On This Day… December 12th

Rubén Olivares vs. Alan Rudkin (December 12, 1969)

Result: Victory for Rubén Olivares by Knockout (KO 2).

Division: Bantamweight (Ba).

Location: Inglewood, California, U.S.A.

Review: The legendary Mexican, Rubén “Púas” Olivares, defended his Bantamweight World Title with an explosive display of power. Olivares, known for his devastating punch, wasted no time against British challenger Alan Rudkin. The fight ended abruptly in the second round when Olivares landed a brutal blow, sending Rudkin to the canvas and solidifying his status as one of the most feared punchers in the division.

Salvador Sánchez vs. Pat Cowdell (December 12, 1981)

Result: Victory for Salvador Sánchez by Unanimous Decision (Dec 15).

Division: Featherweight (Fe).

Location: Houston, Texas, U.S.A.

Review: The Mexican champion and legend, Salvador Sánchez, put his Featherweight title on the line against British challenger Pat Cowdell. It was a tough, long 15-round fight where Sánchez showcased his technical superiority and incredible stamina. Cowdell was a brave opponent, but Sánchez’s class, precision, and defensive skill prevailed clearly on the scorecards, ensuring a successful defense.

Julio César Chávez vs. Juan Laporte (December 12, 1986)

Result: Victory for Julio César Chávez by Unanimous Decision (Dec 12).

Division: Super Featherweight (Sfe).

Location: New York, U.S.A.

Review: Julio César Chávez, at the peak of his undefeated career, faced the talented former Puerto Rican champion Juan Laporte. Chávez defended his Super Featherweight title through 12 rounds of action. Laporte gave Chávez one of the toughest fights of that period, showing great resilience. However, Chávez’s relentless body pressure and constant offense proved too much for Laporte, with the Mexican winning by unanimous decision.

Nigel Benn vs. Nicky Piper (December 12, 1992)

Result: Victory for Nigel Benn by Technical Knockout (TKO 11).

Division: Super Middleweight (Sm).

Location: London, England.

Review: The British champion Nigel “The Dark Destroyer” Benn defended his Super Middleweight World Title in an exciting and brutal fight. Benn, famous for his knockout power and aggressive style, faced a resilient Nicky Piper. Benn inflicted continuous punishment on Piper, forcing the referee to stop the fight in the 11th round after a barrage of blows, keeping the championship at home.

Erik Morales vs. John Lowey (December 12, 1997)

Result: Victory for Erik Morales by Technical Knockout (TKO 8).

Division: Super Bantamweight (Sb).

Location: Tijuana, Mexico.

Review: The Tijuana idol, Erik “El Terrible” Morales, defended his Super Bantamweight World Title in front of his home crowd. Morales dominated the fight with his accurate jab and punching power, showcasing the quality that would make him a legend. The punishment was cumulative, and Morales stopped the fight in the eighth round by technical knockout, reaffirming his dominance in the division.

Juan Carlos Gómez vs. Rodney Gordon (December 12, 1998)

Result: Victory for Juan Carlos Gómez by Knockout (KO 2).

Division: Cruiserweight (Cr).

Location: Frankfurt, Germany.

Review: The Cuban, Juan Carlos Gómez, made a quick and powerful defense of his Cruiserweight title. Gómez, with his southpaw style and reach, gave his opponent, Rodney Gordon, no chance. The fight ended dramatically in the second round with a devastating knockout, a victory that demonstrated Gómez’s superiority in the division at that time.

Masamori Tokuyama vs. Akihiko Nago (December 12, 2000)

Result: Victory for Masamori Tokuyama by Unanimous Decision (Dec 12).

Division: Super Flyweight (Sfl).

Location: Osaka, Japan.

Review: The Korean-Japanese Masamori Tokuyama defended his Super Flyweight World Title against Japanese challenger Akihiko Nago. It was a classic Japanese-Korean battle, full of technique and fast pace. Tokuyama, known for his smart defensive style, prevailed over 12 rounds thanks to his consistent boxing and effective counterpunches, retaining the title by unanimous decision.

Vitali Klitschko vs. Kevin Johnson (December 12, 2009)

Result: Victory for Vitali Klitschko by Unanimous Decision (UD 12).

Division: Heavyweight (He).

Location: Bern, Switzerland.

Review: The Ukrainian champion Vitali Klitschko dominated the American Kevin Johnson from start to finish. Klitschko used his physical superiority and his jab to control the distance. Although Johnson was elusive and managed to go the 12-round distance (becoming one of the few to do so against Vitali), Klitschko won every round on the judges’ scorecards, retaining the title comfortably.

Vic Darchinyan vs. Tomás Rojas (December 12, 2009)

Result: Victory for Vic Darchinyan by Knockout (KO 2).

Division: Super Flyweight (Sfl).

Location: Rancho Mirage, California, U.S.A.

Review: The Armenian-Australian Vic Darchinyan, known as the “Raging Bull,” showcased his fearsome power at Super Flyweight. He faced Mexico’s Tomás Rojas, but the fight did not last long. Darchinyan landed a crushing blow in the second round, sending Rojas to the canvas and ending the bout by knockout, successfully defending his “Absolute” title (a special WBC title).