Jose Torres, a remarkable figure in the world of boxing, began his illustrious career as a member of the 1956 US Olympic Boxing Team. Prior to turning professional, Torres had already made a name for himself as an amateur boxer, winning the 1958 Inter-City Golden Gloves Boxing Championship. On May 24, 1958, he made his professional debut, knocking out Sgt. Gene Hamilton in just one round in Brooklyn, New York.
Torres' early career was marked by an impressive undefeated streak, lasting until 1963. During this period, he amassed a remarkable record of 26-0-1, with an astonishing 21 knockouts. However, his unbeaten run came to an end on May 26, 1963, when he was knocked out for the first and only time in his career by the formidable Florentino Fernandez in five rounds in San Juan.
Despite this setback, Torres bounced back with victories over top-rated opponents, including Don Fullmer, Jose Gonzalez, Gomemo Brennan, and Carl "Bobo" Olsen, earning him a World Title shot. On March 30, 1965, Torres faced off against Willie Pastrano and emerged victorious, knocking him out to claim the World Light Heavyweight Boxing Title.
Torres went on to make three successful title defenses before losing the championship in an upset to the seasoned Dick Tiger. Following his title loss, Torres attempted an ill-advised comeback on July 14, 1969, against Charlie "Devil" Green. Despite being knocked down twice in the first round and appearing to be knocked cold, Torres was revived in his corner and went on to knock out Green in the next round.
Torres eventually retired from boxing with a impressive record of 41-3-1. In his post-boxing life, he wrote a novel about Muhammad Ali and even flirted with the idea of making a comeback to fight Ali in 1970.
