By Miguel Rivera
Former IBF lightweight champion Javier Jauregui, 40-years-old, suffered a stroke and underwent surgery on Monday, December 9th, at the New Civil Hospital in Guadalajara, Mexico. On Tuesday, several sources in Mexico have been told that Jauregui is brain dead.
The boxer had a career filled with ups and down. He had 73 fights as a pro, including an eleventh round knockout of LeaVander Johnson on November 22, 2003 to capture the IBF lightweight title at the Olympic Auditorium in Los Angeles. He also scored two knockout victories over a young Jose Luis Castillo.
In the later part of his career, he was mostly used as a "tough test opponent" for young up and coming boxers, but he fought a whole army of names along the way - like Jesus Chavez, Agapito Sanchez, Acelino Freitas, Julio Diaz, Randy Suico, Joan Guzman and Ruslan Provodnikov.
After his career came to close, Jauregui became a team member of WBC 154-pound champion Saul "Canelo" Alvarez. He would always accompany Canelo during his big fights.