Anybody know about Ralph Dupas?

[pendleton23]

I have heard he was a pretty slick boxer.I have a chance to buy a bout featuring him.I was wondering if anyone could tell me about his style?I heard that Dupas and Pastrano fought in "that NEW ORLEANS boxing style".What does that mean?Did in fact Dupas fight like Pastrano?

[Austin]

Both Dupas and Pastrano were cuties, employing a hit and run style. Dupas had a decent build; as a result I was amazed he didn't pack a bigger punch. I own one of his early fights at LW. I felt he was best as a LW even though he won a title at JMW. He fought an outstanding list of opponents, and on a good day would present a challenge for anyone. I though he would beat Joe Brown for the LW title, boy was I wrong. As a result of that fight, I finally started to give "old bones" the respect that he deserved! Adding Dupas to your fight collection would be money well spent.

Austin

[GorDoom]

RALPH DUPAS CAREER RECORD

Cyber Boxing Champion Ralph Dupas Born: October 14, 1935 New Orleans Career Record: 106-23-6 (18 KO)


1950

Aug 7 Jitterburg Smith New Orleans D 4

Aug 16 Lawton DiSoso New Orleans W 4

Aug 28 Henry Luera New Orleans KO 4

Sep 14 Ray Miranda Tampa, FL KO 3

Oct 3 Billy Hogan Tampa, FL W 6

Oct 11 Ruben Salazar Galveston, TX W 4

Oct 23 Lawton DiSoso New Orleans W 6

Oct 30 Kid Centella New Orleans KO by 2

Nov 6 Val Lambert New Orleans W 4



1951

Feb 26 John Capitano New Orleans D 4

Mar 14 Johnny Longo New Orleans KO 2

Apr 2 John Capitano New Orleans D 4

Apr 24 Alex Vargas Houston W 8

May 28 J.W. Henry New Orleans KO 3

Jun 4 Raul Renya New Orleans KO 2

Jun 18 Tommy Baker New Orleans W 6

Jun 25 Herb Fairris New Orleans KO 3

Jul 16 Bobby Brooks New Orleans W 6

Jul 30 George Easterling New Orleans KO 4

Aug 13 Alex Fimbres New Orleans W 8

Aug 27 Pat Jacobucci New Orleans W 8

Sep 10 Noel Humphries New Orleans W 8

Sep 17 Fred Monforte New Orleans L 8

Oct 22 Noel Humphries New Orleans W 8

Nov 12 Fred Monforte New Orleans W 8



1952

Jan 21 John Capitano New Orleans W 6

Feb 4 Bill Neri New Orleans W 6

Mar 17 Kid Centella New Orleans W 6

Apr 21 Juan Padilla New Orleans W 6

Jul 2 Sonny Luciano Miami Beach W 10

Jul 15 Diego Sosa Miami Beach W 10

Jul 29 Larry Mujica Miami Beach W 10

Aug 12 Johnny Craven Miami Beach W 10

Aug 26 Jose "Baby" Vasquez Miami Beach L 10

Sep 8 Larry Mujica New Orleans W 6

Oct 14 Nelson Levering New Orleans KO 1

Nov 17 Alfredo Lagrutta New Orleans W 8

Nov 24 Jose "Baby" Vasquez New Orleans W 8

Dec 8 Alfredo Lagrutta New Orleans W 8

Dec 30 Jesse Underwood Miami Beach W 10



1953

Jan 26 Basil Marie New Orleans W 8

Mar 2 Jose "Baby" Vasquez Miami W 10

Apr 6 Valde Fusaro New Orleans W 8

Apr 20 Richard Howard New Orleans W 8

Jun 1 Tote Martinez New Orleans KO 6

Jun 15 Harold Jones New Orleans W 8

Jun 29 Armand Savoie New Orleans W 8

Jul 21 Brian Kelly Miami L 8

Aug 24 Brian Kelly New Orleans W 8

