Victor Entertainment (ビクターエンタテインメント株式会社, Bikutā Entateinmento Kabushiki Kaisha^?) is a subsidiary of Japan Victor Company (JVC) that produces and distributes music, movies and other entertainment products such as anime and television shows in Japan. It was formerly known as Victor Music Industries (ビクター音楽産業, Bikutā Ongaku Sangyō^?). It was affiliated with RCA Victor Records.

History[link]

• April 1972: Victor Music Industries, Inc. (ビクター音楽産業株式会社, Bikutā Ongaku Sangyō Kabushiki Kaisha^?) spun off as subsidiary of JVC
• February 1984: Sales and marketing department of JVC spun off as Nihon AVC, Inc. (日本エイ・ブイ・シー株式会社, Nihon Ei・Bui・Shī Kabushiki Kaisha^?)
• January 1988: Striked a deal with BMG Japan after Bertelsmann Music Group purchased RCA Records
• June 1991: Ended deal with BMG Japan after the US subsidiaries for Nihon AVC and Victor Music Industries opened two months earlier
• April 1993: Nihon AVC and Victor Music Industries merge and the name is changed to Victor Entertainment
• March 1999: Moved main office

Labels[link]

Major artists[link]

Listed alphabetically by group or first name. Names are in Western order (given name, family name).

Distribution managements[link]

• BMG Japan (1988–1991)

External links[link]

• (Japanese) Victor Entertainment
• Victor Entertainment on Twitter
• Victor Entertainment on Facebook
• Victor Music Channel Presented by Victor Entertainment's channel on YouTube

This biographical article needs additional citations for verification. Please help by adding reliable sources. Contentious material about living persons that is unsourced or poorly sourced must be removed immediately, especially if potentially libelous or harmful. (August 2011)

Park Jung Min
Park Jung Min at Incheon Airport on Jun 3rd 2011
Background information
Birth name	박정민 (朴政珉)
Born	(1987-04-03) 3 April 1987 (age 25) Seoul
Origin	South Korea
Genres	K-pop, J-pop, Dance, R&B
Occupations	Singer, Dancer, DJ, MC, Actor, model
Years active	2005–present
Labels	DSP Media (2005 - 2010) CNR Media (2010 - 2012) Pony Canyon (Japan) Sony Music Taiwan (2010-present)
Associated acts	SS501 (2005-present)
Website	www.parkjungmin.net

Park Jung Min (Hangul: 박정민, Hanja:朴政珉, Kana: パク・ジョンミン) was born on 3 April 1987. He is a South Korean entertainer and member of boyband SS501.^[1] He made his musical debut in Grease and was the first SS501 members to debut as a solo artist with mini album Not Alone.

Early life[link]

Park Jung Min was born, and grew up in Seoul; he was raised as a Christian. He has two older siblings, a brother and a sister, neither of whom work in the entertainment industry. As the late child of the family (his brother is 14 years older than him), he receives great love from his parents and his siblings, who keep support him at whatever he does. His sister is now managing Park's online shopping mall Royal Avenue. Park's awareness of his health and body is largely influenced by his mother - a nutritionist who always takes great care of him.

In the TV show Jeong Bo-seok’s One o’clock in the Morning Chungdam Dong, Park openly told stories about an unfortunate family incident that occurred when he was young. When he was in primary school, the building which his family was living in had to be reconstructed so they were supposed to move out; however, since their financial status was rather poor, they could not find another place to live. Park and his family then had no choice but to live in an apartment where the power was cut off. After some time, they finally found a place to settle down. When he became a teenager, Park worried about his sister's security, so he even accompanied her to her school. ^[2]

Career[link]

Early career[link]

When he was a high school student, Park Jung Min was offered a chance to audition from an agency when he was wandering on the streets in Apgujeong-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul. However, it was a fraud agency which Park will have to pay 4-month fees. Since he really wanted to become an artist and aid his family, Park convinced his mother to pay the fees. Because of the limited training and strange atmosphere, he left that agency with other students who were receiving training. Among these trainees in the fraud agency was actress Hong Soo Ah.^[3]

