Gilberto Keb Baas: Mexico’s WBC Light-Flyweight Champion
Gilberto José Keb Baas is a Mexican boxer from Hunucmá, Yucatán. After a long professional run that included earlier unsuccessful world-title challenges, he finally won the WBC light-flyweight championship in 2010. BoxRec records his birthplace and the dates of his WBC title reign; a contemporaneous report described his career as a 15-year professional run by the time he upset Omar Niño Romero. BoxRec profile · SaddoBoxing report on the title win.
A Late Breakthrough at World Level
On November 6, 2010, Keb Baas challenged WBC champion Omar Niño Romero in Mérida. He knocked Romero down in the first and again in the eighth round, then won a majority decision after 12 rounds, with judges scoring 116–112, 115–111, and 113–113. The victory made him world champion at age 33 after earlier title challenges had fallen short. SaddoBoxing’s contemporary account records the scores and result.
Keb Baas made his first defense against José Antonio “Jaguar” Aguirre on February 26, 2011. Keb retained the WBC belt by stoppage. The win also avenged an earlier defeat of his brother, Juan Alfonso Keb, by Aguirre. La Jornada’s report describes the stoppage and the family rivalry.
His reign ended on April 30, 2011, when Adrián Hernández stopped him in their title fight in Texcoco. BoxRec’s title ledger lists Hernández as his successor; the WBC’s account describes the title change.
Keb Baas is best remembered for turning a long road through the professional ranks into a short but genuine world-title reign.
Sources
Career records and reporting: boxrec.com.
Tags
Boxing, Boxing History
