ARGENTINA’S FORMER WELTERWEIGHT world boxing champion Carlos Baldomir was sentenced to 18 years in prison on Wednesday for the repeated sexual abuse of one of his daughters, a court in Santa Fe announced.
The 48-year-old, who reigned as WBC champion in 2006, was arrested in 2016 following allegations by his ex-wife that he had abused his daughter between 2012 and 2014, when she was seven to eight years old.
He was unanimously convicted of “repeated sexual abuse” of a minor.
The sentence was read out behind closed doors to protect the identity of the victim. Prosecutors had sought a 20-year sentence.
When the trial began on Thursday, Baldomir showed his middle finger to those present, a provocative gesture recorded by television cameras.
Baldomir’s greatest career highlight came in January 2006 when he shocked the unified welterweight champion Zab Judah.
After a successful defence of his WBC crown against the late Arturo Gatti, Baldomir lost his title to Floyd Mayweather in a November 2006 unification bout.
He was beaten four years later by a young Canelo Alvarez, now the World middleweight champion.
Baldomir retired in 2014 with a record of 49 wins, 15 by knock-out, 16 defeats and six draws.
He started his career as a trainer and in 2016 was given an award by the Argentine congress for achievement in sport.
Since the accusations against him, Baldomir was living with his current wife and four-year-old son. He has three daughters from his first marriage.
