Boxing in the 1980s
Encyclopedia
Boxing
in the 1980s was filled with important fights, events and personalities that shaped the sport. Boxing in the 1980s was shaped by many different situations, such as the continuous corporate battles between the different world sanctioning organizations, the void left by Muhammad Ali
as the sport's ambassador and consequent search for a new boxing hero, the continuous presence of Don King as the sport's most famous promoter, the surge of rival promoters as Bob Arum
, Butch Lewis
and Murad Muhammad
, and major rule changes. In 1986, Mike Tyson
crowned himself world Heavyweight champion, and he was considered by many to be the savior of the Heavyweight division, which had seen a decline in champion quality level (particularly in the WBA
side) after Ali's retirement and, later on, after longtime WBC
ruler Larry Holmes
' prime. In addition, the IBF
and WBO
began operating.
Another important aspect of boxing in the 1980s was the rivalry between five world champions: Wilfred Benítez
, Roberto Durán
, Marvin Hagler
, Thomas Hearns
and Sugar Ray Leonard
. Of all the possible match-ups between these five, Benitez-Hagler was the only one that never happened. The circle of fights between these five gladiators actually began on November 30, 1979, when Leonard beat Benitez by knockout
in round fifteen to win the WBC world Welterweight title, on the same night Hagler drew (tied) with Vito Antuofermo
in his first bid to become the world's Middleweight champion.
Boxing
Boxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...
in the 1980s was filled with important fights, events and personalities that shaped the sport. Boxing in the 1980s was shaped by many different situations, such as the continuous corporate battles between the different world sanctioning organizations, the void left by Muhammad Ali
Muhammad Ali
Muhammad Ali is an American former professional boxer, philanthropist and social activist...
as the sport's ambassador and consequent search for a new boxing hero, the continuous presence of Don King as the sport's most famous promoter, the surge of rival promoters as Bob Arum
Bob Arum
Robert "Bob" Arum is the founder and CEO of Top Rank, a professional boxing promotion company based in Las Vegas. He also worked for the US Attorney's Office for the southern district of New York in the tax division....
, Butch Lewis
Butch Lewis
Ronald "Butch" Everett Lewis was an American boxing promoter and manager. He is best known for having managed the careers of boxing brothers Leon and Michael Spinks....
and Murad Muhammad
Murad Muhammad
Murad Muhammad is a US American boxing promoter, the owner of the company M & M Sports .Murad’s introduction to boxing was through traveling the world with Muhammad Ali. He was only 16 then and for 10 years, he was Ali’s personal security man....
, and major rule changes. In 1986, Mike Tyson
Mike Tyson
Michael Gerard "Mike" Tyson is a retired American boxer. Tyson is a former undisputed heavyweight champion of the world and holds the record as the youngest boxer to win the WBC, WBA and IBF world heavyweight titles, he was 20 years, 4 months and 22 days old...
crowned himself world Heavyweight champion, and he was considered by many to be the savior of the Heavyweight division, which had seen a decline in champion quality level (particularly in the WBA
World Boxing Association
The World Boxing Association is a boxing organization that sanctions official matches, and awards the WBA world championship title at the professional level. It was previously known as the National Boxing Association before changing its name in 1962...
side) after Ali's retirement and, later on, after longtime WBC
World Boxing Council
The World Boxing Council was initially established by 11 countries: the United States, Argentina, United Kingdom, France, Mexico, Philippines, Panama, Chile, Peru, Venezuela and Brazil plus Puerto Rico, met in Mexico City on February 14, 1963, upon invitation of the then President of Mexico, Adolfo...
ruler Larry Holmes
Larry Holmes
Larry Holmes is a former professional boxer. He grew up in Easton, Pennsylvania, which gave birth to his boxing nickname, The Easton Assassin....
' prime. In addition, the IBF
International Boxing Federation
The International Boxing Federation or IBF is one of four major organizations recognized by IBHOF which sanction world championship boxing bouts, alongside the WBA, WBC and WBO.- History :...
and WBO
World Boxing Organization
The World Boxing Organization is a sanctioning organization currently recognizing professional boxing world champions. The organization is recognized as one of the four major world championship groups by the IBHOF alongside the International Boxing Federation, the World Boxing Council and the...
began operating.
Another important aspect of boxing in the 1980s was the rivalry between five world champions: Wilfred Benítez
Wilfred Benitez
Wilfred Benítez , is a Puerto Rican boxer. He is remembered best as a skilled and aggressive fighter with exceptional defensive abilities who won world championships in three separate weight divisions, and was the youngest world champion in boxing history at the age of 17...
, Roberto Durán
Roberto Durán
Roberto Durán Samaniego is a retired professional boxer from Panama, widely regarded as one of the greatest boxers of all time. A versatile brawler in the ring, he was nicknamed "Manos de Piedra" during his career....
, Marvin Hagler
Marvin Hagler
Marvelous Marvin Hagler , is a former professional boxer who was undisputed world middleweight champion between 1980 and 1987. Hagler holds the distinction of having the highest KO% of all middleweight champions at 78%...
, Thomas Hearns
Thomas Hearns
Thomas "Hitman" Hearns is a retired American boxer. Nicknamed the "Motor City Cobra" and more famously "The Hitman", Hearns became the first boxer in history to win world titles in four divisions. He would also become the first fighter in history to win five world titles in five different divisions...
and Sugar Ray Leonard
Sugar Ray Leonard
Sugar Ray Leonard is an American retired professional boxer and occasional actor. He was named Ray Charles Leonard, after his mother's favorite singer, Ray Charles...
. Of all the possible match-ups between these five, Benitez-Hagler was the only one that never happened. The circle of fights between these five gladiators actually began on November 30, 1979, when Leonard beat Benitez by knockout
Knockout
A knockout is a fight-ending, winning criterion in several full-contact combat sports, such as boxing, kickboxing, Muay Thai, mixed martial arts, Karate and others sports involving striking...
in round fifteen to win the WBC world Welterweight title, on the same night Hagler drew (tied) with Vito Antuofermo
Vito Antuofermo
Vito Antuofermo is an Italian-American actor who is also a former world Middleweight boxing champion.-Background:Antuofermo was born in Italy, in the town of Palo del Colle, which is located about 15 km inland from the city of Bari. but his family moved to the United States when he was 17...
in his first bid to become the world's Middleweight champion.
1980
- February 2- Salvador SánchezSalvador SánchezSalvador Sánchez Narváez was a Mexican boxer born in the town of Santiago Tianguistenco, Estado de México. Many of his contemporaries as well as boxing writers believe that, had it not been for his premature death, Sanchez could have gone on to become the greatest Featherweight boxer of all time...
becomes WBCWorld Boxing CouncilThe World Boxing Council was initially established by 11 countries: the United States, Argentina, United Kingdom, France, Mexico, Philippines, Panama, Chile, Peru, Venezuela and Brazil plus Puerto Rico, met in Mexico City on February 14, 1963, upon invitation of the then President of Mexico, Adolfo...
world Featherweight champion with a fourteenth round knockout victory over Danny LopezDanny LopezDanny Lopez is a former American boxer from Fort Duchesne, Utah. He was world Featherweight champion, and a very popular fighter both in television and Southern California, during the 1970s. His nickname is Little Red.-Background:...
in PhoenixPhoenix, ArizonaPhoenix is the capital, and largest city, of the U.S. state of Arizona, as well as the sixth most populated city in the United States. Phoenix is home to 1,445,632 people according to the official 2010 U.S. Census Bureau data... - June 20- Roberto DuránRoberto DuránRoberto Durán Samaniego is a retired professional boxer from Panama, widely regarded as one of the greatest boxers of all time. A versatile brawler in the ring, he was nicknamed "Manos de Piedra" during his career....
conquers the WBC world Welterweight title defeating Sugar Ray LeonardSugar Ray LeonardSugar Ray Leonard is an American retired professional boxer and occasional actor. He was named Ray Charles Leonard, after his mother's favorite singer, Ray Charles...
by unanimous decision over fifteen rounds in Montreal, Canada. - August 2- Thomas HearnsThomas HearnsThomas "Hitman" Hearns is a retired American boxer. Nicknamed the "Motor City Cobra" and more famously "The Hitman", Hearns became the first boxer in history to win world titles in four divisions. He would also become the first fighter in history to win five world titles in five different divisions...
becomes WBAWorld Boxing AssociationThe World Boxing Association is a boxing organization that sanctions official matches, and awards the WBA world championship title at the professional level. It was previously known as the National Boxing Association before changing its name in 1962...
world Welterweight champion, knocking out Pipino Cuevas in two rounds in DetroitDetroit, MichiganDetroit is the major city among the primary cultural, financial, and transportation centers in the Metro Detroit area, a region of 5.2 million people. As the seat of Wayne County, the city of Detroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and serves as a major port on the Detroit River...
. In that same undercard, Samuel SerranoSamuel SerranoSamuel Serrano , nicknamed Sammy and El Torbellino, is a Puerto Rican who won boxing's world junior lightweight championship twice.-Early history:...
loses his WBA world Jr. Lightweight crown to Yasutsune UeharaYasutsune UeharaYasutsune Uehara is a former professional boxer and former WBA super featherweight champion. He is one of the few Japanese boxers to have won the world title fighting outside of Japan.- Biography :...
