Hall Of Fame Boxer Ralph Dupas - 72
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He won title bout in New Orleans 45 years ago
Sunday, January 27, 2008
By John Reid
Ralph Dupas, who defeated Denny Moyer in New Orleans to win the world junior
middleweight championship at the Municipal Auditorium in 1963, died Friday
at a nursing home in Denham Springs. He was 72.
Dupas was considered one of New Orleans' best professional fighters and was
known worldwide. He finished with a 104-23-6 record and was inducted into
the World Boxing Hall of Fame in 2000 and the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame
in 1994.
For the past seven years, Dupas' health had deteriorated because of brain
damage from the countless blows he took. In 2000, Dupas was unable to attend
the Hall of Fame ceremony in Los Angeles because of complications from his
illness. His brother, Tony, now deceased, pushed for his induction by
writing numerous letters to committee members.
"Ralph had been bedridden for about five years, and he could not do
anything, and it just got worse and worse," Peter Dupas, Ralph's oldest
brother, said Saturday. "He just couldn't breathe anymore."
Ralph's boxing career began in 1950 when he was 14. In 2000, Tony said Ralph
lied about his age to obtain a state boxing license because the age
requirement was 18. But Ralph pursued boxing to help his family, which
included six brothers and three sisters.
The Dupases grew up in a two-bedroom house on the edge of the French
Quarter. Their father, Peter, was a fisherman, and he left for two weeks at
a time to bring home about $30. After Ralph had his first eight-round fight,
he made a down payment for a four-bedroom house for his family.
Although he competed in a violent sport, Ralph was known for his friendly
ways outside the ring. He always had time to sign autographs and pose for
pictures.
"He always said, 'No sir, yes sir,' " said legendary trainer Angelo Dundee,
who worked the corner for some of Dupas' biggest fights, before Ralph's Hall
of Fame induction in 2000. "He was one of the nicest kids I've ever worked
with."
Ralph fought for 16 years and competed in three weight classes --
lightweight, junior middleweight and welterweight. In a number of his bouts,
he struck quickly with jabs and bounced on his toes to avoid getting caught
with a counterpunch.
But Ralph lost to New Orleanian Joe Brown in 1958 for the world lightweight
championship. The fight was held in Houston because Louisiana had a law
banning interracial boxing matches.
In 1962, Ralph lost a close 15-round decision to Emile Griffith for the
world welterweight championship in Las Vegas. In 1963, Ralph lost a
controversial 10-round decision to eventual welterweight and middleweight
champion Sugar Ray Robinson.
Ralph retired in 1966 after suffering an eighth-round knockout loss to Joe
Clark in Las Vegas.
"When Ralph was in his prime, I was 9 or 10 years old, but I remember a lot
of people talking about him," said Eddie Dupas, Ralph's youngest brother.
"We're real proud of what he accomplished."