Jose Napoles 'The Mark of Brilliance'

As of January 1968,

Jose 'Mantequilla' Napoles still had not stepped foot into the United States.

The 27 1/2 year-old, with a record of 52-4-0 {38 KO's}, had not yet
fought for a World Championship, despite being a Top-Ranked Lightweight and
Light-Welterweight since - January 1963 (5 years).

Jose Napoles as 'La Pera'........The Pear

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Monday Night - April 29, 1968

Tijuana, Baja California

Jose 'Mantequilla' Napoles - 53-4-0 (35 KO's) - (140 lbs.) - #2 WBA Light-Welterweight
vs.
Herbie 'Sweet Herbie' Lee - 23-6-0 (7 KO's) - (139 lbs.) - #10 WBA Light-Welterweight

'Mantequilla', now 28 years-old, is still waiting.

The 22 year-old 'Sweet Herbie' from Washington D.C. is supposed to
out-box 'La Marvela Cubana', and get him out of the way in the
Top Spot of the Light-Welterweight Division. Herbie Lee is the
American Southern 'Mid-Atlantic' Light-Welterweight Champion

'Sweet Herbie' is a 5' 7" 'speedy stylist-boxer', who is very difficult to corner.

The Fight

'Sweet Herbie' does his best work in the first 3-Rounds, as his lightning speed
prevents Napoles from landing a solid blow.

But, by Round 4, 'Mantequilla' has closed the distance, and starts to land his
powerful combinations.

Napoles, bombards 'Herbie' in Round 5, and sends him skidding across the ring
and onto the canvas with a whipping left-hook and right hand to the chin.

Herbie is up at the 4-Count, and speeds around the ring in a defensive-mode.

In Round 6, 'Mantequilla' finally catches the speedster, and barrels into him with
what seems like a 25-punch assault, leaving him defenseless. The Referee calls
a halt to the bout at 0:55 of Round 6. (TKO 6)

 

Early - Jose 'Mantequilla' Napoles

Saturday Night - April 25, 1964

Mexico City - Federal District

Attendance - 10,000

Jose 'Mantequilla' Napoles - 33-3-0 (16 KO's)

The 24 year-old - 5' 7 1/2" 135 lb. Napoles, was the #2 Ranked Lightweight

Alfredo 'Canelo' Urbina - 40-11-3 (23 KO's)

The 28 year-old - 5' 7" 135 lb. Mexican - Alfredo Urbina was the #1 Ranked Lightweight.

Urbina was coming off impressive wins over Top Lightweights -
Joe Brown, Tony Perez, LC Morgan, Gene Gresham as well as an 'upset' over
Jose Napoles earlier, on April 27, 1963.

The Skinny;

The winner of this 'Elimination Bout' would get to fight Venezuelan - Carlos Hernandez on June 22, 1964.

The winner of the June 22, 1964 bout - was supposed to get to Challenge Lightweight Champion - Carlos Ortiz
in September or October 1964.

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j5oVr4jN7Ek&feature=player_detailpage[/ame]

 

May 1968,

Still no visits to the United States for Jose 'Mantequilla' Napoles.

Sunday - June 2, 1968 (Mexico City)

The #2 WBA Light-Welterweight will take on Peter Cobblah, "The Ghana Terror".

Cobblah, who had been campaiging in Europe, has relocated to Mexico City.

The 5' 4" - 'muscular' 34 year-old Ghanan, is a 'veteran Warrior', with a record of
43-35-3 (33 KO's), who makes you work every second of every round.

The Fight

Jose (140 lbs.) was in control from the out-set, but the veteran Cobblah (141 lbs.) made him work in
every round. Each time Napoles took a breather, the muscular 5' 4" Ghanan charged
in close, and slugged away.

Napoles had a 5-1 Rounds lead after 6-Rounds, and was dominant.

Napoles turned very aggressive in Rounds 7 and 8, as Cobblah started to fade. But
Cobblah would not back down, and fought back with vigor in Rounds 9 and 10, as
'Mantequilla' cruised down the stretch with a comfortable points lead.

Peter Cobblah

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Saturday - June 8, 1968

Jose 'Mantequilla' Napoles

Before his 1st-bout in the United States.

The 28 year-old Napoles, with a record of 54-4-0 (35 KO's) was the
#2 Light-Welterweight, though many called him the 'Uncrowned Champion'.

Carminas Restaurant in Mexicali - Jose Napoles and George Parnassus (The Forum fight promoter)

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'Mantequilla' had a scheduled bout on Friday Night (June 14th) at the The Forum - Inglewood, California.

Napoles, would be having his '1st bout' in the United States, and his '1st-True bout' in the Welterweight Division.

The 'Main Event' would be a Bantamweight Eliminaton bout between Chucho Castillo vs. Jesus Pimentel.

On the main undercard;

Jose 'Mantequilla' Napoles at (145 lbs.) would be facing 'Hurricane' Leroy Roberts, a 26 year-old 5' 8"
148 lb. Welterweight from Norristown, Pennsylvania. 'Hurricane' Roberts -a two-time tour Vietnam
Veteran, had a record of 18-3-0 (6 KO's). 'Hurricane' had a reputation as being a 'tough fast-handed'
East Coast club-fighter - but with a 'questionable chin'.

The Fight

Jose Napoles came out 'swinging', and took command immediately with a left-right attack. By
the 1:00 Mark, 'Hurricane' Roberts was already in trouble, and was reeling. A short left hook
to the head dropped 'Hurricane' at the 1:35 of the opening round.