, by knockout in round six. - September 27- Marvin HaglerMarvin HaglerMarvelous Marvin Hagler , is a former professional boxer who was undisputed world middleweight champion between 1980 and 1987. Hagler holds the distinction of having the highest KO% of all middleweight champions at 78%...
becomes world Middleweight champion, knocking out Alan MinterAlan MinterAlan Minter is a former middleweight world champion boxer.-Amateur career:Minter was the 1971 ABA Middleweight Champion. He won the bronze medal at the 1972 Munich Olympic Games...
in three rounds in London. The boxers then have to be protected by police from rioting Minter fans. - October 2- Larry HolmesLarry HolmesLarry Holmes is a former professional boxer. He grew up in Easton, Pennsylvania, which gave birth to his boxing nickname, The Easton Assassin....
retains his WBC world Heavyweight crown with an eleventh round technical knockout over Muhammad AliMuhammad AliMuhammad Ali is an American former professional boxer, philanthropist and social activist...
. This fight is seen by many as one of the most despicable events in the history of the sport: Ali had been in a hospital for treatment for a good portion of the months before the fight, and it has been alleged that Don King made him fight for Ali to pay King the hospital bills King had gotten from Ali's stay at the hospital. - November 25- The No Más Fight, Sugar Ray Leonard regains his WBC world Welterweight title with an eighth round knockout of Roberto Durán, who quit inexplicably, leading to many rumors.
1981
- March 28- Santos LaciarSantos LaciarSantos Benigno Laciar , known familiarly as Santos Laciar and nicknamed Falucho, was an Argentine world flyweight champion.-Biography:Laciar was born in Huinca Renancó, in the province of Córdoba, Argentina....
becomes world Flyweight champion for the first time, defeating Peter Mathebula by knockout in round seven to win the WBAWorld Boxing AssociationThe World Boxing Association is a boxing organization that sanctions official matches, and awards the WBA world championship title at the professional level. It was previously known as the National Boxing Association before changing its name in 1962...
title, in Soweto, South Africa. - May 23- Wilfred BenítezWilfred BenitezWilfred Benítez , is a Puerto Rican boxer. He is remembered best as a skilled and aggressive fighter with exceptional defensive abilities who won world championships in three separate weight divisions, and was the youngest world champion in boxing history at the age of 17...
becomes the first HispanicHispanicHispanic is a term that originally denoted a relationship to Hispania, which is to say the Iberian Peninsula: Andorra, Gibraltar, Portugal and Spain. During the Modern Era, Hispanic sometimes takes on a more limited meaning, particularly in the United States, where the term means a person of ...
and Puerto RicanPuerto RicoPuerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
to be a three time world champion, as well as the fifth boxer to do it and the first one to do it since Henry ArmstrongHenry ArmstrongHenry Jackson Jr. was a world boxing champion who fought under the name Henry Armstrong. He is universally regarded as one of the greatest fighters of all time by many boxing critics and fellow professionals.Henry Jr...
four decades before, when he defeats Maurice HopeMaurice HopeMaurice Hope is a former boxer from England, who was world Jr. Middleweight champion. Hope lived in Hackney most of his life, but now lives in his place of birth, Antigua. He represented Great Britain at the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich, West Germany.- Biography :Maurice Hope moved at a very...
by knockout in round twelve to win the WBC'sWorld Boxing CouncilThe World Boxing Council was initially established by 11 countries: the United States, Argentina, United Kingdom, France, Mexico, Philippines, Panama, Chile, Peru, Venezuela and Brazil plus Puerto Rico, met in Mexico City on February 14, 1963, upon invitation of the then President of Mexico, Adolfo...
world Jr. Middleweight title in Las VegasLas Vegas, NevadaLas Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous... - June 20- Alexis ArgüelloAlexis ArgüelloAlexis Argüello , also known by the stage name El Flaco Explosivo , was a Nicaraguan professional boxer and politician...
becomes the sixth three time world champion in boxing history when he defeats Jim Watt by decision in fifteen rounds to win the WBC world Lightweight title in London. - June 25- Sugar Ray LeonardSugar Ray LeonardSugar Ray Leonard is an American retired professional boxer and occasional actor. He was named Ray Charles Leonard, after his mother's favorite singer, Ray Charles...
conquers the WBA world Jr. Middleweight title with a ninth round knockout of Ayub Kalule in HoustonHouston, TexasHouston is the fourth-largest city in the United States, and the largest city in the state of Texas. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city had a population of 2.1 million people within an area of . Houston is the seat of Harris County and the economic center of , which is the ...
. - August 21- The Battle of the Little GiantsThe Battle of the Little GiantsThe Battle of the Little Giants was a 1981 boxing event with a deep social impact.Fought on August 21, 1981, at the Caesars Palace hotel on the Las Vegas Strip, it pitted Wilfredo Gómez, a Puerto Rican who had a record of 32 wins, 0 losses, 1 draw, and all his wins by knockout, and who was the...
, Salvador SánchezSalvador SánchezSalvador Sánchez Narváez was a Mexican boxer born in the town of Santiago Tianguistenco, Estado de México. Many of his contemporaries as well as boxing writers believe that, had it not been for his premature death, Sanchez could have gone on to become the greatest Featherweight boxer of all time...
defeats Wilfredo GómezWilfredo GómezWilfredo Gómez , sometimes referred to as Bazooka Gómez, is a former boxer and three time world champion.-Biography:...
by knockout in eight rounds to retain his WBC world Featherweight title in Las Vegas. - September 16- A much anticipated bout takes place, and Sugar Ray Leonard unifies his WBC world Welterweight title with the WBA one by knocking out the WBA's champion Thomas HearnsThomas HearnsThomas "Hitman" Hearns is a retired American boxer. Nicknamed the "Motor City Cobra" and more famously "The Hitman", Hearns became the first boxer in history to win world titles in four divisions. He would also become the first fighter in history to win five world titles in five different divisions...
in round fourteen at Las Vegas. - December 3- Joe FrazierJoe FrazierJoseph William "Joe" Frazier , also known as Smokin' Joe, was an Olympic and Undisputed World Heavyweight boxing champion, whose professional career lasted from 1965 to 1976, with a one-fight comeback in 1981....
's last fight: He draws after ten rounds with Floyd "Jumbo" CummingsFloyd CummingsFloyd "Jumbo" Cummings is a retired American heavyweight boxer.Cummings served 12 years in prison for murder in the Stateville Correctional Center, Illinois, and upon his release started boxing professionally, making his debut in March 1979 at the age of 29.He was a fringe contender in the...
in Chicago. - December 11- Muhammad AliMuhammad AliMuhammad Ali is an American former professional boxer, philanthropist and social activist...
's last fight: He loses a ten round decision to future world Heavyweight champion Trevor BerbickTrevor BerbickTrevor Berbick was a Jamaican-Canadian heavyweight boxer who fought as a professional from 1976 until 2000. Berbick briefly held the WBC heavyweight championship in 1986 , before losing it to 20-year old Mike Tyson, via 2nd-round TKO...
in Nassau, BahamasNassau, BahamasNassau is the capital, largest city, and commercial centre of the Commonwealth of the Bahamas. The city has a population of 248,948 , 70 percent of the entire population of The Bahamas...
.
1982
- January 24- Eusebio PedrozaEusebio PedrozaEusebio Pedroza is a native of Panama who holds two records in boxing: His 19 defenses as world featherweight champion are a record for that division, and his seven years as world champion non-stop are a division record too...
retains his WBAWorld Boxing AssociationThe World Boxing Association is a boxing organization that sanctions official matches, and awards the WBA world championship title at the professional level. It was previously known as the National Boxing Association before changing its name in 1962...
world Featherweight title with a fifteen round unanimous decision over Juan LaporteJuan LaporteJuan Laporte is a former boxer who was born in Guayama, Puerto Rico.-Amateur career:Juan Laporte won the 1976 112 lb New York Golden Gloves Sub-Novice Championship. He defeated Long Island's Ricky Brown in the finals. Laporte was defeated by Joseph Nieto of the Police Athletic Leagues Lynch...
in Atlantic CityAtlantic City, New JerseyAtlantic City is a city in Atlantic County, New Jersey, United States, and a nationally renowned resort city for gambling, shopping and fine dining. The city also served as the inspiration for the American version of the board game Monopoly. Atlantic City is located on Absecon Island on the coast...
. The fight proves controversial: many observers thought they had seen Pedroza commit a large amount of infractions which, in their opinion, could have led to points deductions or disqualification. - January 30- Wilfred BenítezWilfred BenitezWilfred Benítez , is a Puerto Rican boxer. He is remembered best as a skilled and aggressive fighter with exceptional defensive abilities who won world championships in three separate weight divisions, and was the youngest world champion in boxing history at the age of 17...
retains his WBCWorld Boxing CouncilThe World Boxing Council was initially established by 11 countries: the United States, Argentina, United Kingdom, France, Mexico, Philippines, Panama, Chile, Peru, Venezuela and Brazil plus Puerto Rico, met in Mexico City on February 14, 1963, upon invitation of the then President of Mexico, Adolfo...
world Jr. Middleweight title with a fifteen round unanimous decision over Roberto DuránRoberto DuránRoberto Durán Samaniego is a retired professional boxer from Panama, widely regarded as one of the greatest boxers of all time. A versatile brawler in the ring, he was nicknamed "Manos de Piedra" during his career....
in Las VegasLas Vegas, NevadaLas Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...
