Juan Domingo Roldan, Argentina’s Great Middleweight, Dies of Coronavirus at 63

By Robert Brizel, Head Real Combat Media Boxing Correspondent

Buenos Aires, Argentina (November 24th, 2020)–  Juan Domingo Roldan, AKA Martillo (Hammer), who succeeded the late Carlos Monzon as Argentina’s best middleweight and best-known fighter in the 1980s, died on November 18, 2020, of COVID-19 Novel Coronavirus at age 63. Monzon’s last bout was in July 1977. Roldan debuted in December 1988.




A native of Freyre, Cordoba, Argentina, between 1978 and 1988, Roldan dominated the 160 pounds division of contenders, compiling a career record of 67 wins, five losses, and two draws, with 47 knockouts. His only unavenged losses were in World Boxing Council, World Boxing Association, and International Boxing Federation world middleweight title bouts with Marvelous Marvin Hagler, Thomas Hearns, and Michael Nunn. When Roldan decked Hagler in the first round of their March 1984 world title bout ar Riviera Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada, it became a legend as the only official knockdown of Hagler’s career. Roldan subsequently got thumbed in his right eye by Hagler and fought the rest of the bout nearly blind till he was stopped in the tenth round.

Roldan’s last win was a first-round knockout of former World Middleweight champion Hugo Corro in September 1988 in Mar Del Plata, Argentina. After getting knocked out by then 31-0 Michael Nunn in the eighth round of their International Boxing Federation World Middleweight title bout at the Las Vegas Hilton in November 1988, Roldan retired for good to go into private industry.




With his boxing earnings, Roldan bought an 80-hectare dairy farm where his father had worked in his youth. Roldan becomes a successful rancher. Roldan enjoyed the act of eating his own product, becoming obese, and developing hypertension. He was always a generous host to visiting boxing dignitaries, journalists, friends and family in recent years.





Roldan was diagnosed with the COVID-19 Novel Coronavirus three days before his death, and did not recover. He passed away at J. B. Iturraspe Hospital in San Francisco, Córdoba, Argentina, the same town where he was born and raised.



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