Los Momentos del Boxeo

51 yrs ago Mar 24: stops Chuck Wepner in 15, retains heavyweight title, Richfield (OH) Coliseum. In 1st defense after regaining crown, Ali is dropped by plucky 10-1 underdog before dominating. “Bayonne Bleeder’s” effort is inspiration for ‘s “Rocky.”

25 years ago Mar 24: stops Arturo Gatti in 5, 147lbs, LV. In first fight after original Shane Mosley loss, De La Hoya overwhelms outmatched slugger with size, speed & skill, forcing stoppage with improved right hand under new trainer Floyd Mayweather Sr.

64 yrs ago Mar 24: Emile Griffith stops Benny “Kid” Paret in 12, regains world 147lb title, NYC. 6 months after losing title to rival, Griffith unleashes vicious attack in 3rd fight, battering Kid against ropes before massacre is stopped. Paret, 25, dies 10 days later.

36 years ago Mar 17: Julio Cesar Chavez stops Meldrick Taylor in 12, unifies WBC/IBF 140lb titles, Hilton LV. Sensational Taylor, 24-0-1, outboxes Chavez, 68-0, for 11 rounds & is ahead on cards when JCC erupts late, dropping Taylor & forcing ref Steele to stop it with 2 seconds to go.

5 yrs ago Mar 13: Marvelous Marvin Hagler passes away at age 66. A native of Brockton, MA, Hagler is regarded as one of the greatest middleweights ever, making 12 title defenses from 1980-87, including legendary 1985 KO of Thomas Hearns. Final record: 62-3-2 (52 KOs). RIP MMH.

33 yrs ago Mar 13: Michael Carbajal stops Humberto “Chiquita” Gonzalez in 7, unifies WBC/IBF 108lb titles, Hilton LV. In one of the most anticipated lighter-weight fights ever, Carbajal roars back from 2 devastating knockdowns to flatten hard-punching Chiquita in war. 1993 FOTY

My 2023 piece for Ringside Seat on Wilfred Benitez, the youngest world champion in boxing history at age 17 who, decades later, lived in a small Chicago apartment in Humboldt Park, could not walk, talk & was confined to his bed because of his boxing injuries. He was cared for 24-7 by his doting sister Yvonne. “Sometimes Wilfred screams at night. If he doesn’t see me, he starts screaming.”

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1-tL3UpDFQK5uhnCh1tY3sa5yLc4I7P4y/view?usp=drivesdk

37 yrs ago Feb 24: Roberto Duran outpoints Iran Barkley over 12, wins WBC 160lb title, Convention Ctr AC. 37-year-old “Manos de Piedra” turns back clock once again, dropping & outbrawling bigger “Blade” to win 4th division title in furious war. 1989 Fight, Upset of the Year.

23 yrs ago Feb 22: stops Clifford Etienne in 1, heavyweights, The Pyramid, Memphis. In final win of pro career, Tyson - with a fresh face tattoo - harkens back to his youth & wastes no time, flattening Etienne with a single, vicious right hand 49 seconds into the fight

29 yrs ago Feb 22: Arturo Gatti outpoints Tracy Harris Patterson over 12, retains IBF 130lb title, Convention Center AC. In rematch of 1995 Gatti title-winning effort, “Thunder” is dropped by left to liver in 1st, which is incorrectly ruled a foul. Gatti survives for points win.

33 yrs ago Feb 20: stops Greg Haugen in 5, retains WBC 140lb title, Estadio Azteca, Mexico City. Before a record 145,247, Chávez, 84-0, drops challenger x2 & pummels him throughout, after Haugen angers champ by calling previous opponents “Tijuana taxicab drivers.”

26 yrs ago Feb 19: outpoints Marco Antonio Barrera over 12, unifies WBC/WBO 122lb titles, LV. In battle between fierce Mexican rivals, Morales & Barrera empty themselves in all-time great war. Late knockdown seems to seal it for Barrera; Morales gets nod