Ralph Dupas (October 14, 1935 – January 25, 2008) was an American boxer from New Orleans who reigned as the World Boxing Association and World Boxing Council world junior middleweight champion in 1963.

Early boxing career Dupas was the second of eleven children of a New Orleans fisherman, Peter Dupas. He became a professional boxer in 1950 at the age of 14. Trainer Angelo Dundee saw Dupas fight and took him to Miami to train him.

Dupas became a ranked contender in the lightweight division when he defeated Armand Savoie in 1953. By 1955, after beating a variety of top fighters such as Paddy DeMarco and Kenny Lane, Dupas was the top-ranked lightweight in the world. In May 1957 Dupas challenged Joe Brown for the lightweight title, but lost by an eighth-round knockout. Earlier in 1957, Dupas had filed a lawsuit to establish his race, with Dupas contending that he was white, and therefore permitted to box white opponents in then-segregated Louisiana. Judge Rene Viosca ruled in favor of the claim by Dupas."New Orleans Judge Rules Ralph Dupas White", Jet, Vol. XIII, No. 2 (November 14, 1957), p. 55.

Dupas moved up to the welterweight division. He defeated future middleweight champion Joey Giardello in 1961, but lost a 1962 welterweight title shot to Emile Griffith. In 1963, Sugar Ray Robinson beat him by a controversial decision.

Championship Another championship fight for Dupas materialized in the light middleweight division. Lineal Light Middleweight Champion Denny Moyer came to New Orleans on April 29, 1963, and Dupas won the title with a fifteen-round unanimous decision. He lost the title in September of that year to Italian Sandro Mazzinghi by a thirteen-round knockout. After that match, Emile Griffith once again knocked him out in a non-title bout.

Post-championship career Dupas briefly retired in 1964 and worked as a card dealer in Las Vegas. He returned to the ring in 1966 and had little success. He retired for good after five fights that year.

After boxing After he retired, Dupas began to exhibit signs of dementia pugilistica. His brother Tony, also a former fighter, moved Ralph from Las Vegas back to New Orleans and put him in a nursing home.