At first, he first had dreamt of becoming a policeman, but then changed his mind and chose to pursue the path of an artist. When he was 13 years old, Park was scouted by an agency and later on, he was casted into both DSP Media and S.M. Entertainment. At the time, SM told him that they were preparing a new group, but that the group consisted of many members (which according to Park, "it was probably Super Junior". I saw them rehearsing, too"). Park had to choose between one or the other, so eventually he chose DSP Media because he wanted to see himself on TV and believed that he would be able to debut faster through DSP Media. Even though he initially wanted to become an actor, Park chose to debut as a singer instead as he believed that his wish would be fulfilled later.^[4]

Before joining SS501, Park was seen VJ-ing and appeared in various commercials. He was the MTV Fresh VJ from March 2003 to November 2003.^{[citation needed]}

Park attended Dongguk University Teacher’s College High School, where he was the Student Council President with fellow SS501 member Kim Hyung Jun. However, because of Kim Hyung Jun's constant absence from school due to his training with DSP Media (which later became their agency), Park said that he had never met Kim before SS501 was formed.^{[citation needed]}

2005-2010: SS501[link]

He debuted with SS501 on 8 June 2005, and was the second to audition for the group.

Park along with the other members of SS501, except for Young Saeng, who was recovering from surgery, lent their voices to the Korean version of 2006 animated film Pi's Story.^[5]

In 2006, Park hosted radio programme SS501's Youngstreet on Seoul Broadcasting System (SBS) with fellow band member Heo Young Saeng beginning 1 May 2006. Then continue to host with Kim Kyu Jong, another of his band mates, when Heo left the programme on 21 August 2006, due to a throat condition requiring laryngeal surgery.^[6]

Park starred in two television programmes: Human Theater 2010, playing himself as the main character, and What Women Want. In 2008, he made his musical debut in Grease, playing the lead role, 'Danny Park'.^[7]

2010: Solo artist[link]

In June 2010, upon the expiration of Park's contract with DSP Media, he signed with CNr Media on 10 August 2010, a company jointly set up by Taiwanese producer Comic-Ritz and Korean Roy Media, to embark on his solo career. CNr Media stated that SS501's activities are top priority in his contract and that they have not disbanded.^[8]

Park released his debut solo mini album, Not Alone, on 20 January 2011, and visited Taiwan and Singapore to promote it.^[9] His albums are distributed in Taiwan by Sony Music Taiwan.^{[citation needed]}

In April 2011, Park performed with Japanese duo Mihimaru GT at a UN Charity Concert in Yokohama, Japan to aid victims of the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami.^[10]

2012: Lawsuit against CNr Media[link]

On Feb 24th, the Taiwanese drama Fondant Garden, in which Park played the lead role Park Hee Hwan alongside with Kingone Wang, Jian Man Shu and Lia Lee, was first broadcasted on free-to-air China Television (CTV).^[11] The series consists of 16 episodes and was on air once a week every Friday night at 10pm (local time).

During the 2012 Seoul Fashion Week, Park participated in the Dominic's Way fashion show as the vedette and donned the creation of designer Song Hye Myung, who designed SS501's clothes for their Destination mini album jacket . He attracted audiences' attention in the event as he walked down the runway wearing dark angel attire with spreading wings with a fierce facial expression. ^[12]

According to the legal circle, on April 12th, Park has filed an injunction to the Seoul Central District Court against his agency CNr Media to suspend the exclusive contract. A source close to Park said, “The exclusive contract with CNr Media stated that the profits would be divided 8-to-2 for those coming from Korea and 5-to-5 for those coming from overseas, but the profits were never distributed except for the 150 million won given since last year.” ^[13] According to other media sources, Park has actually departed from CNr Media since March 2012, which answers to his fans' raising inquiries about the fact that Park hadn't been seen with his former manager for months and why he had been driving by himself lately. Park has showed his professional quality by departing to Japan on April 13th afternoon and following his schedules in Japan on the 14th despite of the on-going lawsuit with his former agency. ^[14]

Personal life[link]

Aside from singing and acting, another speciality of Park Jung Min is tap dance, which he learned before joining SS501. He also enjoys composing songs and hiking.^{[citation needed]}

