BoxRec

I read somewhere that DeJesus had some kind of disease at the end of his boxing career (Cerebral Palsy or something like that). Does anyone here know if there is anything to that? That would explain his knockout by Saul Mamby. Mamby was a good boxer, but was not known for getting a lot of knockouts, and DeJesus was only knocked out by Roberto Duran prior to his final fight with Mamby.

Anyone know the truth about this?

Didn't he die of a HIV related illness whilst in prison?

Yes. DeJesus was a drug user after he left boxing and got AIDS while in prison, I assume from drugs (infected needles). However, I read that at the end of his boxing career, DeJesus had some other disease, like Cerebral Palsy. I wonder if this is true.

Scypion wrote:Yes. DeJesus was a drug user after he left boxing and got AIDS while in prison, I assume from drugs (infected needles). However, I read that at the end of his boxing career, DeJesus had some other disease, like Cerebral Palsy. I wonder if this is true.

Cerebal Palsy is not a disease that you can catch... perhaps Estaban stuffered some sort of injury later on from boxing and or the drugs he took... drug abuse increases the risk of a boxer getting some form of brain damage. Very sad story about Dejesus, he was a great boxer. When he was dying of Aids Duran visited him and said something like 'you'll always be a champion'... shows Duran doesn't have a heart of stone.

DeJesus had his last fight when he was only 29 (Mamby). Maybe he was on drugs before he quit boxing. Anyway, I did read that there was something wrong with him at the end of his boxing career.

DeJesus was a great fighter. He was the first ever to beat Roberto Duran. Too bad that he didn't come along at a different time than Duran did. He may have held the Lightweight title for many years.

Funny thing about DeJesus. He is listed as 5'5" compared to 5'7" for Duran. Yet, when I watched them fight, DeJesus looks taller than Duran. Maybe Duran crouches more, but DeJesus looks taller to me in the films of their fights.

De Jesus was a great fighter, and the only man to beat an absolute peak Duran.

I think had Dejesus boxed at a different time he would most definately have been champ for quite a while and be recognised as one of the great champions. He had it all, speed, power and skill... but just lost out to Duran overall when Duran was possibly the greatest Lightweight ever.

The best thing about DeJesus was his movement, he was a beautiful mover.

Actually, DeJesus was only 28 when he had his last fight with Mamby for the Junior Welterweight title (WBC I think). Plenty of time to win another Lightweight title (WBC or WBA version or both), because Duran had left the Lightweight Division and moved up to welterweight.

I don't know when he was arrested, so I don't know if that was the reason he quit boxing when he was only 28. If not, then I wonder why he quit when he did?