Boxing History Archives — Page 58 Of 88

Remembering the great Diego Corrales: “Chico” would have turned 40 today

August 25, 2017 by James Slater

Boxing History - Had his life not been so cruelly taken from him via a motorbike accident in May of 2007, when he was just 29 years old, legendary warrior Diego "Chico" Corrales woud have celebrated his fortieth birthday today. Remembered as one of the bravest, never-say-die fighters of the modern era, Corrales gave us so many classic, monumental ring wars.

Had his life not been so cruelly taken from him via a motorbike accident in May of 2007, when he was just 29 years old, legendary warrior Diego “Chico” Corrales woud have celebrated his fortieth birthday today. Remembered as one of the bravest, never-say-die fighters of the modern era, Corrales gave us so many classic, monumental ring wars.

Born on August the 25th, 1977, in Sacramento, the lanky puncher with the incridble heart turned pro in March of ’96. A three round TKO win over one Everett Berry was his and the beginning of a sensational boxing career had begun. Corrales went unbeaten in his first thirty-three fights, picking up the IBF super featherweight title with a seventh round stoppage of Roberto Garcia in 1999. This belt proved to be the first of many titles he would box for.

60 years ago today: Another fighter having his pro debut met a guy named Floyd in a much derided “mismatch”

August 21, 2017August 21, 2017 by James Slater

Boxing History - There will be no world title on the line on Saturday night when Conor McGregor, making his boxing pro debut, will climb into the ring to face huge betting favourite and common sense favourite, Floyd Mayweather Junior. However, there once was a fight, perhaps more derided and ridiculed than the upcoming bout, that saw a man make his pro debut AND challenge for a world title at the same time.

There will be no world title on the line on Saturday night when Conor McGregor, making his boxing pro debut, will climb into the ring to face huge betting favourite and common sense favourite, Floyd Mayweather Junior. However, there once was a fight, perhaps more derided and ridiculed than the upcoming bout, that saw a man make his pro debut AND challenge for a world title at the same time.

On this day in 2000: Naseem Hamed gave us his final thrilling victory

August 22, 2017August 19, 2017 by James Slater

Boxing History - On this day 17 years ago, Britain's Naseem Hamed, the hardest puncher in featherweight boxing history, scored his final thrilling, memorable ring victory. Facing former amateur standout Augie Sanchez in Mashantucket in a fight that went out on HBO, Hamed scored a brutal KO win in defence of his WBO crown.

On this day 17 years ago, Britain’s Naseem Hamed, the hardest puncher in featherweight boxing history, scored his final thrilling, memorable ring victory. Facing former amateur standout Augie Sanchez in Mashantucket in a fight that went out on HBO, Hamed scored a brutal KO win in defence of his WBO crown.

The fight, after a relatively uneventful opening round (uneventful compared to the sheer street-fighting element that was to come) became a sensational slugfest, with a ton of leather thrown from both sides, trips to the canvas from both fighters that could so easily have been scored as legit knockdowns, blood and finally a savage KO. Indeed, the action that came thick and fast over four rounds was all but impossible to keep up with.

Lennox Lewis Vs. Vitali Klitschko: Vitali’s defining fight

August 14, 2017August 14, 2017 by James Slater

June 2003, The Staples Centre, Los Angeles.

The date and venue are familiar to fight fans, heavyweight fight fans especially. Why? Because we saw a great action fight between two huge heavies, both well above the mid-240-pound range, we saw blood and gore, we saw huge bombs landed, we saw heart and courage on the line, and we were left wanting to see a rematch.

But the biggest reason fans still talk about this fight, won by Lewis via corner retirement on the part of Klitschko at the end of the sixth round, is because we all wonder what might have happened; what would have happened.

Ricardo Lopez – The Best Boxer of the 90’s

August 14, 2017 by DeMarkus Jones

Boxing History - Quite a few fans consider the 90's the last great cultural decade. Being raised in the 90's, I fondly remember TRL, Nickelodeon, Moon Shoes and my Lite Brite. Media, music, and sports were all being produced with high levels of innovation and creativity. Michael Jordan, Mark McGwire, Brett Favre, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and Oprah were all household names. In boxing, names like Oscar De La Hoya, Felix Trinidad, Shane Mosley, Lennox Lewis and Roy Jones Jr. ruled the boxing headlines. Roy Jones Jr. was even named the boxer of the decade; an excellent choice for that title. However, when discussing the great pugilists of the 90's we often leave off arguably the best of the bunch: El Finito Ricardo Lopez.

