[Rocco Del Sesto]

Here are Mariano Echevarria and Benito Canal from Spain. They were both a couple busy (especially Echevarria) HW's who fought each other 8 different times including several fights for the Spanish HW Title. Echevarria will be a later opponent of Gerhard Zech.

Mariano Echevarria 1 Rating Overall
Spain - 1957-1973

37 wins / 54 losses / 11 draws / 14 KO

Alias:Jose M Moracia ibanes
Birthplace: Bilbao, Spain

Rating by: Rocco Del Sesto

This guy was a busy heavyweight during the late 50's to early 70's. He was the Spanish Heavyweight Champion from April 1961 thru Sept. 1962 then again from March 1966 thru August 1969. He defeated Jose Gonzales in 1961 to win the title the first time. After he was defeated by Benito Canal in Sept. 1962 for the Spanish Title, he fought Canal again for that title in April 1963 loosing again to Canal. In Jan. 1966 he fought Francisco San Jose for the Spanish HW Title only to loose again. Finally in a rematch with San Jose in March 1966 he won back the Spanish crown. He held it again until Aug. 1969 when he lost to an old nemesis, Benito Canal. Echevarria then fought 2 more times for the Spanish HW Title. In Sept. 1971 he fought a 12 round draw with current champion, Jose Manuel Urtain. Then in October 1972 he lost a 12 round decision to Casimiro Martinez.

Previous to fighting for the Heavyweight Title in Spain, Echevarria fought as a Light Heavyweight and held the LHW Title in Spain from July 1958 till Sept. 1960.

The more noteable fights in Echevarria's career included a 6 round loss to Karl Mildenberger in the German's 4th career fight. He lost to Plinio Scarabellin, Dieter Wemhoner and Giulio Rinaldi in three straight fights. He lost KO in the 4th to Sante Amonti and lost a 10 round decision to Rocco Mazzola (got to rate that guy!). He first won the Spanish HW Title in April 1961 defeating Jose Gonzales Sales. Echevarria then defeated Sales in a rematch for the title two months later. Echevarria then lost fights Franco DePiccoli, Piero Tomasoni, fought a draw with Federico Friso. He lost a 10 round decision to Franco Cavicchi, defeated Jean-Paul Schiller, drew with Billy Walker and Ulli Nitzscke, lost to Johnny Prescott, then defeated Federico Friso, all before loosing his Spanish HW Title for the first time to Benito Canal.

After that he lost fights to Joe Erskine, Billy Walker, Mike Holt, Johnny Prescott, Jose Sales, Schiller, Jack Bodell, Tommy Fields, drew with Peter Weiland, lost to Billy Gray, Leotis Martin, Bepi Ros, Yvan Prebeg, Weiland, Ray Patterson, Joe Shelton, Raul Roux, Gerhard Zech, Mario Baruzzi, Mike Schutte, and Bernd August.

If you check out Billy Dennis' collection of HW's posted at CornerWork.com you'll see the guys like Baruzzi, Schutte and August.


Benito Canal 1 Rating Overall
Spain - 1960-1969

22 wins / 11 losses / 4 draws / 10 KO

Birthplace: Fontao, Spain

Rating by: Rocco Del Sesto

Canal's first career fight was in December 1960 against Mariano Echevarria. It was the first of 8 times these two would fight each other. Echevarria was victorious in this first bout by way of an 8 round decision. Over the years they would fight 7 more times with Canal getting the upper hand in 5 of those bouts.

In Sept. 1962 Benito and Mariano fought for the Spanish Heavyweight Title which Canal won in a 12 round decision. Those two fought again in April 1963 for the Spanish Title with Canal winning again a 12 round decision. Canal then defeated Werner Wiegand(40-23-5) from Luxemburg and Federico Friso. From 1964 to 67 Canal successfully defended his Spanish HW Title 3 more times. Between those title fights he lost a 10 round decision to Johnny Prescott, defeated Echevarria two more times in non title fights, lost by KO in 2 to Dante Cane, and KO in 2 to Jack Bodell.

In August 1968 he lost the Spanish HW Title to Echevarria by 9th round TKO. He fought Echevarria a 7th time in Sept. 1968, again for the Spanish Title. Canal lost by TKO in the 9th. He fought Echevarria then a year later an 8th and final time, beating Echevarria in a 12 round decision to win back the Spanish HW Title. Canal then lost 3 out his last 4 career fights, all 3 losses by knockout including his last fight, loosing the Spanish Title to Jose Manuel Urtain by 2nd round KO.

Enjoy.....

Rocco