Ramon Berumen in the 1st Napoles-Muniz fight. Like Jack Welsh, he too appeared to be Napoles personal referee. Both fighters were cut during the infighting and he allowed Napoles corner to use swabs on the cuts although against commission rules. When Muniz changed tactics around the 8th to a jabbing style he ripped open Napoles cuts and then almost knocked Napoles out late in the 10th. In the 11th, with his title slipping, Napoles let loose a fussilade of low blows for 3 minutes while Berumen watched. According to Muniz, "He was just waiting for me to return one low blow in retaliation so he could DQ me." He allowed Napoles to come out absolutely coated in vaseline and any other product they could put on him. Rich Roberts an L.A. writer said, "He actually looked like he was hit with a custard pie he had so much product on him." Finally, Berumen stops the fight in the 12th with Napoles almost sightless and confers with the doctor for about 5 minutes and he himself grabs the microphone and says due to Muniz butting in the 3rd and 5th that Napoles wins on a tech decision. Reprehensible.
Biting my nails having to wait to hear results on some newspaper blurb the next day. Man, the things we had to do before the internet. However, they did televise the fight in its entirety on a Spanish station before the rematch. And in between rounds, the host, who had Muniz and his manager Vic Weiss in the studio, would be asking them questions. Man, even though I knew the results I almost leapt from my chair when Muniz hurt Napoles in the 10th. As one can see, I was a big Muniz fan.
