By Miguel Rivera
According to numerous reports, junior flyweight contender Gilberto Parra Medina (26-4, 21 KOs) was gunned down in the Ejidal neighborhood of Pueblo Yaqui in Mexico.
The events occurred around 7:00 pm on Sunday.
Medina, 25 years old, was driving with a companion named Orlando Verduzco. - when a van approached their vehicle and several individuals opened fire - killing Medina and his passenger.
There is no information, as of yet, regarding how many times Medina was struck or possible motive for the attack. At the moment there are no suspects.
The murder of Medina is just a recent example of a common occurrence with respect to the gun violence in Mexico. Several Mexican boxers have been killed over the last few years in high crime areas within the country.
Medina had been in action back in March, when he was stopped in the ninth round by former world champion Saul Juarez - in their clash for the vacant WBC Latin junior flyweight title. The loss would snap a seven fight win streak.
Back in March of 2015, he traveled to Quezon City in the Philippines to challenge WBO junior flyweight champion Donnie Nietes, who is regarded as one of the best fighters in the lower weight classes. Nietes proved to be too much and stopped him in nine rounds.
In 2017, the older the older brother of Julio Cesar Chavez Sr. was shot and killed by robbers, Sonoran boxer David "Destroyer" Lopez was shot dead in an incident which occurred in his native Nogales, Sonora - and in La Paz, Baja California Sur - Mexican Olympian Raul Castaneda was ambushed by a storm of bullets and later died.
