 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Date | 20 May 1983 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Venue | Dunes Hotel and Casino, Las Vegas, Nevada | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Title(s) on the line | WBC and The Ring Heavyweight Championship | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Tale of the tape | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Result | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Holmes defeated Witherspoon by Split Decision | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Larry Holmes vs. Tim Witherspoon , billed as The Crown Affair, was a professional boxing match contested on 20 May 1983, for the WBC and The Ring heavyweight championship. [2]
Having made 14 consecutive defences of his heavyweight title, the longest uninterrupted heavyweight reign since Joe Louis, Larry Holmes having fought once already in 1983 (a one sided win against former European champion Lucien Rodriguez) agreed to face the undefeated Tim Witherspoon.
The event was billed as the world's first ever Heavyweight championship double header, with Michael Dokes making the first defence of his WBA belt in a rematch with Mike Weaver, after their first bout ended in a controversial first round stoppage. [3]
Holmes, who was a 6 to 1 on favourite with bookies, predicted he would knock out the underdog, saying that he "wasn't qualified to be in the same ring with me".
On the undercard Greg Page defeated Renaldo Snipes in a WBC Heavyweight Title Eliminator, and Ossie Ocasio successfully defended his WBA cruiserweight title.
In the co-feature for the WBA championship, Dokes and Weaver engaged in an entertaining slugfest that went the full 15 rounds. When the scorecards for this bout were read, judge Jerry Roth had the fight 145-141 for Dokes, but judges Larry Hazzard and Harold Lederman scored the bout a draw at 144-144 and 143-143, respectively, resulting in a majority draw and Dokes retaining the title. It was the first time in 69 years, dating back to the contest between Jack Johnson and Battling Jim Johnson in December 1913, that a world Heavyweight championship contest resulted in a draw. [4]
Witherspoon appeared to land a greater number of hard shots than the champion. In the ninth round, a right hand to the side of the head early, had Holmes in trouble. A left hook-right hand combination sent the champion into the ropes, where Witherspoon launched a barrage of punches in an attempt to finish the fight but Holmes was able to survive the round.
At the end of 12 rounds, judge Herb Santos scored the bout 115–114 for Witherspoon, while Chuck Hassett scored it 118–111 and Chuck Minker had it 115–113 both in favour of the champion, giving Holmes a split decision. The AP scored it for Holmes 115–113, while KO Magazine had it 114–114. [5]
The crowd booed the decision, many clearing feeling with Witherspoon deserved the victory. Witherspoon himself would say post match "I definitely thought I won. He's a great champion, but I think I'm better. I know I am." Holmes acknowledged it was a tougher fight than he was expecting, saying "Witherspoon had more than I thought he did. Or maybe I'm just going down a little bit. A couple of fights ago, the man wouldn't have worn my socks." [6]
Confirmed bouts: [7]
| Country | Broadcaster |
|---|---|
 Australia | Seven Network |
 Canada | Superchannel |
 Mexico | Televisa |
 Philippines | MBS 4 |
 Puerto Rico | Canal 2 |
 United Kingdom | ITV |
 United States | ABC |
Larry Holmes is an American former professional boxer who competed from 1973 to 2002 and was world heavyweight champion from 1978 until 1985. He is often considered to be one of the greatest heavyweight boxers of all time. He grew up in Easton, Pennsylvania, which led to his boxing nickname of the "Easton Assassin".
Osvaldo "Ossie" Ocasio is a Puerto Rican former boxer who held the World Cruiserweight Championship from 1982 to 1984. He was also a Top Contender and Heavyweight Challenger in 1979. He scored notable wins against Former Cruiserweight Champion Dwight Muhammad Qawi as well as beating Top Heavyweight Contender Jimmy Young and Heavyweight Contender Pierre Coetzer, as well as drawing with Future Heavyweight Champion Michael Dokes. Nicknamed "Jaws", his peculiar nickname was the result of him accidentally biting another boxer during a sparring session.
Gerhardus Christian Coetzee OIB was a South African professional boxer who competed from 1974 to 1986, and in 1993 and 1997. He was the first African in history to ever fight for, and win, a world heavyweight championship, having held the WBA title from 1983 to 1984. He held notable knockout wins against WBA world heavyweight champion Michael Dokes and undisputed world heavyweight champion Leon Spinks, as well as a draw with future WBC world heavyweight champion Pinklon Thomas and wins over top contenders Ron Stander, Scott LeDoux and James Tillis.
