Johnny Lira
(the "World Class Pug")

BORN   July 13 1952 (Fought out of Chicago, Illinois)
HEIGHT 5-9
WEIGHT 132-142 lbs
RECORD 29-7-1 (15 KO, 1 EX)

Lira was a talented contender who began fighting in 1976 and was unbeaten in 18 contests until his WBA Lightweight Championship loss to Ernesto Espana in 1979; On the way up, he won the USBA Lightweight Championship against Andy Ganigan in 1978

As an amateur, Johnny boxed as a welterweight and middleweight and ranked among the top three welters in Illinois during the 1970s; Following his retirement from the ring, Lira has refereed amateur and professional bouts and served as a judge in boxing contests

During his career, Lira defeated such men as Ganigan, Al Ford, Marion Thomas, Bobby Plegge, Trevor Evelyn, Mike Blunt and Larry Stanton 

1976
Nov 17 Genaro Gloria              Las Vegas, Nv                    KO  4 
Nov 24 Allen Gantt                Las Vegas, Nv                    KO  3 
Dec    Tony Terraciano            Las Vegas, Nv                     W  6 

1977
Jan 20 Jimmy Ligons               Las Vegas, Nv                     W 10 
Feb  2 Frank Peralta              Las Vegas, Nv                    KO  3 
Feb  9 Canelo Salinas             Las Vegas, Nv                    KO  7 
Mar  2 Ignacio Castaneda          Las Vegas, Nv                    KO  5 
Mar 10 Jose Infante               Las Vegas, Nv                    KO  1 
Mar 16 Juan Arcos                 Las Vegas, Nv                    KO  9 
Apr 28 Miguel Estrada             Las Vegas, Nv                     W 10 
May 27 Victor Hernandez           Las Vegas, Nv                     W 10 
Jun  8 Victor Hernandez           Las Vegas, Nv                    KO  7 
Aug  3 Manuel Lopez               Las Vegas, Nv                     D 10 
Aug 24 Manuel Lopez               Las Vegas, Nv                     W 10 

1978
Jan 23 Rogelio Castaneda          Las Vegas, Nv                     W 10 
Aug    Andrew Ganigan             Honolulu, Oahu, Hi               KO  6 
          -USBA Lightweight Championship
Dec  8 Larry Stanton              New York, NY                      W 10
 
1979
Apr 27 Tom Tarantino              Chicago, Il                      TK  7 
Aug  4 Ernesto Espana             Chicago, Il                      LT  9 
          -WBA Lightweight Championship of the World

1980
May 23 Andoni Amana               Mallorca, Spain                   L  8 
Jul 10 Pedro Acosta               Chicago, Il                       W 10 
Aug 14 Leoncio Meza               Chicago, Il                      KO  4 
Sep 10 Chico Rodriguez            Cicero, Il                       KO  1 
Dec  6 Howard Davis Jr.           Stateline, Nv                     L 10 

1981
Mar  9 Bobby Plegge               Chicago, Il                       W 10 
Mar 24 Nick Furlano               Montreal, Que, Can                L 10 
May 11 Mike Blunt                 Cincinnati, Oh                   KO  2 
Aug 18 Willie Rodriguez           Honolulu, Oahu, Hi               LT  9 
          -USBA Light Welterweight Championship

1982
Feb 12 Marion Thomas              River Grove, Il                  TK  3 
Mar 11 Al Ford                    Chicago, Il                       W 10 
May 11 Trevor Evelyn              Atlantic City, NJ                 W 10 
Jul  2 Alfredo Escalera           Miami Beach, Fl                   L 10 
Oct 13 Anthony Travis             Chicago, Il                       W 10 
Dec 13 Carl Crowley               Chicago, Il                       W 10 

1983
Jul 28 Nate Stewart               Chicago, Il                       W 10 
Dec 20 Sammy Matos                Chicago, Il                      TK  9 

1984
Sep 22 Russell Mitchell           Arlington Heights, Il             L 10 

2001
Aug 29 John Nocita                Chicago, Il                      EX  4
Record courtesy of Tracy Callis, Historian, International Boxing Research Organization
 
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