Elvin Ayala (born January 15, 1981) is an American professional boxer. He is a former world-title challenger.

Early life

Born in Reading, Pennsylvania, but raised in New Haven, Connecticut, Ayala took up boxing as a way to stay off the streets and out of trouble. He credits former light heavyweight world champion Chad Dawson as one of his early influences.

"I really didn’t have any schooling," Ayala said, "and there were drugs everywhere I grew up. When I came to Connecticut, Chad was coming up at the time and becoming a star and making money, and I’m like, 'Wait, you can make money off this?'

"I didn’t want to live a life where I had to look over my shoulder all the time, but I still needed to make money. I didn’t want to live in poverty anymore."

Professional career

At the age of 22, Ayala made his professional debut on September 19, 2003, with a unanimous decision win over Michael Gutrick in Toms River, New Jersey, a short distance from his hometown of Reading, Pennsylvania.

Within a year, Ayala improved his professional record to 7–0 with one knockout. On November 11, 2004, Ayala earned his eighth professional win by knocking out Chance Leggett, then 11–3, in the seventh round of a scheduled eight-round bout at The Roxy in Boston, Massachusetts. The victory over Leggett began a stretch of three consecutive knockout wins for Ayala.

Ayala eventually won his first 16 fights before facing his toughest test to date against future The Contender reality television participant David Banks, who was 12-1-1 at the time, on November 24, 2006, at The Roxy. Ayala lost a narrow split decision, 94–97, 95–96, 96-94 — the first loss of his professional career. Three months later, Ayala faced Banks again, this time losing by unanimous decision, 91–99, 93–97, 94–96, at Mohegan Sun in February 2007.

Ayala bounced back with back-to-back wins against Dillon Carew and Jose Angel Roman in Connecticut and closed the year with arguably his most impressive performance in a controversial draw against then-unbeaten The Contender Season 1 champion Sergio Mora at the Home Depot Center in Carson, California. Ayala lost, 91–99, on judge David Mendoza's scorecard, but won the bout, 96–94, on Raul Caiz Jr.'s scorecard. Max DeLuca judged the bout even at 95-95.

The draw dropped Ayala's record to 18-2-1, setting up the biggest fight of Ayala's young career — a showdown against undefeated International Boxing Federation (IBF) middleweight world champion Arthur Abraham. The bout took place on March 29, 2008, in Germany two months after Ayala's 27th birthday. Abraham won the majority of the rounds, sending Ayala to the canvas in the fifth, and finished Ayala for good via 12th-round knockout with just 28 seconds remaining in the fight. Abraham improved to 26–0 with the win, which was also his seventh world-title defense.

Following a 10-month stretch of inactivity, Ayala returned with back-to-back wins against Antony Bartinelli and Eddie Caminero before losing a United States Boxing Association (USBA) middleweight title bout against former world-title challenger Lajuan Simon by unanimous decision at the Palms Casino Resort.

Ayala then traveled to Montreal, Quebec in June 2010 to face hometown favorite David Lemieux, who entered the bout at 22–0 with 21 knockouts, on ESPN's Friday Night Fights for the WBC International middleweight title. Ayala hit the canvas three times in the opening round and lost by technical knockout at the 2:44 mark. "There were so many excuses after the loss [to Lemieux]. Everyone had all these reasons," Ayala said. “I felt the only reason was because I was too heavy and had to lose the weight rapidly. I was drained. Who can fight like that? My four-year-old daughter could’ve hit me that day and knocked me out."

After his loss to Lemieux, Ayala stringed together six wins against lesser opposition and won the USNBC title along the way. Ayala would then lose a fight to Curtis Stevens for the NABF title via round 1 stoppage. Stevens overpowered Ayala, knocking him down twice in the first round.

Ayala won an upset unanimous decision (78-74, 78–74, 77–75) over Mayweather Promotions prospect Ronald Gavril. However, Ayala would lose his next fight to Sergiy Derevyanchenko by unanimous decision. In November 2016, Ayala defeated Marcos Reyes by round 7 TKO. This was Ayala's first stoppage win in over 4 years.