. - June 11- After one of the most racially charged fight promotions in history, Larry HolmesLarry HolmesLarry Holmes is a former professional boxer. He grew up in Easton, Pennsylvania, which gave birth to his boxing nickname, The Easton Assassin....
retains his WBC world Heavyweight title with a thirteen round knockout over the fighter dubbed as the White Hope, Gerry CooneyGerry CooneyGerry Cooney is a retired Irish-American professional boxer from Huntington, New York best known for his loss to Larry Holmes and defeat of aging ex-champion/contender Ken Norton.-Life before boxing:...
, in Las Vegas (see: Larry Holmes vs. Gerry CooneyLarry Holmes vs. Gerry CooneyLarry Holmes vs. Gerry Cooney was a boxing fight that took place on June 11, 1982. It was one of the most highly anticipated fights of the early 1980s.-Setup:...
). - July 21- Salvador SánchezSalvador SánchezSalvador Sánchez Narváez was a Mexican boxer born in the town of Santiago Tianguistenco, Estado de México. Many of his contemporaries as well as boxing writers believe that, had it not been for his premature death, Sanchez could have gone on to become the greatest Featherweight boxer of all time...
retains his WBC world Featherweight title with a fifteenth round knockout over Azumah NelsonAzumah NelsonAzumah Nelson , a native of Ghana, is a former professional boxer. He is a three-time world champion in two weight classes.Nelson is the former Lineal and two-time WBC Super Featherweight Champion...
in New York. It would be Sánchez's last fight. - August 12- Salvador Sánchez killed in a car accident in Mexico CityMexico CityMexico City is the Federal District , capital of Mexico and seat of the federal powers of the Mexican Union. It is a federal entity within Mexico which is not part of any one of the 31 Mexican states but belongs to the federation as a whole...
, MexicoMexicoThe United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
. - September 21 - The National Football LeagueNational Football LeagueThe National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
Players Association launches a strikeGeneral strikeA general strike is a strike action by a critical mass of the labour force in a city, region, or country. While a general strike can be for political goals, economic goals, or both, it tends to gain its momentum from the ideological or class sympathies of the participants...
against the NFL, wiping out seven games. CBSCBSCBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
adds additional boxing telecasts during the strike. - November 9- Sugar Ray LeonardSugar Ray LeonardSugar Ray Leonard is an American retired professional boxer and occasional actor. He was named Ray Charles Leonard, after his mother's favorite singer, Ray Charles...
announces the second of multiple retirements in Baltimore. (Leonard's first retirement came after the 1976 Olympic GamesOlympic GamesThe Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...
). - November 12- The Battle of The ChampionsThe Battle of the ChampionsThe Battle of the Champions, was a term used by promoter Bob Arum regarding the November 12, 1982 boxing match between Aaron Pryor and Alexis Argüello.-The Fighters:...
, Aaron PryorAaron PryorAaron Pryor is a former boxer from Cincinnati, Ohio, and member of the International Boxing Hall of Fame. He is the former world Junior Welterweight champion, and regarded as one of the greatest fighters in the history of the weight class.-Amateur career:Pryor, nicknamed The Hawk, had a record of...
retains his WBA world Jr. Welterweight title with a fourteen round knockout of Alexis ArgüelloAlexis ArgüelloAlexis Argüello , also known by the stage name El Flaco Explosivo , was a Nicaraguan professional boxer and politician...
, who was attempting to become boxing's first four division world champion, in MiamiMiami, FloridaMiami is a city located on the Atlantic coast in southeastern Florida and the county seat of Miami-Dade County, the most populous county in Florida and the eighth-most populous county in the United States with a population of 2,500,625...
. - November 13- Tragedy in the ring: Ray ManciniRay ManciniRay "Boom Boom" Mancini is a retired Italian-American boxer. He held the World Boxing Association lightweight championship from 1982 to 1984. Mancini inherited his distinctive nickname from his father, veteran boxer Lenny "Boom Boom" Mancini, who laid the foundation for his son's career...
retains his WBA world Lightweight title by knockout in round fourteen in Las Vegas over Duk Koo KimDuk Koo KimKim Duk-Koo was a South Korean boxer who died following a boxing match against Ray Mancini. His death sparked a number of reforms in the sport aimed to better protect the health of fighters.-Life and boxing career:...
, who passes away five days later, leading to the instituting of twelve rounds at the most as the mandatory fight distance and mandatory eight counts quickly. It was also the last fight to air as part of strike replacement programming on CBSCBSCBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
because of the NFL strike, which ended three days later. - November 26- Larry Holmes retains his WBC world Heavyweight title with a fifteen round unanimous decision over Randall "Tex" Cobb, fight after which Howard CosellHoward CosellHoward William Cosell was an American sports journalist who was widely known for his blustery, cocksure personality. Cosell said of himself, "Arrogant, pompous, obnoxious, vain, cruel, verbose, a showoff. I have been called all of these...
quits as a boxing commentator, disgusted by what he described as mismatches. - December 3- the Carnival of ChampionsCarnival of ChampionsThe Carnival Of Champions, as Don King nicknamed it, was an important boxing event held in New Orleans's Louisiana Superdome on December 3, 1982....
: Wilfredo GómezWilfredo GómezWilfredo Gómez , sometimes referred to as Bazooka Gómez, is a former boxer and three time world champion.-Biography:...
retains his WBC world Super Bantamweight championship with a fourteen round knockout over Lupe PintorLupe PintorJose Guadalupe Pintor Guzman , better known as Lupe Pintor, is a former world boxing champion from Cuajimalpa, Mexico. Nicknamed El Indio De Cuajimalpa or The Indian From Cuajimalpa, he started boxing professionally in 1974...
and Thomas HearnsThomas HearnsThomas "Hitman" Hearns is a retired American boxer. Nicknamed the "Motor City Cobra" and more famously "The Hitman", Hearns became the first boxer in history to win world titles in four divisions. He would also become the first fighter in history to win five world titles in five different divisions...
becomes the WBC's world Jr. Middleweight champion with a fifteen round majority decision over Wilfred Benítez.
1983
- January 31- In the first world title fight scheduled for twelve rounds instead of fifteen in various decades, Rafael OronoRafael OronoJesus Rafael Orono is a former super flyweight boxing champion from Venezuela.-Amateur career:Born in Patono, Sucre, Orono began as an amateur and compiled a record of 49 wins and 8 losses.-Amateur highlights:...
retains his WBCWorld Boxing CouncilThe World Boxing Council was initially established by 11 countries: the United States, Argentina, United Kingdom, France, Mexico, Philippines, Panama, Chile, Peru, Venezuela and Brazil plus Puerto Rico, met in Mexico City on February 14, 1963, upon invitation of the then President of Mexico, Adolfo...
world Jr. Bantamweight championship with a four round knockout over Pedro RomeroPedro RomeroPedro Romero Martínez was a legendary bullfighter from the Romero family in Ronda, Spain. His grandfather Francisco is credited with advancing the art of using the muletilla; his father and two brothers were also toreros...
in Caracas, Venezuela. - March- the IBFInternational Boxing FederationThe International Boxing Federation or IBF is one of four major organizations recognized by IBHOF which sanction world championship boxing bouts, alongside the WBA, WBC and WBO.- History :...
surges, becoming boxing's third world sanctioning body. - March 18- Michael SpinksMichael SpinksMichael Spinks is a retired American boxer who was a world champion in the light-heavyweight and heavyweight divisions...
unifies his WBAWorld Boxing AssociationThe World Boxing Association is a boxing organization that sanctions official matches, and awards the WBA world championship title at the professional level. It was previously known as the National Boxing Association before changing its name in 1962...
world Light Heavyweight title with the WBC one, defeating the WBC's world champion, Dwight Muhammad QawiDwight Muhammad QawiDwight Muhammad Qawi is a former world boxing champion in the light heavyweight and cruiserweight divisions...
, by a unanimous decision in fifteen rounds at Atlantic CityAtlantic City, New JerseyAtlantic City is a city in Atlantic County, New Jersey, United States, and a nationally renowned resort city for gambling, shopping and fine dining. The city also served as the inspiration for the American version of the board game Monopoly. Atlantic City is located on Absecon Island on the coast...
. - May 1- Edwin RosarioEdwin RosarioEdwin "El Chapo" Rosario was a Puerto Rican boxer. He was the WBC world lightweight champion from 1983–84 and the WBA world champion in 1986–87 and again in 1989–90...
becomes world champion for the first time, winning the WBC world Lightweight title that had been vacated by Alexis ArgüelloAlexis ArgüelloAlexis Argüello , also known by the stage name El Flaco Explosivo , was a Nicaraguan professional boxer and politician...
