Marcelo Cóceres

Marcelo Esteban Cóceres (born 27 February 1991) is an Argentine professional boxer who challenged for the World Boxing Organization (WBO) middleweight title in November 2019.

Professional career Early years Debut On 24 February 2012, Cóceres made his professional debut against 8–1 Angel Alberto Panario in San Jorge, Santa Fe Province, Argentina, Cóceres won via second-round TKO.

He would compose a record of 14–0–1 with 8 knockouts before heading for a championship bout.

Rise up the ranks WBC and WBO Latino middleweight champion After Cóceres lost hold of his IBF crown in 2017, on 18 May 2018 he fought for another Latino-labeled title, the vacant WBC Latino middleweight belt against the Chilean National middleweight champion Mirko Manquecoy in Club Social y Deportivo Salud Pública, Villaguay. Cóceres won via stopping Manquecoy in the second round.

Cóceres vs. Peralta On 21 September 2019, Cóceres fought German Ignacio Peralta for the vacant WBA Fedebol middleweight title, Coceres won via UD.

Cóceres vs. Saunders At the KSI vs Logan Paul II event on 9 November 2019 in Staples Center, Los Angeles, Cóceres challenged reigning WBO super middleweight champion Billy Joe Saunders after the bout was officially announced on 9 October 2019, this bout marked his first match outside of South American soil and his debut in the super middleweight division. On weigh-in, Cóceres tipped in at 168lbs limit whilst Saunders stood at 167¼lbs, the bout was merely criticized as "thrown in together" in a mad rush by Matchroom promoter Eddie Hearn and "NOT supposed to be competitive affairs."

Cóceres gave Saunders, who was a 100-1 favorite, a tough and action-packed fight through the first ten rounds despite the odds and early criticism, but in the eleventh, Saunders knocked Cóceres down three times, prompting referee Ray Corona to wave the fight off 1 minute 59 seconds into the penultimate round. Saunders was not pleased with his performance. Speaking to DAZN's Chris Mannix, "Look, there's no excuse. That performance is not worthy of the Canelos (Canelo Álvarez), the Jacobs (Daniel Jacobs) and the other big names. I came here five days before the fight. I'm not making excuses, but I knew, in my own heart, from round nine I have to get this man out of there... Everything was just off tonight. I won, but you know, I wanted to impress the American crowd. I hope you enjoyed the knockout, because that's the only thing I can give you tonight. So, thank you very much." At the time of stoppage, Saunders was ahead on two of the judges scorecards at 96-94 and the remaining judge had it 96-94 for Cóceres.

Facing contenders Cóceres vs. Papeschi I On 13 November 2020, Cóceres returned in the ring against regional-challenger Sebastian Horacio Papeschi for the Argentine super middleweight title in Luis Guillon, Buenos Aires, Cóceres won the bout via close UD victory.

Cóceres vs. Papeschi II On 23 January 2021, Cóceres and Papeschi had an immediate rematch for the Argentine middleweight title due to how close their contest was, in a bout scheduled for 10 rounds in Polidepotivo Municipal Eva Perón, General Madariaga Partido.

Cóceres vs. Berlanga On 9 October 2021 in the undercards of Tyson Fury vs. Deontay Wilder III event at T-Mobile Arena, Cóceres fought rising star Edgar Berlanga for the vacant WBO-NABO super middleweight strap.

Cóceres vs. Bazinyan On 23 June 2022, Cóceres fought Canadian contender and NABF super middleweight champion Erik Bazinyan for the NABF and vacant NABA super middleweight titles in Montreal, Canada. Cóceres fell short as Bazinyan dominated him in a UD victory.

Cóceres rebounded with a fourth-round TKO victory over experienced Javier Francisco Maciel on 19 August 2022, a bout that took place in the light heavyweight division.

Cóceres vs. Nursultanov On 1 October 2022, Cóceres challenged the Kazakh WBO International middleweight champion Meiirim Nursultanov for a scheduled 10-rounds bout in MOSiR Hall, Lublin, Poland, Cóceres lost via unanimous decision with the judges scoring 98–92 and 96–94 twice for the latter.

Cóceres vs. Avila On 19 May 2023, Cóceres fought Leonel "Fachín" Avila for the vacant South American light heavyweight title at the Juan Domingo Perón Cultural and Sports Events Center, González Catán, Cóceres prevailed via impressive second-round TKO to win the Continental belt.

Cóceres vs. Iglesias On 7 March 2024, Cóceres fought the reigning IBO super middleweight champion and knockout-artist Osleys Iglesias In the first round of their bout, Iglesias used his height and reach advantage, utilizing the jab until he lands a jab followed by a left hook to the temple that dropped Cóceres, where Cóceres shockingly lost in the first round as he was counted out.

Cóceres vs. Pomerleau On 21 September 2024, Cóceres faced against rising prospect David Pomerleau in Colisée de Laval, Laval, Quebec, Canada. Pomerleau scored a stunning, resounding KO victory as he put Cóceres into a halt 31 seconds into the fifth-round.

Professional boxing record