Boxing Blog – TSS Tidbits

Today in Boxing History: Griffith decisions Archer in rematch

On this day in 1967, Emile Griffith retained his WBA and WBC middleweight titles with a unanimous decision over Joey Archer in a rematch at Madison Square Garden.

Griffith won the belts in April of 1966 by decisioning Dick Tiger. His first defense was against Archer, a crafty boxer who lacked power. When the two faced off at Madison Square Garden in July of 1966, Griffith squeaked by with a majority decision, and the stage was set for a rematch.

Their second bout was close as well. However, Griffith managed to pull ahead in the final rounds. The judges’ scorecards read 8-6, 8-6, and 8-7 all in favor of Griffith.

Archer retired following the loss. Griffith lost the middleweight title four months later to Nino Benvenuti. He regained it from Benvenuti in September of 1967, and then lost his belt again to Benvenuti in March of 1968.

Today in Boxing History: George Foreman KOs Joe Frazier

On this day in 1973, George Foreman won the WBC and WBA heavyweight titles with a brutal and memorable TKO of Joe Frazier in Kingston, Jamaica.

Entering 1973, the undefeated Frazier was in great shape career-wise. After Muhammad Ali was stripped of his heavyweight title for refusing induction into the military in 1967, Frazier won the New York State Athletic Commission heavyweight championship with a knockout of Buster Mathis a year later. In 1970, he unified the heavyweight title with a stoppage of Jimmy Ellis. He then decisioned Ali a year later in the “Fight of the Century,� eliminating all claims that he was not the rightful champion. Frazier successfully defended his title twice in 1972, and then, against the advice of his handlers, chose to defend his title against Foreman, an up-and-coming monstrous puncher.

Foreman won the gold medal at the 1968 Summer Olympics. He turned professional in 1969 and was 37-0 coming into the bout, with 34 of those wins being knockouts. Not only was he one of the greatest punchers in boxing history, Foreman’s straight-up, bomb throwing attack, was the perfect foil for Frazier’s charging assault.

Early in the first round, Foreman sent Frazier to the canvas with a thunderous right to the head. He shot back up and Foreman put him down again, as commentator Howard Cosell screamed the now incendiary phrase, “Down goes Frazier.� Frazier went down once more in the first round.

Frazier came out charging again in the second round and Foreman quickly floored him two more times. The third knockdown of the round was caused by a right uppercut that lifted Frazier off his feet and put him on the canvas. By then, referee Arthur Mercante, knowing that Frazier would likely keeping getting up until he died, stopped the bout.

This fight was also the first to be broadcast on HBO.

Foreman held the title for 19 months before losing it to Ali in the “Rumble in the Jungle.� Frazier challenged for the heavyweight belt once more, losing to Ali in the “Thrilla in Manila� in 1975. Foreman and Frazier then met for a rematch in 1976, with Foreman winning by a TKO in the 5th round.

Today in Boxing History: Duran wins rubber match versus DeJesus

On this day in 1978, Roberto Duran unified the lightweight title with a 12th-round stoppage of the late Esteban De Jesus in Las Vegas, Nevada. It was their third and final meeting.

Duran won the WBA lightweight title with a 13th-round knockout of Ken Buchanan in June of 1972. He faced De Jesus in a non-title bout five months later and lost a 10-round decision. They met again in 1974 for Duran’s WBA title. On that occasion, Duran knocked out De Jesus in the 11th round.

In 1976, De Jesus won the WBC lightweight title with 15-round decision over Guts Itshimatsu. This set the stage for a unification bout and rubber match with Duran.

The fight was one of the finest of Duran’s career. In the 12th round, he sent De Jesus to the canvas with a vicious right. When he returned to his feet, Duran pounded him against the ropes with a barrage of blows. When De Jesus went down again, the bout was stopped.

Duran vacated the lightweight title shortly after that bout. He went on to win championships at welterweight, light middleweight, and middleweight. De Jesus retired from boxing in 1980.

Today in Boxing History: Floyd Mayweather KOs Diego Corrales

On this day in 2001, Floyd Mayweather, Jr, retained his WBC super featherweight title with a 10th-round TKO of Diego Corrales in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Both fighters were undefeated coming into the bout. Mayweather had won the belt in 1998 with a stoppage of Genaro Hernandez and had successfully defended the belt five times. Corrales had won the IBF super featherweight title in 1999 with a knockout of Roberto Garcia. He defended the belt three times and signed to fight Mayweather.

However, Corrales struggled greatly to make the 130-pound weight limit. Once in the ring, he found himself to be no match for Mayweather’s blazing speed. In the 7th round, Mayweather sent Corrales to the canvas for the first time in his career. He would go down four more times before his corner threw in the towel, despite his protests, in the 10th round.

Following the bout, Corrales was absent from the ring for two years, as he served a prison term for spousal abuse. He returned to the ring in 2003 and won the WBC and WBO lightweight titles with a now legendary 10th-round knockout of Jose Luis Castillo in 2005. Mayweather has since won titles at lightweight, light welterweight, and welterweight. He is scheduled to face Oscar De La Hoya in May of this year.