| Luis Manuel Rodríguez | |
| Realname: | Luis Manuel Rodríguez |
| Nickname: | El Feo |
| Weight: | |
| Birth Date: | 1937 6, df=yes |
| Birth Place: | Camagüey, Cuba |
| Death Place: | Miami, Florida, U.S. |
| Style: | Orthodox |
| Height: | 172 cm [1] |
| Total: | 121 |
| Wins: | 107 |
| Ko: | 49 |
| Losses: | 13 |
| No Contests: | 1 |
Luis Manuel Rodríguez (17 June 1937 – 8 July 1996) was a Cuban professional boxer. Known as "El Feo", he began his career in pre-Castro Havana. In Cuba, he twice defeated the ill-fated future welterweight champion Benny Paret. He held the WBA, WBC, and lineal welterweight titles in 1963, and challenged once for the WBA, and WBC middleweight titles in 1969.
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 lineal welterweight title.[2] 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.[3]
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.[4]
Rodriguez was ringside and provided ancillary television commentary for the nationally televised Thursday night, 21 March 1963 Dodger Stadium featherweight championship bout between reigning champ Davey Moore and Sugar Ramos, won after ten rounds by technical knockout (TKO) by Ramos and resulting within the hour in a comatose state for Moore, and ultimately his death on 25 March. He had just beaten Griffith (who had himself fought Benny Paret in another tragic fight) for the world Welterweight title in the same program. Moore's death was memorialized by recording artist Bob Dylan in his long-unreleased (but widely bootlegged) song, "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 middleweight world 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.
Rodriguez retired in 1972[5] after losing to Donato Paduano in Montreal.[6] He died on 8 July 1996 at South Shore Hospital in Miami Beach.[7]
He was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1997. In 2009 The Ring magazine ranked Rodriguez as the third-greatest Cuban boxer of all time, behind Kid Gavilán and Kid Chocolate.[8]
Rodriguez and his trainers were among 33 passengers on Eastern Airlines flight 202 from Miami to Dallas, Texas, when that flight got hijacked and taken to Cuba on July 24, 1961.[9] Rodriguez was fearful for his life since he had escaped from Cuba recently. However, Cuban authorities allowed the plane and its passengers to return to the United States without further incident. Rodriguez was on his way to a fight versus Curtis Cokes, which he eventually lost by split decision some days later, on August 3.
| Result | Record | Opponent | Type | Round | Date | Location | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 121 | Loss | 107–13 | Donato Paduano | SD | 10 | Apr 12, 1971 | ||