On MBC Golden Fisheries – Radio Star on 6 May 2009, Park admitted that he has not had a girlfriend since his debut in 2005 and said "since I haven’t been in a relationship in a long time, I feel like all the love cells inside of me are dying.", which he confirmed it once again on Jeong Bo-seok’s One o’clock in the Morning Chungdam Dong. Because of Park's long time single relationship status and Kim Hyun Joong's pranks, there were even gay rumours about him dating his fellow member Kim Hyun Joong from late 2007 until early 2008. He then cleared the rumours up stating, “I’m just a regular guy. I’m going to save a little more, and when I meet the right person, I want to get married.". He also revealed that his ideal girl was actress Ko So-young, who he has liked since his middle school, when she was on the TV drama Mother’s Sea.^[15]

Park went through an extremely hard time after SS501 ended their contracts with DSP Media and before he released his first mini album Not Alone. During the time he was starting his solo career, Park even thought about stopping everything and committing suicide. However, Park was able to get through these hard times because he knew that there were people who believed that he could be successful as one person, Park Jung Min. ^[16]

Park's motto for his life is "Always be thankful". Because of the hardships he has gone through since his childhood, Park has always put in his utmost effort into becoming a son his parents are proud of and worked really hard without resting, which has raised the concern of his fans about his health. On 12 October 2010, Park was brought to the emergency room after he fainted due to fatigue, which accumulated during the time he was working on his first mini album Not Alone, and an overwhelming release of tension.^[17]

Discography[link]

Solo[link]

• 2007: "Here" - Kokoro
• 2009: 나 뿐인가요(Only Me?) - Taiwan SS501 1st Solo Album
• 2009: 하면은 안돼" (If You Can Not) - Solo Collection
• 2011: 그립다 (Missing You) - The Princess' Man OST (공주의 남자 OST)
• 2011: 君色 (Your Colour) - Love Song in August OST (八月のラヴソング OST)

Korean[link]

Japanese[link]

1. Sales: 24,580

Filmography[link]

Awards[link]

References[link]

External links[link]

• (Korean) Park Jung Min's official site
• (Japanese) Park Jung Min's official site
• Park Jung Min's official Youtube channel
• (Korean) Royal Avenue homepage

Rimi Natsukawa (夏川 りみ, Natsukawa Rimi^?, born 9 October 1973) is an Okinawan singer. She is best known for her 2001 single "Nada Sōsō."

Childhood[link]

Natsukawa was born in Ishigaki, the largest city in the Yaeyama Islands chain. From a young age she enjoyed singing, and wanted to be a singer after hearing her father sing Yaeyama folk songs, such as "Tsuki nu Kaisha" (月ぬ美しゃ, Beauty of the Moon^?) and "Densaa Bushi" (デンサー節, Tradition Song^?).^[1][2] From 7 years old, she practised two hours everyday, with the help of her father, him training her up to be an enka singer. At 9, she won a local singing contest (the Chibikko Nodo Jiman Daikai (ちびっこのど自慢大会, Our Tiny Kids' Throats Competition^?)). Natsukawa continued to win competitions, and in 1984 won the MBS TV show Shirōto Meiji-kai (素人名人会, Amateur Master Meet^?)'s grand prize. In 1986, she won the Nagasaki Kayōsai (長崎歌謡祭, Nagasaki Song Festival^?)'s grand prize (the youngest person to win this prize at the time).^[1]

Pony Canyon debut[link]

Natsukawa, by chance, was scouted shortly after winning the competition at 13 years old.^[1] She moved to Tokyo, and started preparing for her debut. She debuted later in 1989 as an enka singer with the name "Misato Hoshi," under Pony Canyon. She released three singles in three years, and did not find much success.

Natsukawa felt defeated after this, and after living for four years in Tokyo, she moved back to Okinawa. She lived with her older sister in Naha,^[2] and helped out in her restaurant, singing for patrons daily.^[1] As patrons would travel quite a distance to hear her sing, she gradually regained her desire to be a singer.

In 1998, she appeared on an Okinawan radio show called Iwa-chan no Vitamin Radio (岩ちゃんのビタミンラジオ, Rocky's Vitamin Radio^?) as an assistant.

