This Day in Boxing… April 10th

1964.- At the Municipal Auditorium in New Orleans, American Willie Pastrano retained his WBC World Light Heavyweight Championship by technically knocking out the great Argentine challenger Gregorio “Goyo” Peralta in 6 rounds. In this highly anticipated rematch, Pastrano displayed his signature agility to stop a Peralta who had never been knocked out before.

1965.- A historic date for Panama: At the National Stadium in Panama City, local idol Ismael Laguna, known as “El Tigre Colonense,” defeated the legendary Puerto Rican Carlos Ortiz by unanimous decision over 15 rounds. With this triumph, Laguna snatched the WBC World Lightweight title from Ortiz in one of the most celebrated victories in Central American boxing history.

1992.- The fearsome puncher from the Virgin Islands, Julian “The Hawk” Jackson, successfully defended his WBC World Middleweight crown by delivering a thunderous fifth-round knockout to American Ron Collins. This display of power took place at the iconic Toreo de Cuatro Caminos in the State of Mexico.

1992.- On that same historic card at the Toreo de Cuatro Caminos, the great “César del Boxeo,” Julio César Chávez, gave a masterclass before his home crowd to defend his WBC World Super Lightweight Championship. Chávez stopped Puerto Rican Ángel Hernández in the fifth round, solidifying his status as the best pound-for-pound fighter of the era and extending his legendary undefeated streak.

2004.- In a high-stakes technical duel between Americans, Cory Spinks reaffirmed his dominance in the welterweight division by defeating Zab Judah via unanimous decision at the Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino in Las Vegas. With this victory, Spinks defended his undisputed WBC championship, overcoming Judah’s speed with intelligence and precision.

2010.- The explosive Andre Berto defended his WBC World Welterweight title with a dominant performance at the BankAtlantic Center in Sunrise, Florida. Berto stopped the experienced Puerto Rican Carlos “El Indio” Quintana in the eighth round, proving himself as one of the most solid and spectacular champions in the category at the time.