Name: Roger Menetrey
Born: 16 June 1945 Annemasse, France.
Career: 1967 to 1974
Record: 59 fights, 52 wins (42 by KO/TKO), lost 6 (2 by KO/TKO), 1 draw
Division :Welterweight
Stance: Orthodox
Titles: European and French welterweight champion
Major Contests
Scored wins over: Oscar Miranda, Massimo Consolati, Jean Josselin*, Robert Gallois (twice), Guy Vercoutter, Angel Robinson Garcia, Ralph Charles*, Ricky Porter, Silvano Bertini*, Joergen Hansen*, Sandro Lopopolo **, Billy Backus **,
Lost against: Dario Hidalgo, Ricky Porter, Sandro Lopopolo **, Jose Napoles **, John H Stracey **.
Drew with: Johnny Cooke,
**Past/ future holder of a version of a world title
* Unsuccessful challenger for a version of a world title
Roger Menetrey’s Story
Menetrey got into boxing by accident. He was one of seven children and was hyper-active. With six other children running around his mother decided Roger needed a sport to burn off that excess energy and his she took him the gym of a friend. The friend had been involved in boxing but Menetrey’s mother had in her mind that he could introduce him to another sport but the friend started to teach Menetrey to box. They kept Menetrey’s boxing a secret from his mother until Menetrey’s success became too significant to be hidden as he compiled a 31-5-6 record as an amateur
He had his first professional fight in Annecy on 4 November 1967 and by the end of 1968 he had won 15 of his 16 fights losing a six round contest in Geneva. The year 1969 was a huge breakout year for Menetrey. He started with four inside the distance wins then had his first ten round fight a draw against the experienced former British and Commonwealth champion Johnny Cooke. He had twelve more wins in the year ten by KO/TKO with the biggest win coming in November as he won the French title stopping former European champion Jean Josselin in six rounds and climbed into the world ratings-so from eight round prelim fighter to world rated in twelve months and a 31-1-1 record.
He needed to kick-on from there and in January 1970 he defended the French title with a fifth round kayo of Robert Gallois who was on a twelve-fight winning streak. He suffered an upset points loss against Dominican Dario Hidalgo in March but rebounded with five wins including victories over Yvon Mariolle and Guy Vercoutter in French title defences and outpointing super-veteran Angel Robinso Garcia.
He had a disappointing start to 1971 losing on an injury against Briton’s Ricky Porter and on points to former WBA/WBC super lightweight champion Sandro Lopopolo. He stopped the slide decisively halting 37-2 Ralph Charles to win the European welterweight title, outpointing both Porter in a return and 38-10-1 Silvano Bertini in a European title defence. He continued his climb back into the world ratings with victories over Gallois, Joergen Hansen and Lopopolo in European title defences and by the end of 1972 had a 48-4-1 record and was No 3 in the world ratings. That run landed him a shot at the world WBA and WBC titles held by the great Jose Napoles. Menetrey did his best but that was not good enough and he lost a wide unanimous decision. He had passed 28 just one week before the Napoles fight but was feeling the effects of his 55 fights in six years.
He decisioned Spaniard Jose Gonzalez in his fifth European title defence in November 1973 and outpointed former welterweight champion Billy Backus in March 1974 but after losing his European title on an eighth round stoppage against John H Stracey in Paris in May 19784 he announced his retirement.
He walked away at the right time. He has his health and looked after his money and took up golf in his spare time. He was the first fighter from the Savoie region of France to win a European title and a bust of him by the famous sculptor Bernard Potel is installed in the Marcel Cerdan hall in Levallois.