March 4th

Same day events that happened in boxing history
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March 4th

Post by straycat »

1926- Born on this day Pascual Pérez , Argentine flyweight boxer.
Pascual Nicolás Pérez (March 4, 1926 – January 22, 1977) was an Argentine flyweight boxer. Pérez was born in Tupungato in the Mendoza Province of Argentina, he went on to make history by becoming Argentina's first world boxing champion.
Pérez usually did poor at the ticket gates in Argentina after he became world champion, forcing him to defend his world title on the road many times and to become known as a world-travelling champion. His first international success was a gold medal at the 1948 Summer Olympics in United Kingdom.
In December 5, 1952, Pérez beat José Ciorino by knockout in round four at the small Argentine city of Gerly, to begin his professional boxing career. After winning his first six fights by knockout, he challenged Marcelo Quiroga, November 11 of 1953, for the Argentine Flyweight title, winning the fight by a fourth round knockout at Buenos Aires.
Pérez's knockout streak reached 18 knockouts in a row, and it lasted until he met Juan Bishop, on April 22, 1954, winning by a ten round decision.
On July 24 of that year, and with a record of 23 wins, no losses, with 22 wins by knockout, Pérez met Yoshio Shirai, who, coincidentally, had been Japan's first world champion in history, in a non-title fight held at Buenos Aires. The fight was declared a draw (tie) by the judges after ten rounds, and a rematch was set, this time with the world Flyweight title at stake.
On November 26 of '54, Pérez fought what was both his first fight abroad outside the Olympics, and his first world title fight. He made history by beating Shirai by a fifteen round decision, becoming Argentina's first world champion boxer, in Tokyo.
Over the course of Pérez's next thirty fights, he would defend his title only nine times, lose for the first time, and fight in Brazil, the Dominican Republic, Curaçao, Japan, Paraguay, the Philippines, Thailand, Uruguay and Venezuela. Many of his fights would have been title fights, but some of his opponents were not able to make the Flyweight division's 112 pound weight limit, so Pérez often had to settle for non-title wins instead. He lost his undefeated record to Japan's Sadao Yaoita on January 16 of 1959, by a ten round decision in Tokyo. Among the fighters he defeated to retain his world title were Dai Dower (by a first round knockout), Dommy Ursua (by a fifteen round decision) and Yaoita in a rematch, by a thirteenth round knockout.
Pérez would lose his title to another first time world champion, Thailand's Pone Kingpetch, who made history for his country by beating Pérez by a fifteen round decision at Bangkok on April 16, 1960. A rematch between Pérez and Kingpetch was fought on September 22 of the same year, at Los Angeles, but Pérez's first fight in the United States was also his first knockout defeat, as he was beaten in eight rounds by Kingpetch.
Pérez's next twenty eight opponents had a combined record of 0-61-1, and Pérez beat each of them. Faced with perennial world title contender Bernardo Caraballo in Colombia, however, Pérez lost by a ten round decision on July 23, 1963.
He finished his career with fights in Ecuador, Mexico and Panama, losing a third round knockout to future world Bantamweight champion Efren Torres on his fight in Mexican soil.
Pérez had a record of 84 wins, 7 losses and 1 draw, with 58 knockouts, number which places him in the exclusive group of boxers to have won 50 or more fights by knockout.
He is a member of the International Boxing Hall of Fame. On his death in 1977, Pascual Pérez was interred in the La Chacarita Cemetery in Buenos Aires, Argentina.


1961- Sugar Ray Robinson's last world title attempt, as he and Gene Fullmer close their rivalry with Fullmer retaining the National Boxing Association's world Middleweight title with a fifteen round unanimous decision at Las Vegas.

1968 - Joe Frazier TKOs Buster Mathis in 11 for heavyweight boxing title, Mathis made a promising start to the contest but could not keep up with the lighter Frazier and lost the fight by an 11th round knockout. Mathis who had a very successful armature career qualified for a spot in the 1964 Tokyo Olympics. However, he was injured and was unable to compete there. Instead of him, the fighter Mathis beat in the Olympic Trials went to the Olympics. This fighter was Joe Frazier, who went on to win the gold medal.

on the same card Nino Benvenuti recovers the world's Middleweight title with a fifteen round unanimous decision over Emile Griffith in their rubber match.