Quite a few fans consider the 90’s the last great cultural decade. Being raised in the 90’s, I fondly remember TRL, Nickelodeon, Moon Shoes and my Lite Brite. Media, music, and sports were all being produced with high levels of innovation and creativity. Michael Jordan, Mark McGwire, Brett Favre, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and Oprah were all household names. In boxing, names like Oscar De La Hoya, Felix Trinidad, Shane Mosley, Lennox Lewis and Roy Jones Jr. ruled the boxing headlines. Roy Jones Jr. was even named the boxer of the decade; an excellent choice for that title. However, when discussing the great pugilists of the 90’s we often leave off arguably the best of the bunch: El Finito Ricardo Lopez.

Sugar Ray and The Hitman have mutual respect for one another – they earned it

August 13, 2017August 12, 2017 by James Slater

Boxing History - Boxing legends Sugar Ray Leonard and Thomas “The Hitman” Hearns are currently in Las Vegas - the scene of many of their sensational, unforgettable fights - to attend tonight's Nevada Boxing Hall of Fame.

Boxing legends Sugar Ray Leonard and Thomas “The Hitman” Hearns are currently in Las Vegas – the scene of many of their sensational, unforgettable fights – to attend tonight’s Nevada Boxing Hall of Fame.

Hearns, a former five-weight king, will be inducted, Leonard, also a five-weight ruler, will be taking care of the induction duties. Once venomous rivals, the two all-time greats who met in 1981, at welterweight, and in 1989, at super-middleweight, have nothing but mutual respect these days. They earned it in the ring, in so doing thrilling the world with 26 rounds of superb boxing.

Remembering Salvador Sanchez – The Classic Bouts That Fate Denied Him

August 12, 2017 by Jason Peck

Boxing History - He suffered only one loss, won the pride of his native Mexico and dazzled opponents with superior skill like poetry in motion. But his life was short like haiku – exactly 35 years ago today Sanchez died in a vehicle accident at only 24 years of age.

He suffered only one loss, won the pride of his native Mexico and dazzled opponents with superior skill like poetry in motion. But his life was short like haiku – exactly 35 years ago today Sanchez died in a vehicle accident at only 24 years of age.

Sanchez’s early death undoubtedly raised his legend in a very James Dean-ish way; his detractors will argue that his legend stems more from his aura than his considerable potential. When you consider the intangibles of boxing, it’s admittedly ridiculous to speculate. My own ridiculous view follows, for whatever it’s worth. On such an anniversary, I might not be the only one airing them.

Legend Thomas Hearns to become the last of “The Four Kings” inducted into The Nevada Boxing Hall of Fame

August 10, 2017August 9, 2017 by James Slater

Boxing History - This weekend in Las Vegas, nothing short of boxing royalty will be both in attendance and receiving honours at the fifth Nevada Boxing Hall of Fame inductions. There will be a genuine celebration of two great rivalries, as Thomas Hearns will be inducted, by Sugar Ray Leonard, and as Erik Morales will be inducted, by Marco Antonio Barrera.

This weekend in Las Vegas, nothing short of boxing royalty will be both in attendance and receiving honours at the fifth Nevada Boxing Hall of Fame inductions. There will be a genuine celebration of two great rivalries, as Thomas Hearns will be inducted, by Sugar Ray Leonard, and as Erik Morales will be inducted, by Marco Antonio Barrera.

Twenty Years ago today: A peak Roy Jones Junior brutally avenges his controversial loss to Montell Griffin!

August 8, 2017August 7, 2017 by James Slater

Boxing History - Twenty years ago today, all-time great Roy Jones Junior had a point to prove, and, boy, did an angered Jones prove it in ferocious fashion! The 28 year old star and pound-for-pound king had controversially lost both his light-heavyweight title and his unbeaten record in March of 1997, when big underdog (who wasn't a big underdog when facing this, the peak Jones!) Montell Griffin scored the most controversial win of the year.

Twenty years ago today, all-time great Roy Jones Junior had a point to prove, and, boy, did an angered Jones prove it in ferocious fashion! The 28 year old star and pound-for-pound king had controversially lost both his light-heavyweight title and his unbeaten record in March of 1997, when big underdog (who wasn’t a big underdog when facing this, the peak Jones!) Montell Griffin scored the most controversial win of the year.

30 years ago today: Mike Tyson unifies the WBC/WBA/IBF heavyweight titles with win over Tony Tucker

August 1, 2017August 1, 2017 by James Slater

Boxing History - Was it really thirty years ago - three full decades; a generation – when a peak Mike Tyson put all the heavyweight belts around his 34” waist? It was indeed, as hard as it may be to believe for fight fans who were mere teenagers at the time.

Was it really thirty years ago – three full decades; a generation – when a peak Mike Tyson put all the heavyweight belts around his 34” waist? It was indeed, as hard as it may be to believe for fight fans who were mere teenagers at the time.

It was August 1st, 1987 when a 21 year old “Iron” Mike met 28 year old Tony “TNT” Tucker in Las Vegas. The fight between the two unbeaten heavyweights was dubbed “The Ultimate,” and with everything but the lineal heavyweight title on the line, such a tag-line was apt.