, with a twelve round unanimous decision over José Luis RamírezJosé Luis RamírezJosé Luis Ramírez is a retired Mexican boxer. He was a two-time World Lightweight Champion.-Career:A native of Huatabampo, Sonora and a resident of Culiacán, Ramírez made his professional debut on March 25, 1973 at the age of 15. He climbed slowly but steadily on boxing's rankings...
in San Juan, Puerto RicoSan Juan, Puerto RicoSan Juan , officially Municipio de la Ciudad Capital San Juan Bautista , is the capital and most populous municipality in Puerto Rico, an unincorporated territory of the United States. As of the 2010 census, it had a population of 395,326 making it the 46th-largest city under the jurisdiction of...
. - June 16- On his 32nd. birthday, Roberto DuránRoberto DuránRoberto Durán Samaniego is a retired professional boxer from Panama, widely regarded as one of the greatest boxers of all time. A versatile brawler in the ring, he was nicknamed "Manos de Piedra" during his career....
becomes the seventh fighter in history to be a three division world champion, knocking out WBA Jr. Middleweight champion Davey Moore in eight rounds at New York. - August 7- Héctor CamachoHéctor CamachoHéctor Camacho , nicknamed "Macho Camacho", is a Puerto Rican professional boxer. His son, Héctor Camacho Jr., is also a boxer.- Early life and amateur career :...
wins his first of several world titles, knocking out Rafael LimónRafael LimonRafael Limón is a Mexican former boxer who was a world champion in the Super Featherweight /Jr. Lightweight division twice.He is better known as Bazooka Limón. Limón shares his nickname, Bazooka, with at least two other known world boxing champions: Puerto Rico's Wilfredo "Bazooka" Gómez and...
in five rounds to win the vacant WBC Jr. Lightweight title in San Juan. - September 1- Tragedy strikes again: Alberto DavilaAlberto DavilaAlbert "Alberto" Dávila is a Mexican-American boxer who boxed during the 1970s and 1980s in the bantamweight division. During parts of 1983 and 1984, he held the World Boxing Council championship. Dávila lost world bantamweight championships matches three times, and temporarily left the sport...
wins the vacant WBC world Bantamweight championship with a twelve round knockout over Kiko Bejines, who dies three days later. - September 9- Aaron PryorAaron PryorAaron Pryor is a former boxer from Cincinnati, Ohio, and member of the International Boxing Hall of Fame. He is the former world Junior Welterweight champion, and regarded as one of the greatest fighters in the history of the weight class.-Amateur career:Pryor, nicknamed The Hawk, had a record of...
retains his WBA world Jr. Welterweight title with a tenth round knockout over Alexis Argüello, who once again was attempting to become the first man to win world titles in four different divisions, in Las VegasLas Vegas, NevadaLas Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...
. Both men announce their retirements after their rematch. - September 23- Gerrie CoetzeeGerrie CoetzeeGerhardus Christian Coetzee , better known as Gerrie Coetzee, is a South African former boxer. He made history twice: he was the first boxer from the African continent ever to fight for the World Heavyweight Title, and the first to win the World Heavyweight Title...
of South Africa becomes the first African world Heavyweight champion in history, and the first White man to win the world Heavyweight title in twenty years, when he defeats Michael DokesMichael DokesMichael Marshall Dokes is a former American boxer in the heavyweight division, nicknamed "Dynamite."-Amateur career:...
for the WBA championship with a ten round knockout in AkronAkron, OhioAkron , is the fifth largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Summit County. It is located in the Great Lakes region approximately south of Lake Erie along the Little Cuyahoga River. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 199,110. The Akron Metropolitan...
. - November 10- Marvin HaglerMarvin HaglerMarvelous Marvin Hagler , is a former professional boxer who was undisputed world middleweight champion between 1980 and 1987. Hagler holds the distinction of having the highest KO% of all middleweight champions at 78%...
retains his world Middleweight title with a fifteen round unanimous decision over Roberto Durán in Las Vegas. Duran was also attempting to become the first four division world champion in history. - December 11- Larry HolmesLarry HolmesLarry Holmes is a former professional boxer. He grew up in Easton, Pennsylvania, which gave birth to his boxing nickname, The Easton Assassin....
vacates the WBC World Heavyweight championship and becomes the first Heavyweight champion recognized by the fledgling International Boxing FederationInternational Boxing FederationThe International Boxing Federation or IBF is one of four major organizations recognized by IBHOF which sanction world championship boxing bouts, alongside the WBA, WBC and WBO.- History :...
. - December 13- The IBF's first world title fight, as Marvin CamelMarvin CamelMarvin Camel is a boxer and member of the Salish Kootenai Nation of the Flathead Indian Reservation in Northwestern Montana. He was born in Ronan and fought out of Missoula...
becomes world Cruiserweight champion for the second time, knocking out Roddy McDonald in five rounds for the IBF's vacant title, in HalifaxCity of HalifaxHalifax is a city in Canada, which was the capital of the province of Nova Scotia and shire town of Halifax County. It was the largest city in Atlantic Canada until it was amalgamated into Halifax Regional Municipality in 1996...
, Nova ScotiaNova ScotiaNova Scotia is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada. The name of the province is Latin for "New Scotland," but "Nova Scotia" is the recognized, English-language name of the province. The provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is the...
Canada.
1984
- March 30- Marvin HaglerMarvin HaglerMarvelous Marvin Hagler , is a former professional boxer who was undisputed world middleweight champion between 1980 and 1987. Hagler holds the distinction of having the highest KO% of all middleweight champions at 78%...
retains his undisputed world Middleweight title with a tenth round knockout over Juan RoldánJuan RoldánJuan Domingo Roldán is an Argentine former boxer whose nickname was Martillo . Roldán was very famous across Latin America during the 1980s, many articles about him appearing on Ring En Español magazine....
in Las VegasLas Vegas, NevadaLas Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...
. - March 31- Wilfredo GómezWilfredo GómezWilfredo Gómez , sometimes referred to as Bazooka Gómez, is a former boxer and three time world champion.-Biography:...
wins the WBCWorld Boxing CouncilThe World Boxing Council was initially established by 11 countries: the United States, Argentina, United Kingdom, France, Mexico, Philippines, Panama, Chile, Peru, Venezuela and Brazil plus Puerto Rico, met in Mexico City on February 14, 1963, upon invitation of the then President of Mexico, Adolfo...
world Featherweight title, outpointing Juan LaporteJuan LaporteJuan Laporte is a former boxer who was born in Guayama, Puerto Rico.-Amateur career:Juan Laporte won the 1976 112 lb New York Golden Gloves Sub-Novice Championship. He defeated Long Island's Ricky Brown in the finals. Laporte was defeated by Joseph Nieto of the Police Athletic Leagues Lynch...
in San Juan, Puerto RicoSan Juan, Puerto RicoSan Juan , officially Municipio de la Ciudad Capital San Juan Bautista , is the capital and most populous municipality in Puerto Rico, an unincorporated territory of the United States. As of the 2010 census, it had a population of 395,326 making it the 46th-largest city under the jurisdiction of...
. - June 15- Thomas HearnsThomas HearnsThomas "Hitman" Hearns is a retired American boxer. Nicknamed the "Motor City Cobra" and more famously "The Hitman", Hearns became the first boxer in history to win world titles in four divisions. He would also become the first fighter in history to win five world titles in five different divisions...
retains his WBC world Jr. Middleweight title with a second round knockout over Roberto DuránRoberto DuránRoberto Durán Samaniego is a retired professional boxer from Panama, widely regarded as one of the greatest boxers of all time. A versatile brawler in the ring, he was nicknamed "Manos de Piedra" during his career....
, who had been forced by the WBAWorld Boxing AssociationThe World Boxing Association is a boxing organization that sanctions official matches, and awards the WBA world championship title at the professional level. It was previously known as the National Boxing Association before changing its name in 1962...
to leave his WBA championship vacant before the fight, in Las Vegas. - September 13- Julio César ChávezJulio César ChávezJulio César Chávez is a retired Mexican professional boxer.He is a six-time world champion in three weight divisions, and for several years he was considered the best pound-for-pound boxer in the world...
knocks out Mario MartinezMario Martinez (boxer)Mario Martínez is a former Mexican boxer best known for losing to fellow Mexican Julio César Chávez for a vacant world title. in 1984, it is said that such bout catapulted Chavez's career.-Career:Martinez turned pro in 1980...
in round eight at Los AngelesLos Angeles, CaliforniaLos Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
, to win the vacant WBC world Jr. Lightweight title, his first of multiple titles. - November 3- In a rematch of their 1983 bout, José Luis RamírezJosé Luis RamírezJosé Luis Ramírez is a retired Mexican boxer. He was a two-time World Lightweight Champion.-Career:A native of Huatabampo, Sonora and a resident of Culiacán, Ramírez made his professional debut on March 25, 1973 at the age of 15. He climbed slowly but steadily on boxing's rankings...
avenges his defeat against Edwin RosarioEdwin RosarioEdwin "El Chapo" Rosario was a Puerto Rican boxer. He was the WBC world lightweight champion from 1983–84 and the WBA world champion in 1986–87 and again in 1989–90...
