Oscar Collazo (boxer) explained

Oscar Collazo
Real Name:Oscar Manuel Collazo
Nickname:El Pupilo
Weight:Mini flyweight
Light flyweight
Flyweight
Height:5 ft 2 in
Reach:62.5 in
Nationality:Puerto Rico
Birth Date:January 15, 1997
Birth Place:Newark, New Jersey, U.S.
Style:Southpaw
Boxrec:919293
Total:10
Wins:10
Ko:7

Oscar Manuel Collazo (born January 15, 1997) is a Puerto Rican professional boxer who has held the World Boxing Organization (WBO) mini flyweight title since May 2023.

Amateur career

During his seven-year amateur career, Collazo won five national amateur boxing titles, the bronze medal the 2017 Panamerican Championships and the gold medal at the 2019 Pan American Games.[1] [2] [3]

Professional career

Early career

Collazo made his professional debut as a light flyweight against Vicente Castro Cheneque on 15 February 2020.[4] He won the fight by a third-round technical knockout.[5] Collazo was next booked to face Kevin John Cruz Jusino on 5 December 2020.[6] He won his second professional bout a round quicker than his first, as he won the fight by a second-round technical knockout.[7]

Collazo moved up to flyweight for his next bout, against Francisco Bonilla on 25 March 2021, on the Amanda Serrano vs. Daniela Romina Bermúdez undercard.[8] He won the fight by a career-first unanimous decision, with all three judges scoring the fight 60–54 in his favor.[9] Collazo moved down to mini flyweight to face Pedro Villegas for the vacant WBO Latino minimumweight title on 3 December 2021.[10] He won the fight by a third-round technical knockout.[11]

Rise up the ranks

Collazo faced the former WBO and WBA (Regular) mini-flyweight champion Vic Saludar in a WBA mini-flyweight title eliminator. The fight was booked for the undercard of the Javier Fortuna lightweight bout, which took place on July 16, 2022.[12] Collazo won the fight by unanimous decision, with two scorecards of 116–112 and one scorecard of 118–110. Both fighters were knocked down in the sixth round, Saludar with a two-punch combination and Collazo with a right uppercut.[13]

Collazo was expected to face the former WBO mini flyweight titlist Wilfredo Méndez in a WBO mini-flyweight title eliminator on January 28, 2023, on the undercard of the Alexis Rocha and Anthony Young welterweight bout, which took place at the YouTube Theater in Inglewood, California.[14] Méndez was forced to withdraw from the bout on January 15, due to a back injury sustained in training. He was replaced by Yudel Reyes, who stepped in on two-week's notice.[15] Collazo stopped his opponent with a left hook at the 2:59 minute mark of the fifth round. He had knocked Reyes down with a right hook in the previous round.[16]

WBO mini flyweight champion

Collazo vs. Jerusalem

On January 30, 2023, the WBO ordered their mini-flyweight champion Melvin Jerusalem make a mandatory title defense against Collazo.[17] As the they failed to reach a deal within the 30-day negotiation period, the sanctioning body scheduled a purse bid for February 23.[18] It was declared deserted for failure to comply with purse bid terms, rescheduled for February 27,[19] and eventually won by Golden Boy Promotions and Cotto Promotions with a bid of $152,000.[20] The championship bout took place at the Fantasy Springs Casino in Indio, California on May 27, 2023.[21] Collazo won the fight by stoppage in the seventh round, as Jerusalem remained on his stool at the start of the eighth round. He became the fastest fighter from Puerto Rico to win a world title belt, overtaking Alex Sánchez who captured his first title 11 fights into his professional career.[22]

Collazo vs. Diagan

Collazo was booked to make a voluntary championship defense against the ninth-ranked WBO mini-flyweight contender Garen Diagan on August 26, 2023, at the Roberto Clemente Coliseum in San Juan, Puerto Rico.[23] He won the fight by a sixth-round stoppage, as Diagan remained on his stool between the rounds and retired before the start of the seventh.[24]

Collazo vs. Gutierrez

On December 30, 2023, it was announced that Collazo would make his second WBO mini-flyweight championship defense against an unnamed opponent on the undercard of the Jaime Munguia and John Ryder super middleweight bout, which is expected to take place at the Footprint Center in Phoenix, Arizona on January 27, 2024.[25] On January 17, 2024, it was confirmed that Collazo would face Reyneris Gutierrez.[26]

On Saturday January 27, 2024, Collazo defeated Gutierrez via third-round TKO and made the second successful defense of his belt.[27]

Collazo vs. Zapata

Collazo was scheduled to make the third defense of his WBO minumumweight title against Gerardo Zapata in Verona, New York on June 7, 2024.[28] Collazo won the fight by unanimous decision with the scores 117-110, 119-109 and 119-109.[29]

Professional boxing record

ResultRecordOpponentTypeRound, timeDateLocationNotes
10Win10–0Gerardo ZapataUD12Jun 7, 2024
9Win9–0Reyneris GutierrezTKO3 (12), Jan 28, 2024
8Win8–0Garen DiaganRTD6 (12) Aug 26, 2023
7Win7–07 (12), May 27, 2023
6Win6–0Yudel Reyes5 (12), Jan 28, 2023
5Win5–0Vic SaludarUD12Jul 16, 2022
4Win4–0Pedro VillegasTKO3 (10), Dec 3, 2021
3Win3–0Francisco Bonilla6Mar 25, 2021
2Win2–0Kevin John Cruz JusinoTKO2 (6), Dec 5, 2020
1Win1–0Vicente Castro Cheneque3 (6), Feb 15, 2020

