Luis Manuel Rodriguez (b. March 14, 1937, Camaguey — d. July 8, 1996 in Miami, Florida) was a smooth boxing Cuban former world welterweight boxing champion. Known as "El Feo", Rodriguez began his career in pre-Castro Havana. In Cuba, Rodriguez twice defeated the ill-fated future welterweight champion Benny Kid Paret. March 14 is the 73rd day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (74th in Leap years) with 292 days remaining in the year. ... 1937 (MCMXXXVII) was a common year starting on Friday (link will take you to calendar). ... Categories: Stub | Cities in Cuba ... July 8 is the 189th day of the year (190th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 176 days remaining. ... 1996 (MCMXCVI) is a leap year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International Year for the Eradication of Poverty. ... City nickname: The Magic City, The American Riviera, The Sixth Borough Location Location of Miami in the State of Florida Government County Miami-Dade Mayor Manuel “Manny” Diaz (R) Physical characteristics Area      Land      Water 139. ... Welterweight is a weight class division in the sport of boxing. ... Fidel Castro Ruz (born August 13, 1926) has ruled Cuba since 1959, when, leading the 26th of July Movement, he overthrew the regime of Fulgencio Batista, and transformed Cuba into the first communist state in the Western Hemisphere. ... Havana (Spanish: San Cristóbal de La Habana; UN/LOCODE: Habana (CU HAV)) is the capital of Cuba and, with a population of 2. ... Benny Paret was a boxer born in Santa Clara, Cuba on March 14, 1937. ...

After, the Cuban Revolution, Rodriguez campaigned in the United States. Fighting out of Miami, Rodriguez decisioned top welterweights Virgil Aikins, Isaac Logart, Rudell Stitch and Garnet "Sugar" Hart. He was unbeaten in 36 fights before losing a split decision to Emile Griffith in a 1960 non-title fight. This article is about the city in Florida. ...

Rodriguez was unfortunate to have fought during the same time that Emile Griffith campaigned as a welterweight. The two fought four times and each fight was so close that the decision could have gone either way. Unfortunately for Rodriguez, the decision went to Griffith in three of their four bouts. Emile Griffith (born February 3, 1938) is a former boxer from the US Virgin Islands who won world championships in both the Welterweight and Junior Middleweight divisions. ...

Rodriguez's sweetest victory came in 1963 when he defeated Griffith to win the welterweight title by scoring a unanimous decision (9-5, 8-5 and 8-6 on points). His reign, however, would be short lived. Six months later, Griffith regained the crown via split decision (8-7, 9-6 and 5-10 in rounds). In their fourth and final encounter, Griffith again scored a split decision (69-67, 70-68 and 70-71) and retained the crown.

Rodriguez was known as a master boxer, quick counterpuncher and an elusive target. Although he was considered a weak puncher, Rodriguez scored some surprising KOs when he set himself to punch. He was trained by Angelo Dundee and worked out of Miami's 5th Street Gym. There he met the young Cassius Clay, who was said to have incorporated many of Rodriguez's moves into his own repertoire. Muhammad Ali-Haj (born January 17, 1942 as Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr. ...

In 1966 Griffith challenged Dick Tiger for the middleweight crown. Griffith outpointed Tiger and relinquished the welterweight title, thereby leaving the crown vacant. As one of the top welterweight contenders, Rodriguez competed in the elimination series of bouts to determine Griffith's successor to the throne. By this time Rodriuez was having trouble making the 147 lb weight limit, and he was TKO'ed by the eventual tournament winner, Curtis Cokes, in the 15th and final round, after running out of gas in the fight. Richard Dick Tiger Ihetu (August 14, 1929 - December 14, 1971) was a boxer from Amaigbo, Orlu, Nigeria, was a migrant fighter to Liverpool (and later to America). ... Curtis Cokes (born June 16, 1937) is a former boxer from Dallas, Texas. ...

Rodrigues then moved up to the middleweight and beat many of the top fighters in that division. Among the outstanding 160-pounders he defeated were George Benton, Hurricane Carter (twice), and Bennie Briscoe (twice). He was rewarded with a title match against the then reigning middleweight titleholder, Nino Benvenuti in Rome in 1969. In an interesting tactical fight, Rodriguez opened a severe cut over the bridge of the champion's nose, and appeared to be coming on to win the fight. In the 11th round, however, Benvenuti caught Rodriguez with a picture book perfect left hook that knocked the Cuban fighter out. Rodriguez continued to fight after the Benvenuti match, but retired in 1972, after dropping two fights in a row. Rubin Hurricane Carter (born May 6, 1937), middleweight boxer from 1961 - 1966, is better known for his controversial convictions (1967, 1976) for the murder of three people at the Lafayette Grill in June, 1966, and his subsequent release from prison (1985). ... Bad Bennie Briscoe (b. ... Giovanni Benvenuti (born April 26, 1938), better known as Nino Benvenuti, is an Italian former boxer who is considered by many, including noted boxing writer Brian Doogan, to be the greatest boxer ever from Italy. ... City motto: Senatus Populusque Romanus – SPQR (The Senate and the People of Rome) Founded 21 April 753 BC mythical, 1st millennium BC Region Latium Mayor Walter Veltroni (Left-Wing Democrats) Area  - City Proper  1290 km² Population  - City (2004)  - Metropolitan  - Density (city proper) 2,546,807 almost 4,000,000...

In his career Rodriguez engaged in 121 bouts. He won 107 (49 KOs), lost 13 and fought 1 No Contest. He was inducted into the International Boxing Hall Of Fame in 1997. The modern International Boxing Hall of Fame is located in Canastota, New York, United States, within driving distance from the Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in Cooperstown and the National Soccer Hall of Fame in Oneonta. ... 1997 (MCMXCVII) is a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ...