José Napoles

Lore & Background

José Ángel Nápoles, a Cuban-born Mexican professional boxer, was a two-time undisputed welterweight champion who held the WBA, WBC, and The Ring titles between 1969 and 1975. He is frequently ranked among the greatest fighters in welterweight history and is a member of the International Boxing Hall of Fame. After debuting professionally in Cuba in 1958, he fought his first 21 bouts there, mostly against unknown competition, before Cuban president Fidel Castro banned professional boxing, forcing Nápoles to seek asylum in Mexico. He became a Mexican citizen and fought out of that country. Over the following years, he built an international career, traveling to Japan, Venezuela, and the United States, avenging losses to Alfredo Urbina and JC Morgan. He became a fan favorite in southern California. Nápoles won the world welterweight title by knocking out Curtis Cokes in the 13th round in 1969, famously wearing a sombrero after the fight. He successfully defended the title against Cokes, Emile Griffith, Ernie Lopez, and others. After losing the title to Billy Backus due to a cut, he regained it via an eighth-round stoppage. His training habits later suffered, with allegations of alcohol use. He moved up to middleweight to challenge Carlos Monzón in 1974, but quit the match, losing by seventh-round technical knockout, his only bout at that weight. He retired after a controversial win over Armando Muniz in 1975. Nápoles’ record of the most wins in unified championship bouts, shared with Muhammad Ali, stood unbeaten for 40 years.

Reader's Guide

José Nápoles built his reputation on a punishing knockout style, winning 54 of his 81 career victories by stoppage. After turning professional in Cuba in 1958, he fought his first 21 bouts there, defeating opponents such as Ángel García and Leslie Grant before suffering his first loss to Hilton Smith. When Fidel Castro banned professional boxing in Cuba in 1961, Nápoles’s career was threatened, but he found asylum in Mexico, where he resumed fighting in 1962 and eventually became a Mexican citizen. He became a fan favorite in southern California and was known for wearing a sombrero after his victories. His rivalry with J.C. Morgan included a knockout loss in 1966, which he later avenged with a two-round knockout. Nápoles’s 20-fight winning streak culminated in his capture of the undisputed welterweight championship by knocking out Curtis Cokes in 1969. He successfully defended the title against former champion Emile Griffith and later lost it to Billy Backus on cuts before regaining it in an eighth-round stoppage. His training habits deteriorated during his second reign, with reports of alcohol use and poor attitude in the gym. In 1974, he moved up to middleweight to challenge Carlos Monzón but quit in the seventh round, losing by technical knockout. He retained his welterweight title twice in 1975 against Armando Muniz, the first win controversial via technical decision, before retiring later that year. His record for most wins in unified championship bouts, shared with Muhammad Ali, stood for 40 years.

Did You Know?

• He was the son of a schoolteacher, Pedro Napoles, and his wife Rosa.
• His record of most wins in unified championship bouts was shared with Muhammad Ali and unbeaten for 40 years.
• He became a Mexican citizen after seeking asylum there when Cuba banned professional boxing.