With a record of 15-1 World IBF Champion Carlos “Mexicanito” Licona of Orange County, CA decides to retire. Last week Licona wrote an Instagram post thanking his family, all of his coaches, sponsors and everyone that helped him in his boxing career. In that post he made it official, he would no longer be competing in the sport that he loves.
Licona didn’t have an extensive amateur career. He only had about sixty bouts and he was trained by his father. He turned pro in 2014 and his first six pro fights were in Mexico, where he had to travel without his father and family. He said traveling to Mexico with only his trainer to fight kept him focused. Eventually he started to compete in the U.S., first in Los Angeles, CA then near his home in Costa Mesa, CA. Here in the U.S. his family was able to attend his fights, his father in his corner and his mother and sister in the crowd. Licona at the time was trained by Clemente Medina, most known for his work with World Champion Abner Mares.
In 2017, Licona and his family agreed there needed to be a change in order for Licona’s boxing career to reach it’s fullest potential. Licona along with his father and family decided to make a trainer change that would change the trajectory of his boxing career forever. He started training with 2011 BWAA (Boxing Writer’s Association of America) trainer of the year, Robert Garcia. Garcia had just recently transitioned from working full time in Oxnard, CA to Riverside, CA. The change allowed many local fighters from the surrounding areas to have access to Garcia. The drive for Licona was an hour each way daily, on the dreaded 91 freeway from Westminster to the Woodcrest area of Riverside. It was there that Licona got the opportunity to work alongside and spar World Champions like Abner Mares and future world champions like Joshua Franco, Jesse Bam Rodriguez and others. Licona’s first fight with Garcia was a six round fight in neighboring Tijuana, MX where he earned a unanimous decision in January of 2018. But it was his next fight that would take his boxing career to new heights. Garcia received a call from a matchmaker asking if he had any Strawweight fighters available in his stable, the matchmaker promised an opportunity to fight for a ten round bout for a vacant WBO Latino StrawWeight title. But the bout only came with a two week notice and against a heavily favored fighter. Not only would Licona be entering the ring on short notice he would be entering the ring in his opponent’s backyard of Puerto Rico. Licona had been competing at Mini Flyweight (108 lbs.) and had to give it serious thought it was really possible to make the Strawweight limit of 105 lbs. He thought to himself, “What’s the worst that can happen?,” I can try my hardest and if I miss weight then there’s still a chance we can negotiate for the bout to go through, the only difference would be that the title would not be his if he won. Licona told his trainer Garcia to sign him up for the fight versus Janiel Rivera in Puerto Rico for the International Championship WBO title.
With a two week notice, Licona knew that the opposing team would think they were catching him unprepared, little did they know that he was training daily helping other stablemates of his in the gym with sparring and staying active. He was running daily and working with strength and conditioning coach Nate Arreola of El Monte, CA. He knew cutting an extra three more pounds of weight was a risk but at the same time the opportunity to fight for an International title was one he could not pass up on. To add to the importance of the opportunity this would be Licona’s first bout fighting past six rounds. With only eleven bouts under his belt Licona went to Puerto Rico as a huge underdog, made the 105 pound limit and fought in his first ten round bout. He came out victorious. In a classic picture, after the judges' scorecards were announced, Licona fell to his knees, as he closed his eyes and held both arms up to the sky in victory.
Later that same year, 2018, Licona would fight for the IBF World Champion Strawweight title at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, CA against Mark Anthony Barriga in a twelve round bout. It was around this time that Mikey Garcia, Robert’s brother, was talking to Al Haymon on a regular basis securing his own fight that he was able to help get Licona a huge world title opportunity on the undercard of Deontay Wilder versus Tyson Fury. Not only did Mikey help Licona land a spot on the show but he also landed mini flyweight sensation Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez a spot as well. This was an opportunity of a lifetime for Licona and he succeeded in defeating his opponent that night in earning a split decision over undefeated 9-0 Mark Anthony Barriga. The bout took place at a strange time, right around midnight but nothing was going to hold Licona back from reaching his life long goal of becoming a World Champion.
In 2019 Licona was scheduled in his first title defense on the undercard of a show headlined by Los Angeles favorite Leo Santa Cruz. The show was held at the Microsoft Theatre and unfortunately things didn’t go in Licona’s favor this time. The sacrifice to make the 105lb limit took it’s toll on Licona’s body and in the twelfth round he was knocked down three times and the bout was stopped. Licona would only fight one more time after this in Guadalajara, Mexico before reaching the conclusion to hang up the gloves.
A fighter’s time at the top of his boxing career can sometimes be short lived. Some fighter’s spend their entire career reaching for an opportunity at a title shot. Others get the opportunity and fall short. I’m happy Carlos Licona accomplished his dream of becoming a world champion, he fulfilled his dream and the American dream for not only himself but for his parent’s. Wherever you are Carlos Licona, hold your head up high for you are the representation of the Mexican people living in America.
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