Professional Career
Dieppa debuted as a professional on February 13, 1993, when he fought Carlos Figueroa in an event organized at the Roberto Clemente Coliseum. He won the fight by knockout in the first round. His first professional fight in Vieques took place on March 7, 1993, when he knocked out David Almodouvar in the second round. It took Dieppa almost eight months to return to a boxing ring in an official fight. This was his first major lay-off from boxing. He returned, on January 29, 1994, and participated in a boxing card that took place in San Juan, where he defeated Jose Hernandez by unanimous decision. Dieppa's first fight outside of Puerto Rico took place on April 13, 1995, when he fought Hipolito Saucedo, in Las Vegas, Nevada. The contest was scheduled for six rounds and the judges declared it a draw. Following this fight he participated in four fights organized in Ponce and San Juan, winning two by knockout.
On June 1, 1996, Dieppa won his first regional professional championship when he defeated Pablo Tiznado in a card that took place in Miami, Florida. In this fight he won the Fecarbox Flyweight championship, a regional title sanctioned by the World Boxing Council. During this timeframe Dieppa was trained by Félix Trinidad Sr. and was under contract with Don King. Dieppa won three, non-title bouts in a row, including a unanimous decision in eight rounds against Kenny Berrios on June 7, 1997. His next fight was against Carlos Murillo and was held on February 13, 1998, at the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque. The judges awarded Murillo a split decision victory, marking Dieppa's first professional defeat. On October 3, 1998, he returned to activity in a fight against Orlando Malone. Dieppa won the fight by unanimous decision. He participated in three fights between 1999 and early 2000, winning all of them by knockout.
On July 3, 2000, Dieppa had his first world title opportunity. Dieppa fought world champion Will Grigsby for the WBO's world Jr. Flyweight title. Dieppa was declared the winner by unanimous decision at first, but Grigsby tested positive for cocaine after the fight. The WBO declared the fight a no contest and Dieppa was stripped of the championship. Masibulele Makepula of South Africa won the vacant championship but the WBO stripped it and declared it vacant.
Read more about this topic: Nelson Dieppa
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