This bout almost happened,,,,, Don King was working on it for September 1978 WBC Light-Middleweight Champion - Rocky Mattioli versus WBC Welterweight Champion - Carlos Palomino The problem,,,, Location, Location, Location Rocky's manager, Umberto Branchini wanted it for Italy as his 'first choice'. Then Monte Carlo as the #2, followed by Las Vegas #3, and California #4. Money issues as usual, and there was the 154 lb. weight-level. Seems 151 lbs. was argued for, but that would have only been agreed upon, if there was a money compensation. Fight purses, were in the the range of $300,000. Who would have won......?????
The scenario, for a September 1978 bout. Rocky Mattioli...........52-4-2 (38 KO's) Age; 25 Height; 5' 7" Reach; 67" Rocky has 'three' championship bouts under his belt. * 5/14/78....KO 5... #7 Jose Manuel Duran... 63-6-9 * 3/11/78... KO 7... #7 Elisha Obed... 62-4-4 * 8/6/77.....KO 5... ** Eckhard Dagge... 20-3-1 In his 'three' championship bouts, Rocky has 'steam-rolled' his opponents, by employing 'pressure'. Since winning the Championship, Rocky has 'not' been tested, and/or forced into unchartered waters. Rocky punches hard and often, and does not back off. In the past '3-years', since October 1975 - Rocky has gone 16-0-1 (13 KO's). His last defeat, was on September 16, 1975, when he was 'upset' by a 'close' 10-Round Decision (L Dec 10) to Top 10 Welterweight, the 'spoiler' Harold Weston Jr. The 'one common opponent' between Rocky Mattioli and Carlos Palomino, was the Spaniard (born in Morocco) veteran Mimoun Mohatar. On June 6, 1975 - a 21 year-old Rocky Mattili won a 'one-sided' Decision (W Dec 10) over Mohatar 21-12-3 (11 KO's). On March 18, 1978 - a 28 year-old WBC Champion, Carlos Palomino stopped (TKO 9) Mimoun Mohatar 29-19-5 (14 KO's) in a WBC Welterweight Championship bout. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Carlos Palomino.......27-1-3 (15 KO's) Age; 29 Height; 5' 8 1/2" Reach; 70" Carlos has '8' Championship bouts under his belt. * 5/27/78......W Dec 15.... #1 Armando Muniz... 44-12-1 * 3/18/78......KO 9.......... #10 Mimoun Mohatar... 29-19-5 * 2/1/78........KO 7......... #8 Ryu Sorimachi... 55-9-4 * 12/10/77....KO 13........ #7 Jose Palacios... 33-11-1 * 9/13/77......W Dec 15.. #9 Everaldo Costa Azevedo... 71-14-26 * 6/14/77......KO 11....... #4 Davey Green... 24-0-0 * 1/21/77......KO 15....... #1 Armando Muniz... 40-10-1 * 6/22/77......KO 12....... ** John H. Stracey... 44-3-1 Since winning the WBC Championship by 'upset' (KO 12) over John H. Stracey in June 1976 - Carlos has had '7' successful defenses. All were not easy though, as Carlos has been pressed and had to come from behind in several of the bouts. Carlos likes to fight at a 'slow pace' early in the bout, picking his shots and not wasting any unrequired energy. This is where he falls behind. Usually by the 'mid-rounds', Carlos will pick up the pace, and start working the body to take the 'play' away from his opponent. From there, Carlos will go up to the head with hard-shots, looking to hurt his opponent, and try to put him away. That 'fight plan' has worked so far. Carlos has not lost, since August 2, 1974 (4 years ago) when he was 'badly' out-pointed by the 'slick and fast' Andy Price (Light-Welterweight at the time). Since that loss, Carlos has gone 17-0-2 (12 KO's).
