Today in Boxing History: Griffith Beats Benvenuti in Shea

On this day in 1967, Emile Griffith reclaimed his middleweight title from Nino Benvenuti with a majority decision in New York’s Shea Stadium.

Griffith was one of the most dominant fighters of his era, winning belts at welterweight and middleweight during his career. Possessing a fight game with no glaring weaknesses, Griffith won the middleweight championship with a 15-round decision over Dick Tiger in 1966. He then successfully defended it twice against Joey Archer.

For his third defense, Griffith signed to fight Benvenuti, then an up-and-coming fighter with a 71-1 record. Benvenuti is now considered the best boxer to ever come out of Italy, partly because of his success against Griffith.

When the two met in April of 1967, Benvenuti put the champion on the canvas in the second round. Griffith retaliated, knocking Benvenuti down in the fourth. However, the challenger won at least nine rounds on each scorecard and came away with the decision… and the middleweight title.

For their rematch in September, Griffith used his superior boxing skills, wining nine rounds on two scorecards and knocking Benvenuti down in the 14th, to garner a majority decision.

The two would meet again in 1968, with Benvenuti pulling out a close decision. Their trilogy is considered to be one of the best in middleweight history.