WBA Today in History -April

1901: (Terrible) Terry McGovern KO 4 Oscar Gardner, San Francisco. Retains World Featherweight Title.
1908: Abe Attell KO 4 Tommy Sullivan, San Francisco. Retains World Featherweight Title.
1928: Jack Sharkey KO 1 Jack Delaney, NYC.
1946: Ike Williams KO 8 Enrique Bolanos, Los Angeles. Retains NBA Lightweight Title.
1952: Eddie Mustafa Muhammad born Eddie Gregory.
1966: Sandro Lopopolo W 15 Carlos Hernandez, Rome. Wins World Super Lightweight Title.
1967: Paul Fujii KO 2 Sandro Lopopolo, Tokyo. Wins World Super Lightweight Title.
1971: Erbito Salavarria W 15 Susumu Hanagata, Quezon City. Retains WBC Flyweight Title.
1976: Muhammad Ali W 15 Jimmy Young, Landover, MD. Incredibly boring fight and a gift decision for the 230lb. Ali.
1977: Guty Espadas KO 13 Alfonso Lopez, Merida, Mexico. Retains WBA Flyweight Title.
1986: Dennis Andries W 15 J.B. Williamson, Edmonton, England. Wins WBC Light Heavyweight Title.
1988: Miguel (Happy) Lora W 12 Lucio Lopez, Cartagena. Retains WBC Bantamweight Title.
1989: Pernell (Sweet Pea) Whitaker KO 3 Louie Lomeli, Norfolk, VA. Retains IBF Lightweight Title.
1998: Mauricio Pastrana KO 4 Anis Roga, Ft. Lauderdale, FL. Retains IBF Junior Flyweight Title.

April 29

1904: Dixie Kid W disq. 20 Joe Walcott, San Francisco. Wins World Welterweight Title. Referee “Duck” Sullivan is lucky to escape the ring with his life. Walcott’s manager, Tom O’Rourke and promoter Alex Greggains rushed the ring and attacked Sullivan, knocking out 2 of his teeth, immediately after he awarded Dixie Kid the title.
1913: Johnny Kilbane D 20 Joe Dundee, Vernon, CA. Retains World Featherweight Title.
1915: Benny Leonard ND 10 Johnny Kilbane, NYC.
1917: Jimmy Wilde KO 2 Dick Heasman, London. Retains World Flyweight Title.
1932: Mickey Walker W 10 King Levinsky, Chicago.
1946: Tippy Larkin W 12 Willie Joyce, Boston. Wins vacant World Super Lightweight Title.
1963: Ralph Dupas W 15 Denny Moyer, New Orleans. Wins World Super Welterweight Title.
1971: Camelo Bossi D 15 Jose Hernandez, Madrid. Retains World Super Welterweight Title.
1978: Alexis Arguello KO 5 Rey Tam, Inglewood. Retains WBC Super Featherweight Title.
1985: Tony Tubbs W 15 Greg Page, Buffalo. Wins WBA Heavyweight Title. Quite possibly the worst heavyweight “title” fight of all-time.
1989: Juan Coggi W 12 Akinobu Hiranaka, Vasto, Italy. Retains WBA Super Lightweight Title.
1995: Bernard Hopkins KO 7 Segundo Mercado, Landover, MD. Wins vacant IBF Middleweight Title. Vincent Pettway KO 6 Simon Brown, Landover, MD. Retains IBF Super Welterweight Title. Great fight! Brown is counted out, while unconsciously throwing punches, flat on his back. Vuyani Bungu W 12 Victor Llerena, Johannesburg, South Africa. Retains IBF Super Bantamweight Title. Mbulelo Botile KO 2 Harold Mestre, Johannesburg. Wins IBF Bantamweight Title.
2000: Lennox Lewis KO 2 Michael Grant, NYC. Retains World Heavyweight Title. Keith Holmes KO 11 Robert McCracken, London. Retains WBC Middleweight Title. Paul Ingle KO 11 Junior Jones, NYC. Retains IBF Featherweight Title.

April 28

1943: Manuel Ortiz KO 6 Lupe Cardoza, Ft. Worth, TX. Retains World Bantamweight Title.
1971: Markus Beyer born.
1978: Antonio Cervantes KO 6 Tonga Kiatvayupakdi, Udon Thani, Thailand. Retains WBA Super Lightweight Title.
1981: Hall of Famer and former World Welterweight and Middleweight Champion Mickey Walker, 80, dies.
1993: Gregorio Vargas KO 7 Paul Hodkinson, Dublin, Ireland. Wins WBC Featherweight Title.
1995: Tim (Doc) Anderson, 36, shoots his former promoter, Rick (Elvis) Parker, 39, to death inside a Lake Buena Vista, FL. hotel room.
2001: Joe Calzaghe KO 1 Mario Veit, Cardiff, Wales. Andrew (Six-Heads) Lewis W 12 Larry Marks, NYC. Retains WBA Welterweight Title.

April 27

1910: Sam Langford ND 6 Stanley Ketchel, Philadelphia. Non-title fight.
1956: Undefeated World Heavyweight Champion Rocky Marciano, 32, announces his retirement from the ring with a career log of 49-0 (43).
1968: Jimmy Ellis W 15 Jerry Quarry, Oakland. Wins vacant WBA Heavyweight Title. Later, it is revealed that Quarry fought with a broken bone in his back.
1980: Alexis Arguello KO 5 Rolando Navarette, San Juan. Retains WBC Super Featherweight Title.
1989: Simon Brown KO 7 Al Long, Washington DC Retains IBF Welterweight Title.
2002: Johnny Tapia W 12 Manuel Medina, NYC. Wins IBF Featherweight Title. Worst decision of 2002.