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 12.Panamerican Championships Tegucigalpa, Honduras June 10-18, 2017 . amateur-boxing.strefa.pl . 30 January 2022.
  2. Web site: Anaya . Rosember . Yuberjen pierde el oro en los Panamericanos . elheraldo.co . 30 January 2022 . 3 August 2019.
  3. Web site: Wainwright . Anson . New Faces: Oscar Collazo . ringtv.com . 30 January 2022 . 29 November 2021.
  4. Web site: Primera Hora . En peso Carlos 'Purín' Caraballo y Oscar Collazo . primerahora.com . 30 January 2022 . 14 February 2020.
  5. Web site: Redacción Voces del Sur . Contundente debut para el púgil villalbeño Oscar "El Pupilo" Collazo . vocesdelsurpr.com . 30 January 2022 . 16 February 2020.
  6. Web site: O'Hara . Ryan . Named after 'the golden boy,' Oscar Collazo wants to make his own legacy . ringtv.com . 30 January 2022 . 4 December 2020.
  7. Web site: Boxingscene Staff . Danielito Zorrilla, Oscar Collazo Get Knockout Wins in Puerto Rico . boxingscene.com . 30 January 2022 . 5 December 2020.
  8. Web site: Miguel Cotto Promociones . Carlos Caraballo – Oscar Collazo / A demostrar sus talentos sobre el ring . boxeomundial.com . 30 January 2022 . 24 March 2021.
  9. Web site: BRILLAN AMANDA SERRANO, 'PURIN' CARABALLO, 'EL PUPILO' COLLAZO Y ARELY MUCIÑO EN EL VIEJO SAN JUAN . promocionesmiguelcotto.com . 30 January 2022 . 26 March 2021.
  10. Web site: Primera Hora . Oscar Collazo está en Panamá para pelear a 10 asaltos . primerahora.com . 30 January 2022 . 2 December 2021.
  11. Web site: Random Hits . Oscar Collazo Blasts Out Pedro Villegas in Three For WBO Regional Belt . boxingscene.com . 30 January 2022 . 4 December 2021.
  12. Web site: Donovan . Jake . Oscar Collazo: This Is My Chance To Let Boxing World Know Who I Am - A Future World Champ . boxingscene.com . 16 July 2022 . 16 July 2022.
  13. Web site: Salazar . Francisco . Oscar Collazo Gets Off The Canvas To Outpoint Ex-champ Vic Saludar . ringtv.com . 17 July 2022 . 16 July 2022.
  14. Web site: Vega . Giovanny . Choque boricua: Oscar Collazo y Wilfredo Méndez protagonizarán eliminatoria de la OMB . elvocero.com . 11 January 2023 . 9 January 2023.
  15. Web site: Donovan . Jake . Wilfredo 'Bimbito' Mendez (Back) Injured, Oscar Collazo To Now Face Yudel Reyes On Jan. 28 . boxingscene.com . 16 January 2023 . 15 January 2023.
  16. Web site: Fischer . Doug . Oscar Collazo Halts Yudel Reyes In Five, Wins WBO 105-pound Title Elimination Bout . ringtv.com . 29 January 2023 . 28 January 2023.
  17. Web site: Stumberg . Patrick L. . WBO orders Melvin Jerusalem vs Oscar Collazo minimumweight title fight . badlefthook.com . 31 January 2023 . 30 January 2023.
  18. Web site: Donovan . Jake . Melvin Jerusalem-Oscar Collazo: Purse Bid Ordered For WBO Strawweight Title Fight . boxingscene.com . 14 February 2023 . 13 February 2023.
  19. Web site: Del Valle Hernández . Sara . Sin concretarse la pelea titular entre Oscar Collazo y Melvin Jerusalem . elnuevodia.com . 24 February 2023 . 23 February 2023.
  20. Web site: Donovan . Jake . Jerusalem-Collazo: Golden Boy and Cotto Promotions ($152,000) Win Purse Bid For WBO Title Fight . boxingscene.com . 27 February 2023 . 27 February 2023.
  21. Web site: Angelas . Steve . Boxing: Underdog Jerusalem all set WBO title defense vs Puerto Rico's Collazo . news.abs-cbn.com . 27 May 2023 . 27 May 2023.
  22. Web site: Salazar . Francisco . Oscar Collazo Stops Melvin Jerusalem After 7 Rounds, Wins WBO Strawweight Title . ringtv.com . 28 May 2023 . 27 May 2023.
  23. Web site: González . Carlos . Oscar Collazo defenderá con uñas y dientes el título mundial . primerahora.com . 28 July 2023 . 27 July 2023.
  24. Web site: Salazar . Francisco . Oscar Collazo Breaks Down, Stops Garen Diagan in Six Rounds . BoxingScene.com . en-us . 26 August 2023.
  25. Web site: Donovan . Jake . Oscar Collazo: January 27, We Prove Again That I Am Among The Best . BoxingScene.com . 31 December 2023 . en-us . 30 December 2023.
  26. Web site: Salazar . Francisco . Oscar Collazo takes on Reyneris Gutierrez in main undercard bout for Munguia-Ryder . The Ring . 22 January 2024 . 17 January 2024.
  27. News: Iskenderov . Parviz . Oscar Collazo dominates Reyneris Gutierrez to retain title . FIGHTMAG . 28 January 2024.
  28. News: Iskenderov . Parviz . Oscar Collazo faces Gerardo Zapata in Verona, New York in June . FIGHTMAG . 5 April 2024.
  29. News: Iskenderov . Parviz . Oscar Collazo gets tagged, bests Gerardo Zapata by decision to retain title . FIGHTMAG . 8 June 2024.