Re-debut[link]

Natsukawa's musical director from her Pony Canyon days decided to set up a music production company for her, and in 1999 asked if she could return to the capital. She was soon signed under Victor Entertainment, and re-debuted with the single "Yūbae ni Yurete" (夕映えにゆれて, Swaying in the Sunset^?). She was finding similar success to her first debut, as neither of her first singles charted. While watching the news broadcast of the 26th G8 summit held in Okinawa, Natsukawa watched a performance of Okinawan folk band Begin perform a song called "Nada Sōsō." She found she could not get it out of her head, and requested that she could cover the song backstage at a Begin concert.^[3] The song was released as her third single in March 2001.

Very slowly and steadily, the song started gaining popularity. It was a hit on Okinawan radio, and in May 2002 (over a year since its release) it first charted in the Oricon top 100 singles charts. Natsukawa released an EP of Okinawan cover songs, Minamikaze, in May, adding to the momentum. By June, the single had broken the top 50, and by July the top 20.^[4] Her debut album Tida: Tida Kaji nu Umui was released in September. Natsukawa was asked to perform the song at the 2002 Kōhaku Uta Gassen (New Year's song competition), which made the song break the top 10.

None of these three releases charted very highly, but they all charted extremely gradually. By the time Tida: Tida Kaji nu Umui and Minamikaze stopped charting (roughly two years later), they had sold 280,000/371,000 copies respectively. "Nada Sōsō" stopped charting a total of six years after its release, and sold over 680,000 copies.^[4]

Natsukawa released a string of Okinawan song-based released from this time until 2004. One of these, "Warabigami (Yamatoguchi)" (童神～ヤマトグチ～, Little God (Standard Japanese)^?) (a Misako Koja cover), was nominated for the Japan Record Award. It was Natsukawa's biggest hit since Nada Sōsō, reaching the top 20.^[4]

Original song move[link]

In 2004, Natsukawa's music changed to centre more around original songs, with her third album Kaze no Michi (her second, Sora no Keshiki, featured many original songs, but still centred around Okinawan folk songs). She started a trend in her music for collaborating with high profile musicians (Kazufumi Miyazawa, The Gospellers). Her 2005 follow-up, Ayakaji no Ne, was similar, with Kentarō Kobuchi of Kobukuro writing her single "Sayōnara Arigatō" (さようなら ありがとう, Good-Bye, Thank You^?). Natsukawa's releases began dropping in sales, with "Sayōnara Arigatō" being her most recent top 50 single, with its 2006 re-release.^[4]

In 2006, she released a compilation album, Rimi Natsukawa Selection, that was only for release in non-Japanese Asian countries. The album was a massive success in Taiwan, reaching #1 on the Taiwanese album charts.^[5]

In 2007, Natsukawa ended her contract with her production office.^[6] She continued to release music under Victor, however, such as her 5th album Umui Kaji.

Song Search[link]

At Natsukawa's concerts and at her website, she began asking for submissions from fans for songs they would like to hear her cover.^[7] The result of this was the "Uta Sagashi" (歌さがし, Song Search^?) project, where Natsukawa worked on covering mainly Japanese popular songs. This resulted in the album Uta Sagashi: Request Cover Album, her most successful release of her material since 2003.^[4]

Since this, Natsukawa has continued to release original material and compilations. Her second Uta Sagashi album was released in February 2010, and is her first bilingual Japanese/Chinese album.^[8]

Personal life[link]

Natsukawa married percussionist Masaaki Tamaki (玉木正昭) on January 1, 2009.^[9] Their first child, a boy, was born on August 20, 2010.^[10]

Discography[link]

References[link]

External links[link]

• Official Website (Japanese)
• Official Victor Site (Japanese)

Jeff Fenech
Statistics
Real name	Jeff Fenech
Nickname(s)	Marrickville Mauler
Rated at	Super bantamweight
Nationality	Australian
Born	(1964-05-28) 28 May 1964 (age 48) Marrickville, Sydney, Australia
Stance	Orthodox
Boxing record
Total fights	33
Wins	29
Wins by KO	21
Losses	3
Draws	1
No contests	0

Jeff Fenech (born 28 May 1964 in Marrickville, Sydney, Australia) is a retired Australian boxer and a three-weight world champion who is now a boxing trainer.

Boxing career[link]

Fenech had a stellar amateur career, which led to him representing his country at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. It was that year that Fenech began his professional boxing career, beating Bobby Williams by a knockout in two in his homeland. Fenech was a fast starter: He won his first eleven bouts by knockout, and held his first fight abroad in only his fourth fight, when he beat Iliesa Manila by a knockout in two at Fiji.

