There isn’t any explicit motive for this second publication of the unique written 5 years in the past and revealed on this web site of the WBA, the doyen of boxing governing our bodies.
The reason being that just a few days in the past, in a get-together amongst mates, somebody urged that we write “one thing about “Mantequilla”, among the finest Latin American boxers in historical past, we’d say among the many 5 greatest in our area”, was the remark. That’s the reason the article is right here once more, this time expanded and with the addition of recent particulars:
José Ángel Nápoles, Cuban-Mexican fighter and a boxing legend higher generally known as “Mantequilla handed away in probably the most pitiful and unfathomable poverty, stricken with varied illnesses (diabetes, senile dementia and malnutrition) on August 16, 2019 when he misplaced his final struggle in Mexico Metropolis sufferer of a coronary heart assault on the age of 79.
Napoles was a former World Boxing Affiliation and World Boxing Council welterweight champion, and has been ranked as one of many biggest monarchs of 147 kilos and boxing normally, to such an extent that the distinguished journal The Ring ranked him thirty second among the many 100 greatest fighters within the annals of the self-discipline in 2007.
FAREWELL TO CUBA IN SEARCH OF FAME
Born in Santiago de Cuba on 13/4/40, Napoles turned a Mexican citizen shortly after leaving his nation within the early Nineteen Sixties following the banning of professionalism by Fidel Castro’s revolutionary authorities in 1959. When Napoles left his fatherland, to which he by no means returned, he had fought 18 fights with 17 wins, one defeat on factors and 6 knockouts. He already stood out as a prospect in a era of nice Cuban fighters that included Luis Manuel Rodríguez (he was world middleweight champion), Douglas Vaillant, Ángel “Robinson” García, Florentino Fernández, amongst others. The nickname with which he turned recognized got here from his feline motion within the ring, elusive, by no means stopping attacking, passing and blocking punches and with explosive fingers.
He made his debut in his house nation towards Julio Rojas in August ’58 (received by KO1) and added his first loss to Hilton Smith in his eighth look. He travelled to Mexico with a document of 17-1-0, as we famous, within the light-weight division and on July 21, ’62, guided by journalist Cuco Conde, his countryman, he made his debut in Mexico Metropolis towards Enrique Camarena, whom he knocked out in two rounds.
He had greater than 30 wins when, on his first journey exterior Mexico Metropolis, he travelled to Venezuela to face the American L.C. Morgan in Caracas on 30 November 1963, and knocked him out in seven rounds. Seven months later, on June 22, 64, he fought on the Nuevo Circo within the Venezuelan capital towards the native idol, the hard-hitting Carlos “Morocho” Hernandez, who later turned the primary Venezuelan boxer to win a junior welterweight world title.
Nápoles, 24, and Hernández, 22, had comparable data of 34-3-0, 17 KOs and 34-3-3, 22 KOs, respectively, which predicted a battle to the dying, as certainly it turned out to be. Within the fourth spherical, the Hermandez knocked down Nápoles with a 1-2 proper and left for 8 seconds, however “Mantequilla” recovered shortly and in spherical 7 he cornered Hernández within the ropes and punished him with a barrage of punishments. The intervention of referee Críspulo Salazar stopped the bloodbath with a dazed, wobbly and defenceless “Morocho”, however nonetheless standing.
A short while later, already world-renowned in Mexico and the Caribbean among the many lightweights, “Mantequilla” weaved a protracted string of victories (he misplaced choices to Mexicans Tony Perez and Alfredo “Canelo” Urbina and by KO4 to American L.C. Morgan. He received his first title shot on April 18, 1975 on the Discussion board in Inglewood, California, towards Curtis Cokes, WBA and WBC champion, and after an intense battle he completed him off within the thirteenth spherical. Two months later he beat him once more in 10. He adopted with profitable defences towards Emile Griffith and Ernie Lopez, however Billy Backus (nephew of the well-known Carmen Basilio) took the belts from him in December ’70 in 4 rounds. A rematch got here half a yr later and Napoles received in 8 rounds.
UNEQUAL BATTLE WITH MONSOON
He added consecutive wins over Hedgemon Lewis, Ralph Charles (in 7), Adolph Pruitt (in 2), Ernie Lopez (7), Róger Menetrey, Clide Grey, Lewis once more (in 9), Argentine Horacio Saldaño (3) and Aztec Armando Muñiz (2 instances by factors). In whole, 15 exhibitions, with 8 KOs in his favour.
In the midst of these fights, he confronted the legendary middleweight king Carlos Monzón in Paris (February 9, 1974, half a century in the past) in an inequal duel, as a result of all the benefits had been on the southpaw’s facet (who weigh 159.9 lbs, towards 153.8 lbs), punching energy and arm attain. Paradoxically, due to the end result towards him, it was probably the most publicised and remembered struggle in Naples by the followers of the world, as two legends fought one another. The highly effective Argentinian fighter received in seven rounds, however Napoli by no means seemed again. He even later accused Monzon of sticking the thumb of his glove in his eye. The accused, in fact, denied what his vanquished rival had mentioned.
On January 8, 1995, that’s, 11 years after that struggle, the best Argentine fighter in historical past died when he crashed his automotive on his method again to the jail in his native Santa Fe the place he was serving an 11-year sentence for the violent dying of his spouse, Alicia Muñiz.
The “Mantecas”, because the Mexican press known as him, made 4 extra fights after Monzón (Lewis, Saldaño and the two with Muñiz) and on December 6, 1975 he uncovered the two crowns towards the British John Stracey within the bullring La Monumental in Mexico Metropolis. The previous and drained 35 yr previous warrior, with 17 years of fixed exercise, laid down his weapons at 2’30” of the sixth chapter. He by no means fought once more. He left a document of 81 fights received (some publications say 77), 54 by KO and solely 7 defeats, solely 4 earlier than the restrict, with no attracts. In 1982 he was inducted into the Boxing Corridor of Fame and in 1990 into the Worldwide Corridor of Fame in Canastota, NY.
After retirement he devoted himself to bohemian life, playing and even acted in movies alongside the Aztec wrestling idol, El Santo. The cash he earned with the gloves quickly vanished and he ended up in whole poverty, surviving with occasional assist. Virtually 5 years in the past he left for eternity calmly, because the poet would say, with no penny in his saddlebags and residing as a tenant in Ciudad Juárez, though a millionaire in glory. He was, in fact, an ideal amongst greats.