, knocking him out in four rounds to win the WBC world Lightweight title in San Juan. - December 8- Azumah NelsonAzumah NelsonAzumah Nelson , a native of Ghana, is a former professional boxer. He is a three-time world champion in two weight classes.Nelson is the former Lineal and two-time WBC Super Featherweight Champion...
wins his first of multiple titles, knocking out Wilfredo Gómez in eleven rounds at San Juan, to win the WBC world Featherweight title.
1985
- March 6- Future Heavyweight champion Mike TysonMike TysonMichael Gerard "Mike" Tyson is a retired American boxer. Tyson is a former undisputed heavyweight champion of the world and holds the record as the youngest boxer to win the WBC, WBA and IBF world heavyweight titles, he was 20 years, 4 months and 22 days old...
turns pro at 18 years of age.He knocked out Puerto Rican Hector Mercedez in the first round to win his first professional fight. - April 15- The WarThe War (boxing)The War, also known as Marvin Hagler vs. Thomas Hearns or Hagler-Hearns, was a world middleweight championship boxing match between Undisputed Champion Marvin Hagler and challenger Thomas Hearns, who was himself the world's junior middleweight champion...
, Marvin HaglerMarvin HaglerMarvelous Marvin Hagler , is a former professional boxer who was undisputed world middleweight champion between 1980 and 1987. Hagler holds the distinction of having the highest KO% of all middleweight champions at 78%...
retains his undisputed world Middleweight championship with a three round knockout over Thomas HearnsThomas HearnsThomas "Hitman" Hearns is a retired American boxer. Nicknamed the "Motor City Cobra" and more famously "The Hitman", Hearns became the first boxer in history to win world titles in four divisions. He would also become the first fighter in history to win five world titles in five different divisions...
in Las VegasLas Vegas, NevadaLas Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...
. Round one of their fight is considered the greatest round in history by many. - April 26- Six months after becoming a professional fighter, Jeff FenechJeff FenechJeff Fenech is a retired Australian boxer and a three-time world champion who is now a boxing trainer.-Boxing career:...
wins his first of three world titles, knocking out IBFInternational Boxing FederationThe International Boxing Federation or IBF is one of four major organizations recognized by IBHOF which sanction world championship boxing bouts, alongside the WBA, WBC and WBO.- History :...
world Bantamweight champion Satoshi ShingakiSatoshi Shingakiis a Japanese ex-boxer and former world champion. He along with Nobuo Nashiro are the fastest Japanese boxers to become world champions as they both won a world title in only their 8th professional bout.-Career history:...
in the ninth round at Moore Park, Australia. - May 19- Wilfredo GómezWilfredo GómezWilfredo Gómez , sometimes referred to as Bazooka Gómez, is a former boxer and three time world champion.-Biography:...
becomes the eighth boxer to win world championships in three divisions, defeating Rocky LockridgeRocky LockridgeRocky Lockridge , is a former boxer and world champion. As a professional, he is perhaps best known for handing Roger Mayweather his first defeat, in a first-round knockout for the WBA super featherweight championship.-Amateur career:...
by a fifteen round majority decision to win the WBAWorld Boxing AssociationThe World Boxing Association is a boxing organization that sanctions official matches, and awards the WBA world championship title at the professional level. It was previously known as the National Boxing Association before changing its name in 1962...
world Jr. Lightweight title in San Juan, Puerto RicoSan Juan, Puerto RicoSan Juan , officially Municipio de la Ciudad Capital San Juan Bautista , is the capital and most populous municipality in Puerto Rico, an unincorporated territory of the United States. As of the 2010 census, it had a population of 395,326 making it the 46th-largest city under the jurisdiction of...
. - June 8- Barry McGuiganBarry McGuiganFinbarr Patrick McGuigan MBE , known as Barry McGuigan and nicknamed The Clones Cyclone, is a former Irish and British professional boxer who became a world featherweight champion.-Background:...
defeats Eusebio PedrozaEusebio PedrozaEusebio Pedroza is a native of Panama who holds two records in boxing: His 19 defenses as world featherweight champion are a record for that division, and his seven years as world champion non-stop are a division record too...
by a fifteen round unanimous decision in London to win the WBA's world Featherweight title. - August 7- Héctor CamachoHéctor CamachoHéctor Camacho , nicknamed "Macho Camacho", is a Puerto Rican professional boxer. His son, Héctor Camacho Jr., is also a boxer.- Early life and amateur career :...
becomes a two time world champion, defeating WBCWorld Boxing CouncilThe World Boxing Council was initially established by 11 countries: the United States, Argentina, United Kingdom, France, Mexico, Philippines, Panama, Chile, Peru, Venezuela and Brazil plus Puerto Rico, met in Mexico City on February 14, 1963, upon invitation of the then President of Mexico, Adolfo...
world Lightweight champion José Luis RamírezJosé Luis RamírezJosé Luis Ramírez is a retired Mexican boxer. He was a two-time World Lightweight Champion.-Career:A native of Huatabampo, Sonora and a resident of Culiacán, Ramírez made his professional debut on March 25, 1973 at the age of 15. He climbed slowly but steadily on boxing's rankings...
in Las Vegas. - September 21- Michael SpinksMichael SpinksMichael Spinks is a retired American boxer who was a world champion in the light-heavyweight and heavyweight divisions...
makes history by becoming the first boxer to go from world Light-Heavyweight champion to world Heavyweight champion, defeating IBF ruler Larry HolmesLarry HolmesLarry Holmes is a former professional boxer. He grew up in Easton, Pennsylvania, which gave birth to his boxing nickname, The Easton Assassin....
by a fifteen round unanimous decision in Las Vegas. Julio César ChávezJulio César ChávezJulio César Chávez is a retired Mexican professional boxer.He is a six-time world champion in three weight divisions, and for several years he was considered the best pound-for-pound boxer in the world...
dedicates his successful defense of his WBC world Jr. Lightweight title over Dwight Pratchett in the same boxing card, to the victims of the Mexico CityMexico CityMexico City is the Federal District , capital of Mexico and seat of the federal powers of the Mexican Union. It is a federal entity within Mexico which is not part of any one of the 31 Mexican states but belongs to the federation as a whole...
earthquake of September 19th. - December 6- Donald CurryDonald CurryDonald Curry is a retired boxer from Fort Worth, Texas, United States. Nicknamed the "Lone Star Cobra," Curry was the Undisputed World Welterweight Champion and the WBC Super Welterweight Champion.-Amateur career:...
unifies his WBA world Welterweight title with the WBC championship, with a two round knockout win over WBC world champ Milton McCroryMilton McCroryMilton McCrory was a professional boxer in the welterweight division.- Amateur :Milton had a reported amateur record of 105-15.He lost in the 1979 National AAU finals to Lemuel Steeples and in the Olympic Trials to Johnny Bumphus.- Pro career :Known as "Ice Man", McCrory turned pro in 1980 an won...
in Las Vegas.
1986
- January 17- Tim WitherspoonTim Witherspoon"Terrible" Tim Witherspoon is an American boxer who was twice world heavyweight champion.-Early career:Witherspoon had eight and a half amateur bouts, losing one to Marvis Frazier on decision after getting knocked down....
defeats Tony TubbsTony TubbsTony Tubbs is a retired professional heavyweight boxer who was the WBA Heavyweight Champion of the world from 1985 to 1986.-Amateur career:...
by a fifteen round decision in AtlantaAtlanta, GeorgiaAtlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...
, to win the WBAWorld Boxing AssociationThe World Boxing Association is a boxing organization that sanctions official matches, and awards the WBA world championship title at the professional level. It was previously known as the National Boxing Association before changing its name in 1962...
world Heavyweight title and become only the third boxer, after Floyd PattersonFloyd PattersonFloyd Patterson was an American heavyweight boxer and former undisputed heavyweight champion. At 21, Patterson became the youngest man to win the world heavyweight title. He was also the first heavyweight boxer to regain the title. He had a record of 55 wins 8 losses and 1 draw, with 40 wins by...
and Muhammad AliMuhammad AliMuhammad Ali is an American former professional boxer, philanthropist and social activist...
, to become two-time world Heavyweight champions. Witherspoon-Tubbs begins Don King's Heavyweight tournament that aims to have one universally recognized world champion at the end. - March 10- Marvin HaglerMarvin HaglerMarvelous Marvin Hagler , is a former professional boxer who was undisputed world middleweight champion between 1980 and 1987. Hagler holds the distinction of having the highest KO% of all middleweight champions at 78%...
retains his undisputed world Middleweight title with an eleventh round knockout of John MugabiJohn MugabiJohn "The Beast" Mugabi is a former boxer and world Jr. Middleweight champion. A world traveller, Mugabi was a part of an early 1980s Jr...
, Thomas HearnsThomas HearnsThomas "Hitman" Hearns is a retired American boxer. Nicknamed the "Motor City Cobra" and more famously "The Hitman", Hearns became the first boxer in history to win world titles in four divisions. He would also become the first fighter in history to win five world titles in five different divisions...
wins the NABF Middleweight title with a first round knockout of James ShulerJames ShulerJames Shuler was a U.S. Olympic and professional boxer from Philadelphia known as "Black Gold."-Amateur career:Shuler was the 1979 and 1980 National Golden Gloves Light Middleweight Champion....
