[3] He then joined the Chilean Navy with hopes of becoming a Marine, but left after two years because he felt he was wasting his time and instead enrolled at the Universidad del Desarrollo to study commercial engineering.
He began the next year with a silver-medal finish at the 34th annual Copa Independencia in the Dominican Republic[6] before suffering early exits at the 2015 Pan American Games qualifiers and the Panamerican Championships.
[11][12] After a string of victories he faced compatriot Arnoldo Poblete for his Chilean super middleweight title on 14 July 2017, although the champion had technically vacated his belt just before the fight by weighing in over the 168 pound limit.
[14] In December he beat César Reynoso by unanimous decision (UD) for the vacant South American super middleweight title at the Gran Arena Monticello in Mostazal,[15] and successfully defended it by fourth-round TKO in June 2018 against Brazilian rival Felipe Santos Pedroso at the Teatro Caupolicán.
[20] He took eight months off before his next fight to heal his wrist, get shoulder surgery and finish his degree at the Universidad del Desarrollo, finally validating his El Ingeniero nickname.