Alberto Puello Calderón Bio
Alberto Puello Calderón (born 22 July 1994) is a Dominican professional boxer who competes in the super-lightweight division. Nicknamed “La Avispa” (The Wasp) for his sharp, quick-striking style, Puello is a two-time super-lightweight champion at world level. He is widely recognized as the first super-lightweight titleholder from the Dominican Republic, a milestone he reached in 2022.
A southpaw with a 71-inch reach, Puello built his career on technical precision and disciplined matchmaking. Since turning professional in 2015, he has compiled a record of 24 wins and one loss, with 10 of his victories coming by way of knockout.
Early Life and Background
Alberto Puello Calderón was born on 22 July 1994 in San Juan de la Maguana, a city in the western Dominican Republic. The region has produced a long line of combat sports athletes, and Puello grew up surrounded by a local boxing culture that encouraged young athletes to train and compete from an early age. His given ring name, “La Avispa,” reflects the speed and sting that have come to define his fighting identity.
Standing 5 ft 9 in (175 cm) tall, Puello developed his craft in Dominican gyms, sharpening the southpaw stance that would later become one of his most recognizable tools in the ring. Although specific details about his formal education are not widely documented, his formative years were clearly shaped by the discipline of amateur boxing and the ambition to represent his country on the world stage.
Path to Professional Boxing
Puello made his professional debut on 7 March 2015 against Marcos Hernandez, winning by first-round technical knockout. The performance set the tone for a fast start, as he assembled a 10–0 record across the next 18 months. Those early victories drew the attention of regional promoters and positioned him for his first title opportunity in 2017.
On 24 February 2017, Puello faced Abrahan Peralta for the vacant WBA Fedelatin and WBC Latino super-lightweight titles. He captured his first professional belt when Peralta retired at the end of the eighth round. He followed that breakthrough with a seventh-round technical knockout of Patrick López and a first-round demolition of Ricardo Gutierrez, establishing himself as one of the top regional contenders in the 140-pound class.
Alberto Puello Calderón Career
Early Career (2015–2018)
Puello’s opening years as a professional were marked by steady activity and rapid title accumulation. After winning regional gold in 2017, he strung together stay-busy wins, including a unanimous decision over Francisco Contreras Lopez on 22 December 2017, and a successful defense of his WBA Fedelatin title against Erick Lopez. These performances helped him climb the WBA rankings and prepared him for international competition.
By 2019, Puello had cemented his status as a contender. The undefeated 10–0 prospect had grown into a polished regional champion, and the WBA ordered an interim title fight that would change the trajectory of his career.
WBA Interim Super-Lightweight Title (2019–2021)
Puerto Plata-born Jonathan Alonso stood across the ring from Puello on 27 July 2019 at the Coliseo Carlos ‘Teo’ Cruz in Santo Domingo. The bout, scheduled as the main event of a Dominican card, ended in a unanimous decision victory for Puello, with all three judges scoring the fight 115–113. The win earned him the WBA interim super-lightweight championship.
Puello defended the interim belt twice, first stopping Cristian Rafael Coria in seven rounds on 17 December 2020, and then outpointing Jesus Antonio Rubio unanimously on 21 July 2021. He was later stripped of the interim title on 25 August 2021 when the WBA eliminated its interim champion designations, but the experience of three high-stakes title fights had clearly elevated his level.
Before the year ended, Puello made his United States debut on 18 December 2021, beating Ve Shawn Owens by unanimous decision (98–92, 100–90, 99–91) at the Armory in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The performance signaled his readiness for a world title shot.
WBA Super-Lightweight Champion (2022–2023)
When undisputed champion Josh Taylor was stripped of his light-welterweight belt, the WBA ordered Puello to face Batyr Akhmedov for the vacant championship. The fight took place on 20 August 2022, and Puello won by split decision, with two judges scoring 117–111 in his favor. The victory made him the first super-lightweight champion from the Dominican Republic.
