Former world boxing champion Jorge ‘Roña’ Castro dies at 59

Former world middleweight champion Jorge ‘Roña’ Castro, famed for a remarkable comeback knockout against American John David Jackson in 1994, died aged 59 on Wednesday after suffering a heart attack, his family said.

Castro collapsed at a bingo hall in Morón, on the outskirts of Buenos Aires, while with his daughter Quimey, who said he began experiencing chest pains.

“He had a heart attack. His chest started hurting and he couldn’t withstand it. It was a matter of just 15 minutes,” she told reporters.

“Forensic police have already established that it was entirely natural,” she added.

A medical report circulating after his death said Castro had diabetes and suggested the incident at the gaming venue could have been linked to his insulin treatment. 

The circumstances surrounding his death were also being investigated by Morón’s No. 8 Prosecutor’s Office.

Career

Nicknamed both ‘Roña’ and ‘Locomotora,’ Castro was born in Santa Cruz, as born in Caleta Olivia, in the southern province of Santa Cruz, and enjoyed one of the most successful careers in Argentine boxing.

He won the World Boxing Association (WBA) middleweight title on August 12, 1994, defeating American fighter Reggie Johnson in Tucumán.

Months later, Castro defended his crown in Mexico against another US boxer, John David Jackson, in what became one of the most celebrated fights in boxing history. Despite absorbing numerous punches and trailing on the judges’ scorecards, the Argentine pulled off a dramatic ninth-round knockout. Specialist boxing magazine The Ring named the bout the best fight of 1994.

Castro successfully defended his title four times before losing it to Japan’s Shinji Takehara in Tokyo on December 19, 1995.

His final professional fight came on January 27, 2007, when he defeated José Luis Herrera by technical knockout in Mar del Plata.

Castro retired with a record of 130 wins, including 90 knockouts, 11 defeats and three draws from 144 professional bouts.