# Raúl Horacio Balbi

Raúl Horacio Balbi (born October 7, 1973) is an Argentine former professional boxer.

## Professional career

Balbi made his professional debut on November 19, 1993, in Mercedes, Corrientes, Argentina. Balbi made a victorious start to his career by knocking out Juan Bautista Sosa in the first round. One of the highlights of Balbi's early career came on June 3, 1995, when he beat Simon Canache to claim the South American lightweight title. The first loss of Balbi's career came on September 9, 1995, when he lost to Manuel Alberto Billalba via a ten round points decision, Balbi avenged this defeat later on in his career by beating Billalba twice.
On February 22, 1997, Balbi travelled to Hamburg, Germany, to challenge the Uzbek champion Artur Grigorian for the WBO lightweight title. Balbi's challenge proved to be unsuccessful, as Grigorian scored an eleventh round technical knockout. After the fight Balbi returned to Argentina, where he put together a run of five wins before losing a split decision to Walter Hugo Rodriguez.
Balbi remained undefeated over his next sixteen bouts, earning him a chance to fight Alberto Esteban Sicurella in a WBA title eliminator. Balbi won the fight by tenth round technical knockout, which led to a world title challenge against the French champion Julien Lorcy on October 8, 2001, in Paris. In the third round of the contest Balbi was able to open a large cut above the champion's right eye and had further success when he knocked Lorcy down in the seventh. The fight lasted the twelve round distance and Balbi was announced as the winner via a majority decision.
The first defence of Balbi's title took place on January 5, 2002, against Leonard Dorin in San Antonio, Texas. After a toe-to-toe battle which lasted the full twelve rounds, the Romanian challenger Dorin was announced the winner by split decision. After the fight a surprised Balbi claimed that he was "robbed". A rematch occurred five months later, this time in Bucharest, Romania. On this occasion Dorin won a unanimous decision with scores of: 118-111, 117-112 and 118-110.
A run of six consecutive wins earned Balbi another shot at the WBA title, this time for the vacant light welterweight belt. The fight took place in Bolton, United Kingdom on September 2, 2006, against the Frenchman Souleymane M'baye. Balbi was knocked down twice en route to a fourth round loss via technical knockout, thus handing the title to M'baye. Since his light welterweight title challenge Balbi has lost three times including against Denis Shafikov. His most recent match, a draw against Bolivian boxer Franklin Mamani, took place on May 28, 2010.

