Jesus Pimentel

He was pretty good in his day, considered a very dangerous contender. He was past his peak by the time he finally got his title shot vs. Olivares, which is probably why he retired right afterward. He did have a chance to fight for a title a few years earlier, against Fighting Harada, but negotiations kept falling through (Pimentel supposedly wanted too much money, or was reluctant to travel overseas for the fight), and after the fight was finally signed, he pulled out reportedly because of an injury (Lionel Rose took his place on short notice and boxed Harada's ears off).

 

I saw him a couple times live . He was awesome!!!Seeing live fights just cant explain!!! Had a friend who had solo boxeo &other Mexican taped TV channels he was a notch below rockin Rueben but thats like comparin Mays & Mantle!!! His brother Jose Luis wasnt too bad either,I believe he he beat sHO sAIJO HERE IN LA!!

 

That pretty much sums it up.... its almost word for word of how Jack Rennie often described it. Nice. :good

 

Obviously a big puncher but looking at his record/resume haha he fought a lot of fighters with losing records. On the other hand he also fought a lot of top contenders of the time. I remember reading an article once where he said his hardest fight (physically) was against Mimoun Ben Ali, a real tough fighter who my dad split 2 decisions although I've got to say my dad was blatantly robbed in Spain after beating him comfortably in Newcastle.
A match between my dad a Pimental was nearly set up for LA but it fell through, don't know the circumstances.
Like a lot of top fighters of his day who didn't even get a title shot, he didn't get his till late in his career. I'm sure in the present day he would of grabbed a title of one of the governing bodies.

 

There seems to be more belts than pants now. Atleast you old man will be remembered for his fights, oponents and ability.
I'd be hard pressed to name who was the best Bantam in 1995, and what title he assumed.

Go figure. :good

 

How about that belt in my avatar. The future champ haha.

 

Mate... its a great shot. :good

You must be proud. Hope Al snr has seen the pic... all the hard work, just to hold up a fkn nappy. lol :rofl

Whats the trunks????

 

They're the shorts from the Harada fight.

 

Pleasure to see Pimentel's name. Thought you might appreciate an interview I did with him a few years ago at a boxing dinner:

Jesus "Little Poison" Pimentel still looks within a couple of workouts of making the bantamweight limit. He's gracious and patient with all those that fight for his attention, but he moves very nimbly and generates a certain energy and alertness. His eyes are kind--not what you'd imagine from a man who knocked out 69 men.

He was baby faced as a fighter, and it's stood him in good stead these many years later; with his thick, black hair, he looks easily 15 years younger than 64.

On a bench, almost in the eye of the hurricane of people milling about us, Pimentel ushered me to sit and to ask him anything.

Q: You're not the least bit damaged after 80 fights, except for a hint of a fighter's nose?

JP: It's logical with that many fights, he smiled

Q: When you decided to pull the plug, what made you say, "I've had enough."

JP: I didn't want to retire till I got a chance at the title...and, I got it, even though it was my last fight, but I got the opportunity and I fought a great champion, which was Ruben Olivares.
Unfortunately, my time had past; I lost in a 12-round TKO.

Q: When you say your time had passed, what was it about your skills that wasn't right?

JP: My legs, in the first place. My reflexes, they weren't the same no more...because punches that Ruben was throwing me, in my early days, I could easily avoid them.
But, that's when I knew. I started feeling the punches...all the way to my neck, and I knew it was time for me to call it quits, which I did.

Q: How old were you when you retired?

JP: I was only two months away from being 32. I retired December 14 of '71.

Q: What was the true story behind your walking out on the Edre Jofre fight?

JP: That is wrong! The real story was the fight was cancelled not by us but the promoter, George Parnassus. And the reason was: Even though Edre Jofre was a world champion and I was the number one contender, Edre Jofre never fought in North America, and I, as the number one, had never fought in San Antonio. Neither did Edre Jofre, so there was not that kind of interest for a title fight, knowing it was for the bantamweight championship. So, that's why the promoter cancelled the fight.
But, then he accused me of being afraid of Edre Jofre, and he had advanced me $10,000, which was wrong.

I got suspended by Luis Spota, which at that time was the President of the World Boxing Council.

Now, I wish that in that time Don King and the recent President of the World Boxing Council, Jose Suliman, was around. I would have been champion of the world.

George Parnassus and Luis Spota, they used to eat out of the same plate. Parnassus told him a false story, and he suspended me for a full year.

Q: How much did the suspension hurt your career?

JP: I still kept myself busy on the coast and Mexico. So, even though I was not making any big money or nothing, but I was active. After the suspension was lifted, I started my boxing career again.

Q: How do you feel about the dirty dealing that goes on in boxing today?

JP: I will criticize nothing. Boxing is still boxing. The fighters of today, they are so fortunate; they can make all kinds of money.

Q: Do you think the advancements in training methods have improved fighters?

JP: My opinion is: We didn't need all that stuff they do today. We fought like we knew best. The fighters of the past are the most dedicated fighters, especially, fighters from Mexico.
We ate tortillas and beans; that was our main dish, but today a lot of vitamins, a lot of weight lifting. I don't believe in that myself.

Q: Mexican fighters have been known for their liver punches. Is it a difficult punch to learn?

