Argenis Alexander Méndez Zapata (born July 3, 1986) is a Dominican former professional boxer who held the International Boxing Federation super-featherweight title from 2013 to 2014. As an amateur, he won the featherweight (57 kg) silver medal at the Junior World Championships in 2004, as well as the gold medal in the same division at the 2005 Pan American Championship.
Mendez started boxing at the age of 12. At Jeju, South Korea, he won the featherweight silver medal at the World Junior Championships in 2004, where he beat Eddy Flores Cotilla before losing to Eduard Ambartsumyan in the final.
He lost in the first round of the 2004 Olympics in Athens, Greece, against the Ukrainian Maksym Tretyak. Mendez had qualified for the Olympic Games by topping the 2nd AIBA American 2004 Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
In 2005, he beat Abner Cotto on his way to winning featherweight gold at the PanAm Championships, held at Teresópolis, Brazil.
He also holds several wins over Carlos Velásquez.
In Mianyang, China, he defeated Naskali Jyri Jarmo on points, 20âÂÂ8, at the 2005 World Amateur Boxing Championships, but lost early against Russian amateur standout Aleksei Tishchenko, who had beaten him earlier in the year.
He debuted in 2006, knocking out Jose Fonseco in the second round at Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic. Achieving a 12-fight win streak, mainly at super featherweight, he suffered his first defeat by a close split decision to Jaime Sandoval, wherein he knocked down Sandoval in the first round.
He came back to win 6 consecutive fight including 12-round decision victories over fringe contender Martin Honorio and former IBF super-featherweight champion Cassius Baloyi. Mendez fought Honorio on May 8, 2010, in the StubHub Center in Carson, California, winning a close majority decision with scores of 114-114, 116-112, and 116-112. Honorio pressured Mendez using body attacks, while Mendez used his superior hand speed and combination punching to counter Honorio. In an IBF super-featherweight title eliminator, Mendez fought Baloyi in Brakpan, South Africa on January 29, 2011. Mendez won a unanimous decision victory, with scores of 117-110, 117-110, and 117-111, outclassing the former champion with his speed and combination punching.
Argenis Mendez finally got his chance for the vacant IBF super-featherweight against former World Boxing Council super-featherweight champion and Jorge Linares conqueror Juan Carlos Salgado. On September 10, 2011, at Zapopan, Mexico, Mendez lost a close decision victory to Salgado. Both boxers landed good combination punches and fought competitively. Mendez lost a point in the fifth round for hitting behind the head, but was able to drop Salgado in the final round.
He had a quick bounce-back victory over Alex Perez on November 18, 2011, in Santo Domingo, winning by knockout in the second round.
In April 2012, Mendez signed for the boxing promoter Acquinity Sports alongside compatriots Félix DÃÂaz and Gilbert Lenin Castillo.