Eckard Dagge (WBC Light-Middleweight Champion)

Saturday - September 18, 1976

WBC Light-Middleweight Championship

Deutchlandehalle, Berlin, Germany

* Eckhard Dagge 19-3-0 (13 KO's)
vs.
#9 Emile Griffith 82-20-2 (21 KO's)

Just 3-Months after winning the WBC Light-Middleweight Championship.

28 1/2 year-old, Eckhard Dagge makes his 'First Defense' of the WBC Championship.

38 1/2 year-old, Emile Griffith (Former Welterweight and Middlweight Champion) is
brought in as a 'last minute replacement'.

Griffith, the faded former Champion, is regarded a 'safe opponent', as he has no
punch left, and his boxing skills are no longer what they used to be.

Eckhard Dagge is listed as a 'solid' 6-1 Betting-favorite, and should have no problem
with 'old veteran warrior'.

But no, it is Emile Griffith who is the more impressive fighter, as he uses quick hands, and
suprisingly 'bouncing legs' to out-hustle the 'strong, but plodding', German-banger.

What appears to be a 'convincing but close decision win' for the 'old veteran stylist'
turns into a 'horrible' Majority Decision Loss'.

Scorecards;
Referee; Angelo Poletti (Italy)...................145-145 (5-5-5 in Rounds) Even
Judge; Wally Thon (Monacco)....................149-143 (7-1-7 in Rounds) Eckhard Dagge
Judge; Lorenzo Sanchez Villar (Spain).........148-145 (5-2-8 in Rounds) Eckhard Dagge

The majority of the boxing press scored it for Emile Griffith.
* Associated Press.....146-144 (6-4-5 in Rounds) Emile Griffith

Though this was a 'highway robbery, via a home-country decision', the World Boxing Council
did not order an 'immediate rematch', but instead required a 'mandatory defense', for
Eckhard Dagge to face #1 WBC Light-Middleweight Maurice Hope,,,,,,,,6-Months later.

 

Eckhard Dagge vs Emile Griffith

That WBC Light-Middleweight Championship bout,,,,,
Saturday, September 18, 1976

Broadcast on CBS-TV Sports Spectacular

One-week tape replay on Saturday, September 25, 1976 - 3:30 PM

World Champion Magazine,,,,,,,,
'On Champion Eckhard Dagge getting the 15-Round Majority Decision over #9 Emile Griffith,,,,,,,
the Officials scoring was like eating a stale German Apple Strudel........No Taste !!!'

 

Bill,,,,,,,

The other 'available' ranked WBC Light-Middleweights for the Eckhard Dagge 'first title defense'

* Loucif Hamani (Algeria)
* Vito Antuofermo (Italy)
* Franz Csandl (Austria)
* Frank Wissenbach (Germany)
* Clement Tshinza (Luxembourg, by way of Congo)

 

Boxing World Magazine

Friday - June 18, 1976

Deutschlandhalle, Berlin, Germany

WBC Light-Middleweight Championship

* Elisha Obed 62-1-2 (44 KO's)
vs.
#6 Eckhard Dagge 18-3-0 (12 KO's)

The 24 year-old Champion from the Bahama's, makes his 3rd Defense of the
WBC Championship. The 5' 11" Obed, has speed and power in his fists, and can
throw an assortment of punches, such as; right-hand leads, bolo punches, crosses
and back-door hooks.

Though 4 years younger than his German Challenger, it is Elisha Obed who is far more
experienced, and the Betting-books have placed him as a 6-1 favorite, to retain his
WBC Crown.

Eckhard Dagge, the #6 WBC Light-Middleweight, at 5' 11 1/2" is as tall as the Champion,
and can match his 72" reach. In his '21' bouts, Dagge has registered '18' wins, with
12 by knock-out. Not considered a 'big-puncher' by any means, Dagge gets his stoppages
by wearing down his opponents, by using his incredible strength and
aggressive body attack.

If Dagge, can get by the first half of the bout without suffering any accumulated damage,
he might make this bout close with his persistent drive down the stretch.

Eckhard is the former European Boxing Union Light-Middleweight Champion, as he lost his
crown to tough Vito Antuofermo by 15-Round Decision, in January of this year.

He bounced back, with a win (KO 7) over Frenchman Marcel Giordanella in April 1976,
his only other bout this year.

There is the question about overall skills though, as Eckhard Dagge has gone only
5-3-0 in his last '8-bouts'.
And, in recent sparring sessions here in Berlin while preparing for this Championship Bout,
the 28 year-old German has been slapped around by 'fringe contender' Clement Tshinza

Prediction;
Elisha Obed will most likely score early, and pile up the points, while looking for the Knock-out
punch. But if Eckhard Dagge can show the durability that he exhibited in his loss versus
Vito Antuofermo, the German might make this bout very close. The bout will be held in
Berlin, at the Deutschlandhalle, which will give Dagge a slight-edge in close rounds.
We will go with Elisha Obed, by a close decision win.

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