Cristian Mijares

Biography

Cristian "El Diamante" Mijares, born on October 2, 1981, in Gómez Palacio, Durango, Mexico, etched his name in the annals of boxing history as one of the most skilful southpaws of his era. Known for his defensive mastery, precise counterpunching, and resilience, Mijares enjoyed a career spanning over two decades, highlighted by world title reigns and memorable battles against top-tier opponents.

Mijares made his professional debut at the age of 15 on August 20, 1997, in Durango, defeating Pedro Hernandez over four rounds on points. Early in his career, Mijares showcased technical skill and poise beyond his years, steadily building his reputation on the domestic scene. His first significant milestone came on March 12, 2004, when he won the Mexican super-flyweight title unanimously over Tomas Rojas. He defended the title with dominant performances, including a first-round knockout of Javier Torres and a stoppage of Gerson Guerrero in the eighth round.

In February 2006, Mijares fought Luis Maldonado in a WBC title eliminator, ending in a majority draw. Later that year, he defeated Katsushige Kawashima in Tokyo via a split decision to capture the interim WBC super-flyweight title, marking his entry into the global spotlight. A rematch against Kawashima followed in November, with Mijares securing a more convincing unanimous decision to solidify his status. He then defended his title against Reynaldo Lopez with another dominant display.

On April 14, 2007, Mijares faced the formidable Jorge Arce in a highly anticipated bout for the WBC world super-flyweight title. Using his impeccable defensive skills and superior ring IQ, Mijares outclassed Arce over 12 rounds to win by unanimous decision, cementing his place as one of the elite fighters in the division. He went on to make successful defences against Teppei Kikui, Franck Gorjux, and Jose Navarro, each victory underscoring his technical prowess.

A career-defining moment came on May 17, 2008, when Mijares unified the WBC and WBA super-flyweight titles by defeating Alexander Muñoz in a split decision. He added another dominant win to his record on August 30, 2008, stopping former WBC champion Chatchai Sasakul in three rounds. However, later that year, Mijares suffered a crushing defeat at the hands of Vic Darchinyan in a unification bout for the WBC, WBA, and IBF belts, losing by ninth-round knockout.

Mijares rebounded in December 2010, capturing the IBF super-flyweight title with a unanimous decision over Juan Alberto Rosas. He defended the belt successfully against Carlos Rueda before moving up in weight to challenge for super-bantamweight titles. Notable bouts at 122 pounds included a split-decision loss to Victor Terrazas for the vacant WBC super-bantamweight title in 2013 and a unanimous decision loss to Leo Santa Cruz for the same belt in 2014.

Mijares's final fight came on June 16, 2018, against Wilfredo Vazquez Jr. in Cancún, where he was stopped in the third round, ending an illustrious career. He retired with a professional record of 59 wins, 9 losses, and 2 draws, including 27 victories by knockout. Over 70 professional bouts, Mijares demonstrated consistency, adaptability, and mastery of the sweet science, earning him multiple world championships and widespread respect among fans and peers alike.