By this time nobody questioned the greatness of Jose Napoles. The previous Cuban who had emigrated to Mexico after Fidel Castro outlawed skilled prizefighting had established his elite standing lengthy earlier than he lastly acquired an opportunity at a world title in 1969. Actually, the one purpose he had moved as much as welterweight was as a result of his repute preceded him and the champions at 135 and 140 have been unwilling to face him. All the time cool and composed within the ring, like a panther patiently stalking its prey, Napoles had vanquished a protracted checklist of top-shelf fighters, together with Curtis Cokes, Emile Griffith, Clyde Grey, Ernie Lopez, Billy Backus and Hedgemon Lewis. In brief, by 1974 the Corridor of Fame credentials of “Mantequilla” have been greater than safe.
So at virtually 34 years of age, and with some eighty professional bouts on his document, who might blame him for cashing in by accepting a duel with Carlos Monzon, the middleweight king? Sports activities followers have been drawn to a conflict between two massive names and dominant world champs, whereas critical followers of the struggle recreation, conscious that Napoles wasn’t even a very giant welterweight, regarded the match-up as one thing lower than compelling. In any case, “Mantequilla” was a former light-weight, whereas Monzon was a giant middleweight: tall, sturdy, and rangy, with a sledgehammer proper hand.
However then once more, Monzon had not precisely seemed just like the second coming of Harry Greb in his final two outings, determination wins over Griffith and Jean-Claude Bouttier. A minority of pundits puzzled if the champion may be in decline and ripe to be foiled by a wise, veteran battler who was not solely extremely expert, however boasted some critical energy in that lethal left hook.
Monzon vs Napoles passed off in Paris and the temper was electrical with a widespread sense that this was an historic conflict between two all-time greats. And for 2 rounds, the match lived as much as these expectations. Regardless of making a gift of a lot by way of measurement, it was the challenger who took the struggle to the larger man, darting inside and letting his fingers go whereas Monzon labored to maintain Napoles at bay together with his longer attain. Greater than as soon as within the opening body the gang roared as “Mantequilla” pounced, attacking with fury and driving Monzon to the ropes.
The Cuban saved the warmth on within the second, taking possibilities and urgent the struggle, till a minute into the spherical a proper hand from Monzon landed flush, catching Napoles off-balance and sending him staggering throughout the ring. Immediately, the obvious distinction in measurement, power and energy was confirmed. Not significantly harm, the challenger went again to work, beating Monzon to the punch, slipping and countering, however his pictures lacked the tonnage to hassle the Argentinian. It was a bit like watching a nineteenth century battleship fireplace cannonballs at a hulking plane provider.
Nonetheless, the match was an entertaining and fast-paced battle so far, and whereas Monzon clearly took spherical three, within the fourth Napoles boxed with nice ability, utilizing his jab successfully, countering with precision, and elevating the hopes of his followers. If he might someway sustain this tempo, would possibly he have an opportunity to out-hustle and out-work Monzon over the fifteen spherical distance?
In a phrase, no. The fifth was the start of the tip as a tiring Napoles began to provide floor, permitting the champion to come back ahead behind his massive proper hand. Monzon opened up on his now stationary challenger, teeing off with heavy, correct punches, hurting Napoles for the primary time and injuring his proper eye. Within the last seconds of the spherical Monzon gave the impression to be only one clear blow away from a knockout win and it was one thing of a miracle that Jose survived to listen to the bell.
Spherical six was extra of the identical. A fading “Mantequilla” fought again as finest he might, however he was outgunned. One other Monzon proper smashed house, and now the person they known as “Shotgun,” with the indifferent air of an skilled stevedore or bricklayer, went concerning the activity of methodically beating up the Cuban exile, hammering him time and again with heavy pictures. At one level he even held Napoles by the chin together with his left hand earlier than clubbing him on the jaw together with his proper. Clear, thudding punches rained down and had the challenger virtually helpless earlier than the bell rang and Napoles teetered again to his nook on most unsteady pins.
And that was it. When the bell rang for spherical seven, Napoles stayed on his stool as coach Angelo Dundee turned to the referee and signaled give up. In a struggle which demonstrated the need of weight divisions, a terrific smaller man was merely no match for a terrific larger man. Following the defeat Napoles properly returned to the welterweight division to defend his title a number of extra instances earlier than retiring after a loss to John L. Stracey. In the meantime, Monzon proved unstoppable, exiting a yr after Napoles did, however solely after notching a document fourteen consecutive defenses of his undisputed middleweight crown. — Michael Carbert
