Boxing Champ Acquitted Of Rape Charges

MANAGUA (EFE) – Former Nicaraguanworld welterweight championRicardo “El Matador” Mayorga on Tuesdaywas acquitted of charges of raping a22-year-old woman, a court official said.Judge Julio Cesar Arias acquittedMayorga for “lack of evidence.”Among the evidence Arias dismissedwas a medical report indicating thewoman, whose name has not beenreleased, had been the victim of sexualand physical violence.The woman filed a criminal complaintagainst Mayorga in September (TT, Sept.3), alleging he had raped her in aManagua hotel in August.The scandal broke a month beforeMayorga was to defend his title at NewYork’s Madison Square Garden againstPuerto Rico’s Felix “Tito” Trinidad (TT,Sept. 10).He lost by a technical knockout in theeighth round on Oct. 2 (TT, Oct. 8), andreturned to Nicaragua to face the accusations.After the acquittal, Mayorga thankedGod, the Virgin Mary and all those whosupported him and believed in his innocence.