This week in boxing history, PBC celebrates two of our own champions, remembers a pair of heavyweight title fights featuring a Hall of Fame foursome and looks back at the last lightweight title defense by a multi-division legend.
January 17, 2009 – Andre Berto defeated Luis Collazo by unanimous decision to retain his WBC welterweight title in Biloxi, Mississippi.
Berto retained his title for the second time in a competitive, high-action fight, and would go on to defend his championship three more times before losing to Victor Ortiz in April 2011.
January 17, 2015 – Deontay Wilder earned the WBC heavyweight championship with a unanimous decision over Bermane Stiverne at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.
With the victory on Muhammad Ali’s 73rd birthday, Deontay Wilder became the first American to hold a world heavyweight title since Shannon Briggs in 2007. Stiverne remains the only opponent not to be knocked out by Wilder.
January 21, 1978 – Roberto Duran became the undisputed world lightweight champion with a 12th-round TKO of Esteban De Jesus at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas.
Duran won the rubber match in the fighters’ third meeting to not only defend his WBA title for the 12th time but also take De Jesus’ WBC title. It was the last fight at 135 pounds for Duran, who would go on to become the third boxer in history to win world titles in four weight classes.
January 22, 1973 – George Foreman stopped Joe Frazier in the second round to earn the world heavyweight title in Kingston, Jamaica.
Frazier was knocked down three times in the first round and three times in the second in The Ring’s Fight of the Year.
January 22, 1988 – Mike Tyson stopped Larry Holmes in four rounds to defend his undisputed world heavyweight championship at the Atlantic City Convention Center.
The 21-year-old Tyson floored the 38-year-old former champion, who had been out of the ring for 21 months, three times in Round 4 before referee Joe Cortez stopped the fight.
