Kenty vs Espana

Kenty vs Espana
3/2/1980
After decades of decline, Detroit, Michigan, attempted to reverse the years of stagnation and neglect and reassert itself in the late 70s as one of America’s great cities. A significant part of the resurgence was the construction of a new sports and entertainment venue on the riverfront named for the city’s legendary native son and one of the greatest heavyweight champions of all-time. Joe Louis Arena opened in December of 1979 and the following March hosted a special boxing card that attracted thousands of fans to pay tribute to Louis himself and to cheer on two of the city’s most promising young fighters. To say the event was a success would be something of an understatement.

First 21-year-old Thomas Hearns took on former welterweight champion Angel Espada. What should have been a competitive battle proved a mismatch. Hearns dominated and battered the obviously over-the-hill Espada, knocking him down twice in the third round and again in the fourth, prompting the referee to stop the fight and a chant of “We Want Leonard!” to reverberate through the new arena’s rafters, a reference of course to Sugar Ray Leonard, the new welterweight champion and the other young star in the division.

Then lightweight Hilmer Kenty, a stablemate of Hearns, climbed into the ring to challenge Venezuelan Ernesto Espana for the WBA world title. It had been almost two decades since an American had worn the lightweight crown and with only 16 pro bouts to his credit, Kenty appeared to most an unlikely champion. Espana was experienced, accomplished, the successor to Roberto Duran, while Kenty was a relative novice. Few thought he could stand up to Espana’s powerful right hand and he and his trainer Emanuel Steward, owner of the famed Kronk Gym, talked openly about wanting to box defensively and use the ring to stay away from the champion’s power. Kenty came in to the match as a five-to-one underdog.

Aside from the knockdown in the opening frame, the only round that remotely belonged to Espana was the eighth, when the pace and Kenty’s attack slowed slightly. Planting his feet, the champion dug some hard shots to the challenger’s belly, but still, the truly damaging punches were scored by Kenty as he pasted Espana with three hard rights before the bell. In the ninth, Kenty went into fifth gear, his two-fisted, whirlwind attack finally putting Espana in deep trouble, his legs buckling, his body going limp as the challenger chased him to the ropes and unloaded. Punch after punch snapped Espana’s head back until finally the referee pulled Kenty off and declared him the winner.

Jubilation erupted as the hometown hero, and the first of many Kronk Gym champions, was crowned. No doubt,the great Joe Louis, looking on from ringside, approved

 

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