| 120 | Loss | 107–12 | Mike Lankester | MD | 10 | Mar 16, 1971 | ||
| 119 | Win | 107–11 | Dave Hilton | UD | 10 | Nov 30, 1971 | ||
| 118 | Win | 106–11 | Mike Padgett | KO | 2 (10) | Nov 1, 1971 | ||
| 117 | Loss | 105–11 | Rafael Gutierrez | TKO | 6 (10) | Aug 3, 1971 | ||
| 116 | Loss | 105–10 | Bunny Sterling | PTS | 10 | May 25, 1971 | ||
| 115 | Win | 105–9 | Tony Mundine | KO | 1 (10) | Aug 7, 1971 | ||
| 114 | Win | 104–9 | Bobby Cassidy | SD | 10 | Jan 26, 1971 | ||
| 113 | Win | 103–9 | J C Ponder | KO | 5 (10) | Dec 1, 1970 | ||
| 112 | Win | 102–9 | Jose Gonzalez | UD | 12 | Sep 24, 1970 | ||
| 111 | Win | 101–9 | Fraser Scott | MD | 10 | Aug 20, 1970 | ||
| 110 | Loss | 100–9 | Jose Gonzalez | PTS | 10 | Jul 31, 1970 | ||
| 109 | Win | 100–8 | Baby Boy Rolle | TKO | 5 (10) | Jun 27, 1970 | ||
| 108 | Win | 99–8 | Willie Warren | UD | 10 | Apr 14, 1970 | ||
| 107 | Win | 98–8 | Joe Cokes | TKO | 4 (10) | Mar 17, 1970 | ||
| 106 | Win | 97–8 | Porter Rolle | KO | 4 (10) | Feb 10, 1970 | ||
| 105 | Loss | 96–8 | Nino Benvenuti | KO | 11 (15) | Nov 22, 1969 | ||
| 104 | Win | 96–7 | Tom Bethea | UD | 10 | Sep 23, 1969 | ||
| 103 | Win | 95–7 | David Beckles | TKO | 2 (10) | Aug 12, 1969 | ||
| 102 | Win | 94–7 | Eddie Owens | KO | 7 (10) | Jul 8, 1969 | ||
| 101 | Win | 93–7 | Rafael Gutierrez | TKO | 6 (12) | Mar 31, 1969 | ||
| 100 | Win | 92–7 | Bobby Williams | TKO | 7 (10) | Feb 20, 1969 | ||
| 99 | Win | 91–7 | Doug Huntley | UD | 10 | Jan 21, 1969 | ||
| 98 | Win | 90–7 | Joe Shaw | UD | 10 | Nov 15, 1968 | ||
| 97 | Win | 89–7 | Rudy Rodriguez | TKO | 4 (10) | Sep 4, 1968 | ||
| 96 | Win | 88–7 | Vicente Rondón | UD | 10 | Jul 18, 1968 | ||
| 95 | Loss | 87–7 | Vicente Rondón | UD | 10 | Jun 3, 1968 | ||
| 94 | Win | 87–6 | Ted Wright | UD | 10 | May 5, 1968 | ||
| 93 | Win | 86–6 | Carl Moore | UD | 10 | Mar 26, 1968 | ||
| 92 | Win | 85–6 | Charley Austin | TKO | 6 (10) | Feb 6, 1968 | ||
| 91 | Win | 84–6 | Bennie Briscoe | UD | 10 | Dec 15, 1967 | ||
| 90 | Win | 83–6 | Candy McFarland | PTS | 10 | Nov 16, 1967 | ||
| 89 | Win | 82–6 | Percy Manning | TKO | 1 (10) | Nov 6, 1967 | ||
| 88 | Win | 81–6 | Phil Robinson | KO | 3 (10) | Sep 29, 1967 | ||
| 87 | Win | 80–6 | Ferd Hernandez | UD | 10 | Sep 7, 1967 | ||
| 86 | Win | 79–6 | Jimmy Lester | UD | 10 | Jun 28, 1967 | ||
| 85 | Win | 78–6 | Juan Carlos Rivero | UD | 10 | Jun 4, 1967 | ||
| 84 | Win | 77–6 | Bennie Briscoe | UD | 10 | Mar 20, 1967 | ||
| 83 | Win | 76–6 | Esteban Alfredo Osuna | PTS | 10 | Feb 18, 1967 | ||
| 82 | Win | 75–6 | Manuel Alvarez | KO | 8 (10) | Jan 20, 1967 | ||