2006- Joe Calzaghe defeats Jeff Lacy by a lopsided unanimous decision for the IBF-WBO super middleweight unification.
His scheduled bout with IBF world champion Jeff Lacy for 5 November 2005 was initially canceled due to the break sustained to the metacarpal in his left hand. Calzaghe dominated throughout the fight, with British fight fans chanting "easy" at the American during the last three rounds. Calzaghe gained the IBF title, and won every round despite a point being deducted in the 11th for an illegal "behind the body" punch. He also won recognition from The Ring magazine.
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ScapposeJohn commenting on Shane Mosely possibly being unaware he was taking PED's wrote: Likewise. It reminds me of President Clinton saying that he smoked weed in college but never inhaled. Yeah..........right.
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Post by straycat »

1901- Tommy Ryan KO 17 Tommy West, Louisville. Retains World Middleweight Title. In round nine, the combatants fell into a clinch and remained locked. A police captain rushed into the ring and separated them. Most, in the crowd, thought he was stopping the fight. Instead, he intervened because he thought West was choking the champion.

1918- Harry Greb ND 12 Jack Dillon, Toledo, OH. Middleweight Bout. Greb was "won" the unofficial "newspaper decision."

1939- Henry Armstrong KO 4 Bobby Pacho, Havana. Retains World Welterweight Title.

1940- Bobby Pacho KO 5 Doll Nelson, Santa Monica, California, Welterweight Bout.

1940- Georgie Pace D 15 Lou Salica, Toronto. Retains NBA World Bantamweight Title.

1940- Abe Simon KO 2 Clint Moran, Newark, New Jersey. Heavyweight Bout.

1946- Sugar Ray Robinson W 10 Sammy Angott, Pittsburgh. Welterweight Bout.

1946- Joey Maxim W 10 Panther Williams, Detroit. Heavyweight Bout.

1961- Gene Fullmer W 15 Sugar Ray Robinson, Las Vegas. Retains NBA World Middleweight Title. Fighting in a 17-foot ring, the 39-year old Robinson managed to close and bruise Fullmer’s left eye, but never threatened to win, losing by scores of 70-66, 70-64, and 70-67.

1968- "Smokin" Joe Frazier KO 11 Buster Mathis, NYC. Wins vacant New York State Athletic Commission World Heavyweight Title. This fight opens the 4th, and current Madison Square Garden.

1968- Nino Benvenuti W 15 Emile Griffith, NYC. Regains Lineal, WBA, WBC, and Ring Magazine World Middleweight Titles.

1968- Hiroyuki Ebihara KO 4 Manuel "Chango" Magallanes, Tokyo. Flyweight Bout.

1972- Carlos Monzon KO 5 Dennis Moyer, Rome. Retains Lineal, WBA, WBC, and Ring Magazine World Middleweight Titles.

1972- Masao Ohba W 15 Susumu Hanagata, Tokyo. Retains WBA World Flyweight Title.

1978- Pipino Cuevas KO 10 Harold Weston Jr., Los Angeles. Retains WBA World Welterweight Title.

1979- Maurice Hope KO 9 Rocky Mattioli, San Remo. Wins WBC World Junior Middleweight Title.

1983- Santos Laciar KO 9 Ramon Nery, Cordoba, Argentina. Retains WBA World Flyweight Title.

1984- Min-Keun Oh KO 2 Joko Arter, Seoul. Wins vacant IBF World Featherweight Title.

1987- Terry Marsh KO 10 Joe Manley, Basildon, England. Wins IBF World Junior Welterweight Title.

1989- Virgil Hill W 12 Bobby Czyz, Bismark, ND. Retains WBA World Light Heavyweight Title.

1994- Orlin Norris W 12 Arthur Williams, Las Vegas. Retains WBA World Cruiserweight Title. Disputed verdict.

1994- Gerald McClellan KO 1 Gilbert Baptist, Las Vegas. Retains WBC World Middleweight Title.

1994- Julio Cesar Vasquez KO 2 Armand Picar, Las Vegas. Retains WBA World Super Welterweight Title.

1994- Gianfranco Rosi Tech Draw 6 Vincent Pettway, Las Vegas. Retains IBF World Junior Middleweight Title.