, and Gaby CanizalesGaby CanizalesJose 'Gaby' Canizales is a retired American boxer who won world championships in the bantamweight division. -Pro career:Canizales turned pro in 1979 and in 1983 challenged Jeff Chandler for the World Boxing Association bantamweight title but lost a decision. In 1986 he landed a shot at Richie...
wins the WBA world Bantamweight title with a seventh round knockout of Richie SandovalRichie SandovalRichard Sandoval was a Mexican-American professional boxer and is the former WBA Bantamweight Champion. Richard won a silver medal at the 1979 Pan American Games and was a U.S. Olympian during his amateur career...
, who was critically injured and almost died in the days after the fight. The three fights took place in Las VegasLas Vegas, NevadaLas Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...
. - March 22- James Shuler dies only twelve days after fighting Thomas Hearns, in a motorcycle accident, in PennsylvaniaPennsylvaniaThe Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
. - March 22- In the continuation of Don King's Heavyweight tournament, Trevor BerbickTrevor BerbickTrevor Berbick was a Jamaican-Canadian heavyweight boxer who fought as a professional from 1976 until 2000. Berbick briefly held the WBC heavyweight championship in 1986 , before losing it to 20-year old Mike Tyson, via 2nd-round TKO...
wins the WBCWorld Boxing CouncilThe World Boxing Council was initially established by 11 countries: the United States, Argentina, United Kingdom, France, Mexico, Philippines, Panama, Chile, Peru, Venezuela and Brazil plus Puerto Rico, met in Mexico City on February 14, 1963, upon invitation of the then President of Mexico, Adolfo...
world title with a twelve round decision over Pinklon ThomasPinklon ThomasPinklon Thomas is a retired heavyweight boxer and former WBC heavyweight champion whose trademark pink boxing trunks and a left jab were key distinguishing characteristics....
at Las Vegas. In the same boxing card, Carlos De LeónCarlos De LeonCarlos De León, also known as "Sugar" De Leon, is a Puerto Rican former boxer who made history by becoming the first Cruiserweight to win the world title twice. Subsequently, he kept breaking his own record for the most times as Cruiserweight champion by regaining it twice more.- Career :De León,...
becomes the first man to be three times Cruiserweight world champion, defeating the WBC world champion Bernard BentonBernard Benton-Professional career:Known as "The Bull", Benton turned pro in 1981 and won the WBC cruiserweight title with a decision win over Alfonso Ratcliff in 1985. He lost the belt in his first defense to Carlos De León via decision the following year. He retired in 1995....
by decision. - April 19- Michael SpinksMichael SpinksMichael Spinks is a retired American boxer who was a world champion in the light-heavyweight and heavyweight divisions...
retains his IBFInternational Boxing FederationThe International Boxing Federation or IBF is one of four major organizations recognized by IBHOF which sanction world championship boxing bouts, alongside the WBA, WBC and WBO.- History :...
world Heavyweight title by a fifteen round split decision over Larry HolmesLarry HolmesLarry Holmes is a former professional boxer. He grew up in Easton, Pennsylvania, which gave birth to his boxing nickname, The Easton Assassin....
in their Las Vegas rematch, to continue Don King's Heavyweight tournament. - May 24- Wilfredo GómezWilfredo GómezWilfredo Gómez , sometimes referred to as Bazooka Gómez, is a former boxer and three time world champion.-Biography:...
's last world title fight, when he loses his WBA world Jr. Lightweight title to Alfredo LayneAlfredo LayneAlfredo Layne was a Panamanian professional boxer. Layne is notable for having won the WBA World super featherweight title. Layne, who began fighting professionally in 1981, fought in his first world title fight on May 24, 1986 as he travelled to San Juan to challenge the Puerto Rican world...
, by knockout in round nine, in San Juan, Puerto RicoSan Juan, Puerto RicoSan Juan , officially Municipio de la Ciudad Capital San Juan Bautista , is the capital and most populous municipality in Puerto Rico, an unincorporated territory of the United States. As of the 2010 census, it had a population of 395,326 making it the 46th-largest city under the jurisdiction of...
. - June 13- Héctor CamachoHéctor CamachoHéctor Camacho , nicknamed "Macho Camacho", is a Puerto Rican professional boxer. His son, Héctor Camacho Jr., is also a boxer.- Early life and amateur career :...
retains his WBC world Lightweight title with a twelve round split decision over fellow Puerto RicanPuerto RicoPuerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
Edwin RosarioEdwin RosarioEdwin "El Chapo" Rosario was a Puerto Rican boxer. He was the WBC world lightweight champion from 1983–84 and the WBA world champion in 1986–87 and again in 1989–90...
at the Madison Square GardenMadison Square GardenMadison Square Garden, often abbreviated as MSG and known colloquially as The Garden, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in the New York City borough of Manhattan and located at 8th Avenue, between 31st and 33rd Streets, situated on top of Pennsylvania Station.Opened on February 11, 1968, it is the...
, New York. - June 23- The Triple Header: Thomas Hearns retains his WBC world Jr. Middleweight title with an eighth round knockout win against former world champion Mark MedalMark MedalMark Medal , was a professional boxer in the Light Middleweight division.Medal, a Puerto Rican-American, turned pro in 1979 and won the Vacant IBF Light Middleweight Title with a TKO win over Earl Hargrove in 1984, becoming the inaugural champion. He lost the belt in his first defense to Carlos...
, Roberto DuránRoberto DuránRoberto Durán Samaniego is a retired professional boxer from Panama, widely regarded as one of the greatest boxers of all time. A versatile brawler in the ring, he was nicknamed "Manos de Piedra" during his career....
loses a ten round decision to Marvin Hagler's half brother Robbie SimsRobbie SimsRobbie Sims was a former middleweight boxer out of Brockton, Massachusetts. A southpaw born November 5, 1959, he rose to prominence as a middleweight contender after defeating Roberto Durán in a split decision on 6/23/86. Sims lost to Sumbu Kalambay in a shot for the WBA title in 1988.Sims was...
, and Barry McGuiganBarry McGuiganFinbarr Patrick McGuigan MBE , known as Barry McGuigan and nicknamed The Clones Cyclone, is a former Irish and British professional boxer who became a world featherweight champion.-Background:...
loses his WBA world Featherweight title on a fifteen round unanimous decision to Stevie Cruz. - July 12- Evander HolyfieldEvander HolyfieldEvander Holyfield is a professional boxer from the United States. He is a former undisputed world champion in both the cruiserweight and heavyweight divisions, earning him the nickname "The Real Deal"...
wins his first world title, the WBA's Cruiserweight championship, with a fifteen round decision over Dwight Muhammad QawiDwight Muhammad QawiDwight Muhammad Qawi is a former world boxing champion in the light heavyweight and cruiserweight divisions...
. - July 19- The fourth installment of Don King's Heavyweight tournament as Tim Witherspoon retains his WBA world title with an eleventh round knockout of Frank BrunoFrank BrunoFranklin Roy Bruno MBE is an English former boxer whose career highlight was winning the WBC Heavyweight championship in 1995. Altogether, he won 40 of his 45 contests...
in London. - September 6- Don King's Heavyweight tournament continues as Michael Spinks defeats Steffen TangstadSteffen TangstadSteffen Tangstad is a Norwegian retired professional boxer and two time European Heavyweight Champion.Tangstad fought Michael Spinks for the IBF Heavyweight title on 6 September 1986, losing as a result of a fourth round knock out....
by a knockout in round four to retain his IBF belt, in Las Vegas. - November 22- In the words of HBO BoxingHBO BoxingHBO World Championship Boxing is a sports television series, premiering in January 1973 that has shown a number of significant boxing events in the last three decades....
commentator, Barry TompkinsBarry TompkinsBarry Tompkins is a well-known American sportscaster. He is better known for his work as a boxing commentator, but he has covered football and another number of sports as well.-San Francisco, New York City and NBC:...
, And we have a new era in Boxing, when Mike TysonMike TysonMichael Gerard "Mike" Tyson is a retired American boxer. Tyson is a former undisputed heavyweight champion of the world and holds the record as the youngest boxer to win the WBC, WBA and IBF world heavyweight titles, he was 20 years, 4 months and 22 days old...
becomes the youngest world Heavyweight champion in history, beating Trevor Berbick by knockout in round two to take the WBC world championship as Don King's Heavyweight tournament continues in Las Vegas. - December 12- In the next chapter of Don King's Heavyweight tournament, James SmithJames Smith (boxer)James "Bonecrusher" Smith is a former American boxer who was briefly WBA heavyweight champion in the late 1980s. He was the first heavyweight champion with a college degree.-Early life:Smith was born in Magnolia, North Carolina...
becomes WBA world Heavyweight champion, defeating Tim Witherspoon by knockout in round one, in New York.
