- Jose "King" Roman
Jose "King" Roman (born December 17, 1946) is a Puerto Rican former boxer who was
Puerto Rico 's regional (not international) heavyweight champion. He is better known as "Joe King Roman."In late August of
1973 , he travelled toTokyo, Japan to challenge world Heavyweight championGeorge Foreman , losing by aknockout in the first round there on September 1st. Roman's corner protested that he was hit by Foreman while Roman was down, although no action was taken on this complaint.Even though he lost, he made history by becoming the first Puerto Rican to challenge for the world's Heavyweight championship. The only fellow Puerto Ricans to challenge for the heavyweight championship are
Ossie Ocasio ,Fres Oquendo andJohn Ruiz , who later became the only Latino to hold a version of the heavyweight championship.Roman retired in
1981 with a record of 53 wins, 24 losses and 3 draws, with 26 knockout wins.After his retirement, he became a favorite subject of the "Whatever happened to...?" question in
Puerto Rico . He now works at a Sweetbay Supermarket inTampa, Florida .Ossie Ocasio and Fres Oquendo also challenged for the world's heavyweight championship, both are also from Puerto Rico. Ruiz was born in the USA, he has Puerto Rican ancestry.
ee also
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List of famous Puerto Ricans
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