 | This article's tone or style may not reflect the encyclopedic tone used on Wikipedia.(May 2020) |
| Date | November 6, 2004 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Venue | Glendale Arena, Glendale, Arizona, U.S. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Title(s) on the line | IBF and The Ring junior welterweight titles | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Tale of the tape | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Result | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Tszyu defeated Mitchell by 3rd round TKO | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Kostya Tszyu vs. Sharmba Mitchell II, billed as Unfinished Business, was a professional boxing match which took place on November 6, 2004 at the Glendale Arena, Glendale, Arizona. [1]
Tszyu and Mitchell met for the first time on November 2, 2002, with Tszyu as the WBC world champion and Mitchell as the WBA world champion. They fought to unify those belts. The first fight was held in Las Vegas, Nevada. The fight was fought at close quarters with use of rough tactics by both boxers. [2] Tszyu pushed Mitchell to the canvas four times. Whether the pushes were accidental or not was never known, but Mitchell injured his knee and declared himself unable to fight on after the seventh round, giving Tszyu an unlikely type of knockout. [3]
One of the reasons that both Tszyu and Mitchell felt a rematch, apart from the fact that Mitchell claimed for three years after their first encounter that he was on his way to a win, was necessary was that most boxing magazine writers and fans alike felt that the first fight's result was inconclusive. Likewise, fans were split as to whom was winning the first fight between the co-champions: while Tszyu fans generally had him ahead, Mitchell fans felt Mitchell was winning it until the point when he could go on no longer.
Tszyu defeated Ben Tackie next, in February 2003, by a twelve-round unanimous decision, to retain the unified belts. During February 10, 2003, the managing team of Canadian boxer Arturo Gatti announced they had begun negotiations for a Tszyu-Gatti match-up (that fight failed to materialize). [4]
Initially to be fought in late 2003 in Sydney, Australia, the Tszyu-Mitchell rematch had to be postponed because Tszyu injured two tendons during training. [5]
It was then rescheduled for the summer of 2004, in Moscow, Russia however Tszyu got injured again, forcing a second postponement. These two injuries caused Tszyu to be inactive for a total of twenty-two months. In addition, the fact that Mitchell's knee had also naturally become weaker after his own injury made many fans question the ability of both fighters to put on a good show in their rematch.
The IBF named Mitchell their "interim champion". After further negotiations, it was agreed the fight should be held in Glendale, Arizona. The fight's referee was Raul Caiz, Sr..
Sylvester Stallone attended the fight, as well as former world Heavyweight champion Mike Tyson and Jr. Welterweight contender and interim WBA Jr. Welterweight champion Vivian Harris.
Just before the boxers entered the ring for the main event, two fans brought out two Russian flags. They lit one, burning it. A second one would have been burned; security promptly arrived and removed the fans from the arena, but not before they threw the second flag for other fans to get it. These other fans proceeded to stomp on the flag. The reasons for protesting using a Russian flag during the Tszyu fight are not totally clear: though Tszyu is Russian by birth, he had long since renounced his Russian citizenship; Australia was Tszyu's new homeland.
Both fighters rushed out of their corners for round one. Tszyu was somewhat slower; he might have been trying to shake off some rust after not fighting for the aforementioned twenty-two months. Mitchell landed some heavy rights to Tszyu's chin, while the champion looked calm and composed. Mitchell outlanded Tszyu in this round. An important point of the fight was when both boxers clashed their heads before round one was finished, and Tszyu came out with a cut around his nose. [6]
Perhaps afraid that the fight would be stopped because of the cut and declared a technical draw, Tszyu came out of his corner for round two with a sense of urgency. Midway towards the round, he landed a right to Mitchell's chin that staggered the former world champion. Mitchell then retreated to the ropes, near his own corner. Tszyu followed with a flurry of punches, and Mitchell fell from an uppercut. He fell near the ropes, almost the same way that Sugar Ray Leonard had dropped Thomas Hearns in round thirteen of their 1981 fight.
Mitchell, visibly awakened, got up and continued fighting. Towards the end of the round, he landed a right to Tszyu's chin that made Tszyu's head snap back.
Soon after round three began, Tszyu connected with a right hand to the chin that sent Mitchell to the canvas for the second time; he landed on a sitting position. Mitchell again rose, but Tszyu stayed over him, driving him to the ropes and landing blows to Mitchell's body before Mitchell suffered his second knockdown of the round and third of the fight.
Once again, Mitchell rose, but he was trapped against the ropes. After another quick combination of blows to the body, Mitchell fell again, and referee Cadiz, Sr. proceeded to stop the fight. This was the fourth and final knockdown in the fight for Mitchell, as well as the third knockdown in round three.
This turned out to be the last win in Tszyu's illustrious career. [7]
The fight's undercard featured former world champions Yori Boy Campas and Joan Guzmán.
Confirmed bouts: [8]
The bout was televised in the United States by Showtime, [9] while, in Australia and Europe, it was shown on Pay Per View.
| Country | Broadcaster |
|---|---|
 United States | Showtime |
Julio César Chávez González, also known as Julio César Chávez Sr., is a Mexican former professional boxer who competed from 1980 to 2005. A multiple-time world champion in three weight divisions, Chávez was listed by The Ring magazine as the world's best boxer, pound for pound, from 1990 to 1993. During his career he held the WBC super featherweight title from 1984 to 1987, the WBA and WBC lightweight titles between 1987 and 1989, the WBC light welterweight title twice between 1989 and 1996, and the IBF light welterweight title from 1990 to 1991. He also held the Ring magazine and lineal lightweight titles from 1988 to 1989, and the lineal light welterweight title twice between 1990 and 1996. Chávez was named Fighter of the Year for 1987 and 1990 by the Boxing Writers Association of America and The Ring respectively.
