Rances Barthelemy


Rances Barthelemy is a Cuban professional boxer. He is a former two-weight world champion, having held the IBF junior lightweight title in 2014, and the IBF lightweight title from 2015 to 2016. Rances has two brothers, Yan Bartelemí and Leduan Barthelemy, who are also professional boxers.
Barthelemy was a standout amateur, competing in more than 200 fights and winning a Cuban junior national championship.
Barthelemy defected to the United States prior to the 2008 Summer Olympics. He left Cuba over frustration with how his brother Yan’s career was developing and the implications that it could have for his own future in the sport.

Professional career

Barthelemy defeated Arash Usmanee on 4 January 2013 by a controversial twelve-round unanimous decision which many observers thought Usmanee had won and became the #2 contender for the IBF junior lightweight title. Barthelemy would later become the #1 contender by defeating Fahsai Sakkreerin on 21 June 2013 by second-round knockout.
Barthelemy originally defeated Argenis Mendez on 3 January 2014 to win the title, but the win was considered controversial, as Barthelemy knocked Mendez out seconds after the bell to signal the end of the second round came. Mendez and his team filled an appeal to the Minnesota Combative Sports Commission and IBF shortly after the fight, and after the appeal was successful on 30 January 2014, the result was changed to a no decision and Mendez was reinstated as the IBF junior lightweight champion. Barthelemy later defeated Mendez in a rematch on 10 July 2014 via unanimous decision to win the title. He vacated his title in February 2015 in anticipation of moving up in weight category.
In his next contest, fighting in the super lightweight division against Antonio DeMarco at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, on 21 June 2015, Barthelemy gained a convincing victory. Barthelemy showed his versatility early, coming out orthodox before switching up to southpaw midway throughout the first round. Barthelemy scored a knockdown with a huge left in the fourth round, but DeMarco survived the round. Barthelemy lost a point in the ninth round for excessive low blows, but it wasn’t enough to affect the outcome as he won 99–89 on all three cards.

Professional boxing record

No.ResultRecordOpponentTypeRound, timeDateLocationNotes
31 Alberto Puello– 28 Dec 2020Arizona Federal Theatre, Phoenix, Arizona, US.png" />For WBA interim super lightweight title
30Draw27–1−1 Robert Easter Jr.SD1227 Apr 2019 Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, Las Vegas, Nevada, USFor vacant WBA, and IBO lightweight titles
29Win27–1 Robert FrankelTKO3 22 Dec 2018 Barclays Center, New York City, New York, US
28Loss26–1 Kiryl RelikhUD1210 Mar 2018 Freeman Coliseum, San Antonio, Texas, USFor vacant WBA super lightweight title
27Win26–0 Kiryl RelikhUD1220 May 2017 MGM National Harbor, Oxon Hill, Maryland, US
26Win25–0 Mickey BeySD123 Jun 2016 Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino, Hollywood, Florida, USRetained IBF lightweight title
25Win24–0 Denis ShafikovUD1218 Dec 2015 Palms Casino Resort, Las Vegas, Nevada, USWon vacant IBF lightweight title
24Win23–0 Antonio DeMarcoUD1020 Jun 2015 MGM Grand Garden Arena, Las Vegas, Nevada, US
23Win22–0 Angino PerezTKO2 26 Mar 2015 Hialeah Park Race Track, Hialeah, Florida, US
22Win21–0 David SaucedoUD124 Oct 2014 Foxwoods Resort, Ledyard, Connecticut, USRetained IBF junior lightweight title
21Win20–0 Argenis MendezUD1210 Jul 2014 American Airlines Arena, Miami, Florida, USWon IBF junior lightweight title
20NC19–0 Argenis MendezKO2 3 Jan 2014 Target Center, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USFor IBF junior lightweight title;
Originally KO win for Barthelemy, later ruled NC due to Barthelemy landing punch after the bell
19Win19–0 Fahsai SakkreerinKO2 21 Jun 2013 Convention Center, Minneapolis, Minnesota, US
18Win18–0 Arash UsmaneeUD124 Jan 2013 Magic City Casino, Miami, Florida, US
17Win17–0 Alejandro RodríguezUD818 Aug 2012 Doubletree Miamimart Hotel, Miami, Florida, US
16Win16–0 Robert OsiobeUD811 May 2012 Texas Station Casino, Las Vegas, Nevada, US
15Win15–0 Hylon Williams, Jr.UD83 Feb 2012 Texas Station Casino, Las Vegas, Nevada, USRetained UBO International lightweight title
14Win14–0 Alejandro BarreraKO2 5 Nov 2011 Pepsi Coliseum, Quebec City, Canada
13Win13–0 Gerardo RoblesUD829 Jul 2011 Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, Las Vegas, Nevada, USWon vacant UBO International lightweight title
12Win12–0 Rynell GriffinTKO2 29 Apr 2011 Cosmopolitan Resort, Las Vegas, Nevada, US
11Win11–0 James HopeTKO4 25 Mar 2011 Cosmopolitan Resort, Las Vegas, Nevada, US
10Win10–0 Anthony WoodsTKO2 11 Feb 2011 Magic City Casino, Miami, Florida, US
9Win9–0 Roberto AcevedoTKO1 19 Nov 2010 Magic City Casino, Miami, Florida, US
8Win8–0 Àngel LópezTKO3 15 Sep 2010 Verizon Wireless Arena, Manchester, New Hampshire, US
7Win7–0 John TempleTKO1 18 Aug 2010 Civic Center, Monroe, Louisiana, US
6Win6–0 John BarnesKO1 30 Jul 2010 Buffalo Run Casino, Miami, Oklahoma, US
5Win5–0 James OwensUD414 May 2010 Civic Center, Kissimmee, Florida, US
4Win4–0 Robert GuillenUD412 Mar 2010 War Memorial Auditorium, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, US
3Win3–0 Andrew BarnesTKO1 10 Oct 2009 Coliseum Complex Events Center, Greensboro, North Carolina, US
2Win2–0 Vineash RungeaKO1 28 Aug 2009 Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino, Hollywood, Florida, US
1Win1–0 Jamal ClayKO1 8 Aug 2009 Metropolitan Convention Center, Columbia, South Carolina, US