Former Argentinian World Champion ¨Martillo¨ Roldan Passes Away
By Gabriel F. Cordero
PhilBoxing.com
Thu, 19 Nov 2020
L-R: Juan Domingo Roldán, “Tito” Lectoure and Carlos Monzón.
Former Argentinian world title challenger, Juan Domingo "Martillo" Roldán, 63, died at the José Bernardo Iturraspe Hospital in San Francisco in Cordoba, Argentina this Tuesday, November 18, a few days after his health situation was known after being admitted to intensive therapy for complications due to 'respiratory failure' associated with 'bilateral pneumonia' that was diagnosed after testing positive for Covid-19 added to the fact that Roldán had complications such as diabetes, hypertension and obesity.
Roldán had a professional record of 67 wins, 5 losses and 2 draws with 47 knockouts between 1978 and 1988. He became Argentine middleweight champion and in 1984 he faced the legendary Marvin Hagler for the WBC, WBA and IBF titles of 160 pounds losing by TKO in the 10th round. In 1987 he faced another legend, Thomas Hearns for the vacant WBC world middleweight title losing by knockout in four rounds. In 1988 he had his last opportunity at stardom against the middleweight champion of the International Boxing Federation (IBF) Michael Nunn losing by knockout in the eighth round deciding that it was his last fight when he announced his retirement.
With Roldan are great pages of Argentine boxing fans and many anecdotes such as knocking out a bull by hitting him right in the mouth, also facing the 270 Kilos bear Bongo of the Monumental Circus, outside of that he was the only boxer who brought down to ¨Marvelous¨ Hagler.
In the fight against Hagler it was found that Hagler had placed his fingers in Roldan's eyes and from that moment the WBC sought that the boxing gloves have the space of the thumb attached to the grip.
Roldan was not a champion because he had the era of 4 great legends in the Middleweight as Marvin Hagler, Sugar Ray Leonard, Mano de Piedra Durán and Tommy Hearns among others.
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