Professional boxing record

43 fights29 wins13 losses
By knockout135
By decision168
Draws1
No.ResultRecordOpponentTypeRound, timeDateLocationMore
43Loss29–13–1Russia Bakhram MurtazalievTKO9 (10), 2:05Feb 2, 2019United States Ford Center at The Star, Frisco, Texas, U.S.For WBC-USNBC light middleweight title
42Loss29–12–1United States Patrick DayUD10Oct 27, 2018United States Hulu Theater, New York City, New York, U.S.For WBC Continental Americas light middleweight title
41Loss29–11–1United States Alantez FoxUD8Sep 22, 2018United States Bowie State University, Bowie, Maryland, U.S.
40Loss29–10–1United States Vaughn AlexanderTKO7 (10), 1:42Oct 5, 2017United States Mohegan Sun Arena, Montville, Connecticut, U.S.
39Loss29–9–1Dominican Republic Junior CastilloUD12Apr 27, 2017United States Anatole Hotel, Dallas, Texas, U.S.For vacant WBF middleweight title
38Win29–8–1Mexico Marcos ReyesTKO7 (10), 1:43Nov 3, 2016United States Dallas Petroleum Club, Dallas, Texas, U.S.Won vacant WBC-USNBC middleweight title
37Loss28–8–1United States Christopher BrookerMD8Sep 9, 2016United States Santander Arena, Reading, Pennsylvania, U.S.
36Loss28–7–1Ukraine Sergiy DerevyanchenkoUD8Aug 7, 2015United States Bally's Atlantic City, Atlantic City, New Jersey, U.S.
35Win28–6–1Romania Ronald GavrilUD8Mar 28, 2015United States Pearl Concert Theater, Paradise, Nevada, U.S.
34Win27–6–1United States Aaron MitchellUD6Jan 17, 2015United States Mohegan Sun Arena, Montville, Connecticut, U.S.
33Loss26–6–1United States Curtis StevensKO1 (10), 1:10Jan 19, 2013United States Mohegan Sun Arena, Montville, Connecticut, U.S.For vacant NABF middleweight title
32Win26–5–1United States John MackeyTKO9 (10), 0:53Jul 21, 2012United States Mohegan Sun Arena, Montville, Connecticut, U.S.
31Win25–5–1United States Eric MitchellUD8Mar 30, 2012United States Foxwoods Resort Casino, Ledyard, Connecticut, U.S.Retained WBC-USNBC middleweight title
30Win24–5–1United States Derrick FindleyUD10Jul 29, 2011United States Mohegan Sun Arena, Montville, Connecticut, U.S.Won vacant WBC-USNBC middleweight title
29Win23–5–1United States George ArmentaRTD4 (8), 3:00May 6, 2011United States Foxwoods Resort Casino, Ledyard, Connecticut, U.S.
28Win22–5–1United States Joe GardnerRTD4 (6), 3:00Apr 1, 2011United States Foxwoods Resort Casino, Ledyard, Connecticut, U.S.
27Win21–5–1United States Mustafah JohnsonUD6Feb 4, 2011United States Mohegan Sun Arena, Montville, Connecticut, U.S.
26Loss20–5–1Canada David LemieuxKO1 (12), 2:44Jun 11, 2010Canada Uniprix Stadium, Montreal, Quebec, CanadaFor vacant WBC International middleweight title
25Loss20–4–1United States Lajuan SimonUD12Oct 17, 2009United States Pearl Concert Theater, Paradise, Nevada, U.S.For IBF-USBA middleweight title
24Win20–3–1United States Eddie CamineroTKO3 (6), 0:41Jun 27, 2009United States The Roxy, Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.
23Win19–3–1United States Anthony BartinelliUD8Jan 23, 2009United States Plaza Hotel & Casino, Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S.
22Loss18–3–1Germany Arthur AbrahamKO12 (12), 2:32Mar 29, 2008Germany Ostseehalle, Kiel, GermanyFor IBF middleweight title
21Draw18–2–1United States Sergio MoraSD10Oct 16, 2007United States Home Depot Center, Carson, California, U.S.
20Win18–2Puerto Rico Jose Angel RomanUD8Jun 29, 2007United States Connecticut Convention Center, Hartford, Connecticut, U.S.
19Win17–2Guyana Dillon CarewTKO2 (6)Jun 9, 2007United States Connecticut Convention Center, Hartford, Connecticut, U.S.
18Loss16–2United States David BanksUD10Feb 23, 2007United States Mohegan Sun Arena, Montville, Connecticut, U.S.
17Loss16–1United States David BanksSD10Nov 24, 2006United States The Roxy, Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.
16Win16–0United States John GottschlingTKO1 (6), 0:19Jul 21, 2006United States Mohegan Sun Arena, Montville, Connecticut, U.S.
15Win15–0United States Larry MarksMD10Jun 17, 2006United States Mohegan Sun Arena, Montville, Connecticut, U.S.
14Win14–0United States Virgil McClendonTKO4 (6), 1:50May 10, 2006United States Foxwoods Resort Casino, Ledyard, Connecticut, U.S.
13Win13–0United States William GillUD6Mar 31, 2006United States Mohegan Sun Arena, Montville, Connecticut, U.S.
12Win12–0United States David EstradaTKO5 (8), 2:50Jul 8, 2005United States Athletic Center, New Haven, Connecticut, U.S.
11Win11–0United States Raynard DardenUD6May 6, 2005United States Foxwoods Resort Casino, Ledyard, Connecticut, U.S.
10Win10–0Mexico Jose MedinaTKO4 (6), 3:00Apr 1, 2005United States Mohegan Sun Arena, Montville, Connecticut, U.S.
9Win9–0United States Mack WillisTKO2 (6)Dec 17, 2004United States Shaw's Convention Center, Brockton, Massachusetts, U.S.
8Win8–0United States Chance LeggettTKO7 (8), 2:24Nov 11, 2004United States The Roxy, Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.
7Win7–0Haiti Julio JeanUD6Aug 27, 2004United States Mohegan Sun Arena, Montville, Connecticut, U.S.
6Win6–0United States Jacob RodriguezUD6Jun 12, 2004United States Foxwoods Resort Casino, Ledyard, Connecticut, U.S.
5Win5–0United States Aundalen SloanUD6May 7, 2004United States Foxwoods Resort Casino, Ledyard, Connecticut, U.S.
4Win4–0United States Chris TroupeUD4Jan 30, 2004United States Blue Horizon, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
3Win3–0Canada Keith SonleyUD4Jan 9, 2004United States Mohegan Sun Arena, Montville, Connecticut, U.S.
2Win2–0United States Darus HunterKO1 (4), 2:40Nov 11, 2003United States Wachovia Spectrum, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
1Win1–0United States Michael GutrickUD4Sep 19, 2003United States Ritacco Center, Toms River, New Jersey, U.S.

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