Arnold Barboza Jr

Early Life and Amateur Career

 

Arnold Barboza Jr., born on March 9, 1992, in South El Monte, California, grew up in an environment steeped in boxing culture. His father, Arnold Barboza Sr., who had a keen interest in boxing, was instrumental in introducing his son to the sport at a young age. This early exposure to the boxing world was pivotal in shaping Barboza Jr.’s future career.

 

As a child, Barboza Jr. displayed a natural affinity for athletics, quickly gravitating towards boxing as his sport of choice. He began his formal training in his early teens, showing promise from the outset. His amateur career started in earnest when he was about 13 years old, marked by rapid development in his technical skills and physical abilities.

 

Throughout his amateur career, Barboza Jr. compiled an impressive record, participating in numerous tournaments and accumulating a significant number of wins. One of his notable early achievements was winning the Desert Showdown, a well-regarded amateur tournament in California, which he clinched in 2008. This victory was a clear indication of his potential and marked him as a young talent to watch in the boxing community.

 

Professional Career

 

Arnold Barboza Jr. began his professional career on a high note, making his debut as a welterweight on June 14, 2013. He secured a six-round unanimous decision victory against Gustavo Lopez at the Chumash Casino Resort in Santa Ynez, California. Over the years, Barboza built an impressive record, culminating in a significant fight on December 14, 2018, where he claimed the vacant WBC-NABF Junior light welterweight title by defeating Manuel Lopez with a unanimous decision at the American Bank Center in Corpus Christi, Texas. All three judges scored the bout 100–90.

 

Barboza’s momentum continued into 2019 with three more victories. He successfully defended his title against former world title challenger Mike Alvarado in April, achieving a third-round knockout. He followed this with a fourth-round stoppage against Ricky Sismundo in August during a non-title bout and concluded the year with another title defense, knocking out William Silva in the fifth round in November.

 

In 2020, Barboza faced Tony Luis on August 29, winning the bout by unanimous decision with scores of 99–90 from all three judges. He then squared off against one-time WBO light welterweight title challenger Alex Saucedo for the vacant WBO International light welterweight title on October 17, securing another unanimous decision victory with judges scoring the fight 96–93, 97–92, and 97–92.

 

Barboza defended his WBO International title against Antonio Moran on August 14, 2021, as part of the undercard for the Joshua Franco and Andrew Moloney trilogy bout. He dominated the fight, winning by unanimous decision with scores of 99–91, 100–90, and 99–91. His most recent bout occurred on April 20, 2024, in Brooklyn, New York. Serving as the co-main event for the Ryan Garcia vs. Devin Haney fight, Barboza retained his WBO Intercontinental junior welterweight title through a controversial split decision win against Sean McComb, further cementing his status in the light welterweight division.