Sep 14 Marcel Brisebois New Orleans W 8

Sep 21 Johnny Gonsalves New Orleans W 8

Nov 9 Phil Kim New Orleans D 8



1954

Jan 2 Paddy DeMarco New Orleans L 10

Mar 22 Santiago Esteban New Orleans W 10

Apr 28 Dennis "Pat" Brady New Orleans W 10

May 24 Freddy Herman New Orleans W 10

Jul 20 Armand Savoie New Orleans W 10

Aug 3 Bobby Woods New Orleans W 10

Sep 13 Frankie Ryff Brooklyn L 8

Nov 1 Carlos Chavez New Orleans KO 7



1955

Jan 1 Cisco Andrade New Orleans W 10

Feb 8 Richard Howard New Orleans W 10

Mar 14 Kenny Lane New Orleans W 10

Mar 28 Bobby Bickle New Orleans W 10

May 17 Frankie Ryff New Orleans W 10

Jul 11 Paddy DeMarco New Orleans W 10

Sep 1 Leonard Gaines Oakland D 10

Sep 17 Mickey Northup Hollywood, CA W 10

Dec 16 Ludwig Lightburn New York L 10



1956

Feb 20 Hoacine Khalfi New Orleans W 10

May 2 Johnny Digilio Miami W 10

Jul 9 Kenny Lane New Orleans L 10

Sep 10 Alex Vargas New Orleans KO 5

Sep 25 Hoacine Khalfi New Orleans W 10

Nov 28 Siegfried Burrow New Orleans W 10



1957

Feb 11 Pat Mallane New Orleans KO 5

Mar 4 Ray Portilla New Orleans W 10

Apr 8 Vince Martinez New Orleans W 10

May 31 Seraphin Ferrer Paris D 10

Aug 30 Johnny Busso Miami W 10

Sep 18 Joe Miceli New Orleans W 10

Nov 25 Mickey Crawford New Orleans W 10



1958

Feb 5 Gaspar Ortega Norfolk, VA W 10

Apr 7 Ramon Fuentes New Orleans W 10

May 7 Joe Brown Houston KO by 6

(For World Lightweight Title)

Sep 8 Johnny Gorman New Orleans W 10

Sep 29 Ray Lancaster New Orleans W 10

Oct 15 Gil Turner Montreal W 10

Nov 10 Guy Stumlin Mobile, AL W 10

Dec 26 Garnett Hart Miami L 10



1959

Feb 4 Del Flanagan St. Paul, MN L 10

Mar 14 Gerald Gray Kingston, NY W 10

May 13 Charley Scott Chicago L 10

Jul 20 Frankie Ryff New Orleans W 10

Aug 24 Mel Barker New Orleans W 12

Oct 7 Rudell Stitch Louisville, KY L 10

Nov 7 Pat Lowry New Orleans KO 7



1960

Jan 13 Kenny Lane New York W 10

Mar 23 Florentino Fernandez Miami L 10

Apr 11 George Barnes Sydney W 12

May 2 Rudell Stitch Sydney W 12

Jun 27 Eddie Jordan New Orleans W 10

Aug 1 Charley Scott Sydney W 12

Sep 5 Charley Scott Sydney W 12

Nov 2 Gale Kerwin New Orleans KO 7



1961

Jan 16 Antonio Marcilla New Orleans WDQ 9

Mar 6 Joey Giardello New Orleans W 10

Apr 7 Guy Sumlin Mobile, AL L 10

Jun 12 Guy Sumlin New Orleans W 12

Jul 24 Guy Sumlin Mobile, AL W 12

Oct 9 Del Flanagan New Orleans W 10

Nov 13 Hilario Morales New Orleans W 10

Dec 27 Virgil Akins Miami W 10



1962

Feb 3 Charley Scott New York W 10

Apr 23 Frankie Ramirez Los Angeles W 10

Jul 13 Emile Griffith Las Vegas L 15

(For World Welterweight Title)

Aug 20 Henry Watson Beaumont, TX W 10

Sep 11 Brian Curvis London LDQ 6

Oct 4 Earl Citizen Beaumont, TX KO 4

Dec 3 Henry Watson Amarillo, TX W 10



1963

Jan 14 Rocky Randall Harvey, KO 6

Jan 30 Ray Robinson Miami L 10

Apr 30 Denny Moyer New Orleans W 15

(Wins World Jr. Middleweight Title)