## Professional boxing record

| 68 fights | 55 wins | 11 losses |
| By knockout | 38 | 4 |
| By decision | 14 | 7 |
| By disqualification | 3 | 0 |
| Draws | 2 | 2 |
| No. | Result | Record | Opponent | Type | Round, time | Date | Location | Notes |
| 68 | Draw | 55–11–2 | Franklin Mamani | TD | 3 (9) | 2010–05–28 | Coliseo Julio Borelli Viterito, La Paz, Bolivia | For vacant WBA Fedebol welterweight title |
| 67 | Loss | 55–11–1 | Guillermo de Jesus Paz | UD | 6 (6) | 2009–09–11 | Polideportivo, Villa Domínico, Argentina | |
| 66 | Loss | 55–10–1 | Denis Shafikov | TD | 6 (8) | 2008–11–28 | Hartwall Areena, Helsinki, Finland | |
| 65 | Loss | 55–9–1 | Ionuţ Dan Ion | KO | 3 (10) | 2008–04–19 | Sala Polivalenta, Bucharest, Romania | For NABA light-welterweight title |
| 64 | Win | 55–8–1 | Diego Ponce | KO | 2 (8) | 2007–10–27 | Ce.De.M. N° 2, Caseros, Argentina | |
| 63 | Loss | 54–8–1 | Souleymane M'baye | TKO | 4 (12) | 2006–09–02 | Bolton Arena, Bolton, England, U.K. | For vacant WBA light-welterweight title |
| 62 | Win | 54–7–1 | Jorge Luis Noriega Medrano | TKO | 2 (12) | 2005–12–02 | Estadio Luna Park, Buenos Aires, Argentina | Retained WBA Fedelatin light-welterweight title |
| 61 | Win | 53–7–1 | Walter Diaz | TKO | 6 (10) | 2005–10–07 | Estadio Luna Park, Buenos Aires, Argentina | Retained WBA Fedelatin light-welterweight title |
| 60 | Win | 52–7–1 | Guillermo de Jesus Paz | UD | 10 (10) | 2005–09–03 | Ce.De.M. N° 2, Caseros, Argentina | |
| 59 | Win | 51–7–1 | Carlos Donquiz | KO | 5 (10) | 2005–05–26 | Estadio Luna Park, Buenos Aires, Argentina | Won vacant WBA Fedelatin light-welterweight title |
| 58 | Win | 50–7–1 | Carlos Adán Jerez | UD | 10 (10) | 2005–04–30 | Estadio Aldo Cantoni, San Juan, Argentina | |
| 57 | Win | 49–7–1 | Norberto Acosta | KO | 2 (8) | 2005–03–12 | Ce.De.M. N° 2, Caseros, Argentina | |
| 56 | Loss | 48–7–1 | Jose Rosa Gomez | KO | 8 (10) | 2003–03–08 | Ce.De.M. N° 2, Caseros, Argentina | |
| 55 | Loss | 48–6–1 | Leonard Doroftei | UD | 12 (12) | 2002–05–31 | Sala Polivalenta, Bucharest, Romania | For WBA lightweight title |
| 54 | Loss | 48–5–1 | Leonard Doroftei | SD | 12 (12) | 2002–01–05 | Freeman Coliseum, San Antonio, Texas, U.S. | Lost WBA lightweight title |
| 53 | Win | 48–4–1 | Julien Lorcy | MD | 12 (12) | 2001–10–08 | Palais des Sports, Paris, France | Won WBA lightweight title |
| 52 | Win | 47–4–1 | Vincent Howard | KO | 3 (10) | 2001–07–14 | Ce.De.M. N° 2, Caseros, Argentina | |
| 51 | Win | 46–4–1 | Alberto Sicurella | TKO | 10 (12) | 2001–03–17 | Ce.De.M. N° 2, Caseros, Argentina | |
| 50 | Win | 45–4–1 | Justo Martinez | RTD | 10 (12) | 2000–08–26 | Salon Tattersall, San Isidro, Argentina | Retained South American lightweight title |
| 49 | Win | 44–4–1 | Ariel Aparicio | KO | 1 (10) | 2000–06–08 | Argentina | |
| 48 | Win | 43–4–1 | Walter Rodriguez | RTD | 8 (12) | 2000–04–22 | Club Los Indios, Moreno, Argentina | Won vacant South American lightweight title |
| 47 | Win | 42–4–1 | Ruben Oliva | TKO | 5 (10) | 1999–12–18 | Club Argentino de Quilmes, Quilmes, Argentina | |
| 46 | Win | 41–4–1 | Santos Rebolledo | UD | 12 (12) | 1999–11–17 | Hotel El Panamá, Panama City, Panama | Won vacant WBA Fedelatin lightweight title |
| 45 | Win | 40–4–1 | Roberto Ortega | UD | 10 (10) | 1999–07–31 | Villa Domínico, Argentina | |
| 44 | Win | 39–4–1 | Luis Sosa | UD | 10 (10) | 1999–05–08 | Club Argentino de Quilmes, Quilmes, Argentina | |
| 43 | Win | 38–4–1 | Jorge David Gomez | TKO | 2 (10) | 1999–02–26 | Club Atletico Quilmes, Mar del Plata, Argentina | |
| 42 | Win | 37–4–1 | Carlos Vilches | KO | 2 (10) | 1998–11–28 | Buenos Aires, Argentina | |
| 41 | Draw | 36–4–1 | Ruben Oliva | PTS | 8 (8) | 1998–10–10 | Buenos Aires, Argentina | |
| 40 | Win | 36–4 | Hector Martinez | KO | 1 (10) | 1998–07–25 | Estudios Canal 9 TV, Buenos Aires, Argentina | |
| 39 | Win | 35–4 | Daniel Zielinski | UD | 10 (10) | 1998–05–23 | Buenos Aires, Argentina | |
