Nickname(s) La Joya ("The Jewel") Nationality Argentine Draws 1 Total fights 28 Other name La Joya ("The Jewel") | Rated at Welterweight Losses 2 Division Welterweight Wins by ko 21 | |
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Similar Keith Thurman, Brandon Ríos, Timothy Bradley, Lucas Matthysse, Kell Brook | ||
Diego Gabriel Chaves (born April 7, 1986) is an Argentine professional boxer and former WBA interim welterweight champion.
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Early life
Diego Chaves was born on April 7, 1986 in San Miguel, Argentina. Chaves had a stint as a football player in the junior divisions of Argentine club Velez Sársfield before dedicating his life to boxing. His grandfather, Rudecindo, was also a boxer who fought at middleweight in Argentina in the 1970s.
Before turning pro, Chaves represented Argentina in the 2007 Pan American Games where he won the bronze medal in the welterweight category. He also participated in the Americas qualifying tournament for the 2008 Summer Olympics but was eliminated.
Professional career
Chaves made his debut at the age of 22 on July 5, 2008 against fellow countryman Juan José Islas in the town of Castelli, Buenos Aires. Chaves won by knockout in the third round. After a string of victories on home soil, Chaves fought obtained the WBO Latino light middleweight after defeating Brazilian fighter Uilian Santana Barauna. Chaves made only one defense of this title before winning the vacant WBO Latino welterweight title against another boxer from Brazil, Daniel Saboia.
Around that time, Chaves had his first fight outside Argentina, winning a non-title fight by unanimous decision against Brazilian Edvan Dos Santos Barros at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Paradise, Nevada, United States. Chaves then returned to Argentina, where he made five successful defenses of his WBO Latino welterweight belt before defeating French boxer Ismael El Massoudi to become WBA Interim Welterweight Champion on July 21, 2012. Since then, Chaves has successfully defended his Interim title once on September 22, 2012 defeating Panamanian boxer José Miranda by technical knockout in the second of twelve rounds.