Jun 17 Denny Moyer Baltimore W 15

(Retains World Jr. Middleweight Title)

Sep 7 Sandro Mazzinghi Milan, Italy KO by 9

(Loses World Jr. Middleweight Title)

Oct 18 Gary Cowburn Brisbane, Australia W 12

Dec 2 Sandro Mazzinghi Sydney KO by 13

(For World Jr. Middleweight Title)



1964

Feb 10 Emile Griffith Sydney KO by 3

Jun 18 Peter Schmidt New Orleans W 10

Sep 12 Willie Ludick Johannesburg KO by 2



1965

Inactive



1966

May 27 Steve Perez Las Vegas KO 6

Jun 9 Polo Corona Las Vegas W 10

Jul 7 Eddie McGruder Las Vegas W 10

Aug 4 Joey Limas Las Vegas KO 5

Sep 8 Joe Clark Las Vegas KO by 8

[pendleton23]

Wow that sure is some record.Who was more skilled:Pastrano or Dupas?

[phlboxarc]

Pendleton, Pastrano, Dupas, the Docusen brothers all were proteges of the fabulous Whitey Esnault who taught boxing at the famed St. Mary's gym in the French Quarter. Nobody taught flashy speed boxing better than Whitey. His boys were all cllassy boxers with moves that would have made Willie Pep blush with envy. If you want to see Ralph at his absolute best get a highlight tape of his match with Gil Turner-just classic boxing with exquisite speed.
Chuck H.

[kikibalt]

Florentino Fernandez scoring a knock down over Ralph Dupas.

[Gallicrow]

Just found this interesting snippet:

Until 1970, a Louisiana statute had embraced the one-drop rule, defining a Negro as anyone with a "trace of black ancestry." This law was challenged in court a number of times from the 1920s on, including an unsuccessful attempt in 1957 by boxer Ralph Dupas, who asked to be declared white so that a law banning "interracial sports" (since repealed) would not prevent him from boxing in the state.

[rocky111]

Ralph Dupas had every quality of the great fighters except cruching power. Look at his record and the quality guys hes beaten. I loved Ralphie and he was just one fast fast guy with a big heart. Nobody at his weight today would have touched him.

[GorDoom]

I've always kind of correlated Dupas & Joey Archer. Dupas was faster but they were both absolutely superb boxers whose careers were cursed by their absolute lack of power.

They both had excellent careers but it makes you wonder what they could have accomplished if they had power.

GorDoom

[bodyblow]

For the record there wasnt a boxer past or present who could make Willie Pep blush with envy by being slick. He wrote the book. Period.

As for Archer, He was heavily protected. A ton of the decisions he won or drew could have gone the other way.

[Austin]

If that's true why didn't Joey get a decision in 2 close bouts with Emile?

Austin

[phlboxarc]

Hey bodyblow, whats with the attitude ? It was just making a point (tongue in cheek) about all the classy boxers Whitey Esnault developed, PERIOD!!!

[phlboxarc]

Hey Frank, I remember watching the Florentino Fernandez-Dupas fight and the controversy about the decision. The knockdown punch was one of only a handful of solid blows that Floro was able to land on Ralph. It was a case of one hard shot being worth 30 of Dupas' to some of the officials. Dupas was involved in quite a few of those type of decisions i.e. Sugar Hart, Charlie Scott (1), Rudell Stitch (1), Ray Robinson, etc.
Chuck H.

[kikibalt]

[kikibalt]

There was also an other Dupas, Tony, brother of Ralph who also had a long career.

Frank B.

[kikibalt]

[phlboxarc]

Mr. Elsasser should do his homework. Dupas and Pastrano were not tutered by Angelo Dundee. Whitey Esnault sent Both to fight for Chris Dundee for his promotions in Miami Beach and being Whitey could not leave New Orleans because of business comitments and later losing his leg he put the boys under Angelo's care when not boxing in the Crescent City. Later Angelo became their manager/trainer for which a law suite was filed by Esnault for stealing the fighters. Esnault was the tutor and teacher that gave Dupas and Pastrano their style of flashy, classic, speed boxing not Angelo.
Chuck Hasson

[kikibalt]

Chuck

You are right about everything you wrote.