He beat fringe contenders Wayne Mulholland and Rolando Navarro, both by a knockout in the fifth round, to start 1985. After those two wins, he was placed number one among the world's bantamweights by the International Boxing Federation.

Bantamweight champion[link]

Fenech only took six professional fights to become the number one contender, and he placed in fifth place all time for the boxer who got to fight for the world title the fastest after beginning his career when he challenged Satoshi Shingaki for the IBF title in only his seventh bout, displacing the second Davey Moore, and trailing Leon Spinks, Saensak Muangsurin, Pete Rademacher and Rafael Lovera. Fenech was the third fastest boxer to become a world champion, behind Muangsuring and Spinks, when he knocked out Shingaki in nine rounds in Sydney. After two non title knockout wins, he gave Shingaki a rematch and retained the crown with a knockout in three. After one more non title knockout win, Fenech had to go the distance for the first time, when he faced Jerome Coffee, retaining the title by a 15 round unanimous decision.

In 1986, Fenech had only two bouts, but they were both major fights: He won a 10 round, non title fight decision over former bantamweight and future super bantamweight world champion Daniel Zaragoza, and he retained the world championship with a knockout in 14 over Steve McCrory.

Super bantamweight champion[link]

1987 was a big year for Fenech. He went up in weight, and in his first fight as a super bantamweight, he defeated Tony Miller by a decision. Then, the WBC super bantamweight champion, Samart Payakaroon, traveled to Australia to defend his belt against Fenech. Fenech became a two-weight world champion by knocking Payakarum out in four rounds. For his next defense, he met future world bantamweight champion Greg Richardson and knocked him out in five. Then, it was former world bantamweight champion Carlos Zarate's turn to challenge Fenech. Fenech retained his crown by a technical decision win in four rounds, and then finished his year by knocking out Osmar Avila in one round in a non title affair.

Featherweight champion[link]

By 1988, Fenech had grown into a featherweight, and the WBC matched him with Puerto Rico's former world super bantamweight champion Victor Luvi Callejas for their vacant featherweight title, once again, in Sydney. Fenech joined boxing's exclusive group of fighters who have been world champs in three or more divisions, by knocking Callejas out in the 10th round. He retained that title twice before the year was over, knocking out Tyrone Downes and Georgie Navarro, both in the fifth round.

In 1989, he beat Marcos Villasana and former Julio César Chávez challenger Mario Martinez, both by decision.

Super featherweight title challenges[link]

After that, Fenech took one year off and came back in 1991 as a super featherweight. After beating Johnny Calhoun by a knockout in four, he tried to become a four division world champion when he met Azumah Nelson. The fight was fought on the undercard to the Mike Tyson, Razor Ruddock rematch. After 12 ferocious rounds the bout was controversially declared a draw. Jeff returned to Australia and after beating Miguel Francia, Nelson travelled to Melbourne to offer Fenech a second title try. This time, Fenech suffered his first loss, when he was knocked out in the eighth round for Nelson to retain the world title. Fenech's TKO loss on 1 March 1992 to Nelson was recognized as the Ring Magazine Upset of the Year.

After that fight, he fought sporadically. In 1993, he was beaten in seven rounds by knockout by American former IBF featherweight champion Calvin Grove, and in 1995, he beat Tialano Tovar, by a knockout in eight at New Jersey.

Lightweight title challenge[link]

Finally, in what was thought to have been both his last title fight and his last fight (he was to fight a rubber match with Nelson 12 years later), he lost to IBF lightweight champion Phillip Holiday of South Africa by a knockout in the second round in 1996. He retired after the bout.

Fenech retired with a record of 28 wins, 3 losses and 1 draw, with 21 wins by knockout.

Post-retirement career[link]

In retirement, Fenech has kept busy, and now he is the owner of a sports clothing brand that carries his name in Australia. In addition, he was inducted in 2002 into the International Boxing Hall Of Fame in Canastota, New York. Fenech has become a trainer training such fighters as Hussein Hussein, Sakio Bika, and former IBF flyweight champion Vic Darchinyan.

