Eric Aiken
Encyclopedia
Eric Aiken is a professional boxer
Boxing
Boxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...
from the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in the featherweight
Featherweight
Featherweight is a weight class division in the sport of boxing. There are similarly named divisions under several Mixed Martial Arts organizations and in Greco-Roman wrestling.-Professional boxing:...
division. His record is 16-7-1 (12 KOs
Knockout
A knockout is a fight-ending, winning criterion in several full-contact combat sports, such as boxing, kickboxing, Muay Thai, mixed martial arts, Karate and others sports involving striking...
). He is the former IBF
International Boxing Federation
The International Boxing Federation or IBF is one of four major organizations recognized by IBHOF which sanction world championship boxing bouts, alongside the WBA, WBC and WBO.- History :...
world featherweight champion.
Life before boxing
According to the Feb 1, 2008 broadcast of Friday Night Fights on ESPN2ESPN2
ESPN2 is an American sports cable television network owned by ESPN. The channel debuted on October 1, 1993.Originally nicknamed "the deuce," ESPN2 was initially branded as a network for a younger generation of sports fans featuring edgier graphics as well as extreme sports like motocross,...
, Aiken was a paralegal
Paralegal
Paralegal is used in most jurisdictions to describe a paraprofessional who assists qualified lawyers in their legal work. This is true in the United States and many other countries. However, in Ontario, Canada, paralegals are licensed by the Law Society of Upper Canada, giving paralegals an...
before turning professional.During his amateur career, Aiken compiled a 97-5 record with 47 knockouts. In addition, he won numerous state titles, the Mayor's Cup and the Nationals twice.
Pro career
On April 1, 2006, Aiken defeated former IBF bantamweightBantamweight
Bantamweight is usually a class in boxing for boxers who weigh above 115 pounds and up to 118 pounds . However, in Mixed Martial Arts it is 134-136 pounds . Wrestling also has similar weight classes including bantamweight...
champion Tim Austin
Tim Austin
Timothy Austin is a professional boxer from the United States. He was nicknamed the "Cincinnati Kid".- Amateur accomplishments :*1990 National Golden Gloves flyweight champion...
by sixth-round TKO. Only one month later (on May 13, 2006), Aiken challenged undefeated IBF featherweight champion Valdemir Pereira
Valdemir Pereira
Valdemir dos Santos Pereira is a Brazilian boxer in the Featherweight division. -Amateur career:...
for the title. In the bout, Aiken knocked down Pereira in rounds four and five. Throughout the bout, Pereira hit Aiken with shots that were below the belt
Below the belt
Mainly used in combat sports such as boxing and kickboxing, below the belt refers to all the area of the body that lies below the line of the opponent's navel, including the genital area, legs, and crotch...
, and he was penalized one point in rounds six and seven. After another below the belt shot by Pereira in round eight, the referee
Referee (boxing)
The referee in the boxing is the individual charged with enforcing the rules of that sport during a match.-The role of the referee:Referees have the following roles:*Gives instructions to both boxers before the fight...
disqualified him, and Aiken was awarded the title.
Aiken lost the title on September 2, 2006 against Robert Guerrero
Robert Guerrero
Robert Joseph Guerrero is a professional American boxer of Mexican descent. He is the former IBF Super Featherweight champion and a former two-time IBF featherweight champion of the world. Nicknamed The Ghost, Guerrero's record is 29 wins, 1 loss, and 1 draw, and 2 no contest, with 18 of his wins...
.
On February 1, 2008, in Monroeville, Pennsylvania
Monroeville, Pennsylvania
Monroeville is a home rule municipality in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States. Located about east of the city of Pittsburgh, Monroeville is a bustling suburb with mixed residential and commercial developments...
, Aiken lost to Monty Meza-Clay by seventh round technical knockout.