His reign, however, was short-lived. A scheduled first defense against Rolando Romero was halted when Puello tested positive for a performance-enhancing substance in April 2023. He was named champion-in-recess on 10 May 2023 and received a six-month suspension on 22 June, ending his first run as a WBA titleholder.
WBC Super-Lightweight Champion (2024–2025)
Puello returned to the ring in 2024 and was matched with Gary Antuanne Russell for the interim WBC super-lightweight title on 15 June 2024 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. Puello won a close split decision, earning another major world title. On 24 June 2024, after Devin Haney was declared “WBC World Champion in Recess,” Puello was elevated to full WBC champion.
He made his first WBC title defense against Sandor Martín on 1 March 2025 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York, winning by split decision. His second defense came on 12 July 2025 against Subriel Matías at Louis Armstrong Stadium in New York, where he lost by majority decision (115–113, 115–113, 114–114), surrendering the WBC super-lightweight title.
Driving Style and Strengths
Puello fights from a southpaw stance, using angles and counterpunching to neutralize aggressive opponents. His 71-inch reach allows him to control distance at super-lightweight, and his 14 decision victories demonstrate a patient, points-oriented approach when knockouts are not available. The combination of tactical discipline and finishing power has made him a difficult matchup for most contenders in the division.
Notable Events and Milestones
Puello’s career milestones include becoming the first Dominican super-lightweight world champion in 2022 and capturing a second world title with his 2024 WBC victory over Gary Antuanne Russell. His United States debut in 2021, his title wins over Akhmedov and Russell, and his technical decision over Sandor Martín in 2025 all stand out as signature moments in a compact but accomplished professional record.
Alberto Puello Calderón Career Wins
Alberto Puello Calderón has compiled 24 professional victories, with 10 by knockout and 14 by decision, against a single defeat. His wins span regional titles, interim world championships, and full world championships across the WBA and WBC.
WBA Title Wins
Puello’s most significant WBA win came on 20 August 2022, when he captured the vacant WBA super-lightweight world title with a split-decision victory over Batyr Akhmedov. He also won the WBA interim super-lightweight title in 2019 against Jonathan Alonso and defended that interim belt successfully twice, against Cristian Rafael Coria in 2020 and Jesus Antonio Rubio in 2021.
WBC Title Wins
Puello won the interim WBC super-lightweight title on 15 June 2024 with a split-decision victory over Gary Antuanne Russell, and was elevated to full WBC champion nine days later. He successfully defended the full WBC title once, beating Sandor Martín by split decision on 1 March 2025 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn.
| Title | Opponent | Date | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| WBA interim super-lightweight | Jonathan Alonso | 27 July 2019 | Unanimous decision |
| WBA super-lightweight (vacant) | Batyr Akhmedov | 20 August 2022 | Split decision |
| WBC interim super-lightweight | Gary Antuanne Russell | 15 June 2024 | Split decision |
| WBC super-lightweight (defense) | Sandor Martín | 1 March 2025 | Split decision |
Alberto Puello Calderón Family
Personal Life
Public information about Alberto Puello Calderón’s personal and family life is limited. Verified biographical sources confirm his full name, his Dominican heritage, and his place of birth in San Juan de la Maguana, but details about his parents, spouse, or children are not widely documented in available records.
2025 Season Performance
Alberto Puello Calderón’s 2025 campaign began with a successful first defense of his WBC super-lightweight title against Sandor Martín on 1 March 2025 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. The split-decision victory extended his championship reign and reaffirmed his place among the division’s elite.
His second title defense, against Subriel Matías on 12 July 2025 at Louis Armstrong Stadium in New York, ended in a majority-decision loss, with two judges scoring the fight 115–113 for Matías and a third judge scoring it 114–114. The defeat cost Puello the WBC super-lightweight belt and marked the first loss of his professional career since 2015.
Heading into the remainder of 2025, Puello’s focus will likely turn to rebuilding and pursuing another world title opportunity. As a two-time super-lightweight champion with a deep résumé, he remains a major figure in the 140-pound division and a proven headline-level attraction for promoters in both the Dominican Republic and the United States.