1995- Pernell "Sweet Pea" Whitaker W 12 Julio Cesar Vasquez, Atlantic City. Wins WBA World Super Welterweight Title.

1995- Ike Quartey KO 4 Jung-Oh Park, Atlantic City. Retains WBA World Welterweight Title.

1995- The World Boxing Association strips George Foreman of his heavyweight title for refusing to defend against mandatory challenger Tony Tucker.

1997- Lonnie Bradley D 12 Otis Grant, Las Vegas. Retains WBO World Middleweight Title.

2000- Clarence "Bones" Adams W 12 Nestor Garza, Las Vegas. Wins WBA World Super Bantamweight Title. Bones upsets the 5-1 odds against him.

2000- Paulie Ayala W 12 Johnny Bredahl, Las Vegas. Retains WBA Bantamweight Title. (Richey S. Jones: "I’m sorry, but the crowd rooting for Ayala is more exciting than the fight.")

2000- Noel Arambulet W 12 Jose Garcia, Falcon, Venezuela. Retains WBA World Minimumweight Title.

2005- Clinton Woods KO 5 Rico Hoye, Rotherham, England. Wins vacant IBF World Light Heavyweight Title.

2006- Joe Calzaghe W 12 Jeff Lacy, Manchester, England. Retains WBO World Super Middleweight Title/Wins IBF, Vacant Lineal, and Vacant Ring Magazine World Super Middleweight Titles.

2006- Enzo Maccarineli W 12 Mark Hoson, Manchester. Retains WBU Cruiserweight Title.

2006- Wayne Alexander W 12 Thomas McDonagh, Manchester. Retains WBU Light Middleweight Title.

2006- Arthur Abraham W 12 Shannon Taylor, Oldenburg, Germany. Retains IBF World Middleweight Title.

2006- Miguel Cotto KO 8 Gianluca Branco, Bayamon, Puerto Rico. Retains WBO World Junior Welterweight Title.

2006- Chris John W 12 Juan Manuel Marquez, Tenggarong, Indonesia. Retains WBA World Featherweight Title.

2006- Yutaka Niida W 12 Ronald Barrera, Tokyo. Retains WBA World Minimumweight Title.

2007- Yo-Sam Choi KO-1 Pradabsri Siwagon, Seoul, South Korea. Super Flyweight Bout.

2007- Zolile Mbityi KO-5 Simon Ramoni, East London, South Africa. Retains South African Junior Bantamweight Title.

2009- Koki Kameda KO-2 Dolores Vidal (AKA Dolores Osorio), Saitama, Japan. Flyweight Bout.

2009- Daiki Kameda KO-6 Wandee Singwancha (formerly known as Wandee Chor Chareon), Saitama. Super Flyweight Bout.


Born On This Day

1883- Sam Langford (born Samuel E. Langford in Weymouth Falls, Nova Scotia)
A Black Canadian boxing standout of the early part of the 20th century. Called the "Greatest Fighter Nobody Knows," by ESPN. He was rated #2 by The Ring on their list of "100 greatest punchers of all time". Langford was originally from Weymouth Falls, a small community in Nova Scotia, Canada. He was known as the "Boston Bonecrusher", "Boston Terror" or by his most infamous nickname the "Boston Tar Baby," Langford stood only 5 ft 6½ in (1.69 m) and weighed 185 lb (84 kg) in his prime.
Langford was a boxer who fought greats from the lightweight division right up to the heavyweights, beating many champions in the process. However, he was never able to secure a world title for himself. The primary reason for this was that heavyweight champion Jack Johnson, after winning their first match, repeatedly refused rematches against Langford, who was considered by some to be the most dangerous challenger for Johnson's crown, although Johnson cited Langford's inability to meet his $30,000 appearance fee. Despite the fact Langford never received his rightful chance at the heavyweight title because of Jack Johnson's refusal to risk his crown against Langford, Ring magazine founder Nat Fleischer rated Langford as one of the ten best heavyweights of all time.
Langford's most memorable fights were his numerous encounters against fellow Black boxers Sam McVey, Battling Jim Johnson and Joe Jeanette, who all experienced similar barriers in their fighting careers. Langford fought Harry Wills on 17 separate occasions. Langford defeated lightweight champion Joe Gans in 1903, drew with welterweight champion Barbados Joe Walcott in 1904, lost to future world heavyweight champion Jack Johnson in 1906, and knocked out former light-heavyweight champion Philadelphia Jack O'Brien in 1911, with scores of contender fights in between. His last fight was in 1926, when his failing eyesight finally forced him to retire.
In 1923, Sam Langford fought and won Boxing's last "fight to the finish" for the Mexican Heavyweight title.
Films exist of Langford fighting Fireman Jim Flynn and Bill Lang. One story characterizing his career involved Langford walking out for the 8th round and touching gloves with his opponent. "What's the matter, Sam, it ain't the last round!" said his mystified opponent. "Tis for you son," said Langford, who promptly knocked his opponent out.
Langford eventually went completely blind and ended up penniless, living in Harlem, New York City. In 1944, a famous article was published about his plight and money was donated by fans to help Langford. Eventually funding was obtained to pay for successful eye surgery. Langford was enshrined in the Ring Boxing Hall of Fame and Canada's Sports Hall of Fame in 1955. He died a year later in Cambridge, Massachusetts, where he had been living in a private nursing home.


