Juan Domingo Roldan, 1957-2020

By Scott Shaffer

19/11/2020

Juan Domingo Roldan, 1957-2020

The coronavirus has claimed the life of former middleweight contender Juan Domingo Roldán, a boxing legend in Argentina. Roldán packed 74 pro bouts into a ten-year career that stretched from 1978-1988. An Argentine and South American champion, his high-water mark was probably his 1983 highlight reel knockout that left Frank "The Animal" Fletcher kissing the canvas. That win vaulted Roldán into fight against undisputed world champion Marvin Hagler. Roldán scored a flash knockdown of Hagler and then lost a slugfest in which he fought into the tenth round with a completely closed right eye (way worse than Joshua Franco's eye this past weekend).  Another career highight was a 1987 TKO of James "The Heat" Kinchen in the Ray Leonard vs. Marvin Hagler co-feature. Roldan went on to lose a second title shot vs. Thomas Hearns and cash out with a career-endong loss to Michael Nunn in his third title shot. He ended up with a mark of 67-5-2, avenging his two non-title losses. Boxingtalk sends its condolences to the friends and family of Juan Domingo Roldán.