On nthis Day in Fistiana... 12/7/63 Giardello vs. Tiger 3

On this Day in Fistiana...

Joey Giardello versus Dick Tiger 3

December 7, 1963

On this Day in Fistiana… 12/6/85 Tyson vs. Scaff

On this Day in Fistiana...

Mike Tyson versus Sammy Scaff

December 6, 1985

Twenty-eight years ago today a teenage heavyweight named Mike Tyson made his debut at Madison Square Garden, he wasn't there long. 

On this Day in Fistiana… 12/6/08 Pacquiao vs. De La Hoya

On this Day in Fistiana...

Manny Pacquiao versus Oscar De La Hoya

December 6, 2008

On this day in 2008 Manny Pacquiao surprised a lot of experts when he leapfrogged the 140 pound division and went up from beating David Diaz for a lightweight belt to challenging Oscar De La Hoya for the unofficial title of box-office darling, pay-per-view powerhouse. And if you listen to the commentary of Jim Lampley in the vieo below you'd think Manny split the atom and set the land speed record all in the little ring. 

Oscar really never has a chance, although he does land several body shots that made the 3rd and the 5th slightly more competitive than every other round in which Manny pelts Oscar with regularity.

On this Day in Fistiana… 12/6/75 Stracey vs. Napoles

On this Day in Fistiana...

John H. Stracey versus Jose Napoles

December 6, 1975

38 years ago today the 25 year old John H. Stracey won the welterweight title in a bull ring in Mexico City. Rising from the deck in round one, Stracey set to work cutting and swelling up the champion's face in front of the hostile crowd. The great Jose Mantequilla Napoles was stopped in round six and never fought again, while Stracey became the first British Welterweight Champion in almost sixty years, since the reign of the great Ted Kid Lewis.
Watch Stracey's win below...

On this Day in Fistiana... 12/5/47 Louis vs. Walcott 1

On this Day in Fistiana...

Joe Louis versus Jersey Joe Walcott

December 5, 1947

On this Day in Fistiana... 12/5/87 Holyfield vs. Qawi 2

On this Day in Fistiana...

Evander Holyfield versus Dwight Muhammad Qawi 2

December 5, 1987

On this Day in Fistiana... 12/5/86 Thomas vs. Mugabi

On this Day in Fistiana...

Duane Thomas vs. John Mugabi

December 5, 1986

On this Day in Fistiana... 12/4/93 Kelley vs. Vargas

On this Day in Fistiana...

Kevin Kelley versus Gregorio Vargas

December 4, 1993

Talkin' Boxing with Billy C --BFTP Joe Grimm (Jimmy Haskin)

Talkin' Boxing with Billy C

today's Blast-From-The-Past featured Joe Grimm

and Ion Grumeza's book The Gentleman Boxer,

Scottie Crouse gives Billy his take on the fights 

of the week & much, much more!

 

Talkin' Boxing with Billy C airs 5 days a week for two hours each day-- M-F 5pm-7pm Eastern at BillyCBoxing.com, YouTube, and LDLTV.com

And remember Talkin' Boxing with Billy C is available as a podcast for just 15 dollars a year...yeah, that's right. 

 Fifteen. Bucks. Per. Year. 

 Where else can you get a deal like that? 

 

Visit www.BillyCBoxing.com today to subscribe!

On this Day in Fistiana... December 2, 2000 Trinidad-Vargas

On this Day in Fistiana

Felix "Tito" Trinidad KO12 Fernando "El Feroz" Vargas
By Alex Pierpaoli

On this day in fistiana, Fernando Vargas went to war against Felix Trinidad in a bout so brutal it fundamentally altered El Feroz' career. Some would go as far as to say Tito ruined Vargas in that 12 rounds at Mandalay Bay, just five days before the Californian turned 23 years old. Surviving two knockdowns in the opening round, the first times he'd ever been down as a pro, Fernando Vargas battled back, dropping Tito Trinidad in the 4th and grinding away in bone-thumping exchanges all the way to the end of the eleventh. Were Tito's low-blows purposeful in rounds 3, 4 and 7? Each seemed to come when Trinidad was hurt or at a decided disadvantage--in the third when it appeared his eye was roughed up by the seam on Vargas' glove. Although the fight was probably mathematically deadlocked after six or even seven there is no doubt the momentum had shifted in Trinidad's favor by the 8th and Vargas was getting the worst of most of the trading. Despite being out-gunned, on this day in boxing history, Vargas proved why he was, and is, so beloved by his fans as he willed himself on against the superior firepower of the Puerto Rican sensation. 

During the broadcast Jim Lampley quotes former Trinidad opponent David Reid's advice to Fernando Vargas and a warning about borderline tactics."Trinidad will do anything to win the fight," said Reid.

What do you think? Did Trinidad blast Vargas in the balls to survive in this fight? Does it detract from this, what may likely be Tito's signature victory? Do you think Vargas was ever the same after this fight?

Look back on this instant classic and see for yourself...

*12/2/14-The IBHOF class of 2015 will be announced in 2 days and Fernando Vargas may or may not be one of the inductees. He was the recent subject of a Blast From The Past and my gut says he'll get the call from Canastota this week.