1926- Pascual Perez (born Pascual Nicolás Pérez in Tupungato, Argentina)
Argentine flyweight boxer. Pérez was born in the Mendoza Province of Argentina, he went on to make history by becoming Argentina's first world boxing champion.
Pérez usually did poor at the ticket gates in Argentina after he became world champion, forcing him to defend his world title on the road many times and to become known as a world-travelling champion. His first international success was a gold medal at the 1948 Summer Olympics in United Kingdom.
On December 5, 1952, Pérez beat José Ciorino by knockout in round four at the small Argentine city of Gerly, to begin his professional boxing career. After winning his first six fights by knockout, he challenged Marcelo Quiroga, November 11 of 1953, for the Argentine Flyweight title, winning the fight by a fourth round knockout at Buenos Aires.
Pérez's knockout streak reached 18 knockouts in a row, and it lasted until he met Juan Bishop, on April 22, 1954, winning by a ten round decision.
On July 24 of that year, and with a record of 23 wins, no losses, with 22 wins by knockout, Pérez met Yoshio Shirai, who, coincidentally, had been Japan's first world champion in history, in a non-title fight held at Buenos Aires. The fight was declared a draw (tie) by the judges after ten rounds, and a rematch was set, this time with the world Flyweight title at stake.
On November 26 of '54, Pérez fought what was both his first fight abroad outside the Olympics, and his first world title fight. He made history by beating Shirai by a fifteen round decision, becoming Argentina's first world champion boxer, in Tokyo.
Over the course of Pérez's next thirty fights, he would defend his title only nine times, lose for the first time, and fight in Brazil, the Dominican Republic, Curaçao, Japan, Paraguay, the Philippines, Thailand, Uruguay and Venezuela. Many of his fights would have been title fights, but some of his opponents were not able to make the Flyweight division's 112 pound weight limit, so Pérez often had to settle for non-title wins instead. He lost his undefeated record to Japan's Sadao Yaoita on January 16 of 1959, by a ten round decision in Tokyo. Among the fighters he defeated to retain his world title were Dai Dower (by a first round knockout), Dommy Ursua (by a fifteen round decision) and Yaoita in a rematch, by a thirteenth round knockout.
Pérez would lose his title to another first time world champion, Thailand's Pone Kingpetch, who made history for his country by beating Pérez by a fifteen round decision at Bangkok on April 16, 1960. A rematch between Pérez and Kingpetch was fought on September 22 of the same year, at Los Angeles, but Pérez's first fight in the United States was also his first knockout defeat, as he was beaten in eight rounds by Kingpetch.
Pérez's next twenty eight opponents had a combined record of 0-61-1, and Pérez beat each of them. Faced with perennial world title contender Bernardo Caraballo in Colombia, however, Pérez lost by a ten round decision on July 23, 1963.
He finished his career with fights in Ecuador, Mexico and Panama, losing a third round knockout to future world Bantamweight champion Efren Torres on his fight in Mexican soil.
Pérez had a record of 84 wins, 7 losses and 1 draw, with 58 knockouts, number which places him in the exclusive group of boxers to have won 50 or more fights by knockout.
He is a member of the International Boxing Hall of Fame. On his death in 1977, Pascual Pérez was interred in the La Chacarita Cemetery in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