1987
- March 7- Mike TysonMike TysonMichael Gerard "Mike" Tyson is a retired American boxer. Tyson is a former undisputed heavyweight champion of the world and holds the record as the youngest boxer to win the WBC, WBA and IBF world heavyweight titles, he was 20 years, 4 months and 22 days old...
unifies the WBCWorld Boxing CouncilThe World Boxing Council was initially established by 11 countries: the United States, Argentina, United Kingdom, France, Mexico, Philippines, Panama, Chile, Peru, Venezuela and Brazil plus Puerto Rico, met in Mexico City on February 14, 1963, upon invitation of the then President of Mexico, Adolfo...
and WBAWorld Boxing AssociationThe World Boxing Association is a boxing organization that sanctions official matches, and awards the WBA world championship title at the professional level. It was previously known as the National Boxing Association before changing its name in 1962...
world Heayweight titles with a twelve round unanimous decision win over James SmithJames Smith (boxer)James "Bonecrusher" Smith is a former American boxer who was briefly WBA heavyweight champion in the late 1980s. He was the first heavyweight champion with a college degree.-Early life:Smith was born in Magnolia, North Carolina...
, in Las VegasLas Vegas, NevadaLas Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...
. - March 9- Thomas HearnsThomas HearnsThomas "Hitman" Hearns is a retired American boxer. Nicknamed the "Motor City Cobra" and more famously "The Hitman", Hearns became the first boxer in history to win world titles in four divisions. He would also become the first fighter in history to win five world titles in five different divisions...
becomes the ninth boxer in history to win world titles in three divisions, and the first American to do so since Henry ArmstrongHenry ArmstrongHenry Jackson Jr. was a world boxing champion who fought under the name Henry Armstrong. He is universally regarded as one of the greatest fighters of all time by many boxing critics and fellow professionals.Henry Jr...
, knocking out WBC world Light-Heavyweight champion Dennis AndriesDennis AndriesDennis Andries was a British professional boxer in the light heavyweight division.Andries turned pro in 1978 and won the WBC Light Heavyweight Title in 1986 in a decision over American JB Williamson. He defended the title once against fellow Briton Tony Sibson before losing the belt in 1987 to...
, born in GuyanaGuyanaGuyana , officially the Co-operative Republic of Guyana, previously the colony of British Guiana, is a sovereign state on the northern coast of South America that is culturally part of the Anglophone Caribbean. Guyana was a former colony of the Dutch and of the British...
but a BritishEnglandEngland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
resident, in round ten in Detroit. - April 6- In what is considered by many to be the greatest comeback in boxing history, Sugar Ray LeonardSugar Ray LeonardSugar Ray Leonard is an American retired professional boxer and occasional actor. He was named Ray Charles Leonard, after his mother's favorite singer, Ray Charles...
comes back after three and a half years without fighting to outpoint Marvin HaglerMarvin HaglerMarvelous Marvin Hagler , is a former professional boxer who was undisputed world middleweight champion between 1980 and 1987. Hagler holds the distinction of having the highest KO% of all middleweight champions at 78%...
and win the undisputed world Middleweight championship in Las Vegas. Leonard becomes the tenth boxer in history to be world champion in three different divisions. - May 30- Don King's Heavyweight tournament continues as Tony TuckerTony TuckerTony Craig Tucker is a retired professional heavyweight boxer. Tucker fought professionally from 1980 to 1998. Nicknamed "TNT," he won a gold medal at the 1979 Pan American Games, and was briefly a world heavyweight champion as a professional.-Amateur career:Tucker had a notable amateur career,...
defeats Buster Douglas to win the IBFInternational Boxing FederationThe International Boxing Federation or IBF is one of four major organizations recognized by IBHOF which sanction world championship boxing bouts, alongside the WBA, WBC and WBO.- History :...
's world Heavyweight title that had been vacated by Michael SpinksMichael SpinksMichael Spinks is a retired American boxer who was a world champion in the light-heavyweight and heavyweight divisions...
, and Mike TysonMike TysonMichael Gerard "Mike" Tyson is a retired American boxer. Tyson is a former undisputed heavyweight champion of the world and holds the record as the youngest boxer to win the WBC, WBA and IBF world heavyweight titles, he was 20 years, 4 months and 22 days old...
retains his WBC and WBA titles with a sixth round knockout over former world champion Pinklon ThomasPinklon ThomasPinklon Thomas is a retired heavyweight boxer and former WBC heavyweight champion whose trademark pink boxing trunks and a left jab were key distinguishing characteristics....
in Las Vegas. - August 1- The final of Don King's Heavyweight tournament: Mike Tyson defeats Tony Tucker by a twelve round unanimous decision to become undisputed world Heavyweight champion.
- October 4- Wilfredo VazquezWilfredo VázquezWilfredo Vázquez is a retired Puerto Rican professional boxer. He is a former World Champion at three different weights, Bantamweight, Super bantamweight and Featherweight.-Early life and amateur career:...
wins the first of three world titles by knocking out WBA world Bantamweight champion Chan-Yong Park in ten rounds at Seoul, South Korea. - October 28- Jorge VacaJorge VacaJorge Vaca Jorge Vaca Jorge Vaca (born December 14, 1959 in Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico, was a professional boxer in the welterweight (147lb) division.Vaca turned pro in 1978 and captured the WBC Welterweight Title by beating Lloyd Honeyghan via 8th round technical decision in 1987, but lost the...
dethrones WBCWorld Boxing CouncilThe World Boxing Council was initially established by 11 countries: the United States, Argentina, United Kingdom, France, Mexico, Philippines, Panama, Chile, Peru, Venezuela and Brazil plus Puerto Rico, met in Mexico City on February 14, 1963, upon invitation of the then President of Mexico, Adolfo...
world Welterweight champion Lloyd HoneyghanLloyd HoneyghanLloyd Honeyghan is a retired British boxer. Born in Jamaica, he was WBC/WBA & IBF welterweight champion from 1986 to 1987. and WBC welterweight champion from 1988 to 1989....
with a controversial eighth round technical decision in London. The controversy was that a point deducted to Honeyghan by the referee that night proved to be the margin of difference. - October 29- Thomas Hearns makes history, becoming the first boxer in history to win world titles at four different divisions, knocking out Juan RoldánJuan RoldánJuan Domingo Roldán is an Argentine former boxer whose nickname was Martillo . Roldán was very famous across Latin America during the 1980s, many articles about him appearing on Ring En Español magazine....
in four rounds for the WBAWorld Boxing AssociationThe World Boxing Association is a boxing organization that sanctions official matches, and awards the WBA world championship title at the professional level. It was previously known as the National Boxing Association before changing its name in 1962...
's vacant world Middleweight title in Las Vegas.
1988
- January 22- Mike TysonMike TysonMichael Gerard "Mike" Tyson is a retired American boxer. Tyson is a former undisputed heavyweight champion of the world and holds the record as the youngest boxer to win the WBC, WBA and IBF world heavyweight titles, he was 20 years, 4 months and 22 days old...
retains his undisputed world Heavyweight championship with a fourth round knockout win against former world champion Larry HolmesLarry HolmesLarry Holmes is a former professional boxer. He grew up in Easton, Pennsylvania, which gave birth to his boxing nickname, The Easton Assassin....
in Atlantic CityAtlantic City, New JerseyAtlantic City is a city in Atlantic County, New Jersey, United States, and a nationally renowned resort city for gambling, shopping and fine dining. The city also served as the inspiration for the American version of the board game Monopoly. Atlantic City is located on Absecon Island on the coast...
. - March 7- Jeff FenechJeff FenechJeff Fenech is a retired Australian boxer and a three-time world champion who is now a boxing trainer.-Boxing career:...
becomes the eleventh boxer to win world titles in three different divisions, knocking out former world champion Victor Callejas in ten rounds at SydneySydneySydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
, Australia, for the vacant WBCWorld Boxing CouncilThe World Boxing Council was initially established by 11 countries: the United States, Argentina, United Kingdom, France, Mexico, Philippines, Panama, Chile, Peru, Venezuela and Brazil plus Puerto Rico, met in Mexico City on February 14, 1963, upon invitation of the then President of Mexico, Adolfo...
world Featherweight title. - March 29- Lloyd HoneyghanLloyd HoneyghanLloyd Honeyghan is a retired British boxer. Born in Jamaica, he was WBC/WBA & IBF welterweight champion from 1986 to 1987. and WBC welterweight champion from 1988 to 1989....
recovers the WBC world Welterweight championship with a third round knockout of Jorge VacaJorge VacaJorge Vaca Jorge Vaca Jorge Vaca (born December 14, 1959 in Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico, was a professional boxer in the welterweight (147lb) division.Vaca turned pro in 1978 and captured the WBC Welterweight Title by beating Lloyd Honeyghan via 8th round technical decision in 1987, but lost the...
in their rematch at London. - April 9- Evander HolyfieldEvander HolyfieldEvander Holyfield is a professional boxer from the United States. He is a former undisputed world champion in both the cruiserweight and heavyweight divisions, earning him the nickname "The Real Deal"...
unifies his WBAWorld Boxing AssociationThe World Boxing Association is a boxing organization that sanctions official matches, and awards the WBA world championship title at the professional level. It was previously known as the National Boxing Association before changing its name in 1962...
world Cruiserweight title with the WBC one, knocking out Carlos De LeónCarlos De LeonCarlos De León, also known as "Sugar" De Leon, is a Puerto Rican former boxer who made history by becoming the first Cruiserweight to win the world title twice. Subsequently, he kept breaking his own record for the most times as Cruiserweight champion by regaining it twice more.- Career :De León,...
in eight rounds at Las VegasLas Vegas, NevadaLas Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...
