ANTONIO “EL TIGRE” DUARTE

Mexican Professional MMA Fighter

Bio:

Antonio Duarte Diaz, Born March 10th, 1987

Originally from Zamora, Michoacan (MX) moved with his family as a youngster in 1997 to Tijuana, Baja (MX) to settle making this city his adoptive home town.

Duarte’s place of residence since arriving to Tijuana is right at the heart of Down Town in what is known as La Zona Norte (The North Zone). One of the first established and developed areas in the origins of this city the Zona Norte is famous for producing such great fighters as world boxing champions Erik “El Terrible” Morales and his brother Diego “Pelucho” Morales, as current world champion Antonio “Tony” Margarito among others.

Duarte studied elementary and high school before martial arts and the sport of fighting caught his interest. At age 15 he took up studying Karate in a local academy achieving green belt in short time. The instructor saw in him such talent that he often left Duarte to teach class to training mates his age and younger. It was while practicing Karate, learning about the local professional MMA events that were already being produced in Tijuana, and watching MMA event videos of world class organizations that Antonio’s interest sparked towards learning more about Mixed Martial Arts.

Looking for the best place to train in town Duarte arrived at the doors of the then just recently inaugurated academy Entram Vale Todo Gym. Raul Arvizu, owner and head coach of Entram Academy, is well known as one of our top middleweight fighters in Mexico. A Judo black belt turned on to BJJ he started training the art of submission under Fabio Santos before picking up interest enough to make a six month trip to Brazil to train in some of the best world renowned academies in Rio. Upon returning to Tijuana…Arvizu enrolled under Dean Lister who saw in Raul enough talent to have him debut as a professional MMA fighter in Reto Maximo’s first event back in 2002.

More fights followed with great success and development in Raul to the point of being awarded one of the few current brown belts under Dean Lister.

Antonio Duarte found what he was looking for in Arvizu as mentor and trainer.

Entram Gym’s MMA program included grappling under Raul Arvizu, Muay Thai and Kick Boxing under some of the best pro fighters in the country, and Boxing under ex-North American Boxing Champion Miguel “Maikito” Martinez to round out the training program.

Making his MMA pro debut in April of 2006 after only one year of training Duarte has been active in the last couple years fighting in virtually all of the organizations currently active in Mexico including Extreme Fighting Championship (EFC), MMAX Fights, Primal MMA, Ultimate Challenge Mexico (UCM), and Cage Of Fire (COF / from I – VII an associated production to Reto Maximo). Garnering an impressive record of 10 – 1 to date, Duarte is the current Lightweight Champion of UCM and was awarded Fighter of the Year 2007 by Tijuana’s Athletic Commission which is the sole authority officially sanctioning MMA bouts currently in Mexico.

Antonio Duarte has faced the best talent in Mexico and the USA available at his weight and class among which standouts include Jeff Willingham, Seth Dikun, and Shawn Bias.

Affliction signs Duarte for “Day of Reckoning”

Tracy Hess, head coach of Sub Fighter Academy and associate of Antonio McKee, both great and longtime supporters of MMA in Mexico, recommended Duarte to Affliction’s VP Tom Atencio. Tom offered to sign Duarte for Affliction’s “Day of Reckoning” upcoming October 11th card in Las Vegas, NV to face Tracy’s own Albert Rios at 145lbs.

The contract is signed. Atencio and Affliction’s interest in Duarte as Mexico’s best 145 lbs fighter is not only a dream come true to Antonio Duarte, this represents the opening once again to the major leagues of MMA to Mexican born and trained fighters after the likes of Dos Caras, Jr. was signed by DEEP and then PRIDE FC to fight in Japan a few years back.

Since Dos Caras, Jr., a world class pro wrestler and MMA fighter, actually trains for his bouts under Marco Ruas in California, USA, it could be said that Antonio Duarte is the first Mexican national that is fully trained in Mexico to step in one of the world’s premier MMA arenas.

For Duarte this represents the biggest fight of his career.

More so, this fight also represents the opportunity to showcase the combative skills and talent of our growing Mexican MMA fighters, that are sure to very soon claim the level of respect and recognition as that of our world class Boxers…. Only this time the sport they are fighting in is Mixed Martial Arts….. and the world stage is Affliction!