1974
After five more wins and another loss, Stracey had his first fight abroad, fighting Roger Menetrey in Paris, France at the Stade de Roland Garros, on May 27, 1974. The fight was for the European Welterweight title, and Stracey proceeded to win that belt with an eighth round knockout.
During the 1970s, it was a common practice in boxing to give world title shots to boxers that held continental titles. For example, the OPBF (Oriental Pacific Boxing Federation) champion would be given priority over other challengers for world title fights. Stracey was not the exception, and, after winning five more fights in a row (including a win over Ernie Lopez), he received his first world title shot: challenging WBC World Welterweight champion José Nápoles in Nápoles' home-town of Mexico City, Mexico, Stracey was sent down in round one, but he recuperated to close Nápoles' eye and have referee Octavio Meyran stop the fight in the sixth round, Stracey winning the world championship by a technical knockout. The new champion declared "he could have knocked me down in every round but I'd have won it anyway". It was Nápoles' last fight.
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