. - June 6- Iran BarkleyIran BarkleyIran Barkley is a retired American professional boxer who held world titles at three different weights—middleweight , super middleweight and light heavyweight .- Professional career :...
conquers the WBC world Middleweight title with a third round knockout of Thomas HearnsThomas HearnsThomas "Hitman" Hearns is a retired American boxer. Nicknamed the "Motor City Cobra" and more famously "The Hitman", Hearns became the first boxer in history to win world titles in four divisions. He would also become the first fighter in history to win five world titles in five different divisions...
, who had cut Barkley seriously in round two, in Las Vegas. - June 27- Mike TysonMike TysonMichael Gerard "Mike" Tyson is a retired American boxer. Tyson is a former undisputed heavyweight champion of the world and holds the record as the youngest boxer to win the WBC, WBA and IBF world heavyweight titles, he was 20 years, 4 months and 22 days old...
retains his undisputed world Heavyweight title with a first round knockoutMike Tyson vs. Michael SpinksMike Tyson vs. Michael Spinks was a boxing match which took place on 27 June 1988. Both men were undefeated and each had a claim to being the legitimate heavyweight champion; Tyson held the WBA, WBC and IBF belts, while Spinks held the Ring Magazine belt and was considered the lineal champion.Held...
of former world champion Michael SpinksMichael SpinksMichael Spinks is a retired American boxer who was a world champion in the light-heavyweight and heavyweight divisions...
in Las Vegas. - July 29- In an extremely controversial bout, ColombiaColombiaColombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
's Tomas Molinares becomes WBA world Welterweight champion by knocking out Marlon StarlingMarlon StarlingMarlon "Magic Man" Starling was a two-time US world champion boxer.Starling was born in Hartford, CT in 1959. He turned professional in 1979. After 25 straight wins, he lost his first fight. He lost a 12 round decision to Donald Curry in 1982. Starling had a rematch with Curry in 1984, challenging...
in six rounds in Atlantic City. Starling's camp protested that the knockout punch had landed after the bell to end the round, therefore, it shouldn't have counted. After further review, the WBA agreed with Starling's camp, but decided not to withdraw recognition from Molinares as world champion. - August 4- The last fifteen rounds bout, as Jorge PáezJorge PaezJorge Adolfo Febles Páez is a Mexican boxer, actor and circus performer. Páez is the former WBO and IBF Featherweight champion. Paez is nicknamed " El Maromero", in honor of the acts he performs at the circus. Paez has been a circus performer in his northwest Mexico hometown since he was very young...
defeats Calvin GroveCalvin GroveCalvin Grove was a boxer in the Featherweight division. Grove turned pro in 1982 and in 1988 captured the IBF featherweight title with a TKO over Antonio Rivera. He defended the belt once before losing it to Jorge Páez later that same year...
by a majority decision to become the IBFInternational Boxing FederationThe International Boxing Federation or IBF is one of four major organizations recognized by IBHOF which sanction world championship boxing bouts, alongside the WBA, WBC and WBO.- History :...
's world Featherweight champion. - October 29- Julio César ChávezJulio César ChávezJulio César Chávez is a retired Mexican professional boxer.He is a six-time world champion in three weight divisions, and for several years he was considered the best pound-for-pound boxer in the world...
unifies his WBA world Lightweight title with the WBC one, beating his friend and neighbor, José Luis RamírezJosé Luis RamírezJosé Luis Ramírez is a retired Mexican boxer. He was a two-time World Lightweight Champion.-Career:A native of Huatabampo, Sonora and a resident of Culiacán, Ramírez made his professional debut on March 25, 1973 at the age of 15. He climbed slowly but steadily on boxing's rankings...
, by a technical decision in round eleven in Las Vegas. - November 7- The first fight involving titles in two different categories and the world Super Middleweight championship sees Sugar Ray LeonardSugar Ray LeonardSugar Ray Leonard is an American retired professional boxer and occasional actor. He was named Ray Charles Leonard, after his mother's favorite singer, Ray Charles...
become boxing's second four division world champion and its first five division world champion when he knocks out WBC world Light Heavyweight champion Donnie LaDonde in the ninth round, also winning the WBC's vacant Super Middleweight championship, at Las Vegas.
1989
- February 24 - Roberto DuránRoberto DuránRoberto Durán Samaniego is a retired professional boxer from Panama, widely regarded as one of the greatest boxers of all time. A versatile brawler in the ring, he was nicknamed "Manos de Piedra" during his career....
makes history by becoming the third fighter to win world titles in four different divisions and also the fighter with the longest period between his first and latest world championships (17 years) when he defeats Iran BarkleyIran BarkleyIran Barkley is a retired American professional boxer who held world titles at three different weights—middleweight , super middleweight and light heavyweight .- Professional career :...
by a split decision to become the WBC'sWorld Boxing CouncilThe World Boxing Council was initially established by 11 countries: the United States, Argentina, United Kingdom, France, Mexico, Philippines, Panama, Chile, Peru, Venezuela and Brazil plus Puerto Rico, met in Mexico City on February 14, 1963, upon invitation of the then President of Mexico, Adolfo...
world Middleweight champion, in Atlantic CityAtlantic City, New JerseyAtlantic City is a city in Atlantic County, New Jersey, United States, and a nationally renowned resort city for gambling, shopping and fine dining. The city also served as the inspiration for the American version of the board game Monopoly. Atlantic City is located on Absecon Island on the coast...
. - February 25- Mike TysonMike TysonMichael Gerard "Mike" Tyson is a retired American boxer. Tyson is a former undisputed heavyweight champion of the world and holds the record as the youngest boxer to win the WBC, WBA and IBF world heavyweight titles, he was 20 years, 4 months and 22 days old...
retains his undisputed world Heavyweight championship, with a fifth round knockout over future world champion Frank BrunoFrank BrunoFranklin Roy Bruno MBE is an English former boxer whose career highlight was winning the WBC Heavyweight championship in 1995. Altogether, he won 40 of his 45 contests...
in Las VegasLas Vegas, NevadaLas Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...
. - March 6- The WBO's first world championship bout, as Héctor CamachoHéctor CamachoHéctor Camacho , nicknamed "Macho Camacho", is a Puerto Rican professional boxer. His son, Héctor Camacho Jr., is also a boxer.- Early life and amateur career :...
defeats Ray ManciniRay ManciniRay "Boom Boom" Mancini is a retired Italian-American boxer. He held the World Boxing Association lightweight championship from 1982 to 1984. Mancini inherited his distinctive nickname from his father, veteran boxer Lenny "Boom Boom" Mancini, who laid the foundation for his son's career...
by unanimous twelve round decision, to win the WBO's vacant world Jr. Welterweight title and become boxing's twelfth world champion in three different divisions, at Las Vegas. - May 13- Julio César ChávezJulio César ChávezJulio César Chávez is a retired Mexican professional boxer.He is a six-time world champion in three weight divisions, and for several years he was considered the best pound-for-pound boxer in the world...
becomes the thirteenth boxer to win world titles in three or more different categories, knocking out Roger MayweatherRoger MayweatherRoger Mayweather is a retired professional boxer. He won two major world titles in two different weight classes. Throughout his career, Mayweather fought against many other boxing champions of the 1980s and 1990s. He is a part of the Mayweather boxing family; his brothers are former welterweight...
in ten rounds in their rematch, to win the WBC's world Jr. Welterweight title in Los AngelesLos Angeles, CaliforniaLos Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
. - May 17- Carlos De LeónCarlos De LeonCarlos De León, also known as "Sugar" De Leon, is a Puerto Rican former boxer who made history by becoming the first Cruiserweight to win the world title twice. Subsequently, he kept breaking his own record for the most times as Cruiserweight champion by regaining it twice more.- Career :De León,...
becomes the first boxer to win the world Cruiserweight title four times (and also joins a handful of champions who have won world titles in one division that many times) when he knocks out Sammy Reeson in nine rounds in London, picking up the WBC belt that had been vacated by his former conqueror, Evander HolyfieldEvander HolyfieldEvander Holyfield is a professional boxer from the United States. He is a former undisputed world champion in both the cruiserweight and heavyweight divisions, earning him the nickname "The Real Deal"...
, when Holyfield moved to the Heavyweight division. - June 12- Sugar Ray LeonardSugar Ray LeonardSugar Ray Leonard is an American retired professional boxer and occasional actor. He was named Ray Charles Leonard, after his mother's favorite singer, Ray Charles...
retains his WBC world Super Middleweight title with a twelve round draw in a rematch with Thomas HearnsThomas HearnsThomas "Hitman" Hearns is a retired American boxer. Nicknamed the "Motor City Cobra" and more famously "The Hitman", Hearns became the first boxer in history to win world titles in four divisions. He would also become the first fighter in history to win five world titles in five different divisions...
in Las Vegas. - December 7- The decade in boxing finishes almost where it started, as Sugar Ray Leonard defends his WBC world Super Middleweight title with a twelve round unanimous decision victory over Roberto Durán in their third encounter.