We are being treated to some great and stacked fight cards these days, but the concept is far from new. Back in the day, promoters Bob Arum and Don King gave us fight fans some great cards that featured multiple world champions in action. There was for an example from the 1970s, a brilliant card that took place on this day 45 years ago. And it proved memorable for a number of reasons.
On this day at Caesars Palace, fans who paid to be there live or who watched on closed circuit got to see the following great fighters in action in the following fights: Sugar Ray Leonard against Wilfredo, Marvin Hagler against Vito Antuofermo, Marvin Johnson against Victor Galindez, and Thomas Hearns against Mike Colbert.
The Leonard-Benitez fight contested the WBC welterweight title, the Hagler-Antuofermo clash contested the unified world middleweight titles, while the Johnson-Galindez fight contested the WBA light heavyweight title. Leonard and Hagler made their maiden world title challenges in Vegas, while Johnson-Galindez, with Hearns-Colbert on the undercard, took place in New Orleans.
Leonard and Hagler were eyeing one another even back then, despite the weight discrepancy between the two. Hagler was famously angry and bitter at the way he was getting paid $40,000 for his fight with Antuofermo, while Sugar Ray was getting a cool $1 million for his fight with Benitez. Leonard was the new darling of the sport, and his capturing of gold at the 1976 Olympics propelled Sugar to star status. Hagler had toiled for years at the pro level, with him often picking up low paydays as he perfected his craft.
Leonard was 25-0 going into the Benitez fight, Hagler had worked his way to a 46-2-1 record ahead of his fight with Vito. And though Benitez and Antuofermo were the defending champions, Leonard and Hagler went on to become the legends.
Leonard engaged in a chess match with Benitez, the fight being close and testing for both men’s fine boxing brains. It proved to be a toe-to-toe battle, with both men showing great concentration as they feinted, looked for openings, and tried to out-master the other. Leonard dropped Benitez in round three, this with a sharp jab. Then, with Benitez attempting to come on strong as he sensed he was behind, Leonard decked Benitez again in the 15th round, this time with a left uppercut to the chin. Benitez got back up, but he was stopped on his feet – this with just six seconds left on the clock.
Hagler and Antuofermo warred for 15 full rounds, with action close in the later rounds. But Hagler, hungry and in absolutely great condition, busted Antuofermo up. He bullied him, and Hagler seemed to have done enough for the win. Instead, a decision came that angered not only Hagler but many in the boxing world. It was a draw, and Vito kept his belts. Hagler was sickened enough to want to quit the sport. Joe Louis was one of the few people Hagler would listen to, and the great heavyweight succeeded in persuading Hagler to carry on. Never again, though, would Hagler trust the judges.
It would be some eight years before Hagler and Leonard finally fought each other, and we fans are still arguing over who really won the 1987 mega-fight all these years later.
That same night back in ’79, Johnson stopped Galindez in the 11th round to become WBA champ at 175 pounds, while future King Hearns decisioned Colbert over 10 rounds.
What a night of fight-action boxing fans got on this night 45 years ago.
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