1960- John Mugabi (born in Kampala, Uganda)
former boxer and world Jr. Middleweight champion. A world traveller, Mugabi was a part of an early 1980s Jr. Middleweight and Middleweight division scene that also included Marvin Hagler, Sugar Ray Leonard, Thomas Hearns, Wilfred Benítez, Davey Moore and Roberto Durán, and, together with the aforementioned world champions, he was a part of an era that many boxing fans rank as one of the most exciting times ever in the Jr. Middleweight and Middleweight divisions. His nickname was The Beast.
Mugabi was born in Kampala, Uganda, where he started to box. He won a gold medal at the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow.
Soon afterwards he started as a professional on December 5, 1980 by knocking out Oemer Karadenis in round one at Kampala. Soon after that win, Mugabi moved to London where he became acquainted with boxing promoter Mickey Duff, an expert in boxer marketing who landed Mugabi various fights in England and built his reputation there.
Mugabi won eight fights in Europe and then moved to the United States, setting up residence in Florida. Over time he became a favorite of American tv networks, scoring sensational knockouts of contenders such as Curtis Ramsey, Gary Guiden, former world champion Eddie Gazo, Curtis Parker, Frank The Animal Fletcher, Nino Gonzalez and Earl Hargrove. Because of his ability to fight both at Jr. Middleweight and Middleweight, fans began to talk of the possibility of him challenging either world Jr. Middleweight champion Hearns or world Middleweight champion Hagler. Despite Mugabi being a mandatory contender for some time, a Hearns - Mugabi title match never materialised, as Hearns elected to move to Middleweight to challenge Marvin Hagler.
On his way to becoming the number one contender for the middleweight title of each of the three major sanctioning bodies (WBA, WBC, and IBF),[1] Mugabi ran roughshod over the division and finished each of his opponents inside the distance. Considering his streak and Hagler's tough battle with Hearns on April 15, 1985, some felt Mugabi had a shot at doing what eleven men before him could not: wresting Hagler's undisputed world middleweight title from him.
The fight between Hagler and Mugabi was set for November 14 of 1985. Due to injury, however, Hagler postponed the fight for four months.
The fight finally came up on March 10 of 1986, and it was the first fight televised by Showtime. Mugabi landed his share of blows to Hagler's head and had the better of the early rounds. The turning point came in the sixth round, when Hagler landed many heavy blows and staggered Mugabi. Mugabi fought back gamely but his early knockout wins left him ill-prepared for a long, tough fight. In the end it was Hagler who came out the victor, with a knockout in the eleventh round. Many boxing fans consider this to have been the toughest contest of Hagler's career.
After his first loss, Mugabi retired to Uganda and ballooned in weight to 190 lbs. In September 1986 he contacted Mickey Duff, stating that he was ready to fight again. Mugabi went down in weight and was given an opportunity by the WBC to win their world Jr. Middleweight title, vacated by Hearns. Once again many fans favored him, this time against Duane Thomas, on December 5 of '86. However, Mugabi suffered a broken eye socket, the consequence of a punch with the thumb of Thomas' glove, in round three and the fight had to be stopped. Mugabi underwent optical surgery the next day to repair his injury.
Discouraged by two consecutive losses, Mugabi gained weight and did not fight for nearly fourteen months. In January 1988, he came back to fight Bryan Grant on the undercard of Mike Tyson's title defence against Larry Holmes. Mugabi won by quick knockout and set off on another knockout winning streak. He became number one contender for the WBC 154 lb title in August 1988 but could not land a fight with then champion Donald Curry. After Curry lost his title in an upset in early 1989, Mugabi was given another opportunity to become world champion by the WBC. On July 8 of that year, Mugabi finally made his dream come true, knocking out Curry's successor Rene Jacquot in round one in Grenoble to become the WBC World Jr. Middleweight champion.
After two first round knockout wins against Ricky Stackhouse and Carlos Antunes, Mugabi, who by this time was having difficulty making the weight limit of 154 lbs, put his title on the line against Terry Norris. When Norris downed the champion for the count with a right to the jaw, Mugabi received the dubious distinction as the second fighter, after Al Singer, to both win and lose a world title by first round knockout when he was defeated by Norris.
Showing resilience, Mugabi resurfaced with two more wins and once again found himself fighting for a world title, facing Gerald McClellan on November 20 of 1991 for the vacant WBO Middleweight Championship. Mugabi once again came out on the losing end, again by a first round knockout.
Mugabi then retired for 5 years and moved to Australia where he still resides and trains fighters. In 1996, he came back for the first of an eight fight comeback, but, apart from beating Jamie Wallace by a 12 round decision at the Gold Coast for the Australian Middleweight title, the comeback was undistinguished. After losing to Glenn Kelly by a knockout in eight on January 16 of 1999, Mugabi finally retired with a record of 42 wins, 7 losses and 1 draw, 39 wins by knockout.
His 26 fight knockout win streak stands as one of the longest knockout streaks ever in boxing.
In a comment posted on "The Sweet Science" blog in regard to the Antonio Tarver-Roy Jones Jr match in St. Petersburg, Florida, Mugabi wrote, "It's great to see that Tampa is still having boxing. I, John, am still sorry for letting my fans down that night. But all champions one day will get beaten. But one day I would love to come and watch some fights in the ring at Tampa. I might bring one of the fighters I train in Australia now."
Mugabi has a 20-year old daughter, Mildred Prudence Mugabi who lives in Tampa, Florida and he has another daughter who still resides in Kampala, Uganda named Mourine Kabasemera Mugabi.
Representing Uganda, Mugabi was the Goldmedalist at the 1980 Olympic Games in Moscow, boxing in the Welterweight (67 kg) class. Mugabi defeated Andrés Aldama of Cuba in the final. . His results were:
* George Koffi (Congo) won by KO 1
* Paul Rasanimanana (Madagascar) won by KO 1
* Memet Bogujevci (Yugoslavia) won by KO 1
* Kazimierz Szczerba (Poland) won by KO 1
* Andrés Aldama (Cuba) won by KO 1
He was also a Gold medalist at the 1976 Junior World Championships, defeating Herol Graham.