April 26

1906: Jack Johnson W 15 Sam Langford, Chelsea, MA.
1932: Gorilla Jones W 12 Young Terry, Trenton, NJ. Retains World Middleweight Title.
1938: Nino Benvenuti born Giovanni Benvenuti.
1940: Henry Armstrong KO 7 Paul Junior, Boston. Retains World Welterweight Title.
1971: Rafael Ruelas born.
1975: George Foreman fights 5-exhibition fights in one night.
1982: Davey Moore KO 5 Charlie Weir, Johannesburg. Retains WBA Super Welterweight Title. From round two through round five, Moore dropped Weir 5-times.
1985: Lester Ellis KO 13 Rod Sequenan, Melbourne. Retains IBF Super Featherweight Title. Jeff Fenech KO 9 Satoshi Shingaki, Moore Park, Australia. Wins IBF Bantamweight Title.
1986: Gary Hinton W 15 Reyes Cruz, Lucca, Italy. Wins vacant IBF Super Lightweight Title.
1988: Brian Mitchell W 12 Jose Rivera, Madrid. Retains WBA Super Featherweight Title.
1997: George Foreman W 12 Lou Savarese, Atlantic City. Slight upset.
2003: James (Lights Out) Toney W 12 Vassiliy Jirov, Ledyard, CT. Wins IBF Cruiserweight Title. Antonio Tarver W 12 Montell Griffin, Ledyard, CT. Wins vacant IBF & WBC Light Heavyweight Title. Oscar Larios W 12 Shigeru Nakazato, Tokyo, Japan. Retains WBC Super Bantamweight Title.

April 25

1916: Jack Dillon W 15 Battling Levinsky, Kansas City. Retains World Light Heavyweight Title. Harry Wills W 8 Sam Langford, St. Louis.
1938: John Henry Lewis KO 4 Emilio Martinez, Minneapois. Retains World Light Heavyweight Title.
1941: Lou Salica W 15 Lou Transporenti, Baltimore. Retains World Bantamweight Title.
1950: Terry Allen W 15 Honore Pratesi, London. Wins vacant World Flyweight Title.
1966: Emile Griffith W 15 Dick Tiger, NYC. Wins World Middleweight Title.
1972: Ben Villaflor W 15 Alfredo Marcano, Honolulu. Wins WBA Super Featherweight Title.
1976: Elisha Obed W 15 Sea Robinson, Abidjan, Ivory Coast. Retains WBC Super Welterweight Title.
1981: Matthew Saad Muhammad KO 9 Murray Sutherland, Atlantic City. Retains WBC Light Heavyweight Title. Thomas (Hitman) Hearns KO 13 Randy Shields, Phoenix. Retains WBA Welterweight Title. Hearns wins in ugly fashion over the awkward Shields.
1987: Fidel Bassa KO 13 Dave McAuley, Belfast. Retains WBA Flyweight Title.
1992: Paul Hodkinson KO 3 Steve Cruz, Belfast. Retains WBC Featherweight Title. Yung Kyun Park KO 11 Koji Matsumoto, Ansan, South Korea. Retains WBA Featherweight Title.
1994: Julio Cesar Borboa KO 4 Jorge Luis Roman, Inglewood. Retains IBF Super Flyweight Title.
1998: Roy Jones Jr. KO 4 Virgil Hill, Biloxi, Mississippi. Non-title fight. Roy ends matters with one perfectly timed, debilitating body shot!! Gerry Penalosa Tech. Draw 2 Joel Luna Zarate, Manila. Retains WBC Super Flyweight Title.

April 24

1916: Jack Britton W 20 Ted (Kid) Lewis, New Orleans. Regains World Welterweight Title. Jimmy Wilde KO 11 Johnny Rosner, Liverpool. Retains World Flyweight Title.
1931: Tony Canzoneri KO 3 Jack (Kid) Berg, Chicago. Retains World Lightweight Title and wins World Super Lightweight Title.
1953: Jimmy Carter KO 4 Tommy Collins, Boston. Retains World Lightweight Title. Collins was dropped 7-times in round 3. Round 4 saw Collins dropped 3-more times before his handlers rushed into the ring to rescue their dazed fighter. Meeting the press after the bout, referee Tommy Rawson was asked why he hadn’t called a halt. “Carter never hit him flush,” he responded.
1959: Don Jordan W 15 Virgil Akins, St Louis. Retains World Welterweight Title.
1961: Harold Johnson KO 2 Von Clay, Philadelphia. The first title fight in which both the mandatory 8-count and the 3-knockdown rule are applied. Roger Mayweather born.
1971: Bob Foster W 15 Ray Anderson, Tampa. Retains World Light Heavyweight Title.
1977: Miguel Canto W 15 Reyes Arnal, Caracas. Retains WBC Flyweight Title.
1981: Hilario Zapata W 15 Rudy Crawford, San Francisco. Retains WBC Junior Flyweight Title.
1983: Eusebio Pedroza W 15 Rocky Lockridge, Liguiria, Italy. Retains WBA Featherweight Title.
1995: Lou Ambers, 81, dies.
1998: Manuel Medina W 12 Hector Lizarraga, San Jose, CA. Regains IBF Featherweight Title.
1999: Keith Holmes KO 7 Hassine Cherifi, Washington D.C. Regains WBC Middleweight Title. Sharmba Mithell W 12 Reggie Green, Washington D.C. Retains WBA Super Lightweight Title. Mark (Too Sharp) Johnson W 12 Ratanachai Sow Voraphin, Washington D.C. Wins vacant IBF Super Flyweight Title.

