On this day 40yrs ago in 1980, we had a WBC and a WBA Heavyweight title fights on the same day.

Boxing in the 1980s was so so good in my opinion ( I’m probably biased as it was when it got hold of me in my teenage years ! ). Every weight category had a plethora of stars and top match-ups available. Nobody seemed to duck any opponent, or take the easy option, probably because it was harder to, due to the talent around !
Plus the fact there weren’t so many belts available made it so much easier to follow and understand. Maybe I’m seeing it through rose tinted spectacles but jeez, I enjoyed it.

 

All of 1977 until June of 1980 were wonderful for boxing fans. All the major fights were on free tv prime-time specials. Young-Foreman, Norton-Bobick, Night of the Champions, Night of the Heavyweights, Ali-Shavers, Norton-Young, Ali-Spinks, Holmes-Norton, Holmes-Shavers, Leonard-Benitez, and the double-heavyweight title card in the original post. The undercards were usually great, too. Duran-Leonard I was the beginning of the end of that fabulous time, as it was the first of many big fights since Ali-Norton III to be shown on closed-circuit tv. The networks couldn't compete against those closed-circuit and later pay-per-view dollars.

 

What a good night for boxing, televised live on prime television. Larry Holmes defended his WBC World Heavyweight Title against Leroy Jones, TKO 8, and WBA World Heavyweight Champion Big John Tate losing his title to Mike Hercules Weaver, by KO 15.

 

On August 2, it'll be 40 years ago that two major title changes happened in the same day, with Aaron Pryor and Tommy Hearns each becoming champion. When was the last time you saw two fights like that happen in the same day and televised too?

 

2 coldcocks in the same day, Tate-Weaver, and Leonard-Green.

 

Never send a (Dave) Boy to do a man’s job.

That Leonard left-hook KO was devastatingly beautiful.

 

Indeed, it was. Arguably his best performance pre-Duran.

 

I’d go with Andy Price: much better pedigree/resume than Green. “Uncrowned champ” had, at the point SRL took him out with ease in one, wins over the beltholders Pipino Cuevas and Carlos Palomino.

Yeah, I know Dave Boy got a hometown verdict over the Hawk (even the Brits thought that was a joke) but Price was the better guy and Leonard didn’t play with his food in that one.

 

You make a great point. He ended matters there strong. Right on point with Price pedigree.

 

Terrific Post.

 

Those years made me a boxing fan ... there weren't a half-dozen sanctioning bodies, there were even a few champs the non-boxing fan knew by name. You could sit in your living room without paying an arm and a leg and watch the best in the game. And that last-round KO of Tate was the Rocky moment we live for in this sport.