Venezuelan Boxer Lorenzo Parra’s Inspiring Journey
Lorenzo “Lencho” Parra is a Venezuelan professional boxer who held the World Boxing Association (WBA) flyweight title from 2003 to 2007. He won the championship by decision over Eric Morel and made five successful defenses.
WBA flyweight champion
On December 6, 2003, Parra defeated Puerto Rico’s Eric Morel by unanimous decision in Bayamón to win the WBA flyweight championship. He defended the title five times, including two decision wins over Japan’s Takefumi Sakata and victories over Choi Yo-sam, Trash Nakanuma, and Brahim Asloum.
Parra’s title reign ended in unusual circumstances in March 2007. He failed to make the 112-pound flyweight limit for his scheduled third bout with Sakata and was stripped of the title before the fight. Sakata then stopped him in the third round in a contest for the vacant championship.
Later career
Parra continued boxing after moving up in weight. In 2010, he fought Jorge Arce to a split draw in a WBO super-bantamweight title eliminator. He later challenged Anselmo Moreno for a WBA bantamweight title and continued competing through 2017, when he lost a decision to Denys Berinchyk.
Sources
Sources: BoxRec profile and career chronology; BoxRec: WBA flyweight champions; BoxRec: WBA flyweight title fights; WBA boxer profile; PhilBoxing report on the 2007 weigh-in and fight.
Tags
Boxing, Boxing History