April 23

1907: Mike (Twin) Sullivan W 20 Honey Mellody, Los Angeles. Wins California World Welterweight Title.
1977: Carlos Zarate KO 4 Alfonso Zamora, Inglewood. A non-title fight between the WBC (Zarate) and WBA (Zamora) Bantamweight Champions. Zarate improves his record to 41-0 (40)
1978: Danny (Little Red) Lopez KO 6 Jose DePaula, Los Angeles. Retains WBC Featherweight Title.
1988: Simon Brown KO 14 Tyrone Trice, Berk-Ser-Mer, France. Wins vacant IBF Welterweight Title. An awesome fight and a strong candidate for fight of the year.
1990:Paul Banke KO 9 Daniel Zaragoza, Los Angeles. Wins WBC Super Bantamweight Title.
1993: Michael (Second to) Nunn KO 6 Crawford Ashley, Memphis. Retains WBA Super middleweight Title. A brutal body attack spells doom for Ashley.
1995: Howard Cosell, 77, dies of a heart embolism at the Hospital for Joint Diseases in Manhattan.
2000: Hideki Todaka KO 11 Yokthai Sithoar, Nagoya, Japan. Retains WBA Super Flyweight Title.

April 22

1903: Jack Root W 10 Charles (Kid) McCoy, Detroit. Wins newly created World Light Heavyweight Title.
1904: Jack Johnson KO 20 Sam McVey, San Francisco.
1907: Owen Moran W 20 Al Delmont, London. Wins vacant World Bantamweight Title.
1961: Paul Pender W 15 Carmen Basilio, Boston. Retains World Middleweight Title.
1965: Former World Featherweight and Super Featherweight Champion Johnny Dundee, 71, dies.
1969: (Smokin’) Joe Frazier KO 1 Dave Zyglewicz, Houston. Retains New York World Heavyweight Title.
1970: Paulie Ayala born.
1972: Ricardo Arredondo KO 5 William Martinez, Mexico City. Retains WBC Super Featherweight Title.
1978: Hugo Corro W 15 Rodrigo Valdez, San Remo. Wins World Middleweight Title. Carlos Zarate KO 13 Andres Hernandez, San Juan. Retains WBC Bantamweight Title.
1979: Matthew Franklin KO 8 Marvin Johnson, Indianapolis. Wins WBC Light Heavyweight Title. Fight of the year!. After the bout, the newly crowned champion changes his name to Matthew Saad Muhammad.
1989: Mark Breland KO 5 Rafael Pineda, Atlantic City. Retains WBA Welterweight Title.
1991: Former World Super Lightweight Champion Jack (Kid) Berg, 81, dies.
1992: Reggie Johnson W 12 Steve Collins, East Rutherford, NJ. Wins vacant WBA Middleweight Title.
1994: Michael Moorer W 12 Evander (Real Deal) Holyfield, Las Vegas. Wins World Heavyweight Title. John John Molina W 12 Gregorio Vargas, Las Vegas. Retains IBF Super Featherweight Title. John Michael Johnson KO 11 Junior Jones, Las Vegas. Wins WBA Bantamweight Title.
1995: George Foreman W 12 Axel Schulz, Las Vegas. Retains World Heavyweight Title. Danny Romero W 12 Francisco Tejedor, Las Vegas. Wins IBF Flyweight Title. Romero is the first American to win a Flyweight world title in 60-years.

April 21

1920: Johnny Kilbane KO 7 Alvie Miller, Lorain, OH. Retains World Featherweight Title.
1944: Charley Burley W 10 Archie Moore, Hollywood.
1962: Carlos Ortiz W 15 Joe (Old Bones) Brown, Las Vegas. Wins World Lightweight Title.
1963: Ingemar Johansson W 12 Brian London, Stockholm. Johansson is out cold on the canvas when the bell ending the fight saves him from certain knockout defeat.
1964: Al Cole born.
1965: Oliver McCall born.
1976: Alfonso Lopez W 15 Shoji Oguma, Tokyo. Retains WBA Flyweight Title.
1984: Donald Curry KO 8 Elio Diaz, Ft. Worth, TX. Retains WBA Welterweight Title.
1990: Robert Quiroga W 12 Juan Polo Perez, Sunderland, England. Wins IBF Super Flyweight Title.
1991: Luis Mendoza W 12 Carlos Uribe, Cartegena. Retains WBA Super Bantamweight Title.
2001: Hasim Rahman KO 5 Lennox Lewis, Johannesburg, South, Africa. Wins World Heavyweight Title. Lehlo Ledwaba W 12 Carlos Contreras, Johannesburg, South Africa. Retains IBF Super Bantamweight Title.

April 20

1903: Joe Walcott D 10 Philadelphia Jack O’Brien, Boston.
1960: Gene Fullmer D 15 Joey Giardello, Bozeman, Montana. Retains NBA Middleweight Title.
1983: Roger Mayweather KO 8 Jorge Alvarado, San Jose, CA. Retains WBA Super Featherweight Title.
1991: Prince Charles Williams KO 2 James Kinchen, Atlantic City. Retains IBF Light Heavyweight Title.
1996: Virgil Hill W 12 Lou Del Valle, Grand Forks, ND. Retains WBA Light Heavyweight Title. Del Valle was robbed!!
1999: Former # 1 super welterweight contender Tony Ayala Jr., 36, is released from Bayside State Prison after serving 16-years for aggravated sexual assault.
2002: Floyd Mayweather W 12 Jose Luis Castillo, Las Vegas. Wins World Lightweight Title. Controversial decision.

