Jose Legra
Titles: WBC featherweight champion 1968-1969, 1972-1973
Record: 133-12-4
Born: April 19, 1943 in Baracoa, Cuba
Years active: 1960-1973
Nickname: None
No other world class pugilist in his era was as active as Legra, in 13 years he
fought in 148 fights against anyone willing to step into the ring with him. Born
in Cuba Legra made a name for himself in Europe before he took to the world stage
with his flashy style inside and out of the ring. In fact Legra was once labeled
as "A pocket Cassius Clay" because of his foot work in the ring. While not as well
known as his Cuban compatriot Kid Gavilan, Legra also employed the "bolo punch"
to good effect and his long arms drove opponents nuts. Legra also carried a good
if not deadly punch but preferred to out hustle his opponents, when needed Legra
stood toe to toe. A point which came to light especially in title winning efforts
where he knocked his opponents down 14 times, when it counted Legra could be
vicious. While many of today's fighters get title shots after 2 or 3 years it
took Legra 7 years to get a title shot and even then it was only for a European
title. By the time Legra became a world champion he was past his prime and had
the bad luck of having to battle hall of fame boxers in the first defense of his
newly won titles. After his third year as a pro Legra moved his base of operations
to Spain in 1963 when Fidel Castro outlawed professional boxing. Legra left behind
his mother, father and seven brothers and sisters but always send back much needed
money. It ended up being a very shrewd move as he went on to post 83 wins against
only 1 defeat. This was his prime and it was capped of with a European title fight
against Yves Desmarets to become the European champion. Legra qualified for the
European crown when he took on Spanish citizenship. The fight itself was good for
the first round but Legra quickly established his edge by keeping Yves on the
outside and picking him apart, in the third Legra dropped a right hand in which
stopped Desmarets cold. The one loss in the 84 bout span came against the very
tough Howard Winstone whom Legra defeated in a rematch when it mattered for the
WBC featherweight title. The second Winstone match came in Wales and saw Legra
establish his jab and had Winstone backing into the ropes looking to lure Legra
in. It did not work as Legra knocked him down twice in the first round and opened
a cut over his left eye. Jose would stay at range and pot shot Winstone staying
away from Howard's dangerous left hook. This went on for 5 rounds before Winstone
was taken out in the 5th round. Legra lost the title in his very first defense in
a surprise to Johnny Famechon. Legra broke his right thumb in the second round of
the fight and some claim he pulled the fight out, pointing to the fact that Johnny
Famechon had been down on the canvas 11 times with all of them being ruled slips.
The later success of Famechon on the world softened the blow a bit. Another loss
to world class Vincente Saldivar seemed to put Legra out of the ranks of the world
class. Still Legra fought on and did well on the European level awaiting another
shot at any world crown. Legra again won the European crown when he defeated
Tommaso Galli and he never lost that European featherweight title in the ring. In
December of 1972 he got that shot against Clemente Sanchez. It was a one sided win
for Legra in Monterey the hometown of Sanchez. Legra took the fight to Sanchez
from the start and wore down his younger opponent for a 10th round stoppage. Legra
not known as puncher managed to knock Sanchez down 12 times in that fight. Poor
Legra had no luck when it came to title challengers and the legendary Eder Jofre
was to be his first defense. It was not to be for Legra as Jofre had the skills to
outbox any opponent.....in any era. That is what happened to Legra his old legs
could not match the skills of the 7 year younger Eder Jofre, while his fists did
do some damage it was not enough. In the third round Legra had Jofre hurt bad but
could not finish the challenger. At the end a majority decision was given to Jofre
and most thought it had been well earned as he was the aggressor through most of
the fight. Legra would only win one more bout in Argentina before hanging up the
gloves. The end for Legra came at the hands of another future great Alexis Arguello
as he was taken out in on brutal round. Not even his once fleet feet could save
him any longer and Legra knew that this spelled the end of his career.