On 5 January 2004, Fenech was attacked and stabbed by four men in Sydney, receiving facial cuts that required plastic surgery.

In June of the same year, the Fenech family home was attacked by shooters; seven bullets were recovered but no one was injured. Australian police believe the two attacks against Fenech are connected, ranging from a bar fight that Fenech had with a gang-member in 2003. The Australian newspaper quoted someone related to a Lebanese gang stating that "they will get him", but Fenech does not believe that the violent events are related.

In March 2005, Fenech signed to train former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson, in an effort to relaunch Tyson's career.^[1]

Despite repeated denials made in the popular press and on his website, Fenech pleaded guilty to his role in the theft of 3 gold watches worth a total of $327 from a Gold Coast, Queensland boutique store. There was clear evidence of his involvement from in-store security cameras, revealing that Fenech actively participated in the incident.^[2]

Boxing comeback against Nelson[link]

In March 2008, Fenech - at age 43 - announced a comeback to professional boxing and lost 22 kilos in preparation for the fight. He was to fight Azumah Nelson in what was later built up as the grudge match of the century. The two were to do battle on June the 24th 2008 in Melbourne, Australia. A reality series/documentary on Fenech's life aired on channel 9 and fox sports in the weeks leading up to the fight.

On 24 June 2008, Fenech won the grudge match against Azumah Nelson by a majority decision, one judge scoring the fight a draw and the last two judges scoring it in favour of Fenech.

In June 2008, Fenech won the Shane Warne 888 Poker World Series of Poker Celebrity Bounty Event at Crown Casino sponsored by 888 Poker (owned by 888 Holdings PLC, a public listed company in London). Jeff Fenech now represents 888.com at poker events around the world including the Aussie Millions and the World Series of Poker.

On 16 February 2009, Fenech was arrested over an incident in Sydney's south. Police said a 44-year-old Five Dock man was arrested and questioned over an incident at Banksia about 5pm. The police would neither confirm Fenech was involved nor give any details of the incident.

According to reports, there was an altercation between Fenech and an "associate", longtime friend and former boxer Peter Mitrevski, who was allegedly king hit from behind by the "Marrickville Mauler".

Jeff Fenech is currently working on a biographical film project for 2013.

Amateur career[link]

• 1983 Oceanic Flyweight champion
• 1983 3rd place at Flyweight in World Championships in Rome, Italy. Results were:
  • Defeated Marcelino Diaz (Colombia) points
  • Lost to Huh Yong-Mo (South Korea) points
• 1983 3rd place as a Flyweight at Commonwealth Titles in Belfast, Northern Ireland.
• 1984 Oceanic Flyweight champion
• 1984 represented Australia as a Flyweight at Olympic Games in Los Angeles. Results were:
  • Defeated Rene Centellas (Bolivia) KO 3
  • Defeated David Mwaba (Tanzania) points
  • Lost to Redzep Redzepovski (Yugoslavia) points

See also[link]

• List of boxing triple champions‎

References[link]

• Fenech, the official biography / Grantlee Kieza and Peter Muszkat (1988, ISBN 0-949853-15-1)
• Jeff Fenech: I love youse all / with Terry Smith (1993, ISBN 1-875481-37-0)
• Caricature portrait of Jeff Fenech, 1988 / Spooner
• Jeff Fenech during a training session, 1991 / David Mahony
• Jeff Fenech in tears ..., 1984 / Bruce Howard

External links[link]

• Professional boxing record for Jeff Fenech from BoxRec
• Melbourne newspaper Port Phillip Leader article on Azumah Nelson fight with Jeff Fenech

This biographical article needs additional citations for verification. Please help by adding reliable sources. Contentious material about living persons that is unsourced or poorly sourced must be removed immediately, especially if potentially libelous or harmful. (January 2011)

Victor "Luvi" Callejas
Luvi Callejas
Statistics
Real name	Victor Callejas
Nickname(s)	"Luvi"
Rated at	Junior Featherweight
Nationality	Puerto Rican
Born	December 11, 1960 Guaynabo, Puerto Rico
Boxing record
Total fights	33
Wins	29
Wins by KO	21
Losses	3
Draws	1
No contests	1

Victor Callejas (born December 11, 1960) is a Puerto Rican former boxer who was World Junior Featherweight champion.^[1] A native of Guaynabo, Callejas as a child wanted to be a singer, and his childhood friend, Orvil Miller, wanted to be a boxer. As it turned out, however, it was Callejas who was a boxer and Miller who became a singer. Callejas' nickname was Luvi.

