Alfonso Dantés

Who was Alfonso Dantés?

José Luis Amezcua Díaz was a Mexican professional wrestler who wrestled during the 1960s and 1970s under the ring name Alfonso Dantés. He would later receive the nickname El Tanque for his short but thick build. Dantés was the son of Al Amezcua, who wrestled in Mexico as Golden Terror. He and his brother Vick would follow their father into the sport. Vick would go on to wrestle as Septiembre Negro. Dantés was trained by Diablo Velasco and he made his debut in 1960 at the age of 17.

Dantés won his first major title when he defeated Raúl Reyes for the Mexican National Light Heavyweight Championship on May 5, 1965. He would lose the title in February of the following year but eventually reclaimed the title twice before finally losing it on December 27, 1981.

In the 1970s, Dantés won the NWA World Light Heavyweight title three times and defeated Chavo Guerrero on April 15, 1977, in Mexico City.

In 1969, Dantés would team up with Mil Mascaras, Francisco Flores and El Medico to win three NWA America’s Tag Team titles. He was involved in several hair vs mask matches and participated in a famous triangular tournament in which El Halcon lost his mask.