May 23, 1976 Erie, Pennsylvania Lou Bizzarro, a 27 1/2 year-old 'undefeated' club-fighter out of Erie, Pennsylvania. A 5' 8" boxer, with fast footwork, and a pretty good left jab with a 69" reach. Lou was at his best when he boxed and moved, and fired double and triple left jabs. How did Lou get here ? Lou, turned professional in November 1964, as an 16 year-old. But over his marginal career, Lou had quit boxing several times. But in early 1975, Lou was 're-charged', and won '8' straight bouts to get to 24-0-0 (7 KO's), and suddenly found himself ranked in the Top 10 of the WBA. His record was 'listed' with a truck-load of wins over Class C-Level fighters, except for 'one' decent win over 'club-fighter' Lawrence Hafey.
May 23, 1976 4500 fans turned out for the WBA Lightweight Championship bout, at the The Fieldhouse in Erie, Pennsylvania. The 24 1/2 year-old Roberto Duran (3-weeks shy of his 25th birthday), had entered the ring with a record of 55-1-0 (46 KO's). This would be Roberto's '8th' Title Defense, and not one Challenger had been able to avoid a 'knockout loss'. Lou Bizzaro, a 'heavy' 8-1 Underdog, was to receive a fight purse of $10,000 for this Nationally Televised bout. Lou Bizzaro's fight plan. To run, and run, and run - in an effort to have Roberto Duran get frustrated. Then, hopefully, use his left jab to poke away at an exhausted 24 year-old Champion in the later rounds. Lou Bizzaro, 'I know I can't match Roberto in power. If I stay away from him for the first 7 or 8 rounds, I will have a chance to outbox him over the last half of the fight. I'm much faster than him, and he won't be able to avoid my left hand. I just have to be patient early in the fight, and wait for my turn.' Lou Porreco (Lou Bizzaro's Fight Manager), 'Lou is just like Ken Buchanan. A great left jab, followed by movement and a stiff right hand. But Lou is quicker and can take a better punch. I'm telling you, Roberto Duran is not going to knock my fighter out in 2 or 3 Rounds. Lou will be there at the end of this fight.'
This was a CBS-TV broadcast, and promoted by Don King. Roberto Duran received a fight purse of $100,000 - plus an additional $10,000 as a 'bonus' from Don King, by scoring a knockout win. Roberto was running out of 135 lb. Challengers, and the 140 lb. Division was begging for him.
I never saw a fighter run as much as Bizarro did against Duran, he still end up taking a beating when Duran finally catch up to him in the later rounds, but boy did he run...
Bizarro must have done 20 miles easy here im sure amir khan is a fan.HELL of a chin on bizarro though
Lou Bizzarro did a 9.9 in the 100 in every round up thru the 10th. Roberto finally caught up to the 'speed burner' in the 10th, by landing a hard right hand and left hook that stunned Lou. Roberto followed up with another overhand right on the 'button' and a short left that dropped Lou at the 2:10 Mark. Lou struggled up at the 9-Count, and was pounded by a quick flurry from Roberto, which felled him again. What seemed like a 'long-count' by Referee Waldemar Schmidt, Lou was able to get up at the 9-Count, just as the bell for Round 10 rang. Luckily, or unluckily, the local Erie time-keeper rang the bell about 25-seconds early, saving Lou from a definite knockout in the 10th Round. Amazingly, what looked like an 'out-on-his-feet-fighter' at the end of Round 10, came out for Round 11, and put up a good fight, and even traded with Roberto Duran.
Yes, Roberto did put in the 'final nails', But Lou Bizzarro showed some heart, after getting clobbered at the end of Round 10, including suffering '2' brutal knockdowns. Lou hung tough in Round 11, and went toe-to-toe with Robeto in Rounds 12 and 13. Lou Bizzarro, a 'true Pennsylvania club-fighter'. Pesky, purposeful and a pain.