1961- Ray Mancini (born Youngstown, Ohio)
etired Italian-American boxer. He held the World Boxing Association lightweight championship for two years in the 1980s. Mancini inherited his distinctive nickname from his father, veteran boxer Lenny "Boom Boom" Mancini, who laid the foundation for his son's career. The name, however, perfectly suited the younger Mancini's wild, "whirlwind" fighting style.
He was born in Youngstown, Ohio. Boxing played a prominent role in the Mancini family history. Mancini's father, Lenny Mancini (the original "Boom Boom"), was a top-ranked contender during the 1940s who was widely predicted to be a future world champion. Lenny Mancini's dream, however, was dashed when he was wounded during World War II. Although Lenny Mancini returned to boxing, limitations resulting from his injuries prevented him from fulfilling his potential.
Lenny inspired young Ray to develop his boxing skills and encouraged him to train at a gym when he was quite young. Ray had a stellar amateur career, and in 1978, he made the jump to the professional ranks. His whirlwind punching style caught the attention of network executives at several American television networks, and he became a regular on their sports programming. During this time Ray Mancini defeated some excellent boxers, including former United States champion Norman Goins.
His first attempt at a world title came in his next bout, when he was pitted against the legendary champion Alexis Argüello for his World Boxing Council lightweight title. The event was selected by many (including The Ring and ESPN) as one of the most spectacular fights of the 1980s. Mancini gave Arguello trouble early and built a lead on the scorecards, but Arguello used his experience to his advantage in the later rounds and stopped Mancini in the 14th round. Mancini was saddened by his first defeat, but not about to give up on his dream.
On May 8, 1982, in a match held in Las Vegas, he challenged the new World Boxing Association lightweight champion, Arturo Frias. Fifteen seconds into the fight, the fast-starting champion caught Mancini with a left hook to the chin and Mancini shook. Another combination made Mancini start bleeding from his eyebrow. Mancini stormed back and dropped the champion right in the center of the ring with a spectacular combination. Dazed and surprised, Frias got back up, but Mancini went after his prey with a fury, and was on top of him the moment the referee said they could go on, trapping Frias against the ropes. After many unanswered blows, the referee stopped the fight, and the Mancini family finally had a world champion.
Mancini's first defense, against former world champion Ernesto España, went smoothly with a Mancini knockout win in the 6th round.
His next defense would change both his life and the face of boxing: On November 13, 1982, a 21-year-old Mancini met 23-year-old South Korean challenger Duk Koo Kim. Kim had to lose several pounds before the fight to make the weight. The title bout, at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, was televised live at 1pm PST on CBS Sports. By fight time, Kim was spent. It was, according to many observers, a fight filled with action, but Mancini had an easy time hitting Kim during the 14 rounds the fight lasted. Kim suffered brain injuries that led to his death five days later. The week after his death, the cover of Sports Illustrated magazine showed Mancini and Kim battling, under the title "Tragedy In The Ring".
Mancini went to the funeral in South Korea, but he fell into a deep depression afterwards. He has said that the hardest moments came when people approached him and asked if he was the boxer who "killed" Duk Koo Kim. Mancini went through a period of reflection, as he blamed himself for Kim's death. In addition, Kim's mother committed suicide four months after the fight, as did the bout's referee, Richard Green, in July 1983.
As a result of this bout, the WBC took steps to shorten its title bouts to a maximum of 12 rounds. The WBA and WBO followed in 1988, and the IBF in 1989.
Mancini began the process of getting his life back together by once again putting on gloves. He went to Italy to face British champion George Feeney, a tough fighter from England. Mancini won a 10-round decision, but he was not the Ray Mancini of old.