| 81 | Win | 74–6 | Ruben Orrico | TKO | 4 (10) | Sep 24, 1966 | ||
| 80 | Win | 73–6 | Juarez de Lima | KO | 3 (10) | Sep 9, 1966 | ||
| 79 | Loss | 72–6 | Curtis Cokes | TKO | 15 (15) | Jul 6, 1966 | ||
| 78 | Win | 72–5 | Tommy Caldwell | TKO | 2 (10) | May 7, 1966 | ||
| 77 | Loss | 71–5 | Percy Manning | SD | 10 | Apr 11, 1966 | ||
| 76 | Win | 71–4 | George Benton | TKO | 9 (10) | Mar 7, 1966 | ||
| 75 | Win | 70–4 | Joey Limas | TKO | 4 (10) | Jan 25, 1966 | ||
| 74 | Win | 69–4 | Fred McWilliams | TKO | 9 (10) | Jan 18, 1966 | ||
| 73 | Win | 68–4 | Joe Louis Murphy | KO | 4 (10) | Dec 20, 1965 | ||
| 72 | Win | 67–4 | Eddie Pace | UD | 10 | Dec 2, 1965 | ||
| 71 | Win | 66–4 | Cecil Mott | TKO | 4 (10) | Nov 16, 1965 | ||
| 70 | Win | 65–4 | Johnny Morris | TKO | 2 (10) | Oct 4, 1965 | ||
| 69 | Win | 64–4 | Rubin Carter | UD | 10 | Aug 26, 1965 | ||
| 68 | Win | 63–4 | Charley Austin | UD | 10 | Aug 3, 1965 | ||
| 67 | Win | 62–4 | Jose Assuncao | UD | 10 | Jul 26, 1965 | ||
| 66 | Win | 61–4 | Memo Ayon | RTD | 3 (10) | Jul 16, 1965 | ||
| 65 | Win | 60–4 | Rip Randall | UD | 10 | Apr 21, 1965 | ||
| 64 | Win | 59–4 | John Henry Smith | KO | 10 (10) | Mar 26, 1965 | ||
| 63 | Win | 58–4 | Rubin Carter | UD | 10 | Feb 12, 1965 | ||
| 62 | Win | 57–4 | LC Morgan | KO | 2 (10) | Nov 14, 1964 | ||
| 61 | Loss | 56–4 | Emile Griffith | SD | 15 | Jun 12, 1964 | ||
| 60 | Win | 56–3 | Jesse Smith | UD | 10 | Apr 4, 1964 | ||
| 59 | Win | 55–3 | Holley Mims | UD | 10 | Mar 20, 1964 | ||
| 58 | Win | 54–3 | Wilbert McClure | UD | 10 | Dec 27, 1963 | ||
| 57 | Win | 53–3 | Wilbert McClure | UD | 10 | Oct 18, 1963 | ||
| 56 | Win | 52–3 | Denny Moyer | TKO | 9 (10) | Aug 17, 1963 | ||
| 55 | Loss | 51–3 | Emile Griffith | SD | 15 | Jun 8, 1963 | ||
| 54 | Win | 51–2 | Emile Griffith | UD | 15 | Mar 21, 1963 | ||
| 53 | Win | 50–2 | Joey Giambra | UD | 10 | Jan 19, 1963 | ||
| 52 | Win | 49–2 | Mel Collins | UD | 10 | Dec 12, 1962 | ||
| 51 | Win | 48–2 | Santiago Gutierrez | TKO | 3 (10) | Nov 6, 1962 | ||
| 50 | Win | 47–2 | Ernest Burford | TKO | 7 (10) | Aug 29, 1962 | ||
| 49 | Win | 46–2 | Gene Armstrong | TKO | 8 (10) | Jun 3, 1962 | ||
| 48 | Win | 45–2 | Yama Bahama | TKO | 3 (10) | May 5, 1962 | ||
| 47 | Win | 44–2 | Ricardo Falech | TKO | 3 (10) | Mar 17, 1962 | ||
| 46 | Win | 43–2 | Luis Federico Thompson | UD | 10 | Jan 27, 1962 | ||
| 45 | Win | 42–2 | Curtis Cokes | UD | 10 | Dec 2, 1961 | ||
| 44 | Win | 41–2 | Jose Gonzalez | TKO | 7 (10) | Oct 24, 1961 | ||
| 43 | Win | 40–2 | Guy Sumlin | TKO | 5 (10) | Sep 13, 1961 | ||
| 42 | Loss | 39–2 | Curtis Cokes | SD | 10 | Aug 3, 1961 | ||