Sam Langford
Career Record: 133 W, 12 L, 4 D (48 KO's)
1960
Jun 16 Pedro Pinera Cuba W 4
Aug 20 Jose Ramon Ferrer Havana D 4
1961
Jan 7 Agustin Carmona Havana L 8
Apr 15 Angel Ray Mexico City KO by 3
Indio Iguamo Cuba KO 2
Eugenio Gimenez Cuba KO 3
Huracan Diez Cuba KO 3
Baby Recio Cuba KO 3
Tomas Perez Cuba W 6
Tomas Martinez Cuba W 6
Julian Perez Cuba W 6
Julian Perez Cuba W 8
1962
Indio Del Sur Cuba W 8
Luis Odio Cuba W 8
Raul Nunez Cuba W 8
Leopoldo Galvez Cuba W 8
Oribazo Cuba W 8
Esteban Castillo Cuba W 10
Raimondo Pellegrini Cuba W 8
Vicente Nunez Cuba W 10
Miguel Oliva Cuba W 8
Pedro Soto Cuba W 10
Andres Perez Cuba W 10
1963
Pedro Pinera Cuba W 8
Miguel Oliva Cuba W 8
Jimmy Escudero Cuba W 10
Juan Fernandez Cuba W 10
Enrique Yamuri Cuba W 8
Juan Fernandez Cuba D 8
Vicente Nunez Cuba W 8
Baby Luis Cuba L 10
Baby Luis Cuba L 10
Vicente Nunez Cuba L 8
Oct 26 Lazaro Ben Layachi Madrid KO 6
Nov 2 Baldomero Arroyo Madrid W 8
Dec 4 Luis Aisa Barcelona W 8
Dec 12 Juan Aguilera Barcelona W 8
1964
Jan 11 Jose Luis Martinez Madrid W 8
Feb 5 Jose Luis Biescas Barcelona W 8
Feb 15 Tony Alonso Madrid W 8
Feb 26 Jose Luis Beiscas Bilbao, Spain W 8
Mar 14 Jose Luis Martinez Bilbao, Spain W 8
Mar 31 Kid Tano Santa Cruz, Spain D 8
May 7 Miguel Kimbo Madrid W 8
May 23 Kid Tano Las Palmas, Spain W 10
Jul 2 Angel Rodriguez Aguado Valencia, Spain KO 1
Jul 18 Rafael Gayo La Corogne, Spain W 8
Aug 8 Miguel Kimbo Valencia, Spain W 10
Aug 23 Kid Tano Las Palmas, Spain W 8
Sep 5 Luis Aisa Madrid W 10
Sep 18 Vincenzo Pitardi Madrid W 8
Oct 10 Antoine Licausi Madrid W 8
Oct 31 Luis Aisa Madrid W 8
Nov 14 Jose Sanchez Merayo Madrid KO 2
Nov 26 Renato Galli Barcelona W 8
Dec 4 Tony Alonso Madrid W 8
1965
Jan 22 Juan Pinto Madrid W 8
Jan 30 Angel Neches Bilbao, Spain D 8
Feb 26 Mario Sitri Madrid W 8
Mar 6 Domingo Cabrera Santa Cruz, Spain KO 6
Mar 13 Miguel Kimbo Santa Cruz, Spain W 10
Apr 2 Antonio Paiva Madrid W 8
Jun 2 Jose Dos Santos Madrid W 10
Jun 22 Howard Winstone Blackpool, England L 10
Aug 17 Lope De Pablo Madrid W 8
Sep 5 Tritstano Tartarini La Corogne, Spain KO 1
Sep 19 Juan Leon Barreto St. Sebastian, Spain KO 4
Sep 25 Luis Segura Valladoid, Spain W 8
Oct 30 Jose Bisbal St. Sebastian, Spain W 8
Nov 12 Ramon Casal Madrid W 8
Nov 26 Manuel Calvo Madrid W 10
Dec 18 Manuel Calvo Salamanca, Spain W 8
1966
Jan 6 Juan Rodriguez Almeria, Spain W 8
Feb 13 Cristobal Gomez Almeria, Spain W 8
Mar 3 Antonio Paiva Barcelona KO 8
Mar 17 Oye Turpin Barcelona KO 2
Apr 2 Jesus Zarco Santander, Spain W 10
Apr 15 Omar Oliva Madrid W 8
Apr 30 Cristobal Gomez Malaga, Spain W 8
May 7 Dris Ben Ama St. Sebastian, Spain KO 5
May 21 Angel Chinea Mataro, Spain W 8
Jun 4 Luis Torcida Santander, Spain W 10
