Antonio DeMarco’s Lightweight Charge
Antonio DeMarco was losing rounds to Jorge Linares when their October 2011 title fight turned. With the vacant WBC lightweight championship at stake, DeMarco kept walking through Linares’s sharp combinations. In the 11th round, he hurt Linares along the ropes and forced the stoppage. The rally from behind made DeMarco a world champion and defined his best-known night.
From Los Mochis to the title
Born in Los Mochis, Sinaloa, DeMarco turned professional in 2003. His patient, southpaw pressure carried him through the lightweight ranks, but the first attempt at the WBC belt had ended in defeat. When a second opportunity came against Linares in Los Angeles, DeMarco had to absorb Linares’s speed and accuracy before his own body attack began to change the fight.
Two defenses, then a new challenge
DeMarco defended the title with a fifth-round knockout of Miguel Román in his hometown, then stopped John Molina Jr. in just 44 seconds. His reign ended against Adrien Broner in November 2012. Broner’s speed and defense kept DeMarco from building the same kind of late rally, and the referee halted the fight in the eighth round.
DeMarco continued boxing after losing the championship, moving up in weight and returning to the ring several times. In June 2020, he faced unbeaten Giovani Santillan in Las Vegas. Santillan won a competitive majority decision over ten rounds, a reminder that DeMarco remained a demanding opponent years after his title run.
DeMarco’s championship story rests on one defining swing: a fight that seemed to be slipping away until he forced Linares to fight at close range. The title defenses that followed showed the danger in his pressure, while the Broner bout marked how quickly an elite technician could disrupt it.
Sources: Fox Sports: DeMarco stops Linares for the title; BoxRec: Broner fight and title reign; WBC: Santillan–DeMarco result; Cleto Reyes: DeMarco profile. Browse more in our boxing archive.
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Article Tags
Antonio DeMarco, Boxing, Boxing History, Championship Boxing
