On this Day in Boxing… April 20th

1996.- France’s Jean Baptiste Mendy reached the pinnacle of world boxing by capturing the WBC lightweight title, defeating American Lamar Murphy by unanimous decision in Levallois-Perret, France. Mendy utilized his significant reach and an elegant southpaw style to outbox Murphy over twelve rounds, becoming a national hero and one of the few Frenchmen to hold the prestigious Green and Gold belt in that division.

2002.- In one of the most grueling and debated fights of his career, Floyd Mayweather moved up to the lightweight division to defeat the gritty Mexican Jose Luis Castillo by unanimous decision in Las Vegas. Mayweather captured the WBC world lightweight title, but was forced to show immense heart and tactical adaptability to withstand Castillo’s relentless pressure and punishing body attack—a performance that led to an immediate and equally legendary rematch.

2013.- In a strategic battle between Mexicans, Victor “Vikingo” Terrazas was crowned WBC world super bantamweight champion by defeating Cristian Mijares via split decision at the Arena Ciudad de Mexico. In a true clash of styles, Terrazas’ aggression and physical strength proved just enough to overcome the refined technique and counter-punching of the veteran Mijares in a contest that kept fans on the edge of their seats.

2013.- In San Antonio, Texas, superstar Saul “Canelo” Alvarez unified the super welterweight world titles by defeating American Austin Trout via unanimous decision. Before more than 30,000 fans at the Alamodome, Canelo defended his WBC strap by showcasing remarkable defensive improvements and scoring a memorable knockdown of the previously unbeaten Trout in the seventh round, solidifying his status as the premier face of the 154-pound division.