There was no stunner, no triumphant home return punctuated with a championship-belt trophy.

Adrian “Juanito” Mora

Adrian Mora grew up in a family of fighters. Mora’s father and elder brother’s are fighters and even has a brother Russell, whom has become a world class referee with the highly respected Nevada Athletic Commission.

Needless to say “Boxing is in his blood”.

Adrian began fighting as an amateur and amassed a stellar 62-8 record during that time and even won a Silver Medal at the 2000 Western trials before deciding to turn pro at the age of 22.

Mora’s pro debut was a four-round destruction of Arthur Medina on October 29, 2000. Following his pro debut Adrian rattled off 11 straight victories before being offered a short notice chance at the big time by facing the much more experienced former NABF lightweight champion Steve “The Mongoose” Quinonez (30-7-1), on the premier boxing network Showtime. This marked Adrian’s first 10-round fight in only his 12th pro bout. Adrian defeated the crafty veteran Quinonez who had previously faced the likes of Diego Corrales, Jose Luis Castillo, Mickey Ward, via 10 round split decision in Quinonez own backyard of Lemoore, CA.

Next up for Mora wasanother trip deep into enemy territory as he faced his toughest challenge yet the veteran Mexican banger Juan Carlos Rubio (31-7-2), although Adrian was coming off of his most credible win to date, the fight with the much more experienced Rubio would prove to be a battle, Adrian and Rubio fought to a draw in a 10 round bout in which many felt Adrian deserved the victory. However the circumstances were not on the side of the Thornton, CO native as two of the three judges saw the fight 95-95.

Since the war with Rubio, Mora fought seven more times; four-round unanimous decision against Johnny Walker (18-14), eight-round decision versus Roberto Valenzuela (33-17-2), second-round TKO of Shawn Simmons (26-15-1), unanimous four-round decision against Frans Hantindi (11-8-2), a second-round TKO of Anthony Ivy, and just one month later, Adrian captured the vacant NBA light welterweight title, stopping challenger Aaron Drake (11-3) by third-round TKO in Tampa, Florida. May 5, 2007, Adrian added the IBA light welterweight title to his mantelpiece by annihilating former NABO challenger Marc Thompson (15-1), Mora landed a picture perfect right hand blast while Thompsom attempting a jab ate the shot and found himself lying face down on the canvas unable to continue at 1:22 of the first round.

Adrian’s first defense of his IBA title he faced the battle tested former IBF World Champion Javier “El Chattito” Jauregui (51-14-2) who had twice KO’d the lightweight legend Jose Luis Castillo. Adrian fought a grueling fight with the former champion before succumbing to a looping left hand that seemed to land on the back of his head; Mora was clearly hurt, showing the warrior he is he got back to his feet and tried to fight on. However, Javier proved his championship pedigree and finished th e fight shortly thereafter by KO. Adrian later commented “I learned a powerful lesson tonight! Tonight I learned what it is to be a champion and how to become one; This fight will make me a better more complete fighter and I look forward to fighting on and fulfilling my destiny of becoming a World Champion.” Adrian has been rated No. 5 by the NABA, No. 7 by the NABF, and No. 11 by the USBO. Mora is promoted by X-Cel Worldwide, managed by Al Mermini, and trained by Eddie Mustafa Muhammad.