April 19

1920: Harry Wills W 15 Sam Langford, Denver.
1952: Alexis Arguello born.
1972: Imamu Mayfield born.
1973: Koichi Wajima W 15 Ryu Sorimachi, Osaka. Retains World Super Welterweight Title.
1975: Perico Fernandez KO 9 Joao Henrique, Barcelona. Retains WBC Super Lightweight Title.
1985: Julio Cesar Chavez KO 6 Ruben Castillo, Inglewood. Retains WBC Super Featherweight Title. Juan (Kid) Meza KO 6 Mike Ayala, Inglewood. Retains WBC Super Bantamweight Title.
1986: Michael Spinks W 15 Larry Holmes, Las Vegas. Retains IBF Heavyweight Title. Awful decision! Leroy Murphy KO 9 Dorcey Gaymon, San Remo, Italy. Retains IBF Cruiserweight Title.
1987: Mike McCallum KO 10 Milton McCrory, Phoenix. Retains WBA Super Welterweight Title.
1991: Evander (Real Deal) Holyfield W 12 (Big) George Foreman, Atlantic City. Retains World Heavyweight Title. Foreman, 42, gives a surprisingly strong showing. Well, surprising to everybody but Big George.
1996: Veteran cutman Eddie Aliano, 77, dies in Philadelphia after a long illness.
1997: Frankie Liles KO 5 Segundo Mercado, Shreveport, LA. Retains WBA Super Middleweight Title. Bernard Hopkins KO 7 John David Jackson, Shreveport. Retains IBF Middleweight Title.
2002: Johnny Bredahl KO 9 Eidy Moya, Copenhagen, Denmark. Wins WBA Bantamweight Title. Pongsaklek Wonjongkam KO 1 Daisuke Naito, Khonkaen, Thailand. Retains WBC Flyweight Title.
2003: Floyd Mayweather W 12 Victoriano Sosa, Fresno, CA. Retains World Lightweight Title.

April 18

1889: Johnny Kilbane born John Patrick Kilbane.
1908: Tommy Burns KO 5 Jewey Smith, Paris. Retains world Heavyweight Title.
1929: Frankie Genaro W disq. 5 Spider Pladner, Paris. Regains NBA Flyweight Title.
1940: Charles (Kid) McCoy, 67, born Norman Selby, dies from suicide.
1945: Ike Williams KO 2 Juan Zurita, Mexico City. Wins NBA Lightweight Title.
1947: Joe Brown W 10 Jimmy Carter, New Orleans.
Former World Lightweight Champion Benny Leonard, 51, dies from a heart attack while refereeing a match at the St. Nicholas Arena in NYC.
1950: Sandy Sandler KO 9 Lauro Salas, Cleveland. Retains World Super Featherweight Title.
1961: Joe (Old Bones) Brown W 15 Dave Charnley, London. Retains World Lightweight Title.
1964: Eddie Perkins W 15 Dave Charnley, London. Retains World Super Lightweight Title.
1969: Jose (Mantequilla) Napoles KO 14 Curtis Cokes, Inglewood. Wins World Welterweight Title.
1970: Ruben Olivares W 15 Chucho Castillo, Inglewood. Retains World Bantamweight Title.
1974: Former World Light Heavyweight Champion John Henry Lewis, 59, dies.
1978: Miguel Canto W 15 Shoji Oguma, Tokyo. Retains WBC Flyweight Title.
1987: Lloyd Honeyghan W 12 Maurice Blocker, London. Retains WBC/IBF Welterweight Title.
Julio Cesar Chavez KO 3 Tomas DaCruz, Nimes, France. Retains WBC Super Featherweight Title.
1992: Welcome Ncita W 12 Jesus Salud, Trevilo, Italy. Retains IBF Super Bantamweight Title.
1994: Zack Padilla KO 6 Harold Miller, Rotterdam, Holland.
1997: Ike Quartey KO 5 Ralph (Tiger) Jones, Las Vegas. Retains WBA Welterweight Title.
Junior Jones W 12 Marco Antonio Barrera, Las Vegas.
1998: Carl Thompson W 12 Chris Eubank, Manchester, England. Excellent fight from start to finish.
Prince Naseem Hamed KO 7 Wilfredo Vasquez, Manchester.

April 17

1900: Matty Matthews KO 19 Mysterious Billy Smith, NYC. Wins World Welterweight Title.
1909: Joe Jeanette KO 50 Sam McVey, Paris. McVey had Jeanette down 27 times during the course of the fight.
1913: Jack Dillon ND 10 Battling Levinsky, Rochester, NY.
1914: Willie Ritchie W 20 Tommy Murphy, San Francisco. Retains World Lightweight Title.
1917: Battling Nelson ND 12 Freddie Welsh, St. Louis.
1967: Nino Benvenuti W 15 Emile Griffith, NYC. Wins World Middleweight Title.
1968: Richie Woodhall born.
1979: Jim Watt KO 12 Alfredo Pitalua, Glascow, Scotland. Wins vacant WBC Lightweight Title.
1980: Ayub Kalule KO 12 Emiliano Villa, Copenhagen. Retains WBA Super Welterweight Title.
1999: Sugar Shane Mosley KO 9 John Brown, Indio, CA. Retains IBF Lightweight Title. Mosley’s 8th and final defense of his lightweight crown. Angel Manfredy W 10 Ivan Robinson, Indio, CA.

April 16

1951: Gil Turner W 10 Beau Jack, Philadelphia.
1952: Sugar Ray Robinson KO 3 Rocky Graziano, Chicago. Retains World Middleweight Title.
1960: Pone Kingpetch W 15 Pascual Perez, Bangkok. Wins World Flyweight Title.
1968: Curtis Cokes KO 5 Willie Ludick, Dallas. Retains World Welterweight Title.
1988: Marlon Starling D 12 Mark Breland, Las Vegas. Retains WBA Welterweight Title. Breland fights as if he’s scared and the judges reward him with an undeserved draw. Julio Cesar Chavez KO 6 Rodolfo Aguilar, Las Vegas. Retains WBA Lightweight Title.
1994: Kennedy McKinney W 12 Welcome Ncita, South Padre Island, TX. Retains IBF Super Bantamweight Title.
2001: Chana Porpaoin W 12 Keitaro Hoshino, Yokohama, Japan. Regains WBA Strawweight Title.

