Jorge “Roña” Castro, the former WBA world middleweight boxing champion, died at the age of 59 following a sudden cardiac event at the Bingo de Morón in Argentina, where an autopsy confirmed the cause of death as an acute pulmonary edema caused by heart failure, according to judicial sources cited by tn.com.ar.
Fantasy & Market Impact
- Charitable Operations: The future of his network of community dining halls and food banks, established following his retirement, remains a focal point for local supporters.
Final Moments and Autopsy Findings
The forensic examination revealed no trauma or external injuries, verifying that the death was entirely natural. According to La Voz del Interior, Castro had stood up to use the restroom and returned complaining of intense pressure in his chest. His daughter Quimey, who was present alongside an ex-partner, recalled that the former champion told her, Me duele el pecho, me duele mucho, hija
before facility staff intervened and moved him to a private office for medical assistance. Quimey noted that they had been out together as they usually did, and that although her parents had been separated for 15 years, they maintained a close relationship and frequently gathered for family meetings.
Eyewitness Marcos Tolosa described to Radio Mitre the sequence of events leading up to the intervention, while raising concerns regarding the timing of the ambulance response. Meanwhile, Walter Quintero, a physician who treated Castro since 1994, told Infobae that the former boxer was insulin-dependent and occasionally skipped routine medical checks, though he had appeared vibrant and healthy during a joint streaming appearance just a month prior. Quintero initially met Castro by chance while working as the team doctor for Defensores de Belgrano when the squad was concentrated at the Hotel Cosmos in Constitución, and he was subsequently the physician who sutured Castro with five stitches in one eye, six in the other, and two in the mouth following his epic bouts. Di Primio also revealed that Castro was working on a project with a production company to tell his life story in a Netflix series.
A Storied Career in the Ring
Born in Caleta Olivia, “Locomotora” Castro built a legendary reputation for relentless activity and sheer grit, fighting twelve times in 1989, twelve in 1990, and fifteen in 1991, as noted by Página|12. Managed by Osvaldo Rivero, Castro captured the WBA world middleweight title on August 12, 1994, by defeating Reggie Johnson in San Miguel de Tucumán.
| Stat / Metric | Career Detail |
|---|---|
| Age at Passing | 59 |
| Weight Class | Middleweight |
| Notable Title | WBA World Middleweight Champion (1994) |
| Defining Bout | vs. John David Jackson (Dec. 10, 1994) |
Beyond his athletic achievements, Castro leveraged his television earnings to fund a network of fourteen community kitchens and nine food pantries, prioritizing affordable access to fresh produce for disadvantaged neighborhoods. Tributes poured in across social media following the announcement, with his partner Noelia Vigliarolo writing on Instagram, No sé cómo voy a hacer para seguir sin vos mi amor, se me fue la vida.
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