days with his family, de Jesús was visited by many celebrities, including hall of fame baseball player Orlando Cepeda, Salsa music superstar Cheo Feliciano and his old nemesis Roberto Durán. Durán hugged and kissed de Jesús and told his daughter to do the same. This event was witnessed by José Torres who said he was amazed to see Durán's compassionate gesture as he lifted de Jesús out of his bed and hugged him at a time when so little was known and so much feared about AIDS.Template:Citation needed

Esteban de Jesús died one month after being released, at the age of 38.

See also

• List of world lightweight boxing champions
• List of Puerto Rican boxing world champions
• Sports in Puerto Rico
• Afro–Puerto Ricans

External links

• Template:Boxrec

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