April 15

1869: Young Griffo born Albert Griffiths.
1875: James J. Jeffries born James Jackson Jeffries.
1959: Sonny Liston KO 3 Cleveland Williams, Miami Beach.
1972: Arturo Gatti born.
1973: Rafael Herrera KO 12 Rodolfo Martinez, Monterrey. Wins vacant WBC Bantamweight Title.
1978: Eusbio Pedroza KO 13 Cecilio Lastra, Panama City. Wins WBA Featherweight Title.
1980: Rocky Juarez born. U.S Silver Medalist at the 2000 Games in Sydney.
1984: Milton McCrory KO 6 Gilles Elbilia, Detroit. Retains WBC Welterweight Title. Harry Arroyo KO 14 Charlie (Choo Choo) Brown, Atlantic City. Wins IBF Lightweight Title.
1985: Marvelous Marvin Hagler KO 3 Thomas (Hit Man) Hearns, Las Vegas. Retains World Middleweight Title. The greatest 7-minutes and 52-seconds in boxing history.
1989: Fidel Bassa KO 6 Julio Gudino, Barranquilla. Retains WBA Flyweight Title.
1996: Vuyani Bungu KO 2 Pablo Osuna, Hammanskraal, South Africa. Retains IBF Super Bantamweight Title. Orzubek Nazarov KO 4 Adrianus Taroreh, Tokyo. Retains WBA Lightweight Title.
2000: Fernando Vargas W 12 Ike Quartey, Las Vegas. Retains IBF Super Welterweight Title.

April 14

1914: Jack Dillon W 12 Battling Levinsky, Butte, MT. Wins vacant World Light Heavyweight Title. Dillon reigns as the first Light Heavyweight Champion since 1905.
1918: Harry Wills KO 6 Sam Langford, Panama City.
1926: James J. Braddock ND 4 Al Settle, West Hoboken, NJ. Braddock’s pro debut.
1941: Izzy Janazzo W 15 Jimmy Leto, Baltimore. Retains Maryland World Welterweight Title.
1958: Frankie Baltazar born.
1963: Michael Nunn born.
1971: Tim Austin born.
1979: Victor Galindez KO 10 Mike Rossman, New Orleans. Regains WBA Light Heavyweight Title. Samuel Serrano KO 8 Nkosana Mgxaji, Cape Town, South Africa. Retains WBA Super Featherweight Title.
1980: Rafael Orono W 15 Ramon Soria, Caracas. Retains WBC Super Flyweight Title.
1990: Mike (The Body Snatcher) McCallum KO 11 Michael Watson, London. Retains WBA Middleweight Title. Michael Nunn W 12 Marlon Starling, Las Vegas. Retains IBF Middleweight Title. What is hyped as a “super fight” between two reigning world champions, (Nunn at middleweight and Starling, the WBC Welterweight Champion), ends up one of the worst fights of the year. Gianfranco Rosi KO 7 Kevin Daigle, Monte Carlo. Retains IBF Super Welterweight Title.
1997: Daniel Zaragoza W 12 Joichiro Tatsuyoshi, Osaka, Japan. Retains WBC Super Bantamweight Title.
2000: Guty Espadas Tech Dec. 11 Luisito Espinosa, Merida, MX. Wins vacant WBC Featherweight Title.
2001: Bernard (The Executioner) Hopkins W 12 Keith Holmes, NYC. Unifies IBF/WBC Middleweight Title.

April 13

1914: Jeff Smith KO 16 Pat Bradley, Sydney. Retains Australian World Middleweight Title.
1915: Joe Jeanette W 12 Sam Langford, Boston.
1940: Jose Napoles born.
1955: Carl Bobo Olson W 10 Joey Maxim, San Francisco. Lupe Pintor born.
1973: Two-time bantamweight Champion Pete Herman, 77, dies.
1980: Chan Hee Park W 15 Alberto Morales, Taegu, South Korea. Retains WBC Flyweight Title.
1997: Saman Sorjaturong KO 7 Julio Coronell, Chaiyaphum, Thailand. Retains WBC Junior Flyweight Title.
2002: Michele Piccirillo W 12 Cory Spinks, Campione D’Italia, Italy. Wins vacant IBF Welterweight Title. Controversial decision. Yodsanan Nanthachai W 12 Lakva Sim, Nakornratchasima, Thailand. Wins vacant WBA Super Featherweight Title.

April 12

1902: Sam McVey KO 6 George Sullivan, Oxnard, CA. McVey’s pro debut.
1954: Marvin Johnson born.
1980: Salvador Sanchez W 15 Ruben Castillo, Tucson. Retains WBC Featherweight Title.
1981: Joe Louis, 66, dies. Sean O’Grady W 15 Hilmer Kenty, Atlantic City. Wins WBA Lightweight Title. O’Grady scores knockdowns in rounds 2 and 8. Kenty survives the last 3-rounds on heart.
1989: Sugar Ray Robinson, 67, dies.
1996: Pernell (Sweet Pea) Whitaker W 12 Wilfredo Rivera, St. Maarten. Retains WBC Welterweight Title. Ike Quartey KO 3 Vince Phillips, St. Maarten. Retains WBA Welterweight Title.
1997: Raul Marquez KO 9 Anthony Stephens, Las Vegas. Wins vacant IBF Super Welterweight Title. Oscar De La Hoya W 12 Pernell (Sweet Pea) Whitaker, Las Vegas. Wins WBC Welterweight Title. I had it 115-113 Whitaker.
2003: Marco Antonio Barrera KO 4 Kevin Kelly, Las Vegas. Retains World Featherweight Title. Derrick Gainer W 12 Oscar Leon, Las Vegas. Retains WBA Featherweight Title.

