Curtis Cokes vs. Manuel Gonzalez (5th meeting)
Curtis Cokes 146 lbs beat Manuel Gonzalez 147 lbs by UD in round 15 of 15
- Date: 1966-08-24
- Location: Municipal Auditorium, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA
- Referee: Pete Giarusso 14-1
- Judge: Eddie Brown 8-2
- Judge: Herman Dutreix 11-2
"After eight fruitless years in the ring, Curtis Cokes is bringing the welterweight title home to Dallas. Cokes easily disposed of Houston's Manuel Gonzalez Wednesday night before 5,102 fans to take the championship by a lopsided 15 round decision. With the exception of the 12th round, the fight was largely a case of Cokes pressing and Gonzalez running or punching air. The 12th was the big round of the fight. Gonzalez was jabbing when Cokes slammed a right to the jaw. He followed with a flurry of lefts, a left uppercut, and a right or two that sent Gonzalez sprawling to the ropes and then to the canvas. Referee Pete Giarusso counted to four with Gonzalez on the deck and then held him against the ropes for the eight count. Cokes continued battering away for the rest of the round but couldn't muster a knockout punch." -United Press International
- Unofficial UPI scorecard - 12-2-1 Cokes
- The title was left vacant after world champ Emile Griffith moved up in weight and won the middleweight title.