| 38 | Win | 34–4 | Marcelo Cesar | KO | 1 (10) | 1998–04–04 | Buenos Aires, Argentina | |
| 37 | Win | 33–4 | Victor Hugo Sanchez | TKO | 2 (10) | 1998–02–28 | Buenos Aires, Argentina | |
| 36 | Win | 32–4 | Angel Vera | KO | 2 (10) | 1998–01–24 | Estudios Canal 9 TV, Buenos Aires, Argentina | |
| 35 | Win | 31–4 | Hector Martinez | TKO | 4 (10) | 1997–12–20 | Estudios Canal 9 TV, Buenos Aires, Argentina | |
| 34 | Loss | 30–4 | Walter Rodriguez | SD | 10 (10) | 1997–11–22 | Buenos Aires, Argentina | |
| 33 | Win | 30–3 | Manuel Billalba | PTS | 10 (10) | 1997–10–04 | Buenos Aires, Argentina | |
| 32 | Win | 29–3 | Raul Cardenas | KO | 3 (10) | 1997–08–16 | Buenos Aires, Argentina | |
| 31 | Win | 28–3 | Victor Hugo Sanchez | DQ | 5 (8) | 1997–07–19 | Villa Gesell, Argentina | |
| 30 | Win | 27–3 | Angel Vera | RTD | 7 (10) | 1997–06–07 | Estudios Canal 9 TV, Buenos Aires, Argentina | |
| 29 | Win | 26–3 | Ramon Collado | PTS | 10 (10) | 1997–05–10 | Estadio F.A.B., Buenos Aires, Argentina | |
| 28 | Loss | 25–3 | Artur Grigorian | TKO | 11 (12) | 1997–02–22 | Sporthalle, Wandsbek, Germany | For WBO lightweight title |
| 27 | Win | 25–2 | Rildo Jose Oliveira | KO | 2 (12) | 1996–12–25 | Buenos Aires, Argentina | Won vacant WBO Latino lightweight title |
| 26 | Loss | 24–2 | Alberto Roda | PTS | 10 (10) | 1996–08–17 | Estudios Canal 9 TV, Buenos Aires, Argentina | |
| 25 | Win | 24–1 | Ramon Collado | RTD | 5 (10) | 1996–07–27 | Estadio F.A.B., Buenos Aires, Argentina | |
| 24 | Win | 23–1 | Manuel Billalba | PTS | 10 (10) | 1996–05–25 | Estadio F.A.B., Buenos Aires, Argentina | |
| 23 | Win | 22–1 | Sergio Atilio Martinez | TKO | 8 (10) | 1996–04–13 | Buenos Aires, Argentina | |
| 22 | Win | 21–1 | Ricardo Vega | KO | 2 (10) | 1996–03–09 | Buenos Aires, Argentina | |
| 21 | Win | 20–1 | Simon Canache | UD | 12 (12) | 1995–10–28 | Estudios Canal 9 TV, Buenos Aires, Argentina | Retained South American lightweight title |
| 20 | Loss | 19–1 | Manuel Billalba | PTS | 10 (10) | 1995–09–09 | Buenos Aires, Argentina | |
| 19 | Win | 19–0 | Philippe Binante | PTS | 8 (8) | 1995–07–25 | Saint-Jean-de-Luz, France | |
| 18 | Win | 18–0 | Faustino Martires Barrios | PTS | 10 (10) | 1995–07–15 | Buenos Aires, Argentina | |
| 17 | Win | 17–0 | Simon Canache | DQ | 5 (12) | 1995–06–03 | Buenos Aires, Argentina | Won vacant South American lightweight title |
| 16 | Win | 16–0 | Daniel Zielinski | TKO | 5 (8) | 1995–05–13 | Estadio F.A.B., Buenos Aires, Argentina | |
| 15 | Win | 15–0 | Pedro Villegas | TKO | 3 (8) | 1995–04–07 | La Rioja, Argentina | |
| 14 | Win | 14–0 | Ruben Astorga | KO | 6 (8) | 1995–04–01 | Buenos Aires, Argentina | |
| 13 | Win | 13–0 | Fabian Bazan | TKO | 3 (8) | 1995–03–03 | La Rioja, Argentina | |
| 12 | Win | 12–0 | Marco Antonio Dos Santos | TKO | 2 (8) | 1995–01–21 | Estudios Canal 9 TV, Buenos Aires, Argentina | |
| 11 | Win | 11–0 | Rene Adelqui Collado | TKO | 5 (8) | 1994–12–28 | Buenos Aires, Argentina | |
| 10 | Win | 10–0 | Omar Victoriano Alegre | TKO | 2 (8) | 1994–12–03 | Polideportivo Delmi, Salta, Argentina | |
| 9 | Win | 9–0 | Daniel Zielinski | PTS | 8 (8) | 1994–11–19 | Buenos Aires, Argentina | |
| 8 | Win | 8–0 | Stephan Galtier | TKO | 1 (8) | 1994–10–01 | Arena de Cosets, Carpentras, France | |
| 7 | Win | 7–0 | Marcelo Gutierrez | TKO | 4 (6) | 1994–08–27 | Estadio F.A.B., Buenos Aires, Argentina | |
| 6 | Win | 6–0 | Gustavo Cuello | KO | 1 (6) | 1994–07–02 | Estadio F.A.B., Buenos Aires, Argentina | |
| 5 | Win | 5–0 | Raul Notti | KO | 1 (6) | 1994–06–25 | Buenos Aires, Argentina | |
| 4 | Win | 4–0 | Philippe Mohammed Udofe | KO | 5 (6) | 1994–05–21 | Estadio F.A.B., Buenos Aires, Argentina | |
| 3 | Win | 3–0 | Jorge Carballo | DQ | 3 (6) | 1994–04–21 | Club Nolting, Ciudadela, Argentina | |
| 2 | Win | 2–0 | Leonardo Tissera | KO | 1 (6) | 1993–12–04 | Estadio F.A.B., Buenos Aires, Argentina | |
| 1 | Win | 1–0 | Juan Bautista Sosa | KO | 1 (6) | 1993–11–19 | Mercedes, Argentina | |