47 years ago

Date: 9th February 1974

Venue: Puteaux, Hauts-de-Seine, France

Title: WBC & WBA World Middleweight Titles

Carlos Monzon
( 81 - 3 - 9 )
Weight: 159 3/4 lbs

Jose Napoles
( 77 - 5 - 0 )
Weight: 153 lbs

Monzon the undisputed middleweight world champion defended his title against Mexico based Cuban Napoles, the undisputed world welterweight champion in Paris, France.

The size and weight differences were just too much, even for Napoles, a highly-skilled boxer. Monzon was normally too big for full middleweights so, it was a big ask for a welterweight. Napoles weighed 153 lbs to Monzon's 160 lbs and the Argentinian champion also enjoyed a five-inch reach advantage.

After 6 rounds of taking a beating, Napoles corner quite rightly pulled their fighter out. He simply didn't have any chance of winning.