He defended his title two more times. In a bout with former world champion Bobby Chacon, which was broadcast on HBO, the overmatched Chicano boxer lasted only three rounds. To fans at least, the old "Boom Boom" appeared to be back. Mancini, however, was making plans to get out of boxing to pursue a less violent trade: acting.
In June 1984, Mancini, still recovering from the emotional trauma of Kim's death, struggled to retain his title in a battle with Livingstone Bramble in Buffalo, New York. It was to be another Mancini "slugfest." This time, however, he came out on the losing end, defeated after 14 intense rounds. Mancini lost his title, but not before a fierce effort that resulted in an overnight stay at Millard Fillmore Hospital and 71 stitches around one eye.
Mancini was not finished, however. He returned to the ring twice to attempt to regain his world title. After a tenacious effort in a rematch with Bramble, Mancini lost the fight by one point on all three judges scorecards in a 15-round decision. His next attempt came in March 1989, when he lost to Héctor 'Macho' Camacho in a highly questionable split decision. Ray had one final fight in April 1992, against former lightweight champion Greg Haugen. Ray was just a mere shadow of his old self, having had only two fights in seven years, and was stopped in round seven.
Mancini retired officially in 1992, leaving a record of 29–5, with 23 knockouts. His legacy also included an inspirational story involving a young champion who had won the title as much for his family as for himself. The essence of this story was captured in a made-for-television movie based on Mancini's life, which aired in the 1980s. Thanks to expert legal advice, the former champion was also able to keep 75 percent of his $12 million in purse money, which enabled him to pursue a broad range of interests in retirement.
More recently, Mancini realized his Hollywood dreams, appearing in as well as producing a handful of films. In addition, he gained new fans as a fight analyst for the Fox reality series, Celebrity Boxing. Mancini currently resides in Los Angeles, California. He owns the El Campeon Cigar Company and operates two movie production companies. Mancini remains accessible and interactive with his fans.
Mancini practices Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and is good friends with fellow jiu-jitsu practitioner and Youngstown native Ed O'Neill as well as Pulitzer Prize winner/Screenwriter/Director David Mamet. He appeared in Mamet's MMA film Redbelt.
Mancini produced Youngstown: Still Standing in 2010, which premiered at the 34th Cleveland International Film Festival on March 24. The documentary film featured his friend Ed O'Neill and included Jim Cummings, Kelly Pavlik, Jay Williams, Andrea Wood and Mancini himself, among many other Youngstown natives and locals. John Chechitelli – another Youngstown native – directed and edited the 89-minute long film. It recounts the history of Youngstown, Ohio from its founding in 1797 to the present.
On July 13, 2007, Ray was a Guest on ESPN's Friday Night Fights.
On April 6, 2009, Mancini is on Chicago Sports Webio broadcasts with long time Chicago radio personality, Chet Coppock. The show is called Chet and The Champ and airs weekdays at 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Mancini's career has enjoyed a curious afterlife in the realm of popular culture. Warren Zevon wrote a song that tracked Mancini's career, up until his fight with Bobby Chacon. In the song, "Boom Boom Mancini", Zevon evidently took artistic license when he described Mancini's response to the accidental death of Duk Koo Kim.
He is now an active member of UNICO National, the Largest Italian American Service Organization.
In 2008, Mancini attended a benefit in honor of a local friend from Youngstown, OH. He also owns a wine-tasting shop in his native Youngstown, OH.
Ĩ ÁM ŚŤŔÁŶČÁŤ ÁŃĎ Ĩ ÁPPŔŐVĔ ŤĤĨŚ MĔŚŚÁĞĔ
>^^< ŚŤŔÚŤ!
ScapposeJohn commenting on Shane Mosely possibly being unaware he was taking PED's wrote: Likewise. It reminds me of President Clinton saying that he smoked weed in college but never inhaled. Yeah..........right.
KSTAT124
TTR Rankings & Results Editor
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Post by KSTAT124 »

