[Rocco Del Sesto]

01/20/67 Friday
Baltimore, MD, USA
Prentice Snipes – HW (18-9-0) vs Hubert Hilton – HW (15-4-2)

Prentice Snipes - USA Rating 1
Heavyweight 1961-67
18 wins / 10 losses / 0 draws / 8 KO

Hometown: Miami, FL

Rating by: Rocco Del Sesto

Won his first 9 fights, all in 1961 beating Willie Johnson(20-35-2) twice, Jim Tillman(5-36-1) three times, Moses Walker(7-7-0), and Roosevelt Allen, Arthur Anderson and some guy listed in BoxRec as The Nichodemus, who were all fighting thier first fights. Prentice then lost 3 of his next 4 fights in 1962 loosing to Al Owens(9-6-1), Wendell Newton(18-11-5), and Ollie Wilson(20-43-0). He managed to beat a Junior Grant(4-11-2).

That was all followed up with 5 straight wins, the last against Levi Forte in April 1963. Snipes then lost by 4th round KO to Tony Alongi, Ko'd Johnny Drew(17-10-1), was stopped by Chip Johnson(11-13-1), KO'd Jim Hanks another first time fighter, lost to Chip Johnson again then beat Willi JOhnson in June 1965. That set up another bout with Tony Alongi in August 1965. Alongi won a 10 round UD.The next month in September of 65, Snipes was KO'd in the 2nd round by Doug Jones. Snipes didn't fight again till Feb 1966 when Jerry Quarry KO'd him in the 5th round. It was almost a year then before Snipes fought again, a fight that proved to be the last of his career, in Jan 1967 as he faced Hubert Hilton. Hilton KO'd Prentice in the 3rd. Those 3 straight KO losses were enough for Snipes as he then hung up the gloves.

Hilton, I'd posted earlier in this thread but will post again for anyone who does not have him.

Hubert Hilton - USA Rating 5
Heavyweight 1963-69
19 wins / 10 losses / 2 draws / 12 KO

Hometown: Jamaica, NY
Trainer: Howard Davis
Manager: Danny Faesta

Rating by: Rocco Del Sesto

Hilton fought from 1963 to 1969 compiling a 17-9-2(10KO) record when he then left the boxing scene for 9 years. He came back in January 1978 for 3 fights in 1978, winning the first 2 by KO and TKO but then he went up against Bob Stallings(24-27-0) and lost by KO in the 4th sending Hilton back into retirement for good.

Hilton's career started 13-1-2 through August of 1965. A couple of noteable fights in that span were an 8 round draw with Billy Daniels, a 10 round decision over Johnny Prescott and and a 5th round TKO of Jack Bodell. Sanwiched in there were two wins over Joe Shelton. This all added up to Hilton being ranked 8th in the Ring Magazines 1965 yearly HW rankings. A fast rise to say the least in this boxer's career.

With that high ranking came the opportunity to start meeting with some of the "elite" of the heavyweight boxing world. From Dec. 1965 thru March 1966 Hilton fought 3 straight fighters from the game, loosing a 10 round decision to Roberto Davila, a 2nd round TKO at the hands of Henry Cooper and an 8 round decision loss to Jimmy Ellis. After that let down, Hilton did manage to come back with straight victories over Mel Turnbow, Billy Joiner, Prentice Snipes and Santiago Alberto Lovell from Argentina who was 10-0 at the time and would go on to post a respectible 31-15-2.

After the Lovell victory though in early 1967 Hilton then fought in succession over the next year, Oscar Bonavena, Piero Tomasoni, Carl Gizzi and Mac Foster loosing all of them. He didn't fight for a year after a 5th round KO to Foster, when he came back in the ring in January 1969 against Ray Anderson, a LHW who was 16-1-0 and who would fashion a 35-19-5(20KO) record in his time. Anderson KO'd Hilton in the 3rd. With that Hubert hung up the gloves until his abbreviated comeback 9 years later.

The fight....
For Prentice Snipes, he’s at the end of the rope in his career. A modestly successful one here in the early/mid 60’s as far as W/L record goes. Has rarely faced any recognizable name opponents though until lately and those with poor results to say the least. In the past year and a half he’s fought only 3 times and lost all 3, a UD to Tony Alongi, and KO’s to Doug Jones and his most recent fight way back in Feb. 66, to Jerry Quarry. Hubert Hilton is probably at the peak of his career. He’s won his last two fights, stoppages of Mel Turnbow and Billy Joiner after suffering straight losses to Roberto Davila, Henry Cooper and Jimmy Ellis in the past year. He’s going to yet face some pretty big names in the heavyweight division here in the late 60’,
Snipes was just no match for Hilton. He should have stayed out of the ring for good after the straight KO’s by Jones and Quarry. Instead he tried to come back almost a year later here in Baltimore, only to get knocked out in the 3rd round by Hilton.
Our replay fight’s outcome was not too much different. The first 3 rounds Hilton just battered Snipes. Prentice could do little to defend himself. In the 4th round, Prentice tried to make some kind of fight of it coming out throwing a flury of punches hoping to land something here and there and actually does. By this time, Hilton I think had this look on of face of just wanting to get this fight done and be finished with this guy. At the 1:04 mark Hilton lands a devasting hook that came out of no where and sent Prentice down. Snipes managed to get up in an 8 count but his legs were wobbly and he looked to be finished. Hilton scores with another hook more from the outside, then works his way in leaning on Prentice then at the 1:50 mark Hilton lands another hook and Prentice folds like an accordion going down for good. 4th round KO for Hubert Hilton over Prentice Snipes at 2:02!