Jul 9 Jose Gonzalez Riberio Oviedo, Spain KO 7
Jul 29 Celmiro Rios Barcelona KO 3
Aug 12 Vincenzo Pitardi Madrid KO 5
Aug 20 Tommy Thompson St. Sebastian, Spain KO 1
Sep 2 Julio "Chico" Gonzalez Madrid KO 7
Oct 1 Raul Tejera Gijon, Spain KO 2
Oct 16 Cristobal Gomez Zaragoza, Spain KO 2
Oct 27 Roberto Marthon Bilbao, Spain KO 2
Oct 29 Luis Segura Zaragoza, Spain KO 2
Nov 12 Manuel Carvajal Gijon, Spain W 8
Nov 24 Omar Oliva Barcelona KO 9
Dec 2 Jean De Keers Madrid KO 1
Dec 23 Love Allotey Madrid W 12
1967
Jan 7 Mohammed Laroussi Las Palmas, Spain KO 3
Jan 14 Roger Younsy Santa Cruz, Spain W 10
Jan 21 Julio Chico Gonzalez Tenerife, Spain W 10
Feb 12 Salvator Gennatiempo Malaga, Spain KO 6
Mar 10 Rafiu King Madrid W 10
Mar 18 Ameur Lamine Valencia, Spain W 10
Apr 27 Ben Said Saouita Barcelona KO 1
Jun 2 Maurice Tavant Madrid W 10
Jun 10 Paul Rouree St. Sebastian, Spain W 10
Jun 24 Jose Luis Torcida Leon, Spain W 10
Jun 30 Don Johnson Madrid W 10
Sep 2 Fernando Tavarez Santa Cruz, Spain KO 7
Sep 30 Paul Rourre Tenerife, Spain W 10
Nov 9 Yanclo Barcelona KO 3
Dec 22 Yves Desmarets Madrid KO 3
1968
Feb 2 Ernesto Miranda Bilbao, Spain W 10
Mar 14 Ernesto Miranda Barcelona KO 4
Apr 25 Joe Tetteh Barcelona W 10
May 10 Klaus Jacobi Madrid KO 6
Jun 16 Fernando Tavarez Logrono, Spain KO 2
Jul 24 Howard Winstone Porthcawl, Wales KO 5
(Wins WBC Featherweight Title)
Oct 5 Bob Allotey Bilbao, Spain W 10
Oct 28 Felix Said Brami Paris KO 1
1969
Jan 21 Johnny Famechon London L 15
(Loses WBC Featherweight Title)
May 31 Vicente Pina Madrid KO 4
Jun 14 Domencio Scalco Madrid KO 1
Oct 25 Rey Miller Madrid KO 2
Nov 17 Vicente Saldivar Inglewood, CA L 10
Dec 11 Miguel Herrera Barcelona KO 2
1970
Feb 5 Evan Armstrong Barcelona W 10
Mar 5 Jimmy Bell Barcelona W 10
Apr 11 Rolf Kestern Santa Cruz, Spain KO 1
May 23 Domencio Chiloiro Madrid KO 7
Jun 26 Tommaso Galli Madrid W 15
Oct 24 Ugo Poli Madrid W 10
Nov 14 Bruno Melissano Madrid W 10
Dec 12 Abel Almarez Santa Cruz, Spain KO 4
Dec 26 Renato Galli Alicante, Spain W 10
1971
Jan 25 Jimmy Revie London W 15
Apr 15 Marius Cordier Barcelona KO 3
May 8 David Pesenti Bilbao, Spain KO 8
May 21 Tahar Ben Hassen Madrid KO by 4
Aug 14 Giovanni Girgenti Alicante, Spain KO 9
Aug 26 Marius Cordier Alicante, Spain KO 3
1972
Jan 15 Abdesselem Ben Salah Alicante, Spain KO 1
Feb 15 Evan Armstrong London W 15
May 17 Tommy Glencross Birmingham, England W 15
Jun 21 Jonathan Dele Barcelona L 10
Oct 6 Daniel Vermandere Madrid W 15
Dec 16 Clemente Sanchez Monterrey, Mexico KO 10
(Wins WBC and World Featherweight Titles)
1973
May 5 Eder Jofre Brasilia, Brazil L 15
(Loses World Featherweight Title)
Aug 1 Jimmy Bell Palma de Majorque, Arg. W 10
Nov 24 Alexis Arguello Managua, Nicaragua KO by 1