José Nápoles (1940 – 2019)

Boxer Cards

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José Nápoles (1940 – 2019)

Nickname: “Mantequilla” (“Butter”)
Birthplace: Santiago de Cuba, Cuba
Weight Class: Welterweight
Stance: Orthodox
Professional Record: 81 – 7 (54 KOs)
Years Active: 1958 – 1975

Biography
Nápoles was pure smoothness — a Cuban-born, Mexican-adopted stylist who held the World Welterweight Title through most of the late 1960s and early 1970s.

In the Hobby
His early cards mark Panini’s expansion into Latin fighters.

Rookie & Early Issues
1968 Panini Campioni dello Sport (Italy): true rookie card.

Registry Metadata
Earliest Issue: 1968 Panini Campioni dello Sport
Rookie Year: 1968
Recent Notable Sales: 1968 Panini (PSA 8) — $1,550 (2023)

Legacy
Nápoles’s rookie captures artistry in motion — one of the most graceful cards of the Panini golden age.

Related Boxers

Agit Kabayel (1992 – )

Meldrick Taylor (1966 – )

Emile Griffith (1938 – 2013)

Benny Paret (1937 – 1962)

Devin Haney (1998 – )

Shakur Stevenson (1997 – )

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