Eric Ortiz: Mexico’s WBC Light-Flyweight Champion
Mexican boxer Eric Ortiz won the vacant WBC light-flyweight world title on 11 March 2005 by stopping José Antonio Aguirre. Ortiz’s first defense ended in a first-round knockout loss to Brian Viloria on 10 September.
Eric Ortiz’s world championship breakthrough
Ortiz, whose full name is Eric Ortiz Aparicio, came from Mexico City and boxed from an orthodox stance. His career in the light-flyweight division placed him among Mexico’s world champions during a period when several prominent fighters competed at the 108-pound limit.
The WBC championship was vacant when Ortiz met Aguirre in March 2005. Jorge Arce had previously held the belt before vacating it, so Ortiz’s victory began a new reign rather than taking the championship directly from Arce. His win over Aguirre remains the central achievement of that reign.
The Viloria defense and a later title challenge
The fight shown above was Ortiz’s defense against Brian Viloria, held at Staples Center in Los Angeles. Viloria’s first-round knockout ended Ortiz’s time as WBC champion in September 2005, six months after he had won the title.
Ortiz subsequently pursued the IBF light-flyweight championship against fellow Mexican Ulises Solis. Their title contest took place in Guadalajara on 25 March 2006, with Solis retaining his belt through a ninth-round stoppage. The WBC reign and the later IBF challenge were separate chapters of Ortiz’s career, both within the same weight division. Together, those results show his involvement at world championship level beyond the single fight featured here.
BoxRec’s champion history and Ortiz’s profile document the title reign and its end. Sources: 2006 title results; Contemporary Viloria report; [1] [2]
Sources
Career records and reporting: boxrec.com; boxrec.com.
Tags
Boxing, Boxing History