Professional boxing record

ResultRecordOpponentTypeRoundDateAgeLocationNotes135Loss Joe ClarkTKO8 (10)Sep 8, 1966 134Win106–22–6 Joey LimasRTD4 (10)Aug 4, 1966 133Win105–22–6 Ed McGruderSD10Jul 7, 1966 132Win104–22–6 Polo CoronaUD10Jun 9, 1966 131Win103–22–6 Steve PerezKO6 (10)May 26, 1966 130Loss102–22–6 Willie LudickKO2 (10)Sep 12, 1964 129Win102–21–6 Peter SchmidtUD10Jun 18, 1964 128Loss101–21–6 Emile GriffithKO3 (12)Feb 10, 1964 127Loss101–20–6 Sandro MazzinghiTKO13 (15)Dec 2, 1963 126Win101–19–6 Gary CowburnPTS12Oct 18, 1963 125Loss100–19–6 Sandro MazzinghiTKO9 (15)Sep 7, 1963 124Win100–18–6 Denny MoyerUD15Jun 17, 1963 123Win99–18–6 Denny MoyerSD15Apr 29, 1963 122Loss98–18–6 Sugar Ray RobinsonSD10Jan 30, 1963 121Win98–17–6 Rocky RandellTKO6 (10)Jan 14, 1963 120Win97–17–6 Henry WatsonUD10Dec 4, 1962 119Win96–17–6 Earl CitizenTKO4 (10)Oct 2, 1962 118Loss95–17–6 Brian CurvisDQ6 (12)Sep 11, 1962 117Win95–16–6 Henry WatsonUD10Aug 21, 1962 116Loss94–16–6 Emile GriffithUD15Jul 13, 1962 115Win94–15–6 Frankie RamirezUD10Apr 23, 1962 114Win93–15–6 Charley ScottUD10Feb 3, 1962 113Win92–15–6 Virgil AkinsUD10Dec 27, 1961 112Win91–15–6 Hilario MoralesUD10Nov 13, 1961 111Win90–15–6 Del FlanaganUD10Oct 9, 1961 110Win89–15–6 Guy SumlinMD12Jul 24, 1961 109Win88–15–6 Guy SumlinUD12Jun 12, 1961 108Loss87–15–6 Guy SumlinSD10Apr 7, 1961 107Win87–14–6 Joey GiardelloUD10Mar 6, 1961 106Win86–14–6 Antonio MarcillaDQ9 (10)Jan 16, 1961 105Win85–14–6 Gale KerwinTKO7 (10)Nov 2, 1960 104Win84–14–6 Charley ScottPTS12Sep 5, 1960 103Win83–14–6 Charley ScottPTS12Aug 1, 1960 102Win82–14–6 Eddie JordanUD10Jun 27, 1960 101Win81–14–6 Rudell StitchPTS12May 2, 1960 100Win80–14–6 George BarnesPTS12Apr 11, 1960 99Loss79–14–6 Florentino FernándezMD10Mar 23, 1960 98Win79–13–6 Kenny LaneUD10Jan 13, 1960 97Win78–13–6 Pat LowryTKO6 (10)Nov 16, 1959 96Loss77–13–6 Rudell StitchUD10Oct 7, 1959 95Win77–12–6 Mel BarkerUD12Aug 24, 1959 94Win76–12–6 Frankie RyffUD10Jul 20, 1959 93Loss75–12–6 Charley ScottSD10May 13, 1959 92Win75–11–6 Gerald GrayUD10Mar 14, 1959 91Loss74–11–6 Del FlanaganSD10Feb 4, 1959 90Loss74–10–6 Garnet HartSD10Dec 26, 1958 89Win74–9–6 Guy SumlinUD10Nov 10, 1958 88Win73–9–6 Gil TurnerUD10Oct 15, 1958 87Win72–9–6 Ray LancasterUD10Sep 29, 1958 86Win71–9–6 Johnny GormanUD10Sep 8, 1958 85Loss70–9–6 Joe BrownTKO8 (15)May 7, 1958 84Win70–8–6 Ramon FuentesUD10Apr 7, 1958 83Win69–8–6 Gaspar OrtegaMD10Feb 5, 1958 82Win68–8–6 Mickey CrawfordUD10Nov 25, 1957 81Win67–8–6 Joe MiceliUD10Sep 18, 1957 80Win66–8–6 Johnny BussoUD10Aug 30, 1957 79Draw65–8–6 Séraphin FerrerPTS10May 31, 1957 78Win65–8–5 Vince MartinezUD10Apr 8, 1957 77Win64–8–5 Ray PortillaUD10Mar 4, 1957 76Win63–8–5 Pat MallaneTKO5 (10)Feb 11, 1957 75Win62–8–5 Siegfried BurrowUD10Nov 26, 1956 74Win61–8–5 Hoacine KhalfiTKO8 (10)Sep 24, 1956 73Win60–8–5 Alex VargasKO5 (10)Sep 10, 1956 72Loss59–8–5 Kenny LaneSD10Jul 9, 1956 71Win59–7–5 Johnny DiGilioUD10May 1, 1956 70Win58–7–5 Hoacine KhalfiSD10Feb 20, 1956 69Loss57–7–5 Ludwig LightburnUD10Dec 16, 1955 68Win57–6–5 Mickey NorthrupUD10Sep 17, 1955 67Draw56–6–5 Leonard GainesPTS10Sep 1, 