On This Day in Boxing… March 23rd

1979.- At the Hilton Pavilion in Las Vegas, Nevada, the legendary “Easton Assassin,” Larry Holmes, reaffirmed his dominance in the heavyweight division by successfully defending his WBC World title. Holmes showcased his iconic jab to wear down the brave Puerto Rican challenger Osvaldo Ocasio, eventually stopping him via TKO in the seventh round. This marked the second defense of what would become one of the most dominant eras in heavyweight history.

2002.- The masterful Masamori Tokuyama retained his WBC World Super Flyweight championship following a display of precision at the Yokohama Arena in Japan. Tokuyama stopped southpaw challenger Kazuhiro Ryuko at 2 minutes and 42 seconds of the ninth round. The bout was officiated by referee Kasumata Kuwata, with judges Carol Castellano, Ken Morita, and Gale E. Van Hoy scoring the contest. Thanks to his impeccable technique and consistency, Tokuyama was honored at the end of the year as the “Best Japanese Boxer of 2002.”

2019.- In a vibrant night at the Copper Box Arena in Hackney Wick, England, Britain’s Charlie Edwards defended his WBC World Flyweight title with authority. Edwards overcame the experienced Spaniard Angel Moreno via unanimous decision in a battle where the champion’s speed and punch volume were key to keeping the Green and Gold belt in front of his home crowd.

2022.- In a historic step for the expansion of boxing in Eastern Europe, WBC President Mauricio Sulaimán led a special event at the Maritim Plaza Hotel in Tirana, Albania. During this session, Albania’s affiliation with the organization was formally endorsed, opening doors for a new generation of Albanian fighters to compete for WBC titles and strengthening the boxing infrastructure in the region.