Small of stature at 5 feet 3.5 inches (1.613 m) and weighing between 109 and 115 pounds (49 and 52 kg), he was managed by Luis "Pincho" Gutiérrez and trained by Moe Fleischer.

He made his first official appearance on September 11, 1920 (at age 15) in a fight in Havana, his native city, where he defeated Diego Blanco in the fourth round.

[3] On November 6, 1921, he was proclaimed Cuban Flyweight Champion after his defeat of Dixie Lewis, and presented with a belt that month.

[1] On March 21, 1930, he unsuccessfully challenged Midget Wolgast for the New York State Athletic Commission's version of the World Flyweight Title at Madison Square Garden.

[2] During his career, he defeated opponents such as Johnny McCoy, Willie Davies, "Corporal" Izzy Schwartz, Sammy Bienfield, the French boxer Eugène Huat, Happy Atherton, Genaro Pino, Marty Gold, Bobby Green, Henry Catena, Pinky Silverberg, and Benny Marks.