Jorge Adolfo Febles Paez (born
October 27, 1965) is a Mexican actor, circus performer and former
professional boxer. In boxing he held the WBO and IBF featherweight
titles. Paez's nickname of "El Maromero" is in honor of the somersault
(referred to in Mexican Spanish as "maroma") acts he performs at the
circus. It was in the circus that he learned acrobatic moves he would
later use in the boxing ring. Paez is also the father of Azriel Paez
and Jorge Paez Jr.
Personal life
Paez has been a circus performer
in his northwest Mexico hometown since he was very young. Jorge started
boxing in San Luis Rio Colorado. He is also the father of welterweight
prospect Azriel Paez and WBC Youth Intercontinental welterweight champion
Jorge Paez Jr.
Professional career
Early Years
Paez began boxing
professionally on November 16, 1984, knocking out Efren Treno in three
rounds.
Featherweight champion
From there on, he built a string
of wins that led him to challenge IBF featherweight champion Calvin
Grove in boxing's last 15 round world title fight. Paez was trailing
on all three scorecards, but dropped the champion three times in the
last round. The knockdowns provided an edge on the scorecards, making
Paez IBF featherweight champion by a unanimous decision. He defended
the title eight times, including a knockout in 11 against Grove in
a rematch, a draw against former world champion Stevie Cruz and a
split decision against future world champion Troy Dorsey.
He
then won the WBO featherweight title in a unification bout against
Louie Espinoza (in a rematch of their 1989 fight that ended in a draw)
by split decision.
Paez then vacated his titles and moved up
in weight, only to lose to IBF super featherweight champion Tony Lopez.
Paez continued to fight, but he had mixed results versus former world
champions Lupe Suarez and Tracy Spann; he and Suarez drew in 10 rounds,
and he beat Spann by a 10 round decision.
Lightweight
On October
10, 1991, Paez moved up to lightweight and fought against Pernell
Whitaker for the WBC, WBA and IBF lightweight titles but lost by unanimous
decision.
On November 6, 1992, Paez fought against future world
champion Rafael Ruelas for the NABF lightweight title, losing by TKO
in the 10th round. On July 17, 1993, he lost to Freddie Pendleton
by a decision in twelve for the IBF lightweight title.
On July
29, 1994, he was given a shot at the vacant WBO lightweight title
against rising superstar Oscar De La Hoya. Paez disappointingly yet
somewhat predictably lost by a knockout in round two.
Later Years
Paez
then went up against WBA super featherweight champion Genaro Hernandez
in a non-title bout, losing by TKO in the 8th round due to cuts. On
August 17, 1996, he won the WBC Continental Americas super featherweight
regional title by knocking out Narciso Valenzuela in 3 rounds. Paez
would then lose that title in his next match against Julian Wheeler
but regained it by beating Wheeler in the rematch.
On August
7, 1997, he lost by a knockout in eight rounds to Angel Manfredy.
After three victories, Paez lost via a devastating one-punch knockout
in seven rounds to Augie Sanchez in May 1999. In his next bout in
October 1999, Paez boxed future lightweight champion Jose Luis Castillo,
losing by KO in the fifth round.
Paez continued to box over the
next few years, winning a long string of bouts against a lower level
of opposition.