hɪz fˈɜːst tʃˈælɪndʒ kˈeɪm fɹʌm nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd nˈaɪnti sˈɪks əlˈɪmpiən zˈæhɪɹ ɹæhˈiːm ˌɔn dʒuːlˈaɪ sˈɛvəntˌiːn, tˈuː θˈaʊzənd fˈoːɹ, ɪnwˌɪtʃ hiː wˈʌn baɪ kˌɑːntɹəvˈɜːʃəl dᵻsˈɪʒən, pˈɑːsᵻbli dˈuː tə ðə fˈaɪt tˈeɪkɪŋ plˈeɪs æt dʒjˈuːɚɹˌɛzᵻz hˈoʊmtaʊn ɪn hjˈuːstən, tˈɛksəs.
His first challenge came from 1996 Olympian Zahir Raheem on July 17, 2004, in which he won by controversial decision, possibly due to the fight taking place at Juarez's hometown in Houston, Texas.