Luis Manuel Rodriguez
| Luis Manuel Rodríguez | |
|---|---|
Rodríguez (right) vs. Nino Benvenuti in 1969
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| Statistics | |
| Real name | Luis Manuel Rodríguez |
| Nickname(s) | El Feo |
| Rated at | Welterweight |
| Nationality | Cuban |
| Born |
June 17, 1937 Camagüey, Cuba |
| Died | July 8, 1996 (aged 59) Miami, Florida, United States |
| Stance | Orthodox |
| Boxing record | |
| Total fights | 121 |
| Wins | 107 |
| Wins by KO | 49 |
| Losses | 13 |
| Draws | 0 |
Luis Manuel Rodríguez (March 14, 1937 – July 8, 1996) was a professional boxing champion. Known as "El Feo", Rodriguez began his career in pre-Castro Havana. In Cuba, Rodriguez twice defeated the ill-fated future welterweight champion Benny Kid Paret.
After the Cuban Revolution, Rodríguez campaigned in the United States. Fighting out of Miami, Rodriguez decisioned top welterweights such as Virgil Akins and Rudell Stitch.
He was unbeaten in 36 fights before losing a split decision to Emile Griffith in a 1960 non-title fight. In 1963, Rodriguez and Griffith fought twice for the World Welterweight Championship. Rodriguez defeated Griffith by a unanimous decision to win the title, but Griffith regained it three months later with a split decision. Their fourth and final meeting came in 1964, with Griffith retaining the welterweight title with a split decision.
Rodriguez was trained by Angelo Dundee at the old 5th street gym in Miami beach alongside Ralph Dupas, Willie Pastrano, Florentino Fernández and Pinklon Thomas.
Rodriguez was ringside and provided ancillary television commentary for the nationally televised Thursday night, March 21, 1963 Dodger Stadium featherweight championship bout between reigning champ Davey Moore and Sugar Ramos, won after 10 rounds by TKO by Ramos and resulting within the hour in a comatose state for Moore, and ultimately his death on March 25. The incident was memorialized by recording artist Bob Dylan in his long-unreleased (but widely bootlegged) tune, "Who Killed Davey Moore?" (The complete telecast of the fight is available on YouTube, as are several of Dylan's various performances of the song.)
In November 1969, Rodriguez challenged Nino Benvenuti in Rome, Italy, for the World middleweight title. In the 11th round, slightly ahead on points but tiring and badly cut, Benvenuti suddenly landed a perfect left hook that left Rodriguez on the floor for 5 minutes.
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