April 11

1902: Joe Walcott ND 6 Philadelphia Jack O’Brien, Philadelphia.
1912: Sam Langford W 20 Sam McVey, Sydney.
1913: Sid Smith W 20 Eugene Criqui, Paris. Wins vacant World Flyweight Title.
1949: Archie Moore KO 8 Jimmy Bivins, Toledo, OH.
1951: Former World Bantamweight Champion Panama Al Brown, 48, dies.
1964: Carlos Ortiz W 15 Kenny Lane, San Juan. Retains World Lightweight Title.
1974: Ishimatsu Suzuki KO 9 Rodolfo Gonzalez, Tokyo. Wins WBC Lightweight Title. Six months earlier Suzuki was KO’d in 10 rounds by World Lightweight Champion Roberto Duran.
1981: Larry Holmes W 15 Trevor Berbick, Las Vegas. Retains WBC Heavyweight Title. Holmes is forced to go the distance for the first time since his epic title-winning bid against Ken Norton on 6/9/1978.
1982: Michael Spinks KO 8 Murray Sutherland, Atlantic City. Retains WBA Light Heavyweight Title.
1988: Greg Haugen Tech. Dec. 11 Miguel Santana, Tacoma, Washington. Retains IBF Lightweight Title.
1991: Marcos Villasana KO 6 Rafael Zuniga, Mexico City. Retains WBC Featherweight Title.
1992: George Foreman W 10 Alex Stewart, Las Vegas. A bloodied and battered Foreman receives an extremely controversial verdict. James (Lights Out) Toney W 12 Glenn Wolfe, Las Vegas. Retains IBF Middleweight Title.

April 10

1931: Jack (Kid) Berg W 10 Billy Wallace, Detroit. Retains World Super Lightweight Title.
1954: Murray Sutherland born.
1956: Sumbu Kalambay born. Billy Costello born.
1964: Willie Pastrano KO 6 Gregorio Peralta, New Orleans. Retains World Light Heavyweight Title.
1965: Ismael Laguna W 15 Carlos Ortiz, Panama City. Wins World Lightweight Title.
1974: Victor Burgos born.
1992: Julian Jackson KO 5 Ron Collins, Mexico City. Retains WBC Middleweight Title. Akinobu Hiranaka KO 1 Edwin Rosario, Mexico City. Wins WBA Super Lightweight Title. Julio Cesar Chavez KO 5 Angel Hernandez, Retains WBC Super Lightweight Title. Katsuya Onizuka W 12 Thalerngsak Sithbaobay, Tokyo. Wins vacant WBA Super Bantamweight Title.
1999: Naseem Hamed KO 11 Paul Ingle, Manchester, England.

April 9

1928: Corp. Izzy Schwartz W 15 Routier Parra, NYC. Retains New York World Flyweight Title.
1955: Ike Williams D 10 Beau Jack, Augusta, GA.
1981: Samuel Serrano W 15 Yasutsune Uehara, Wakayama, Japan. Regains WBA Super Featherweight Title.
1988: Evander (Real Deal) Holyfield KO 8 Carlos DeLeon, Las Vegas. Unifies World Cruiserweight Title.
1992: Gianfranco Rosi KO 6 Angel Hernandez, Celano, Italy. Retains IBF Super Welterweight Title.
1994: Pernell (Sweet Pea) Whitaker W 12 Santos Cardona, Norfolk, VA. Retains WBC Welterweight Title. Tracy Harris Patterson W 12 Richard Duran, Reno. Retains WBC Super Bantamweight Title.
1998: Former WBA Heavyweight Champion and 1976 Olympic bronze medalist John Tate, 43, dies in an auto accident, resulting from a stroke caused by a brain tumor in Knoxville, Tenn.
2000: The Philadelphia police arrest and charge former 2-division champion Meldrick Taylor, 33, with assaulting the mother of his two children.

April 8

1941: Joe Louis KO 9 Tony Musto, St. Louis. Retains World Heavyweight Title.
1961: Davey Moore KO 1 Danny Valdez, Los Angeles. Retains World Featherweight Title.
1978: Saensak Muangsurin KO 13 Francisco Moreno, Hat Yai, Thailand. Retains WBC Super Lightweight Title. Wilfredo Gomez KO 7 Juan Antonio Lopez, Bayamon, P.R. Retains WBC Super Bantamweight Title.
1979: Eusebio Pedroza KO 11 Hector Carrasquilla, Panama City. Retains WBA Featherweight Title. Jorge Lujan KO 15 Cleo Garcia, Las Vegas. Retains WBA Bantamweight Title. Yoko Gushiken KO 7 Alfonso Lopez, Tokyo. Retains WBA Junior Flyweight Title.
1982: Jiro Watanabe W 15 Rafael Pedroza, Osaka, Japan. Wins WBA Super Flyweight Title.
1988: Gilberto Roman W 12 Baby Sugar Rojas, Miami Beach. Retains WBC Super Flyweight Title.
1989: Jeff Fenech W 12 Marcos Villasana, Melbourne. Retains WBC Featherweight Title. Villasana is now 0-3-1 in world featherweight title attempts. Khaosai Galaxy W 12 Kenji Matsumura, Yokohama, Japan. Retains WBA Super Flyweight Title. Galaxy’s 10th defense and he improves his overall record to 36-1 (34).
1995: Oliver McCall W 12 Larry Holmes, Las Vegas. Retains WBC Heavyweight Title. Bruce Seldon KO 7 Tony Tucker, Las Vegas. Wins vacant WBA Heavyweight Title. Luis Santana W disq. 7 (Terrible) Terry Norris, Las Vegas. Retains WBC Super Welterweight Title. Sanatana’s second straight DQ victory over Norris. Felix (Tito) Trinidad KO 2 Roger Turner, Las Vegas. Retains IBF Welterweight Title. Julio Cesar Chavez W 12 Giovanni Parisi, Las Vegas. Retains WBC Super Lightweight Title.
2000: Fabrice Tiozzo KO 6 Valery Vikhor, Paris. Retains WBA Cruiserweight Title. Bruno Girard W 12 Byron Mitchell, Paris. Wins WBA Super Middleweight Title. Sornpichai Singwangcha, KO 5 Gilberto Gonzalez, Bangkok. Retains WBA Flyweight Title.