Frank

[kikibalt]

Here's one more fighter of Whitey Esnault's from the Big Easy.

[phlboxarc]

Frank, another interesting story about Esnault was as Bernard and Maxie Docusen were rapidly advancing up the ladder, Esnault unexplicably transferred their management to Bonnie Geigerman. Geigerman happened to be the brother-in-law of New York crime boss Frank Costello ("the Prime Minister of the mob") who everyone knew had a special interest in boxing. Geigerman was also an associate of New Orleans boss Carlos Marcello who was a partner with Costello in many ventures.

Was there any pressure put on Whitey to sell his interests in the Docusens ? Whitey never begrudged Maxie + Bernard always saying that Geigerman could do more for their success than he could.

Chuck H.

[kikibalt]

Chuck

Nice story on Bonnie Geigerman and the mob.

Frank

[bodyblow]

No attitude. I said that sort of tongue in cheek as well. I have great respect for Esnault and his fighters. Dupas was terrific as was B. Docusen. Dont know much about his brother. Ive never been a big fan of Pastrano. He wasnt bad but he never really lived up to the potential I thought he had. Didnt he get involved in drugs? Maybe that had something to do with it. Overally New Orleans was a great fight town going way WAY back. Pete Herman is great to watch as well, in what limited footage exists of him. Very modern looking.

[kikibalt]

Here is Frank Costello

[phlboxarc]

Bodyblow, MAXIE DOCUSEN was undefeated in his first 65 matches and established himself as the number 1 lightweight contender with wins over Enrique Bolanos, John L. Davis, Manuel Ortiz, Carlos Chavez, etc. He was a streak of lightning in the ring and was the darling of the S.Calif boxing fans and a hero in the Filipino community. The fast lane eventually caught up with him preventing him from ever getting the title.
Chuck H.

[bodyblow]

whew, undefeated in 65 wins, his record speaks for itself.

is there any film on either of the Docusen brothers?

I was thinking there was another big name New Orleans fighter in the same school as Pastrano and Dupas but I cant remember his name, any ideas? If I remember correctly he used to pal around with those two.

[pendleton23]

Thank you guys so much for your insight.I think based on what you said I am going to get a bout with Dupas.

[kikibalt]

Chuck
I was able to see Maxie Docusen fight in person twice, in 1949 I saw him beat Enrique Bolanos, an in 1950 I saw him lose the rematch , great boxer he was.
.

Frank

[phlboxarc]

Frank, You didn't happen to have a movie camera when you went to those two fights, didya' ? What I wouldn't pay to see those two scraps.
Chuck

[kikibalt]

Chuck, what are you talking about, a movie camera? hell I was lucky to have enough money for the street car to get to the Olympic Aud. and try to sneak in which we were able to do now and then.

Frank

[dongee]

ha
I got to see several of Bernard Docusen's bouts in southern California and you are all right in stating that the guy was as shifty as any welter that came before him or afterwards. I could not believe what I was seeing the first time I caught him in action at the Olympic. He had the greatest pair of legs one could hope for on a lithe, well-proportions body. He was not agile in the manner of either Pastrano or Dupas because Bernard bounced up and down like a kid on a pogo stick, confusing hell out of the opposition.

I must say that I was also in on the inevitable "come-uppance" when he met Oakland's John L. Davis, a mere lightweight, for the California State Welterweight crown. John L., a heluva scrapper in the Henry Armstrong mold, demolished the New Orleans star and eventually K.O.'ed him, also at the Olympic.

As I said, Davis was a natural lightweight who won the Ca. 135-lb., and 147-lb. titles. What's more, since the guy he beat for the state welter crown also held the 160-lb. belt, John L. could have claimed that supremacy also.

If you've wondered why Davis didn't make it big-----he was forced to quit due to a serious eye injury when he was at his peak.

He was managed by Harry Fine, owner of a popular gymnasium in Oakland.

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