| 41 | Win | 39–1 | Alfredo Cota | KO | 4 (10) | May 13, 1961 | ||
| 40 | Win | 38–1 | Alvaro Gutierrez | TKO | 5 (10) | Apr 15, 1961 | ||
| 39 | Win | 37–1 | Johnny Gonsalves | UD | 10 | Mar 22, 1961 | ||
| 38 | Win | 36–1 | Lyle Mackin | TKO | 5 (10) | Feb 21, 1961 | ||
| 37 | Loss | 35–1 | Emile Griffith | SD | 10 | Dec 17, 1960 | ||
| 36 | Win | 35–0 | Johnny Gonsalves | UD | 10 | Nov 28, 1960 | ||
| 35 | Win | 34–0 | Yama Bahama | MD | 10 | Nov 16, 1960 | ||
| 34 | Win | 33–0 | Mel Collins | UD | 10 | Oct 24, 1960 | ||
| 33 | Win | 32–0 | Basil Campbell | KO | 5 (10) | Aug 17, 1960 | ||
| 32 | Win | 31–0 | Virgil Akins | UD | 10 | Jul 6, 1960 | ||
| 31 | Win | 30–0 | Alfredo Cota | KO | 2 (10) | May 26, 1960 | ||
| 30 | Win | 29–0 | Alvaro Gutierrez | TKO | 4 (12) | Apr 7, 1960 | ||
| 29 | Win | 28–0 | Chico Vejar | UD | 10 | May 2, 1960 | ||
| 28 | Win | 27–0 | Carl Hubbard | KO | 4 (10) | Feb 10, 1960 | ||
| 27 | Win | 26–0 | Garnet Hart | UD | 10 | Dec 23, 1959 | ||
| 26 | Win | 25–0 | Isaac Logart | UD | 10 | Oct 21, 1959 | ||
| 25 | Win | 24–0 | Larry Baker | UD | 10 | Oct 3, 1959 | ||
| 24 | Win | 23–0 | Rudell Stitch | SD | 10 | Aug 26, 1959 | ||
| 23 | Win | 22–0 | Virgil Akins | UD | 10 | Jun 17, 1959 | ||
| 22 | Win | 21–0 | Cecil Shorts | KO | 9 (10) | May 9, 1959 | ||
| 21 | Win | 20–0 | Joe Miceli | TKO | 5 (10) | Feb 21, 1959 | ||
| 20 | Win | 19–0 | Juan Padilla | PTS | 10 | Nov 22, 1958 | ||
| 19 | Win | 18–0 | Kid Fichique | UD | 12 | Sep 20, 1958 | ||
| 18 | Win | 17–0 | Benny Paret | SD | 10 | Aug 9, 1958 | ||
| 17 | Win | 16–0 | Charley Scott | KO | 9 (10) | Jul 26, 1958 | ||
| 16 | Win | 15–0 | Tony Armenteros | PTS | 10 | Apr 19, 1958 | ||
| 15 | Win | 14–0 | Rolando Rodriguez | KO | 4 (10) | Mar 29, 1958 | ||
| 14 | Win | 13–0 | Benny Paret | UD | 10 | Feb 8, 1958 | ||
| 13 | Win | 12–0 | Rolando Rodriguez | PTS | 8 | Nov 16, 1957 | ||
| 12 | Win | 11–0 | Gomeo Brennan | PTS | 8 | Sep 28, 1957 | ||
| 11 | Win | 10–0 | Guillermo Diaz | DQ | 6 (8) | Jul 20, 1957 | ||
| 10 | Win | 9–0 | Guillermo Diaz | PTS | 6 | Jun 22, 1957 | ||
| 9 | Win | 8–0 | Vicente Reyes | PTS | 6 | May 18, 1957 | ||
| 8 | Win | 7–0 | Vicente Reyes | PTS | 6 | Mar 23, 1957 | ||
| 7 | Win | 6–0 | Guillermo Diaz | PTS | 6 | Feb 16, 1957 | ||
| 6 | Win | 5–0 | Jose Hernandez | KO | 5 (6) | Jan 12, 1957 | ||
| 5 | NC | 4–0 | Jose Hernandez | NC | 2 (6) | Dec 15, 1956 | ||
| 4 | Win | 4–0 | Pablo Cardenas | TKO | 2 (6) | Nov 24, 1956 | ||
| 3 | Win | 3–0 | Julian Yanez | PTS | 4 | Oct 20, 1956 | ||
| 2 | Win | 2–0 | Vicente Reyes | PTS | 4 | Jul 21, 1956 | ||
| 1 | Win | 1–0 | Lazaro Hernandez Kessell | KO | 3 (4) | Jun 2, 1956 | ||