April 7

1896: Benny Leonard born Benjamin Leiner.
1960: James Douglas born.
1962: Paul Pender W 15 Terry Downes, Boston. Regains World Middleweight Title.
1963: Carlos Ortiz KO 13 Doug Vaillant, San Juan. Retains World Lightweight Title. Tracy Spann born.
1967: Aaron Davis born.
1972: Bob Foster KO 2 Vicente Rondon, Miami Beach. Retains World Light Heavyweight Title.
1975: Victor Galindez W 15 Pierre Fourie, Johannesburg. Retains WBA Light Heavyweight Title.
1984: Richard Sandoval KO 15 Jeff Chandler, Atlantic City. Wins WBA Bantamweight Title.
1985: Min Keun Oh W 15 Irving Mitchell, Pusan, South Korea. Retains IBF Featherweight Title.
1986: Hilario Zapata W 15 Shuichi Hozumi, Nirasaki, Japan. Retains WBA Flyweight Title.
1990: Jorge Paez W 12 Louie Espinoza, Las Vegas. Retains IBF Featherweight Title.
1995: Ron Lyle, 53, returns to the ring knocking out Bruce Johnson in Erlanger, Kentuky.
1998: Veteran amateur boxing coach Rolly Schwartz, 84, dies in Dayton, OH. Schwartz managed the 1976 Olympic team that won 5 gold medals.
2000: Lehlo Ledwaba KO 8 Ernesto Grey, Bristol, England. Retains IBF Super Bantamweight Title.
2001: Marco Antonio Barrera W 12 Prince Naseem Hamed, Las Vegas. Wins World Featherweight Title.

April 6

1900: James J. Jeffries KO 1 Jack Finnegan, Detroit. Retains World Heavyweight Title.
1914: Al McCoy KO 1 George Chip, Brooklyn. Wins World Middleweight Title.
1969: Hiroshi Kobayashi W 15 Antonio Amaya, Tokyo. Retains World Super Featherweight Title.
1978: Luis Perez born. Lorenzo Parra born.
1980: Pipino Cuevas KO 5 Harold Volbrecht, Houston. Retains WBA Welterweight Title.
1985: Jimmy Paul W 15 Harry Arroyo, Atlantic City. Wins IBF Lightweight Title.
1987: Sugar Ray Leonard W 12 Marvelous Marvin Hagler, Las Vegas. Wins World Middleweight Title. Leonard scores the upset of the year after three-year layoff.
1991: Khaosai Galaxy KO 5 Jae Suk Park, Samut Songkram, Thailand. Retains WBA Super Flyweight Title. Galaxy’s 17th-title defense, and improves his overall record to 47-1 (42).
1998: Jimmy Bivins, 78, is hospitalized in Cleveland after police find him wasting away in a dark filthy attic.
2001: Frankie Toledo W 12 Mbulelo Botile, Las Vegas. Wins IBF Featherweight Title.

April 5

1896: Harry Harris W 5 Dennis Mahoney, Chicago. Harris’s pro debut.
1906: Sam Langford W 15 Joe Jeanette, Chelsea, MA.
1915: Jess Willard KO 26 Jack Johnson, Havana. Wins World Heavyweight Title. The longest heavyweight title fight of the 20th Century. Johnson made claims that he threw the fight until the day he died.
1929: Tod Morgan W 10 Santiago Zorilla, Los Angeles. Retains World Super Featherweight Title.
1943: Fighting Harada born Masahito Harada.
1946: Romeo Anaya born.
1949: Rinty Monaghan W 15 Maurice Sandeyron , Belfast. Retains World Flyweight Title.
1970: Yoshiaki Numata W 15 Rene Barrientos, Tokyo. Wins WBC Super Featherweight Title.
1981: Jeff Chandler D 15 Eijiro Murata, Tokyo. Retains WBA Bantamweight Title.
1987: Seung Hoon Lee KO 10 Jorge Diaz, Seoul. Retains IBF Super Bantamweight Title.
1991: Victor Cordoba KO 9 Christophe Tiozzo, Marseille. Wins WBA Super Middleweight Title.
1997: Vuyani Bungu W 12 Kennedy McKinney, Hammanskraal, South Africa. Retains IBF Super Bantamweight Title.
2003: Markus Beyer W 12 Eric Lucas, Leipzig, Germany. Regains WBC Super Middleweight Title.

April 4

1939: Ernie Terrell born.
1944: Manuel Ortiz W 15 Tony Olivera, Los Angeles. Retains World Bantamweight Title.
1961: Ray Mercer born.
1963: Eder Jofre KO 3 Katsutoshi Aoki, Tokyo. Retains World Bantamweight Title.
1970: Bob Foster KO 4 Roger Rouse, Missoula, MT. Retains World Light Heavyweight Title. After being decked 4-times in 3-rounds the ringside doctor decides that Rouse can’t come out for round 4. Afterwards Foster calls out World Heavyweight Champion (Smokin’) Joe Frazier.
1974: Vassily Jirov born.
1975: Franco Udella W disq. 12 Valentin Martinez, Milan. Wins newly created WBC Junior Flyweight Title.
1981: Sergio Palma W 15 Leonardo Cruz, Buenos Aires. Retains WBA Super Bantamweight Title.
1989: Juan Jose Estrada KO 10 Jesus Poll, Inglewood. Retains WBA Super Bantamweight Title.
1990: Juan Nazario KO 8 Edwin Rosario, NYC. Wins WBA Lightweight Title.
2003: Salim Medjkoune W 12 Vincenzo Gigliotti, Clermont-Ferrand, France. Retains WBA Super Bantamweight Title.