Early history[link]

Callejas compiled a record of 36 wins and 4 defeats as an amateur boxer, and in 1979, he decided to turn professional. That he did on the night of February 18 of that year. In his first bout, Callejas, like Alexis Argüello, Chucho Castillo and Wilfredo Vazquez, lost. He was beaten by Jose Parrilla by a decision in four rounds. For his next three bouts, he travelled around some of the other Caribbean islands, gaining revenge over Parrilla in St. Croix for his first professional win, knocking out Wilt Jones in one round in St. Marteen for his first knockout and beating Albert Pagan, also by a knockout, in five.

Professional boxing career[link]

Between the fight against Jones and the fight versus Jose Ortiz in 1983, Callejas had a streak of 15 knockout wins in a row, winning Puerto Rico's Jr. Featherweight title and earning a ranking among the world's top Jr. Featherweights with the WBA along the way. Some fans even started to call him the next Wilfredo Gómez. His fight with Ortiz ended in a second round no-contest. But after that, on May 7 of '83, he beat Juan Arenade Balzan by a knockout in three, and then, on February 15 of 1984, he beat the WBA's number one challenger, Bernardo Checa, by a knockout in three in Guaynabo. That same night, but in Milan, Italian boxer Loris Stecca was becoming the new Jr. Featherweight champion of the world when he beat Leo Cruz by a knockout in round 12 for the WBA title.

External audio
	You may watch Victor "Luvi" Callejas vs Loris Stecca here

On May of that year, Stecca went to Puerto Rico to defend his title against Callejas. On May 26, Callejas became world champion by knocking Stecca out in round eight. Callejas then began to face different problems to fight, and it was almost a year later that he could finally defend his title for the first time, when he beat future IBF super bantamweight champion Seung-Hoon Lee by a decision in 15 on February 2, 1985, after dropping him in round 8, at the Roberto Clemente Coliseum in San Juan.

Stecca had won five fights in a row since losing to Callejas, all by knockout. So the logical next step was for a rematch to take place. The second time around, it was Callejas who had to travel to his rival's home turf, and so Callejas went to Italy, where he complained about such pre-fight conditions as the heating system in his hotel room and the gestures made towards him by some Stecca fans he met on the streets. Callejas-Stecca 2 took place on November 8 in Rimini, with Gómez himself and Ivonne Class broadcasting the fight for Puerto Rican tv. During round three of the rematch, the lights went off the sports facility where the fight was held at, and the fighters had to keep boxing under a complete obscurity. But in round six, Callejas retained the title with a highlight film knockout: He connected with a right hand that lifted Stecca off his feet, and when Stecca came down, he landed on his knees, his upper body over his lower legs. He got up, but was saved by the bell and not allowed to continue for round seven by his corner. This Callejas knockout earned many knockout of the year awards.

Callejas would not fight again for two years. Many reasons were given for this, including managerial and weight making problems. But when he came back in 1987, he won fights over contenders Cleo Garcia (by decision in 10) and Nivio Nolasco (knockout in one), the latter of which marked Callejas' Las Vegas debut. Callejas was given an opportunity by the WBC to fight for another world title in 1988, and so he travelled to Australia, where he met Jeff Fenech on March 7, losing by a knockout in ten for the vacant WBC's world Featherweight title.

Later that year, Callejas did a two fight tour of the United Kingdom, beating Juan Torres by a knockout in seven in Belfast, Northern Ireland, and Brian Roche by a decision in eight in London.

Retirement[link]

In his last fight as a professional, Callejas lost to Francisco Alvarez by a decision in eight at San Juan. Callejas later held an important position in a government sports department in Puerto Rico. He had a professional boxing record of 29 wins, 3 losses and 1 no-contest, with 21 wins by knockout.

Major professional championships[link]

See also[link]

	Puerto Rico portal
	Biography portal

• List of famous Puerto Ricans
• List of Puerto Rican boxing world champions

References[link]

External links[link]

• Professional boxing record for Mike Tyson from BoxRec
• Victor Callejas stats