Jose Manuel Urtain

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José Manuel Ibar Azpiazu
Urtain.jpg
Urtain
Born(1943-05-14)14 May 1943
Aizarnazabal, Spain.
Died21 July 1992(1992-07-21) (aged 49)
Madrid, Spain.
Spouse(s)
  • Cecilia Urbieta
    ​
    ​
    (m. 1963; div. 1975)​
  • Maria Luisa García
    ​
    (m. 1975)​

José Manuel Ibar Azpiazu (also known as Urtain; 14 May 1943 – 21 July 1992) was a Basque boxer, who became the EBU heavyweight champion in 1970 and 1971.[2]

Biography[]

Born in Aizarnazabal, he was nicknamed Urtain as it was the name of the house were he spent his childhood in Zestoa. When he was young he started practising Basque rural sports, known as Herri Kirolak, specially aizkolaritza (wood-chopping) and harri jasotzea (stone lifting) but he became a professional boxer.[3]

He started boxing in Ordizia in 1968 and he won 27 fights in a row by knock-out. In 1970, he became the EBU heavyweight champion in Madrid after defeating the German in the seventh round.[4]

He then lost his crown on 10 November 1970 at Wembley stadium in London against Britain's Henry Cooper.[5] The next year in 1971 he recovered the European EBU champion crown against Jack Bodell,[6] but lost it again in 1972 against Jurgen Blin.[7]

He tried to recover the title again in 1977 in Anberes against Jean Pierre Coopman but he could not defeat the Belgian boxer.[8]

When he retired, he did not have much success in business, and he committed suicide by jumping from the 10th floor of his home in Madrid.[9]

During his period as a boxer (1968-1977) he took part in 68 fights, of which we won 53 (41 by knock-out), lost 11 and 4 draws.

References[]

  1. ^ "Jose Manuel Urtain, EBU Boxing, Rock Lifting Champion, Held Ali Overhead". boxinginsider.com. 2 January 2019. Retrieved 2 August 2021.
  2. ^ "BoxRec: Jose Manuel Urtain". BoxRec (in Aragonese). 22 December 1968. Retrieved 2 August 2021.
  3. ^ "25 years since Urtain suicided: "Won much, wasted all"". El Mundo. 21 July 2017. Retrieved 2 August 2021.
  4. ^ "Jose Manuel Urtain, EBU Boxing, Rock Lifting Champion, Held Ali Overhead". boxinginsider.com. 2 January 2019. Retrieved 2 August 2021.
  5. ^ "Cooper Has Another Go At Title Against Urtain". The New York TImes. 8 November 1970. Retrieved 2 August 2021.
  6. ^ "Urtain Dethrones Bodell In Madrid". The New York Times. 18 December 1971. Retrieved 2 August 2021.
  7. ^ "Friday Night Fights". The New York Times. 11 June 1972. Retrieved 2 August 2021.
  8. ^ "Coopman Stops Urtain For European Ring Crown". The New York Times. 13 March 1977. Retrieved 2 August 2021.
  9. ^ "25 years since Urtain suicided: "Won much, wasted all"". El Mundo. 21 July 2017. Retrieved 2 August 2021.

External links[]

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