Name: Argenis Mendez	BoxRec Record
	Record: 17-1, 9 KOs
	DOB: 6/3/86
	Height: 5'9"
	Weight: Super Featherweight
	Birthplace: San Juan de la Maguauna, DR
	Resides: Brooklyn, NY
	Last Fight: 7/28/10 W 8 Shamir Reyes
	Next Fight: TBA

Biography

Argenis Mendez is an extremely talented prospect from the Dominican Republic.  Born in San Juan de la Maguana, he now resides in Brooklyn, New York.  He comes from a spectacular amateur background and it shows in his polished and refined ring style.  Mendez, a technical and heavy handed boxer puncher, has a style that is pleasing to watch in the ring.  “He is an intelligent fighter,” said Mendez’s manager Jose Nunez.  “Mendez is a superior and accurate counterpuncher.  I love his style.” 

Argenis Mendez came across boxing when he was twelve years old.  He went to see a boxing match for the first time and it was love at first sight.  Shortly after he asked his parents to take him to a boxing gym and 250 amateur and 14 professional fights later, he still considers himself a student of the sweet science.  “I am always learning,” said Mendez.  “I keep improving and try to take a lesson from each and every fight.”

The young Mendez was passionate about boxing early on, and his hard work and fortitude as a teenager paid off when he won a silver medal at the 2004 Junior World Olympics.  He also won a coveted spot on the 2004 Olympic Team, an accomplishment he is very proud of.  “I am proud because I was young and I worked hard,” said Mendez.  “I sacrificed.”

On December 18, 2006, Argenis Mendez made his professional debut against Jose Fonseca in the Palacio Virgilio Travieso Soto in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.  Mendez went on to knock out Jose with his signature left hook to the body in the second round.  Argenis was excited to be finally making his professional debut in front of his friends and large family.

“My family has always been my rock.  They inspire me to keep fighting, to get better, to be stronger,” said Mendez.  “I thank God we are so close and all together.”  Mendez’s immediate family consists of his parents, who are happily married.  He also has four brothers and a sister as well as many cousins, aunts, uncles, and his grandparents.  “I just love them all,” says Mendez.  “My family and boxing mean the most to me in my life.”

After his successful professional debut, Mendez came to the Hammerstein Ballroom in New York City on February 17th, 2007 to fight Rubin Jacoby on a Lou DiBella Broadway Boxing card.  Mendez showed off his aesthetic ring style and went on to win an impressive four round unanimous decision.

After that is was smooth sailing for the confident and hard working Mendez.  He went on to improve his record with a slew of consecutive wins over tough competition., fighting everywhere from Madison Square Garden to the Bronx to Brooklyn to Puerto Rico.  He beat competition such as Oscar Gonzalez in a first round stoppage, Jose De La Rosa in a first round knockout in his first six rounder, a first round stoppage of Billy Campbell in Madison Square Garden, a second round knockout of Daniel Lorenzana in Florida, a fourth round stoppage over Martin Armenta in Houston, Texas, and a unanimous decision over Guadalupe Guzman in the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas.

In his first eight round bout on November 9, 2007, Mendez stepped up and went on to outbox and win an impressive unanimous decision over Jorge Ruiz in the Paradise Theater in the Bronx.

For his tenth bout on December 22, 2007, Mendez took on tough Luis Sosa, a fellow Dominican fighter with almost sixty professional fights under his belt, compared with Mendez’s 9 professional fights at the time.  Mendez returned to the Dominican Republic to duke it out with his fellow countryman at the Coliseo Carlos “Teo” Cruz in Santo Domingo, and knocked Sosa out in the second round.

Next up for Mendez was the talented Oscar De La Cruz on April 3rd, 2008 in the Aviator Sport Arena in Brooklyn.  In a beautiful display of boxing and counterpunching, Mendez dominated De La Cruz until he finally had enough and was sent into the ropes with a punch flurry from Mendez.  The reported blows showed Mendez landing over double the shots that De La Cruz had landed.

On June 6th, 2006, Mendez met his biggest challenge to date in the form of Jose Navarette (13-16-2) in the Sovereign Performing Arts Center in Reading, PA.  The aggressive and brutal Navarette came to fight one hundred percent, and Mendez had to step up to the plate and adjust to fend off and beat Navarette, who never stepped coming at him with everything he had.  It was a tough fight for Mendez, but in the end styles make fights and in this case the boxer beat the brawler in what ended in a split decision in favor of Mendez, who fought an intelligent fight and showed his potential for growth.

On October 3, 2008, Mendez fought Jamie Sandoval (14-3-0) at the National Western Complex Arena in Denver, Colorado.  He knocked down Sandoval in the first round, and Sandoval was saved by the bell.  The fight went on and Mendez lost a very close split decision to the more experienced Sandoval in what most saw as a draw.  “I learn from my mistakes,” said Mendez about the fight,.  “This will make me a better fighter, because you have to know how the terrible feeling to lose to have the champion’s desire to win.”

Like a true champion, Mendez came back to win his next fight in spectacular fashion, back in his home country of the Dominican Republic at the Palacio de Deportes in Santo Domingo on December 12, 2008.  There he impressed spectators by winning a competitive but clear and unanimous decision over the skillful Arturo Gomez (15-10-3).

Soon after, Lou DiBella of DiBella Entertainment decided to sign Mendez to his roster of elite athletes.  “He is a technical boxer, a skillful boxer, and a nice kid,” said DiBella.  “He knows how to conduct himself in the ring.  I predict great things for Argenis.”

So does Mendez’s manager.  “The guy does not even take a day off, even in between fights,” said Nunez.  “He will be a champion soon.”

Mendez also has high hopes for his future.  “I want to be to my country how Manny Pacquiao is to the Philippines or Oscar De La Hoya is to Mexico.  To give them hope,” said Mendez.

Articles

8/4/10 - Mendez Targets Litzau - Fightnews.com

6/23 - Argenis Mendez Signs Promotional Deal with DBE - BoxingScene.com