April 3

1911: Freddie Miller born.
1971: Nicolino Locche W 15 Domingo Barrera, Buenos Aires. Retains World Super Lightweight Title. Ruben Olivares W 15 Chucho Castillo, Inglewood. Regains World Bantamweight Title.
1976: Rigoberto Riasco KO 10 Waruinge Nakayama, Panama City. Wins newly created WBC Super Bantamweight Title.
1980: Samuel Serrano KO 13 Kiyoshi Kazama, Nara, Japan. Retains WBA Super Featherweight Title.
1988: Virgil Hill KO 11 Jean-Marie Emebe, Bismark, ND. Retains WBA Light Heavyweight Title.
1992: Greg Haugen KO 7 Ray Mancini, Reno.
1998: Frankie Liles W 12 Andrei Schkalikov, Bayamon, P.R. Retains WBA Super Middleweight Title. Felix (Tito) Trinidad KO 4 Mahenge Zulu, Bayamon, P.R. Retains IBF Welterweight Title. Freddie Norwood W 12 Antonio Cermeno, Bayamon, P.R. Wins vacant WBA Featherweight Title. Erik Morales KO 6 Remigio Molina, Tijuana, MX. Retains WBC Super Bantamweight Title.
1999: Marco Antonio Barrera KO 1 Paul Lloyd, Kensington, U.K.

April 2

1913: Benny Lynch born Samuel Benjamin John Lynch.
1927: Carmen Basilio born.
1943: Beau Jack W 10 Henry Armstrong, NYC.
1977: Saensak Muangsurin KO 6 Ishimatsu Suzuki, Tokyo. Retains WBC Super Lightweight Title.
1980: Jorge Lujan KO 9 Shuichi Isogami, Tokyo. Retains WBA Bantamweight Title.
1983: Aaron (Hawk) Pryor KO 3 Sang Hyun Kim, Atlantic City. Retains WBA Super Lightweight Title.
1988: Rocky Lockridge W 15 Harold Knight, Atlantic City. Retains IBF Super Featherweight Title.
1992: Orlando Canizales W 12 Francisco Alvarez, Paris. Retains IBF Bantamweight Title.
1996: Mbulelo Botile KO 11 Ancee Gedeon, Providence, R.I. Retains IBF Bantamweight Title.
2005: Jean – Marc Mormeck W 12 Wayne Braithwaite, Worcestor, MA. Wins vacant World Cruiserweight Title. Luis Collazo W 12 Jose Antonio Rivera, Worcester, MA. Wins WBA Welterweight Title.

April 1

1903: Joe Walcott D 20 Billy Woods, Los Angeles. Retains World Welterweight Title.
1910: Owen Moran ND 10 Abe Attell, NYC. Non-title fight.
1921: Beau Jack born Sidney Walker.
1925: Mike Ballerino W 10 Steve (Kid) Sullivan, Philadelphia. Wins World Super Featherweight Title.
1938: Joe Louis KO 5 Harry Thomas, Chicago. Retains World Heavyweight Title. Fred Apostoli W 15 Glenn Lee, NYC. Retains World Middleweight Title.
1939: Sixto Escobar W 15 KO Morgan, San Juan. Retains World Bantamweight Title.
1952: Jimmy Carter W 15 Lauro Salas, Los Angeles. Retains World Lightweight Title.
1954: Carl (Bobo) Olson W 15 Kid Gavilan, Chicago. Retains World Middleweight Title.
1955: Tony DeMarco KO 14 Johnny Saxton, Boston. Wins World Welterweight Title.
1957: Alphonse Halimi W 15 Mario D’Agata, Paris. Wins World Bantamweight Title.
1958: Hogan (Kid) Bassey KO 3 Ricardo Moreno, Los Angeles. Retains World Featherweight Title.
1961: Emile Griffith KO 13 Benny (Kid) Paret, Miami Beach. Wins World Welterweight Title.
1971: Masao Ohba W 15 Betulio Gonzalez, Tokyo. Retains WBA Flyweight Title. James Page born.
1973: Fres Oquendo born.
1975: Erbito Salavarria W 15 Susumu Hanagata, Toyama, Japan. Wins WBA Flyweight Title.
1976: Alfredo Escalera KO 6 Buzzsaw Yamabe, Nara, Japan. Retains WBC Super Featherweight Title.
1990: Simon Brown KO 10 Tyrone Trice, Washington D.C. Retains IBF Welterweight Title.
1991: Mike (The Bodysnatcher) McCallum W 12 Sumbu Kalambay, Monte Carlo. Retains WBA Middleweight Title. McCallum avenges an earlier defeat to Kalambay.
1995: Ricardo Lopez KO 12 Andy Tabanas, Stateline, NV. Retains WBC Strawweight Title.
1998: 2-time former World Heavyweight Champion Floyd Patterson, 63, resigns his position as commissioner with the New York State Athletic Commission.
2000: Chris Byrd KO 10 Vitali Klitschko, Berlin. Vitali quits after the ninth round although he is well ahead on all the scorecards.
2002: Former referee Mills Lane, 64, is found at his home in Reno, the victim of a stroke.

Contribution from "Sincity" Richey