In a September 1978 battle at the 'catch weight' of 151 lbs. For the WBC Light-Middleweight Championship. Rocky Mattioli would win a good hard-fought 15-Round Decision over WBC Welterweight Champion, Carlos Palomino. Rocky using a 'high-pressure fighting style' would score early against the slow-starting and mild pace of Carlos. By Round 8, Rocky would have a solid comfortable lead, and lead most likely by a 6-1-1 Round total on the Scorecard. Rocky also scores a 'flash knock-down' in Round 4, by landing a left-right-left which stuns Carlos, and a counter right-hand which drops Carlos to one-knee, who bounces back up immediately. Look for Carlos to make his move now, as Rocky tires just a bit, after over-working in the first-half of the bout. Carlos will start to score in Rounds 9 and 10, but Rocky will be able to mount one last good-charge in Rounds 11 and 12, to temporarily slow Carlos down. Rocky, now a bit weary, will try to smother the older Carlos on the inside, and prevent the 29 year-old Welterweight Champion from getting enough clearance to unload any heavy shots over the last '3' rounds. Scorecard; 145-141 (8-5-2 in Rounds)...Rocky Mattioli Rocky Mattioli === 10..10..10..10..9----10..10..10..9..9----10..10...9...9...10 ==== 145 Carlos Palomino == .9...9...10...8..10----9...9....9..10.10----9...9...10..10..10 ==== 141 The 'computer anaylis' is based upon Rocky Mattioli having a style similar to Armando Muniz. Armando (at age 29 in January 1977... L KO 15) and (at age 31 in May 1978... L Dec 15}, was able to give Carlos Palomino 'two tough wars', nearly winning the 'first bout'. A younger, stronger. faster, bigger and harder punching Rocky Mattioli (age 25), would present too steep of a mountain for Carlos to climb.
Dave, According to L'Unita (Italian Newspaper) Proposed September 1978 'WBC Light-Middleweight Championship' Rocky, who had won the WBC Light-Middleweight Championship over Eckard Dagge in August 1977, was permitted by the 'WBC' to have 'two non-mandatory' Title Defenses, within '9' months, before signing a contract to meet the #1 WBC Challenger, which was Maurice Hope (United Kingdom), which he did (March 1978, KO 7 over Elisha Obed) and (May 1978, KO 5 over Jose Manuel Duran). Umberto Branchini and Don King were trying to put together a WBC Championship Bout between Rocky Mattioli and WBC Welterweight Champion Carlos Palomino. If the bout were held in Italy, Rocky would have to make 150 lbs. (a catch-weight). But if the bout was held anywhere else (United States), the weight level would be moved up to 152 lbs. No problem for either Champion. On money, if the bout were to be held in Italy, Rocky would get $250,000, plus 30% of the 'live gate' (approximately $50,000), netting him around $300,000. Carlos Palomino would get $300,000, plus $25,000 in fight expenses. If the bout were to be held anywhere else (ie; United States), Rocky Mattioli was to get $300,000 plus 25% of the ancillary television rights to Europe and Australia. Carlos Palomino was to get $275,000. Some snags, Rocky Mattioli was to pay Maurice Hope $35,000 in 'step-aside' money out of his fight purse, plus a guarantee to a Championship Bout within '6-months' if he retained the WBC Light-Middleweight Championship over Carlos Palomino. Also, if Carlos Palomino won the WBC Light-Middleweight Championship, he too would have to fight #1 WBC Light-Middleweight Maurice Hope within '6-months'. If not, then the WBC would vacate the Light-Middleweight Championship, and have Maurice Hope face the next available and highest rated WBC Light-Middleweight in March 1979. Of course the bout between Rocky Mattioli and Carlos Palomino never went off, in what would have been a 'terrific slug-fest'. Instead, 5-months later, on January 14, 1979, Carlos Palomino took a fight purse of $465,000 to go to Puerto Rico, to get out-pointed by 'Wunderkind' Wilfred Benitez, in a non-slugging/non-threatening 15-Round 'dull' Championhsip bout.
Shame this one didnt come off, it would have been a good scrap and a good scalp for Rocky had he been able to win. Interesting mention of the "step aside" payment Rocky would have had to pay Hope to delay their bout, is that a common thing?
Yes,,,,,,quiet 'step-aside' to a #1 Challenger happened alot in the late-1970's and early-1980's. Rocky vs. Carlos......... 'In late-1978 would have been Great'
