Arturo Frias
Born (1955-10-27) October 27, 1955
NationalityAmerican
Other namesArt
Statistics
Weight(s)Lightweight
Height5 ft 7 in (170 cm)
Reach67 in (170 cm)
StanceOrthodox
Boxing record
Total fights33
Wins28
Wins by KO8
Losses5

Arturo Frias (born October 27, 1955) is an American former professional boxer who competed from 1975 to 1985. He held the WBA lightweight title from 1981 to 1982.

Boxing career

Frias began his professional boxing career on February 7, 1975, one month and a half after he had turned eighteen years old. He beat Alfredo Medrano by a six round decision in San Diego that night. He made his Los Angeles debut defeating Victor de La Cruz on March 17 of that year. On his third fight, Frias obtained a six round technical decision win over Eddie Murray, who quadrupled Frias' experience, having held eight fights before their bout, compared to Frias' two fights. Murray was undefeated before losing to Frias.

On Frias' eighth bout, he won once again by a technical decision, defeating Basilio Onate in two rounds, on September 2, 1976, also in Los Angeles. Frias' first knockout victory came on his tenth fight, when he defeated Canelo Salinas in the second round on December 16 of that year.

On February 26, 1981, Frias entered the WBA's top ten rankings at the Lightweight division, with a ten round decision win over Jaime Nava, in Los Angeles. On May 30, he held his first fight abroad, and suffered his first professional defeat, at the hands of former world champion Ernesto España, who outpointed Frias over ten rounds in Caracas, Venezuela.

Despite suffering his first professional defeat, Frias was not dropped from the WBA's rankings at the Lightweight division, and, after two more wins, he received his first world title try, against WBA lightweight champion Claude Noel, on December 5 of 1981, in Las Vegas.[1]

Frias, who was not generally known as a heavy hitter, became world champion when he knocked Noel out in the eighth round. On his first defense, held on January 30, 1982, in Los Angeles, he avenged his defeat to former world champion España, beating the Venezuelan by a nine round technical decision.[2]

Frias then signed to defend his crown against Ray Mancini. An unclarified incident happened weeks before the fight, when some armed men came looking for Mancini at his hotel room as he trained for his challenge of Frias in the city of Tucson, Arizona. Frias himself was never signaled as a suspect in the incident, and Mancini-Frias took place on May 8, 1982, in Las Vegas. In what was often called the best first round in boxing history (until Marvin Hagler beat Thomas Hearns three years later), Frias wobbled Mancini and bloodied the challenger's nose in the fight's opening minute, only to have Mancini drop him and win the fight by knockout in the last minute of the first round.

On July 18 of that year, Frias bid for the USBA Lightweight title, losing by a fifth round knockout to Ruben Muñoz Jr., in Atlantic City, New Jersey.

Frias obtained four more victories before facing former world title challenger Kelvin Lampkins, on December 13, 1984, in Bakersfield. He lost by a ninth round knockout to Lampkins.

His next fight was also highly anticipated, as he faced former two division world champion and fellow Chicano Bobby Chacon, on August 15, 1985, in Sacramento. Despite dropping Chacon in the first round, Frias lost by a seventh round knockout.

Arturo Frias retired after that bout, with a record of 28 wins and 5 losses in 33 bouts, with 8 wins by knockout. He currently resides in Whittier, CA.