1955 66Win56–6–4 Paddy DeMarcoUD10Jul 11, 1955 65Win55–6–4 Frankie RyffSD10May 17, 1955 64Win54–6–4 Bobby BickleUD10Mar 28, 1955 63Win53–6–4 Kenny LaneSD10Mar 14, 1955 62Win52–6–4 John Obed HowardUD10Feb 8, 1955 61Win51–6–4 Cisco AndradeUD10Jan 1, 1955 60Win50–6–4 Carlos ChávezTKO7 (10)Nov 1, 1954 59Loss49–6–4 Frankie RyffUD8Sep 13, 1954 58Win49–5–4 Bobby WoodsUD10Aug 3, 1954 57Win48–5–4 Armand SavoieSD10Jul 20, 1954 56Win47–5–4 Freddie HermanUD10May 24, 1954 55Win46–5–4 Dennis Pat BradyUD10Apr 28, 1954 54Win45–5–4 Santiago EstebanMD10Mar 22, 1954 53Loss44–5–4 Paddy DeMarcoSD10Jan 2, 1954 52Draw44–4–4 Philip KimMD8Nov 9, 1953 51Win44–4–3 Johnny GonsalvesUD8Sep 21, 1953 50Win43–4–3 Rocky BriseboisUD8Sep 14, 1953 49Win42–4–3 Brian KellyMD8Aug 24, 1953 48Loss41–4–3 Brian KellySD8Jul 21, 1953 47Win41–3–3 Armand SavoieUD8Jun 29, 1953 46Win40–3–3 Harold JonesUD8Jun 15, 1953 45Win39–3–3 Tote MartinezKO6 (8)Jun 1, 1953 44Win38–3–3 John Obed HowardUD8Apr 20, 1953 43Win37–3–3 Giuseppe FusaroUD8Apr 6, 1953 42Win36–3–3 Baby VásquezMD10Mar 3, 1953 41Win35–3–3 Basil MarieUD8Jan 26, 1953 40Win34–3–3 Jesse UnderwoodUD10Dec 30, 1952 39Win33–3–3 Alfredo La GruttaPTS8Dec 8, 1952 38Win32–3–3 Baby VásquezUD8Nov 24, 1952 37Win31–3–3 Alfredo La GruttaUD8Nov 17, 1952 36Win30–3–3 Nelson LeveringKO1 (8)Oct 14, 1952 35Win29–3–3 Larry MujicaUD6Sep 8, 1952 34Loss28–3–3 Baby VásquezUD10Aug 26, 1952 33Win28–2–3 Johnny CravenMD10Aug 12, 1952 32Win27–2–3 Larry MujicaUD10Jul 29, 1952 31Win26–2–3 Diego SosaMD10Jul 15, 1952 30Win25–2–3 Sonny LucianoPTS10Jul 1, 1952 29Win24–2–3 Juan PadillaUD6Apr 21, 1952 28Win23–2–3 Kid CentellaMD6Mar 17, 1952 27Win22–2–3 Billy NeriUD6Feb 4, 1952 26Win21–2–3 Johnny CapitanoUD6Jan 21, 1952 25Win20–2–3 Fred MonforteUD8Nov 12, 1951 24Win19–2–3 Noel HumphreysUD8Oct 22, 1951 23Loss18–2–3 Fred MonforteSD8Sep 17, 1951 22Win18–1–3 Noel HumphreysUD8Sep 10, 1951 21Win17–1–3 Pat IacobucciPTS8Aug 27, 1951 20Win16–1–3 Alex FimbresPTS8Aug 13, 1951 19Win15–1–3 George EasterlingTKO4 (6)Jul 30, 1951 18Win14–1–3 Bobby BrooksUD6Jul 16, 1951 17Win13–1–3 Herb FarrisKO3 (6)Jun 25, 1951 16Win12–1–3 Tommy BakerPTS6Jun 18, 1951 15Win11–1–3 Raul ReynaKO2 (6)Jun 4, 1951 14Win10–1–3 JW HenryKO2 (6)May 28, 1951 13Win9–1–3 Alex VargasSD8Apr 24, 1951 12Draw8–1–3 Johnny CapitanoPTS4Apr 2, 1951 11Win8–1–2 Johnny LongoTKO2 (4)Mar 14, 1951 10Draw7–1–2 Johnny CapitanoPTS4Feb 26, 1951 9Win7–1–1 Val LambertPTS4Nov 6, 1950 8Loss6–1–1 Kid CentellaKO2 (6)Oct 30, 1950 7Win6–0–1 Lawton DiSosoUD8Oct 23, 1950 6Win5–0–1 Ruben SalazarSD6Oct 11, 1950 5Win4–0–1 Eddie WebbUD6Oct 3, 1950 4Win3–0–1 Ray MirandaTKO4 (6)Sep 14, 1950 3Win2–0–1 Henry LueraTKO4 (4)Aug 28, 1950 2Win1–0–1 Lawton DiSosoPTS4Aug 16, 1950 1Draw0–0–1 Ray SmithPTS4Aug 7, 1950

Titles in boxing Major world titles WBA light middleweight champion (154 lbs) WBC light middleweight champion (154 lbs)

Regional/International titles Southern welterweight champion (147 lbs)

Undisputed titles Undisputed light middleweight champion

See also List of world light-middleweight boxing champions

References

External links

Ralph Dupas - CBZ Profile