Roberts was up at the 6-Count, but rose on wobbly legs. Jose Napoles 'bombed away' on his
'bewildered' opponent, and dropped him for the 'count' with a left hook - straight right at the
2:03 Mark.

The Referee counted out Leroy Roberts at 2:13 of Round 1.

 

Friday Night - June 14, 1968

After Jose 'Mantequilla' Napoles completely 'out-classed' 'Hurricane'
Leroy Roberts by a {TKO 1}.

George Parnassus (The Forum fight promoter)

'There is no money in the world that will bring Carlos Ortiz into the
ring with Jose Napoles. And the Japanese Champion - Takeshi 'Paul' Fuji
has no interest in coming to the West Coast, even in a non-title bout.'

'I will do my best to get Welterweight Champion - Curtis Cokes here
to fight Jose Napoles. It is a shame, as Napoles is clearly one of the
best fighters in the world today. I plan on bringing him back in a couple
of months. He has a contract to particpate in 3-bouts in Mexico, but
he will be open to come back here in early-November.'

 

Monday Night - July 15, 1968

Downtown Arena 'Bull Ring' - Tijuana, Baja California

Attendance; 4700

Jose 'Mantequilla' Napoles is putting a charge into the Welterweights, and 'enhanced'
his chance at a World Championship.

The 28 year-old 'Cuban' scored a 'sound and solid' 10-Round Unanimous
Decision over the 'rugged' Santa Monica, Los Angeles-based, and #12 WBA Welterweight -
'Fast' Eddie Pace 27-18-1 (9 KO's).

The 28 year-old - Napoles (143 lbs.) the #2 WBA Light-Welterweight, impressed by
taking command from the opening bell, over the 27 year-old - Pace (148 lbs.).

Napoles who was out-weighed by 5 lbs., utlized a variety of left jabs, left hooks and
stiff rights to the face of the 'defensive-minded' American opponent over the first 3-Rounds.

'Mantequilla' pulled away, when he landed an assortment of solid punches in Rounds 4 and 5,
to build a solid lead on the scorecards, as the American was limited to counter-punching.

Eddie Pace was able to smother Napoles in Rounds 6 and 7, but after that, the harder punching
and faster Cuban took complete control in both the 8th and 9th Rounds.

The American was able to put in a 'brief rally' in the last round, to make the bout closer on the
scorecards.

Ringside Observers scored it 7-3-0 in Rounds for Jose Napoles.

Jose Napoles is now 56-4-0, and hopes for a bout with Welterweight Champion - Curtis Cokes
by the end of the year.

 

August 21, 1968

El Paso Herald

'Napoles Heads Boxing Card'

One of the first American Newspaper articles on Jose 'Mantequilla' Napoles.

Mantequilla signed to fight on Tuesday Night, September 10, 1968
- at the Monumental Bull Ring in Juarez.

Promoter - Frank Montel, had 'Mantequilla' appear there several times
earlier, in what was billed as the 'Border Series Fight Card'.

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Mr. Beer,

I Love Carlos Ortiz, but lets be honest......

As per California Fight Promoter - Mr. George Parnassus -

'There is not enough money in the world that will get Carlos Ortiz
in the ring with Jose Napoles. I know, because I have opened up my
back account to Mr. Ortiz.'

 

'Jose Napoles To Return To the Forum'

Jose 'Mantequilla' Napoles, the #2 WBA Light- Welterweight will
come back to Inglewood on Monday, November 4, 1968.

This time, the Cuban will face a 'scappy' Northern Ireland opponent,
Des Rea from Belfast.

Des Rea, a 24 year-old 'boxer-mover', is the British Light-Welterweight
Champion, and has a record of 16-7-2 (2 KO's). Des was ranked as the
#6 Light-Welterweight earlier in the year, but back-to-back losses have
dropped him out of the Top 10 of the 140 lb. Division.

Des Rea

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Monday Night - November 4, 1968

The Forum - Inglewood, California

Attendance; 10,857

Jose 'Mantequilla' Napoles (144 lbs.) stopped (TKO 5) Des Rea (146 lbs.) of
Northern Ireland in a one-sided Welterweight bout.

Napoles, the #2 WBA Light-Welterweight, dropped Rea the British Light-Welterweight
Champion in the 1st-Round with a barrage of punches. Des got up at the
9-Count, and just barely survived until the bell.

The Belfast-Fighter was over-matched, as the Cuban scored with solid
punches in Round 2, leaving Rea with a badly bloodied nose.

A patient Napoles, scored with crisp punches in Rounds 3 and 4, as Rea
attempted to hold off the stronger World Class fighter from Mexico with
weak jabs.

In Round 5, Napoles opened up, and flailed away on a defenseless Rea,
as the Irishman's nose was flowing very bad.

Referee - John Thomas called an end to the bout at 3:00 of Round 5.

Jose Napoles improves to 57-4-0 (37 KO's).

 

December 1968 (WBA Light-Welterweight Rankings)

*** Nicolino Locche
#1 - Jose Napoles
#2 - Pedro Adigue
#3 - Bruno Arcari
#4 - Jose Hernandez
#5 - Adoplh Pruitt
#6 - Takeshi 'Paul' Fuji
#7 - Lennox Beckles
#8 - Joao Henrique
#9 - Rodrigo Valdez
#10 German Gastelbondo

Nicolino Locche, who had just won the WBA Championship over Paul Fuji on
December 12, 1968 - made it clear he was not leaving Argentina, ever.

A young 22 year-old Colombian - Rodrigo Valdez 22-1-2 (10 KO's) - who was
also campaigning as a 140 lb. boxer now, just like Jose Napoles - was being
mentioned as a possible opponent for the new WBA Champion - Nicolino Locche.