Julio was born on July 30, 1976 in Baja Mexico.  A couple of years after moving along with his family to Southern California, as a 14 year old, Julio picked up boxing at a his then local neighborhood gym in La Habra.  Shortly after he started boxing for fun, gym trainer Dave Martinez saw potential in Julio and encouraged him to began an amateur career. In 1992 Julio’s parents moved him and his 4 brothers to the city of Huntington Beach, California and out of L.A. County to avoid what seemed to be nightly drive by's and gun feuds between local neighborhood gangs. After moving to Orange County Julio joined the Edison High School wrestling team in Huntington Beach but also kept up with boxing and started training with Mack Kurihara at a local gym in Westminster

In 1995 still as an amateur, Julio was runner up for the Golden Gloves Trophy. In 1996 Julio accomplished one his boxing dreams by being selected to the Mexican National Boxing team. That same summer, Julio fought for and represented Mexico, in the 1996 Olympic Games held in Atlanta, Georgia U.S. He was also featured along with the rest of his Mexican boxing teammates in a Sports Illustrated issue that same 1996 summer.

The following year in March of 1997 at the Arrowhead Pond of Anaheim, Julio began his professional career by winning his first fight by a decision. Julio continued to win and put together an impressive winning streak compiling a 27-0 record before losing for the first time in almost 4 years to the great Roy Jones Jr.. in a 12 round decision in July of 2001. During the 27 win streak, Julio captured the WBC Fecarbox Light Heavyweight Title, when he beat Jesús Ruiz by TKO in the 9th round. Julio also captured the WBO-NABO, and the IBA Continental Light Heavyweight Championship Title by beating Julian Letterlough in a 12 round thriller, which ended up being voted ESPN’s fight of the year for 2001.

In October of 2003, Julio made world boxing history by becoming the first Mexican boxer to win a major sanctioning world championship title in the Light Heavyweight Division. To accomplish this feat Julio had to fly into Hamburg, Germany and face the previously unbeaten 48-0, 9 year reigning WBO Light Heavyweight Champion Dariusz Michalczewski, on the night where Dariuaz was supposed to tie Rocky Marciano’s record of 49-0 and set the record for the longest reigning champion, Julio out boxed Michalczewski and won in 12 rounds by a split decision.

Julio’s toe to toe, never give up heart, and Aztec warrior fighting style have made him a fan favorite to watch and cheer for through out world and especially in the Southern California Area. Julio has fought in places such as Japan, Germany, Mexico, and all over through out the U.S., at the same time being the hometown hero at the Arrowhead Pond of Anaheim and the Staples Center in Los Angels. Julio is now considered one the of the best fighters in the world, as he is consistently ranked within the top 10 in all major boxing associations in the Light Heavyweight Division.