Web Quotableonline.com Frasescelebres.org Greatbookscollection.org

Juan Laporte (born November 24, 1959) is a former
boxer who was born in Guayama, Puerto
Rico|Guayama, Puerto Rico.

Juan Laporte moved to New York at a young age,
where he grew up into a pretty well known
contender, but one that many boxing critics didn't
consider to be material to become a world champion
earlier in his career.

Laporte built a number of wins, combined with 1
loss,including a 7 round knockout of Jean
Lapointe.But he still was an unknown when given
his first chance at a world championship on
December of 1980 in San Antonio, Texas.

He met legendary Mexican world Featherweight
champion Salvador Sanchez there. Salvador Sanchez
vs. Juan Laporte|Laporte made Sanchez work hard
and won a handful of rounds, while apparently
managing to not get hurt by any of Sanchez's
punches. He came out, however, on the short end of
a 15 round unanimous decision, as expected. But
his stock rose after that fight.

Laporte then fought future world champion Rocky
Lockridge in 1981 at Las Vegas, scoring a second
round knockout to become the United States
Featherweight champion. 

Given a second title shot, this time by the World
Boxing Association|WBA, Laporte met the also
legendary World featherweight champion Eusebio
Pedroza in 1982, losing a close and controversial
split decision. The fight was so close that World
Boxing Council|WBC president Jose Sulaiman decided
to give Laporte a rematch vs Sanchez for the World
Boxing Council's world title.

This rematch wasn't going to happen, because
Sanchez tragically died in a car accident the
morning of August 12, in Mexico City. Then, the
World Boxing Council|WBC decided to put Laporte
vs. Colombian Mario Miranda for the vacant world
title in a fight held at the Madison Square
Garden. Laporte dropped Miranda in the eighth
round and Miranda quit on his stool before the
start of the 11th. Juan Laporte, the tough kid
from New York who couldnt figure to become a world
champ versus the legendary champions of the day,
had become a world champion.

Laporte defended his title twice, vs Ruben
Castillo and Johnny De La Rosa, both 12 rounds
decision wins, then lost it to another Puerto
Rican world champion, the legendary Wilfredo
Gómez. 

In 1985, he went to Ireland, where he lost a ten
round decision to future world champion Barry
McGuigan.

In 1986, Laporte fought Julio Cesar Chavez at the
Madison Square Garden, and many thought Laporte
should've deserved the 12 round decision that
night, but he lost a majority decision in a
contest for Chavez's WBC world Jr. Lightweight
title. 

His career went on and off after that day, and in
1989 sadly, his son passed away in a drowning
accident. Laporte buried his title belt along with
his son.

Upon hearing this, Sulaiman sent him a new world
title belt to show him support and respect from
the boxing community. Laporte lost another
disputed decision, this time to former world Jr
Welterweight champion Billy Costello in 1999 and
then finally retired from boxing. He currently
works with the city of New York's athletic
department.