Joey Olivo Took the Long Road to Light Flyweight Gold
Joey Olivo became WBA light flyweight champion on March 29, 1985, defeating Francisco Quiroz by unanimous decision over fifteen rounds in Miami Beach, Florida. The San Fernando, California, boxer secured a world title after an earlier unsuccessful championship challenge.
Career highlights
The Quiroz victory made Olivo the first American fighter to win a version of the world light flyweight championship. It also brought a world-title contest in the 108-pound division to the United States, where the lighter weight classes rarely received the spotlight given to larger fighters.
Olivo defended the WBA championship in Seoul on July 28, 1985, beating Moon-Jin Choi by unanimous decision over fifteen rounds. The successful defense extended a title run that required him to travel overseas after winning the belt in Florida.
The end of the championship reign
Myung-Woo Yuh ended Olivo’s reign on December 8, 1985, taking the championship by split decision over fifteen rounds in Daegu, South Korea. Olivo’s championship year therefore included a title-winning decision, a successful defense and a closely decided loss to the next champion.
Olivo’s earlier world championship challenge came against Hilario Zapata in Panama City on February 8, 1981. Zapata retained the WBC light flyweight title by a thirteenth-round stoppage. Olivo’s eventual WBA victory over Quiroz therefore arrived more than four years after that first unsuccessful attempt to win a major world championship.
Sources
- BoxRec: Olivo’s background and WBA championship reign
- BoxRec: Olivo’s three WBA championship results
- Los Angeles Times / UPI: Olivo becomes the first U.S. light flyweight world champion
- Los Angeles Times: Olivo’s championship breakthrough in the United States
- Sport & Note: the February 1981 Zapata–Olivo championship result