Professional boxing record

33 fights 28 wins 5 losses
By knockout 8 4
By decision 20 1
No. Result Record Opponent Type Round, time Date Location Notes
33 Loss 28–5 Bobby Chacon TKO 7 (10) 1985-08-15 Memorial Auditorium, Sacramento, California, U.S.
32 Loss 28–4 Kelvin Lampkin TKO 9 (10) 1984-12-13 Civic Auditorium, Bakersfield, California, U.S.
31 Win 28–3 Jose Torres UD 10 (10) 1984-06-15 Caesars Palace, Paradise, Nevada, U.S.
30 Win 27–3 Jerry Lewis TD 4 (10) 1983-08-04 Circle Star Theatre, San Carlos, California, U.S.
29 Win 26–3 Javier Rios TKO 3 (10) 1983-04-12 County Fairgrounds, Ventura, California, U.S.
28 Win 25–3 Joe Perez UD 10 (10) 1983-02-09 County Fairgrounds, Ventura, California, U.S.
27 Loss 24–3 Ruben Munoz Jr TKO 5 (12) 1982-07-18 Tropicana Hotel & Casino, Atlantic City, New Jersey, U.S. For vacant USBA lightweight title
26 Loss 24–2 Ray Mancini TKO 1 (15) 1982-05-08 Aladdin, Paradise, Nevada, U.S. Lost WBA lightweight title
25 Win 24–1 Ernesto España TD 9 (15) 1982-01-30 Olympic Auditorium, Los Angeles, California, U.S. Retained WBA lightweight title
24 Win 23–1 Claude Noel KO 8 (15) 1981-12-05 Showboat Hotel & Casino Sports Pavilion, Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S. Won WBA lightweight title
23 Win 22–1 Juan Graciano TKO 5 (10) 1981-10-29 Olympic Auditorium, Los Angeles, California, U.S.
22 Win 21–1 Rosendo Ramirez UD 10 (10) 1981-08-27 Olympic Auditorium, Los Angeles, California, U.S.
21 Loss 20–1 Ernesto España MD 10 (10) 1981-05-30 Caracas, Venezuela
20 Win 20–0 Robert Perez KO 2 (10) 1981-04-30 Olympic Auditorium, Los Angeles, California, U.S.
19 Win 19–0 Jaime Nava PTS 10 (10) 1981-02-26 Olympic Auditorium, Los Angeles, California, U.S.
18 Win 18–0 Guillermo Arreola PTS 10 (10) 1980-08-14 Olympic Auditorium, Los Angeles, California, U.S.
17 Win 17–0 Juan Sanchez KO 1 (10) 1980-06-26 Olympic Auditorium, Los Angeles, California, U.S.
16 Win 16–0 Fidel Fraijo PTS 10 (10) 1978-05-18 Olympic Auditorium, Los Angeles, California, U.S.
15 Win 15–0 Ray Saldivar UD 10 (10) 1977-12-01 Olympic Auditorium, Los Angeles, California, U.S.
14 Win 14–0 Juan Arcos KO 3 (6) 1977-07-28 Olympic Auditorium, Los Angeles, California, U.S.
13 Win 13–0 Enrique Paz KO 1 (6) 1977-03-10 Olympic Auditorium, Los Angeles, California, U.S.
12 Win 12–0 Raul Monge PTS 6 (6) 1977-02-24 Olympic Auditorium, Los Angeles, California, U.S.
11 Win 11–0 Eduardo Parra PTS 6 (6) 1977-02-10 Olympic Auditorium, Los Angeles, California, U.S.
10 Win 10–0 Canelo Salinas TKO 2 (5) 1976-12-16 Olympic Auditorium, Los Angeles, California, U.S.
9 Win 9–0 Jesus Monrreal PTS 4 (4) 1976-10-28 Olympic Auditorium, Los Angeles, California, U.S.
8 Win 8–0 Basilio Onate TD 2 (?) 1976-09-02 Olympic Auditorium, Los Angeles, California, U.S.
7 Win 7–0 Rafael Preciado UD 7 (7) 1975-11-15 Olympic Auditorium, Los Angeles, California, U.S.
6 Win 6–0 Martin Avila PTS 5 (5) 1975-10-25 Olympic Auditorium, Los Angeles, California, U.S.
5 Win 5–0 Isidro Salinas PTS 6 (6) 1975-09-20 Olympic Auditorium, Los Angeles, California, U.S.
4 Win 4–0 Jorge Mejia PTS 4 (4) 1975-06-20 Forum, Inglewood, California, U.S.
3 Win 3–0 Eddie Murray TD 6 (6) 1975-05-01 Olympic Auditorium, Los Angeles, California, U.S.
2 Win 2–0 Victor de la Cruz PTS 6 (6) 1975-04-17 Olympic Auditorium, Los Angeles, California, U.S.
1 Win 1–0 Alfredo Medrano UD 6 (6) 1975-02-07 Coliseum, San Diego, California, U.S.

See also

References

  1. "FRIAS CAPTURES TITLE AS NOEL FALLS IN 8TH". The New York Times. Retrieved 2023-11-25.
  2. "World Boxing Association lightweight champion Arturo Frias, battered and..." United Press International. Retrieved 2023-11-25.
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