Jimmy DuPree vs. Vicente Rondon ~ 'vacant' WBA Light-Heavyweight Championship

[Bill Paxtom]

~ Pre-Fight Weigh-In ~

Caracas, Venezuela

There was always 'talk' that the Scale was adjausted, so that the 6' 3" Vicente Rondon could make
the 175 lb. weight limit.

Vicente {Age; 32 years, 7 months} was no 'Spring Chicken'.

[Bill Paxtom]

Wednesday ~ March 3, 1971

~ Jimmy DuPree Says He Was Drugged ~

~ DuPree May Have Been Given Drug, Lost Bid For WBA Light-Heavyweight Title ~

American Light-Heavyweight - Jimmy Dupree said he was 'drugged' in his fight with Vicente Rondon
on Saturday Night - February 27th in Caracas, Venezuela.

DuPree, who had fought with a fierce attack in Rounds 1 and 2 in the Nuevo Circo Ring, suddenly
started to slow down at the end of Round 3.

By Round 4, DuPree was moving slowly, and in the 5th Round he was showing no effort at all.

The bout was eventually stopped at the end of Round 6, as DuPree nearly collapsed on the Ropes
and unable to defend himself.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

~ DuPree Friend Says, Fighter Was Drugged In Caracas ~

Miss Charliese Smith >

I was there Saturday Night with Jimmy DuPree. I am a Registered Nurse, and I was part of the group
that went to Caracas to support Jimmy.

Jimmy was very weak just before he entered the Ring, and he said that didn't feel well. He fought hard
for the first 2-Rounds, then he just lost strength, and very quickly. By the the 5th-Round, he was
very-sluggish and staggering around the Ring. And in the 6th-Round he was unable to properly defend
himself.

After the bout, we hurried Jimmy to the Dressing Room, and I examined him. He said he had blurry
vision, and he couldn't even see across the room to see the Fight Posters on the wall. He said that he
was very weak, and could hardly walk without losing his balance.

I examined him, and his eyes were dialated. Then I checked his Pulse-Rate, which was fast.
It is normally between 60-to-64. After the fight it was at a rapid-rate at 76-to-80."

It is possible that someone slipped Jimmy a 'muscle-relaxant', and that is why he suddenly lost strength
so quickly.

I know Jimmy, and I have never seen him react like that. He's a very strong man for 34 1/2 years-old,
with incredible endurance and stamina.

But the biggest problem is that Jimmy is stiil in Caracas. I stayed with him on Saturday Night {after the bout},
and was there on Sunday. We all went to the Airport on Monday Morning to leave, but the authorites
pulled Jimmy off the plane. They pulled his 'Passport' and would not let him leave. But I was allowed to travel,
and I arrived back home in New York on Monday, December 1st.

My concern, is that the Venezuelan Boxing Officials diod not do a 'post-fight physcial' of Jimmy after
the bout, and they allowed him to leave and go back to the Hotel, without being checked by a Physician,
to see if he was in 'good health'.

I have never seen that happen in an imprortant boxing match, especially for a World Championship.

If Jimmy was 'drugged' it will take about 72-Hours for the drug to dissolve out of his system. We need to
get him back home, to do a proper examination, and to do a Blood Test.

[Bill Paxtom]

Thursday ~ March 4, 1971

~ Vicente Rondon ~ "I Won Fair and Square" ~

Newly crowned WBA Light-Heavyweight Champion said that American - Jimmy DuPree's
claim that he was drugged are preposterous.

"Look, I won and he lost. Yes, he's a tough guy. But I'm used to fighting tough guys.
I have fought many tough fighters before."

"He came out throwing bombs, but he punched himself out. By the 5th-Round he had
nothing left, because he fought at to 'fast-a-pace' during the first 3-Rounds."
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Felix 'Tutu' Zabala {Manager} >

"Vicente was very nervous during the first 2-Rounds. But once he got his feet under him,
he took the American apart. As far as being 'drugged', I have no idea of what Jimmy DuPree
is saying."

"It's very simple. My guy was just better."

"We have a committment to defend the WBA Title against Italian - Piero Del Papa within
90-Days, which should be at the end of May or early-June. After that, we will most likely
fight Jimmy DuPree again, probably at the end of August."

[ykdadamaja]

What an awesome backstory. lololol....

[Bill Paxtom]

February 3, 1971

~ Jimmy Dupree's Age Doesn't Worry Him Any ~

Jimmy DuPree the veteran Light-Heavyweight from Jersey City, New Jersey says he doesn't feel his
Age of > {34 years, 10 months}.

The hard-hitting slugger says he feels much better than he did when he was Age 29 in {1965}.

A relative unknown, despite being ranked as the #1 WBA Light-Heavyweight and #1 by Ring Magazine,
Jimmy is geared up in New Jersey.

Jimmy, who works out a 'Bufano's Gym and Pool Hall' has hired-hands in Charlie Polite and Don Warner
as sparring-partners to help him prepare for his February 27th bout with Vicente Rondon for the 'vacant'
WBA Light-Heavyweight Championship to be held in Caracas, Venezuela.

Jimmy has already sparred 130-Rounds, for the bout to be held in Caracas, Venezuela. Dupree expects
to put in another 80-Rounds over the next 17-Days, before heading to Caracas on Sunday, February 21st,
6-Days before the bout.

During a recent sparring-session, Jimmy sent Charlie Polite reeling all the way across the Ring after tagging
him with a left-hook.

Charlie Polite >
"Jimmy is one tough customer in there. I have sparred with Joe Frazier, and I'm telling you, Jimmy hits harder.
He waits to hit you, and looks for that little opening to throw a left-hook. And when he does, it hurts. He's a
much sharper puncher than Frazier.'


Jimmy Dupree >
"9-Months ago I was the #1 WBA-ranked Light-Heavyweight. I was the next 'logical contender', but Bob Foster
wouldn't sign to fight me. For some reason he refused to fight me. I petitioned the WBA, and they finally
responded after 6-Months in early-December 1970.

"I've been banging away for 9+ Years, and finally I'm getting my chance. My biggest Fight Purse has only been
$4000, when I fought Johnny Persol at Madison Square Garden {May 12, 1969}. I have had a bunch of bouts
where I only got $1600 for a Fight Purse. But now, I'm getting my due as I will get a $30,000 Fight Purse
for the WBA Championship Bout."

"There is no way that Rondon can keep away from me. He's a good boxer, but there is no way he'll be able to
stay away from me for all 15-Rounds. I'll catch him, and knock him out before the 10th Round."

"After Rondon, I'll take on that Italian-Boy {Piero del Papa} next. Then it will be Bob Foster. That will be a big a
money fight, and I should get $75,000 for that one. Yes, 1971 will be my year."