Jose Manuel Urtain, EBU Boxing, Rock Lifting Champion, Held Ali Overhead

By: Ken Hissner
In the country of Spain besides boxing, bull fighting and soccer there is a sport called Rock-Lifting. Jose Manuel “El Tigre de Cestona” Urtain not only won the EBU Heavyweight Champion but was the Rock-Lifting Champion in Spain.
Rock-lifting from the age of 14 to 25 Urtain once lifted a 220 lb. rock over his head with one arm and a 400 lb. rock with two arms over his head. In 1971 when Muhammad Ali was in Spain to fight an exhibition with Gregorio Peralta, Urtain en