More March 4 results:

2010- Rachid El Hasak UD 10 Zakaria Azzouzi, Hyeres, Var, France. Retained French Cruiserweight Title.

2011- Piotr Wilczewski TKO-11 Amin Asikainen, Helsinki, Finland. Won Vacant EBU European and Vacant WBO Inter-Continental Super Middleweight Titles.

2011- Lenny Bottai UD 12 Sergei Melis, Palamacchia, Livorno, Toscana, Italy. Won Vacant IBF International Junior Middleweight Title.

2011- Alberto Servedei UD 10 Massimo Morra, Palamacchia. Retained Italian Featherweight Title.

2011- Ivan Pozo UD 12 Adonis Rivas, Porrino, Galicia, Spain. Retained WBC Mundo Hispano Bantamweight Title.

2011- Jackson Osei Bonsu UD 10 Jose Del Rio, Deurne, Antwerpen, Belgium. Welterweight Bout.

2011- Chonlatarn Piriyapinyo UD 12 Adones Aguelo, Lap Lae, Uttaradit, Thailand. Retains WBC Asian Boxing Council Featherweight Title.

2011- Eusebio Osejo Unan. Tech. Dec. 5 John Jackson, Managua, Nicaragua. Won Vacant NABA Interim Super Featherweight Title.

2011- Yusaf Mack SD 12 Otis Griffin, Woodland Hills, California. Won USBA Light Heavyweight Title/Won IBF World Light Heavyweight Title Eliminator.

2011- Vicente Escobedo UD 10 Walter Estrada, Indio, California. Lightweight Bout.

2011- Sharif Bogere KO-1 Shamir Reyes, Indio, CA. Super Lightweight Bout.

2012- Rey Labao TKO-1 Jay Solmiano, Cebu City, Cebu, Philippines. Won Vacant Philippines Games and Amusement Board Lightweight Title. (Title available to Labao only; Solmiano had lost the title on the scale prior to the bout.)

2012- Jose Ocampo TKO-4 Weng Haya, Cebu City. Won Vacant WBO Asia Pacific Junior Lightweight Title.
DBO
Only DBO & Marciano have won All 3 Challenges
Only DBO & Marciano have won All 3 Challenges
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Location: CT, USA

Post by DBO »

1994- Orlin Norris W 12 Arthur Williams, Las Vegas. Retains WBA World Cruiserweight Title. Disputed verdict.


Very controversial. It sucks because Norris KO'd him easily in the rematch, but Williams should have been champion that night.
KSTAT124
TTR Rankings & Results Editor
TTR Rankings & Results Editor
Posts: 23953
Joined: Tue Oct 03, 2006 10:22 pm
Location: Valley Stream, New York

Re: March 4th

Post by KSTAT124 »

SIXTY YEARS AGO TODAY:

March 4, 1956-

Manila, Metro Manila, Philippines-

Former two-time World flyweight title challenger Leo Espinosa retained the OPBF bantamweight title by unanimously outpointing Keiichi Komuro over 12 rounds. By defeating Komuro, Espinosa secured a March 25, 1956 shot at the National Boxing Association's World bantamweight title.

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