Boxing in the 1980s was filled with important fights, events and personalities that shaped the sport. Boxing in the 1980s was shaped by many different situations, such as the continuous corporate battles between the different world sanctioning organizations, the void left by Muhammad Ali as the sport's ambassador and consequent search for a new boxing hero, the continuous presence of Don King as the sport's most famous promoter, the surge of rival promoters as Bob Arum, Butch Lewis and Murad Muhammad, and major rule changes. In 1986, Mike Tyson emerged as a fresh new face in the heavyweight division, which had seen a decline in champion quality level after Ali's retirement and, later on, after longtime WBC ruler Larry Holmes' prime. In addition, the IBF and WBO began operating.
Larry Holmes vs. Gerry Cooney was a heavyweight boxing match that took place on June 11, 1982, in Las Vegas, Nevada, United States. It was one of the most highly anticipated fights of the early 1980s.
Pinklon Thomas is an American former professional boxer who competed from 1978 to 1993. He was boxing's first 'Centennial Champion' (1886-1986) and held the WBC heavyweight title from 1984 to 1986. He is considered one of the best boxers of his generation. He beat former heavyweight champions Mike Weaver, Tim Witherspoon, James Tillis and future cruiserweight champion Alfonso Ratliff. He also drew with future WBA Heavyweight Champion Gerrie Coetzee. Thomas was known for his pink boxing trunks and a powerful left jab.
Michael Marshall Dokes was an American professional boxer who competed from 1976 to 1997, and held the WBA heavyweight title from 1982 to 1983. As an amateur he won a silver medal in the heavyweight division at the 1975 Pan American Games.
Tim Witherspoon is an American former professional boxer who competed from 1979 to 2003. He was a two-time world heavyweight champion, having held the WBC title in 1984, and the WBA title in 1986. He beat heavyweight world champions Greg Page, James Smith, Tony Tubbs, Frank Bruno and cruiserweight world champions Alfonzo Ratliff and Al Cole. He is best known for his fight against undefeated heavyweight world champion Larry Holmes in which he lost by split decision. Witherspoon also worked as a regular sparring partner for Muhammad Ali.
Cruiserweight, also referred to as junior heavyweight, is a weight class in professional boxing between light heavyweight and heavyweight. Before the advent of the current cruiserweight class, "light heavyweight" and "cruiserweight" were sometimes used interchangeably in the United Kingdom.
Michael Dokes vs. Gerrie Coetzee, billed as The Buckeye Homecoming, was a professional boxing match that took place on September 23, 1983, at the Richfield Coliseum in Richfield Township, Ohio, United States for Dokes' WBA heavyweight title.
Greg Page was an American professional boxer who competed from 1979 to 2001, and held the WBA heavyweight title from 1984 to 1985. He was also a regular sparring partner for Mike Tyson, famously knocking down the then-undefeated world champion during a 1990 session.
Frank Bruno vs. Mike Tyson II, billed as The Championship: Part I, was a professional boxing match contested on March 16, 1996 for the WBC heavyweight championship.
Mike Tyson vs. Larry Holmes, billed as Heavyweight History, was a professional boxing match contested on January 22, 1988, for the WBA, WBC, and IBF Heavyweight Championships.
Riddick Bowe vs. Michael Dokes, billed as The Homecoming, was a professional boxing match contested on February 6, 1993 for the WBA and IBF heavyweight championships. The fight emanated from Madison Square Garden in New York, New York.
Roy Jones Jr. vs. Antonio Tarver, billed as Now It's Personal, was a professional boxing match contested on November 8, 2003 for the vacant WBA (Unified) title, Tarver's WBC light-heavyweight championship, Jones' IBO and The Ring light-heavyweight championships.
Oliver McCall vs. Larry Holmes, billed as "Burden of Proof", was a professional boxing match contested on April 8, 1995 for the WBC Heavyweight Championship. The undercard included world championship bouts in four other categories.
Anthony Perez was an American boxing referee and judge of Puerto Rican descent. During his career, he refereed many major boxing fights and participated in a number of boxing related documentaries.
The second fight between Tim Witherspoon and James "Bonecrusher" Smith was contested on December 12, 1986. The bout took place at Madison Square Garden in New York City and was contested for Witherspoon's WBA heavyweight championship. It was Witherspoon’s second defence of the championship he had won from Tony Tubbs in January 1986.
The Michael Dokes vs. Mike Weaver or, alternately, Mike Weaver vs. Michael Dokes, boxing fights were a pair of fights that occurred in 1982 and 1983 and were for the World Boxing Association's world Heavyweight title. Both fights were considered controversial due to a separate set of situations. They are both among the most widely spoken about heavyweight boxing contests of the 1980s.
Greg Page vs. Tim Witherspoon, billed as True Vindication was a professional boxing match contested on March 9, 1984, for the vacant WBC heavyweight title.