JP: A good body puncher, a liver puncher, to me, you gotta have it! We teach the fighter a way of throwing that left hook to the liver, but if the guy does not have the punch, does not have the quality to do so, it's not gonna help.
I try now to teach the kids what I did during my career, what I learned from a manager.

Q: Can you teach a kid to punch?

JP: No, no, no! That's wrong! You cannot teach a kid to be a puncher.
That's a problem I had with an owner of a gym. He tried to teach me how I should train-that my training was old fashioned. And I said, 'What? Boxing's boxing. There is only one way of teaching a boxer the way of moving, a way of executing the punches, a way of blocking the punches, and a way of how to avoid the punches.

'And, you mean that if Sugar Ray Robinson was here as a trainer for your company, you mean he has an old style?' And, I quit from that particular gym.

Q: Can I ask what he said when you said that about Robinson?

JP: He just kept his mouth shut. Once he told me how to teach, I said, 'No. Goodbye!'

Q: You have a tremendous amount of knockouts. When did you realize you had this awesome power?

JP: That brings back memories of a manager. One day, my manager was trying to teach me how to set myself and execute the punches with more effectiveness. And I said, ' Harry, Harry, I'm not a puncher; I'm a boxer.'
After my 29th straight knockout, he gives me a birthday card: "I'm not a puncher"

Q: When did it dawn on you? You thought you were a boxer.

JP: I knew it when every fighter kept going down. I knew I had the punch.

Q: Who is the toughest you ever fought?

JP: I had many tough fights. I had one helluva fight in 1963 at the Olympic Auditorium, with Jose "Portillo" Lopez.
I was almost down, and he was almost down. We fought eight rounds trying to knock each other out, and I ended up knocking Jose "Portillo" Lopez out.

My toughest fight was Mimoun Ben Ali, the European champion that had never been knocked out in 62 professional bouts. I knocked him out in San Antonio Texas in '66 or '68. That fight was chosen as the best fight in the history of San Antonio.

Q: Did you fight amateur?

JP: I had 21 fights...and lost 22. In other words, I had a bad record as an amateur.

Q: How could you be so good as a pro and so bad as an amateur?

JP: I was very young. I didn't have the proper experience. I took my first amateur fight with one day of training in my life; and only because I went to see my best friend fight and his opponent did not show up. And the bullring in Mexicali, Mexico was full to the top to see that particular friend of mine fight.
They started calling me: 'cabezon!'--cabezon meant big head, --you fight. I said you guys are crazy. I only trained one day in my life; you want me to fight this guy. He had a lot of experience, was well known.

I agreed because the commission accepted it. They borrowed me a brand new set of trunks, my shoes, my wraps, and a mouthpiece.

The white trunk was a beautiful, brand new trunk. At the second round, that trunk was red, full of blood.

When you're not used to getting hit in the nose and they touch your nose, blood just keeps squirting out, and that's what happened to me.

Q: Boxing isn't like tennis, when you lose, you get beat up. With such a bad record as an amateur, what made you continue as a pro?

JP: I made a promise to God... (And he had to stop; his eyes welled-up with tears. And it was a moment or two before he could regain his composure) I said I'm going to be a boxer. I'm going to dedicate myself completely, and I did-thank God.

Q: To see such a veteran pro so moved, fighting must have meant more to you than just the money?

JP: I would be wrong if I was to say, it's not for the money. That person who makes that statement, stating he's fighting not because of the money; he is a crazy person. Money is the main reason.

Q: Do you still keep in touch with any of the guys you fought?

JP: Definitely! I do, yes. For example, Ruben Olivares, he and I are very close friends. I see many of the fighters, and we enjoy seeing each other. It's an honor; it's a pleasure.
Today fighters are screaming and vulgarizing each other. I just don't think it's proper. We respected each other during those times. We have kept that respect until today.

Q: So, how do you react when you see these guys talking trash on TV?

JP: It's senseless. I just don't see a reason. A lot of guys just do it to pop off, that's all.

Q: Was it ever personal with you? Were you ever really angry?

JP: Never, I never was angry at nobody. We were in the same business, making money.
So, why should I be angry or have something against a person. Never did.

Q: As hard as you hit, did you ever stop someone and worry that they might be seriously hurt?

JP: I never did. I did what I had to do. If a fighter was hurt, it was not my concern to try to stop myself from hitting him. I was paid to do my job, and that was it.

Q: Was Ruben the hardest puncher you ever fought?

JP: No, never. The only fighter that hurt me was another Mexican fighter, Jose Medel. And Jose Medel was not recognized as a puncher.

Q: What advice would you give to a young fighter?

JP: Dedicate! Dedicate themselves completely. That's my best recommendation.
When I thanked him for the interview, he asked for my name again, as if he really wanted to remember it.

 

In that case, I hope there's a nappy underneath. lol :dead

 

Great interview, confirms the Ben Ali thing as well. Medel not considered a puncher! I'm sure Walter McGowan and Fighting Harada would agree with Jesus. I think Harada was hanging on in the last round of the second fight after being hurt as well.
Any news on how he's doing now?

 

Excellent to read that J.G. Thanks mate. Very suprised to read Jose Medal was his opinion of hardest puncher. Cant argue with the man. He would know.

 

brillaint post JG