REVISIONISM 1979 WELTERWEIGHT

In my former book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Tommy Hearns began to do and accomplish until the day he was inducted into the HOF! It is good that you have inquired if this cosmic shift in the WW division had a ripple effect upon the SWW and MW divisions! The simple answer is yes, but I shall now regale you with more tales from the Bible of Boxing as we reminisce together, about Mr. Hearns and others!

while Tommy was putting his stamp upon the WW division, the SWW or JMW (whichever term you prefer for the b@st@rd division) was deservedly toiling in obscurity, and the MW division was hungry for a Dominant champion like Monzon, but there was not much going on...at first.

Yes, you remembered correctly that Ayub Kalule and Maurice Hope were in control of the irrelevant belts, and had no desire to risk theirs against one another. And that Vito the Mosquito was indeed the unified MW champion. An exciting fighter but one that lacked the charisma and backing of the major networks and Mr. Cosell!

in the SWW division Kalule and Hope held the belts, the division and the boxing world hostage as they continued to avoid one another until 1982!

Meanwhile the MW division was going through a major revival? Around the same time as the WW thanksgiving 79 wars were taking place Marvelous Marvin Hagler won the title from a bloody Vito Antuofermo, although many felt like Antuofermo had deserved a draw in that fight and should have retained his crown!

Hagler appeared to be the dominant champion the MW division had longed for. During the next year he would stop Antuofermo and Alan Minter separating himself from all contenders it seemed. There was not really anybig names out there and he seemed to be losing focus in training with no threats seen on the horizon.

But! The fun was about to shift up a division or 2! Tommy did not see a challenge out there as he was cleaning up the WW division set his sights on 154 and WBC champ Hope...and Benitez did not think he could make 148 moved up with him to face Kalule for the WBA strap.

The WW division was now in a mess, and they were trying desperately to stay afloat on the national radar The WBA/WBC thought it would be wise and bring more prestige to the division if they had 2 world champions instead of just 1. The WBA set the stage for Aaron Pryor vs Roberto Duran while the WBC under petition by Cosell coaxed Ray Leonard out of retirement named SRL and Mauricio Bravo as their world champion contenders.

After 8 hard fought rounds in a fight named sin in Cincinnati Duran punished Pryor infront of his home crowd. SRL in a fight called no one cares and no one is watching beat Bravo in a SD, that many felt Bravo deserved!

this all set the stage for a unification bout between Duran and SRL, who would both be stripped of their titles after the fight for trying to unify the division. Christmas of 82 known by some as the Beatdown in Baltimore and to others No mas at Christmas, watched as a bloody and beaten SRL refused to come out for round 12. Yes, you may have guessed already that Cosell was outraged and brought Padilla and Duran on National TV to berate them and to see why Duran was not DQ’d for hitting Leonard with hands that were literally made out of stone!

Under Cosell’s admonition the WBA/WBC realized the importance of Cosell and his network, relunctantly agreed to unify their bels between SRL and Pryor, they made some Dr. Pepper commercials together, but people were concerned about the white bottle incident, and refused to buy the nasty beverage ever again, and in 83 Dr. pepper went out of business and the results of the Leonard vs Pryor fight has been forgotten by history due to no media coverage. At last report Cosell went on air to say SRL won, but no footage exists...no one is sure...and yes no one cares.

But the excitement for the SMW and MW division was just about to heat up!

In a fight called No Hope, Tommy KO’d Maurice Hope in 3 lopsided rounds. And Benitez put on a clinic 11-4 over Kalule.

Yes, things were happening now! Tommy and Benitez were the champs and heading into 83 we’re looking to unify the division, but Cosell told the WBA/WBC they did not want too many unified champions.

Having been stripped of his belt Duran also moved up, and during sparring he accidentally killed Tony Ayala, and Tony escapes a possibility of spending years in prison for being a duchebag and a lowlife! Not deterred Duran pushed ahead to fight Benitez in a fight called war number 4....a clever play on words to remind people that this would be their 4th fight. Tommy was gearing up to fight The Body Snatcher.

McCallum and Tommy fought to a 15 round draw in an epic war that saw Tommy remain undefeated and still hold his belt. Did a rematch loom? Fans were excited heading into 84 where Duran took a 9-6 decision over Benitez to take their 4 fight series.

up in the MW division things got real wired for a time before the cosmos rectified themselves. Frank the Animal Fletcher was scheduled to fight Scypion who had to pull out, and was finally given his shot at the Marvelous one himself. Behind a brutal body attack, in a fight known as no brotherly love from the Blue Horizon, Frank took home a 8-7 decision and the world title.

unfortunately Frank would lose his belt to Roldan in his first title defense. And Hagler would win it back from Roldan.

This set the stage for an 85 fight between Hagler and Hearns whereby the cosmos stopped shifting and life returned to normal. And McCallum vs Duran for the 154 belt!

ahhhh these were good times indeed!

 

except for the poorly written and unbelievable Chandler scerios this was more enjoyable than reality