Carlos Quintana

Biography

Carlos Quintana, affectionately known as "El Indio," is a retired Puerto Rican professional boxer born November 6, 1976, in Moca, Puerto Rico.

Before turning pro, Quintana had a notable amateur career, representing Puerto Rico in various competitions. His professional debut took place on June 14, 1997, against Leoncio Medina in Dorado, Puerto Rico, where he secured a first-round technical knockout victory. Quintana remained undefeated in 23 bouts.

One of his most notable early fights was against Raul Bejerano on February 24, 2006, where he won the vacant World Boxing Organization's Latino welterweight title. Later that year, on June 24, 2006, Quintana faced Joel Julio in a welterweight title eliminator, winning by unanimous decision and claiming the World Boxing Council's Latino welterweight title.

Quintana's first world title shot came on December 2, 2006, when he faced Miguel Cotto for the World Boxing Association welterweight title. Despite a strong start, Quintana lost via fifth-round technical knockout, underestimating Cotto's speed and power.

After a comeback victory, Quintana faced the undefeated and highly touted Paul Williams for the vacant WBO welterweight title on February 9, 2008. In a closely contested bout, Quintana emerged victorious with a unanimous decision, becoming a world champion at the age of 31. This achievement marked the pinnacle of his career.

Quintana rematched Williams four months later in his first title defence, and this time, Williams produced a devastating performance, ending Quintana's reign by way of a first-round technical knockout.

Carlos continued to face top-level opponents, including a move to the light middleweight division, where he won the NABO Light Middleweight championship against Deandre Latimore.

His final professional fight was against Keith Thurman on November 24, 2012, at the Citizens Business Bank Arena in Ontario, California. He suffered a fourth-round technical knockout loss.

Throughout his career, Quintana demonstrated a unique blend of technical skill and aggressive fighting style, which earned him a loyal following among boxing fans. His record stands at 29 wins and 4 losses, with 23 of those victories coming by knockout. Despite facing setbacks, Quintana's legacy as a world champion and his contributions to Puerto Rican boxing remain significant. After retiring, he has maintained a connection to his community, using his property in Moca as a farm and engaging in various local ventures.