Thomas Hearns is an American former professional boxer who competed from 1977 to 2006. Nicknamed the "Motor City Cobra", and more famously "The Hitman", Hearns's tall, slender build and oversized arms and shoulders allowed him to move up over fifty pounds in his career and become the first boxer in history to win world titles in five weight divisions: welterweight, light middleweight, middleweight, super middleweight and light heavyweight.
Jorge Fernando "Locomotora" Castro is an Argentine former professional boxer and former WBA middleweight champion of the world, who is best known for his second defense of the title against John David Jackson in 1994.
Konstantin Borisovich "Kostya" Tszyu is a Russian-Australian former professional boxer who competed from 1992 to 2005. He held multiple world championships in the light-welterweight division, including the undisputed and lineal titles between 2001 and 2005. Tszyu was an exceptional all-around boxer-puncher who relied heavily on accuracy, timing, and carried formidable punching power; he is often regarded as one of the hardest-punching light-welterweights in the division's history.
Pernell Whitaker Sr. was an American professional boxer who competed from 1984 to 2001, and subsequently worked as a boxing trainer. He was a four-weight world champion, having won titles at lightweight, light welterweight, welterweight, and light middleweight; the undisputed lightweight title; and the lineal lightweight and welterweight titles. In 1989, Whitaker was named Fighter of the Year by The Ring magazine and the Boxing Writers Association of America. He currently holds the longest unified lightweight championship reign in boxing history at six title defenses. Whitaker is generally regarded as one of the greatest defensive boxers of all-time.
Sharmba David Mitchell is an American former professional boxer who competed from 1988 to 2006. He held the WBA light welterweight title from 1998 to 2001, and the IBF interim light welterweight title in 2004.
Floyd Joy Mayweather Jr. is an American boxing promoter and former professional boxer who competed between 1996 and 2017. He retired with an undefeated record and won 15 major world championships spanning five weight classes from super featherweight to light middleweight. This includes the Ring magazine title in three weight classes and the lineal championship in four weight classes. As an amateur, he won a bronze medal in the featherweight division at the 1996 Olympics, three U.S. Golden Gloves championships, and the U.S. national championship at featherweight.
Zabdiel Judah is an American former professional boxer who competed from 1996 to 2019. He held multiple world championships in two weight classes, including the IBF and WBO junior welterweight titles between 2000 and 2004; the undisputed welterweight title in 2005, which included a reign as the lineal champion from 2005 to 2006; and the IBF junior welterweight title again in 2011. Judah's career ended in 2019 when he was hospitalized after suffering a brain bleed in a stoppage loss to Cletus Seldin.
James Leija, best known as Jesse James Leija, is an American former professional boxer who competed from 1988 to 2005. He held the WBC super featherweight title in 1994, and challenged twice each for world titles at lightweight and light welterweight.
Vernon Forrest was an American professional boxer who competed from 1992 to 2008. He held multiple world championships in two weight classes, including the WBC, IBF, Ring magazine and lineal welterweight between 2002 and 2003, and the WBC super welterweight title twice between 2007 and 2009. In 2002, Forrest was named Fighter of the Year by The Ring and the Boxing Writers Association of America.
Light welterweight, also known as junior welterweight or super lightweight, is a weight class in combat sports.
Roger L. Mayweather was an American professional boxer who competed from 1981 to 1999 and later on a boxing trainer. He was a two-division world champion, having held the WBA and The Ring super featherweight titles from 1983 to 1984, and the WBC light welterweight title from 1987 to 1989. Additionally he held the IBO light welterweight title in 1994, and the IBO welterweight title from 1994 to 1995.
Takeshi Fuji is a Hawaiian-born Japanese former professional boxer. He is a former Lineal, WBA and WBC super lightweight champion.
Diosbelys Hurtado is a Cuban-Spanish boxer and former NBA, IBA and WBA Light Welterweight(super lightweight ) Champion.
Benjamin Tackie is a Ghanaian former professional boxer and world title challenger. He was known for his excellent chin and ability to throw a high volume of punches. All but one of his losses came via decision.
Marcos René Maidana is an Argentine former professional boxer who competed from 2004 to 2014. He held the WBA (Regular) super lightweight title from 2011 to 2012, and the WBA (Regular) welterweight title from 2013 to 2014. A versatile brawler in the ring, Maidana was well known for his formidable punching power, and was never stopped in any of his five losses.
Jermell DeAvante Charlo is an American professional boxer. He held the undisputed light middleweight championship from 2022 to 2023 and The Ring light middleweight title from 2020 to 2024.
Timofei Konstantinovich Tszyu is an Australian professional boxer who held the World Boxing Organization (WBO) junior-middleweight title from 2023 to 2024. He is the son of former light-welterweight world champion of boxing, Kostya Tszyu and older brother of Nikita Tszyu.
The Ray Mancini vs. Bobby Chacon, or, alternatively, Bobby Chacon vs. Ray Mancini fight was a boxing contest which was held on January 14, 1984, in Reno, Nevada. It was for Mancini's WBA's world Lightweight title. Mancini won the fight, to retain his title, by a third-round technical knockout. Because of its location this fight was promotionally nicknamed as "the biggest little fight in the world". In the United States, the fight was televised on HBO World Championship Boxing, while in Puerto Rico, it was shown live on channel 2.