Boxer Jesus Geles: A Blade Cutting Through Adversity

Jesús Geles Vásquez, known as “El Cuchilla” (“The Blade”), is a Colombian former world champion from Cartagena. A professional from 2008, he became one of the leading fighters in the junior flyweight division during a rapid rise that included a close interim-title win and a short reign as WBO champion.

Video note: The embed is labeled as Geles vs. Omar Soto, the bout associated with Geles’s interim world title win.

Interim Champion

Geles won the interim WBO light-flyweight title against Omar Soto on October 30, 2010. The WBO’s retrospective and published scorecards record a majority decision for Geles, with two cards at 115–113 and one even at 114–114. One contemporary report described the result as a draw, so accounts differ in their wording of the close verdict.

He defended the interim belt in Cartagena on February 5, 2011, edging Ramón García Hirales by split decision. On March 11, the WBO elevated Geles to full champion after Giovani Segura vacated the title. Their rematch followed on April 30 in Mexico City, where García Hirales stopped Geles by knockout in the fourth round to take the championship.

Life After the Title Reign

Geles initially retired at 26 after a stray bullet injury in 2014 caused lasting back problems, according to a 2020 interview. He later returned to the ring in 2022.

His path from Cartagena to a world title, a close interim-title defense, injury, and return reflects both the achievement and difficulty of his boxing career. Geles remains known to Colombian fans as “El Cuchilla,” the fighter who reached the top of the junior flyweight division.

Sources

Sources: BoxRec: Jesús Geles profile and career record; BoxRec: WBO light-flyweight title-fight chronology; BoxRec: WBO light-flyweight champions.

Tags

Boxing, Boxing History