Jose Urtain/How good was he?

[Brutu]

Jose Urtain,
A power punching heavyweight from Spain
during the late 1960's and 1970's.

http://boxrec.com/media/index.php/Jose_Manuel_Urtain

What had stopped him from getting a title shot at
the (undisputed)World Heavyweight Championship?

[Rover]

Did a paper on him in college. Wasn't it due to losses at the European level?

[Brutu]

But why did he lose on the European level?
Was he lacking in defensive skills?

[polecateddy]

He was just a 15 stone, muscle-bound plodder. Sub-euro level really.

[Rover]

He was just a 15 stone, muscle-bound plodder. Sub-euro level really.

^This.

[Brutu]

Did he ever fight on American television,Even a closed-circuit broadcast?

[HomicideHenry]

Cooper ended his hopes/dreams of being more than a European heavyweight. Sad end to a once promising life, I believe Urtain jumped out a window and killed himself.

[Brutu]

Or perhaps he had was thrown?
the 10th floor has always been a popular
floor for some gangsters.

[Brutu]

like a scene from one of the Rocky movies
(scroll down to bottom of page for larger image).


http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1971-Press-Ph ... 5aec89674c

[HomicideHenry]

Or perhaps he had was thrown?
the 10th floor has always been a popular
floor for some gangsters.

It screams of On The Waterfront.

[polecateddy]

Cooper ended his hopes/dreams of being more than a European heavyweight. Sad end to a once promising life, I believe Urtain jumped out a window and killed himself.

The official version is that he fell. Who thought he could have beaten a 1978 Leon Spinks? Sprink's speed would have run him out of the ring! He was as slow as a mud-slide and very easy to out-box. I remember watching Henry Cooper do just that.

[Brutu]

wern't some of Urtains knock outs seemed 'suspect"?

[Brutu]

Did a paper on him in college. Wasn't it due to losses at the European level?

I did one of my high school term papers on Raquel Welch
and her impact on 20th century Western culture
in my world history class.
That was in 1976,you wouldnt believe how hard it was
trying to go to the library to find books about her.
But I saw Mother,Jugs and Speed at the movies about 4 times in a week
to help with my research for it.

[Rover]

Yes,

Back in November 22, 1969 - Jose Manuel Urtain fought in Italy on the undercard of the
Nino Benvenuti - Luis Rodriguez World Middleweight Championship.

That bout was on American Television.

The Jose Manuel Urtain vs George Holden (American Heavyweight) was shown for the brief
period that it lasted, about (1:30).

Jose scored a KO 1, and was mentioned as 'The Strongman from Spain'.

[Rover]

Did a paper on him in college. Wasn't it due to losses at the European level?

I did one of my high school term papers on Raquel Welch
and her impact on 20th century Western culture
in my world history class.
That was in 1976,you wouldnt believe how hard it was
trying to go to the library to find books about her.
But I saw Mother,Jugs and Speed at the movies about 4 times in a week
to help with my research for it.

[Brutu]

Or perhaps he had was thrown?
the 10th floor has always been a popular
floor for some gangsters.

It screams of On The Waterfront.

the recent posting of Joe Louis's brother made me wonder.
Jose Urtains brother the professional Jai-Alai player lived in South Florida.
which was heavily envolved in crime and cocaine smuggling in the 1970's.
(ever see the dvd of the documentery COCAINE COWBOYS?)
Maybe the cartel wanted to send his brother a message at expense of Jose Urtain?
wasn't his nephew involved in some kind of murder
involving a cartel about 15 years ago?

[Rover]

July 2, 1969

'The Tiger of Cestona'

His real name was Jose Manuel Ibar. A man of incredible stregth. Already the Spaniards were
paying 2000 Pesetas ($250 U.S. Dollars) for Ringside Seats to see him dispose of his opponents,
sometimes in a matter of a few seconds.

By July 1969 - the 26 year-old - Jose Manuel Ibar had posted a record of 17-0-0 (17 KO's), and
the late-strating in his career Heavyweight was building up quite a reputation as a 'knockout artist'.

The cynics were calling him a 'farce' and a 'fake'. Victories over a string of 'folding cards' had
several visiting Italian Sports Writers calling him an 'impostore'. As they were scouting the
Spaniard as a possible opponent for Italian Heavyweight - Mario Baruzzi 8-0-0 {6 KO's}.

http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q= ... MqSGZ4ohgA

[Rover]

Or perhaps he had was thrown?
the 10th floor has always been a popular
floor for some gangsters.

It screams of On The Waterfront.

the recent posting of Joe Louis's brother made me wonder.
Jose Urtains brother the professional Jai-Alai player lived in South Florida.
which was heavily envolved in crime and cocaine smuggling in the 1970's.
(ever see the dvd of the documentery COCAINE COWBOYS?)
Maybe the cartel wanted to send his brother a message at expense of Jose Urtain?
wasn't his nephew involved in some kind of murder
involving a cartel about 15 years ago?

I think the nephew's on death row; his accomplice, I believe, was named Seth Penalver.

[Rover]

Good Hunting Mr. Rover,,,,,,, ,

Jose Manuel Ibar did something Joe Bugner couldn't do,,,,,,,,

He put away Jack Bodell, and in brutal fashion I might add. 'Magnifico'

[Brutu]

If I had been in charge of matching Jose Urtain.
I would have matched him with fellow stocky fighters
who stood in place for a lot of the time.
Boxers like Jerry Quarry,Joe Frazier maybe Oscar Bonavena.
Joe Frazier vs Urtain in 1972 would have been interesting.
Frazier was used to throwing to the body then up to the head.
Urtain would have at the most gotten more glove burn at the top of his scalp
instead of too the jaw from Frazier throwing the hooks too high.

[Rover]

If I had been in charge of matching Jose Urtain.
I would have matched him with fellow stocky fighters
who stood in place for a lot of the time.
Boxers like Jerry Quarry,Joe Frazier maybe Oscar Bonavena.
Joe Frazier vs Urtain in 1972 would have been interesting.
Frazier was used to throwing to the body then up to the head.
Urtain would have at the most gotten more glove burn at the top of his scalp
instead of too the jaw from Frazier throwing the hooks too high.

Frazier would've KO'd him.

[Brutu]

But would Urtain have given him a harder fight then Stander?

[Rover]

But would Urtain have given him a harder fight then Stander?

Maybe, but that's not saying much.

[Brutu]

yeah,a lot of people these days usually just associate the mob with
Las Vegas Nevada.
But before they shifted their mostly gambling activities there in the early 1950's.
They were all over South Florida in the 1940's and 1950's.
Particularly in a town called Hallandale in Broward County.
When the heat was turned up down there the mob pretty much moved their gambling operations
to Las Vegas in the 1950's,however they were still involved
in dog races,horse races and Jai Alai frontons in South FloridA for years afterwards.
Just makes you wonder.

[Rover]

Jose Manuel Ibar hit 'alot' harder than Ron Stander.

But, Ron had a 'John Deere Plow' for a chin. He'd get TKO'd, but he was virtually
impossible to floor. (see 'Smokin Joe' vs. 'The Council Bluffs Butcher').

If you look at his record, Jose was vicious thru 3-Rounds, then the arms turned
into lead weights.