Hall of Fame Boxer Ismael Laguna Dies at 83

Two-time world lightweight champion Ismael Laguna died Tuesday at age 83 following a recent hospitalization.

Ismael Laguna, a two-time world lightweight champion and member of the International Boxing Hall of Fame, died Tuesday at the age of 83. The Panamanian Sports Institute confirmed his passing in Panama City following a recent hospitalization. Laguna finished his professional career with a record of 65 wins, 37 knockouts, nine losses, and one draw.

Laguna first reached the pinnacle of the sport on April 10, 1965, when he defeated Carlos Ortiz by a 15-round points decision on Panamanian soil to claim the world lightweight title. Although he lost the belt in a rematch seven months later, he regained the lightweight crown in 1970 by scoring a ninth-round knockout against Mando Ramos.

Known as the "Tiger of Colón," Laguna began his career in the early 1960s with 27 consecutive victories. While he rose through the rankings in the bantamweight and featherweight divisions, he was unable to secure title bouts against then-champions Eder Jofre or Ultiminio Ramos before moving up to lightweight. He was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2001, remaining one of only five Panamanian boxers to receive the honor.