December 12: This Day in Boxing History – Upsets, Defenses, and Early-Era Classics

December 12: This Day in Boxing History – Upsets, Defenses, and Early-Era Classics

December 12 has produced a meaningful set of fights across nearly a century of boxing history. The date includes a 1930s matchup featuring two of the era’s most skilled lighter-weight fighters, a featherweight title bout from the early 1980s that showcased a future Hall of Famer at his peak, and one of the heavyweight division’s quickest championship upsets.

Bat Battalino Defends Against Kid Chocolate in Early Featherweight Classic (1930)

Featherweight champion Battling Battalino (born Christopher Battaglia) defeated the celebrated Kid Chocolate over 15 rounds at Madison Square Garden. Battalino overcame a first-round knockdown and used steady pressure to wear down the challenger.

Salvador Sánchez Edges Pat Cowdell in Featherweight Title Defense (1981)

Salvador Sánchez retained his WBC featherweight title via split decision over Britain’s Pat Cowdell at the Houston Astrodome. Cowdell boxed well in stretches and forced Sánchez into a more tactical fight than usual, but a knockdown late in the 15th round strengthened the champion’s case on the scorecards. The win added to Sánchez’s streak of disciplined, high-level performances.

James “Bonecrusher” Smith Scores Upset Over Tim Witherspoon (1986)

Five years later, December 12 witnessed one of the more abrupt title changes in heavyweight history. At Madison Square Garden, James “Bonecrusher” Smith stopped WBA champion Tim Witherspoon in the first round, scoring three knockdowns in just over two minutes. Witherspoon, heavily favored entering the bout, never found defensive footing before the referee intervened under the three-knockdown rule.

December 12th

The notable fights of December 12 show how the date has hosted meaningful shifts in boxing’s competitive landscape. From Battalino’s gritty early-era win to Sánchez’s measured title defense to Smith’s unexpected ascension, the day spans a wide spectrum of styles, stakes, and historical contexts.

INTERESTING FACTS:

Bat Battalino vs. Kid Chocolate (1930)

This fight took place during the Great Depression, and boxing was one of the few sports still producing paying crowds in large cities. Madison Square Garden, despite economic hardship, was drawing some of the most ethnically diverse boxing audiences in the country — especially for fighters from Cuba, Italy, and Eastern Europe.

Kid Chocolate was one of the earliest Cuban boxing superstars, known for his technical brilliance and flamboyant personality. He was considered a hero in Havana, where large crowds in theaters and social clubs listened to his fights via international radio broadcasts.

Hundreds of fans from Connecticut took trains to New York to support Christopher “Bat” Battalino, including the Governor of Connecticut, who sat ringside.

Battalino, who struggled with weight throughout his career, reportedly underwent an aggressive last-minute weight cut for this fight, a common occurrence for him, even in championship bouts.

Salvador Sánchez vs. Pat Cowdell (1981)

Pat Cowdell was a 1980 Olympic bronze medalist, representing the U.K.

Sánchez’s bout against Cowdell was one of his final three career fights before he tragically died in a car accident at age 23 in 1982.

James “Bonecrusher” Smith vs. Tim Witherspoon (1986)

Only about 5,000 fans attended the heavyweight title fight at Madison Square Garden; this was a remarkably low number for a world championship bout at the venue. Promotional issues, late negotiations, and poor marketing contributed to the unusually small turnout.

Smith had gone 1–3 in his previous four fights entering the bout, hardly the profile of a future world champion. His one-round destruction of Witherspoon made him the first college graduate (Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration) ever to win a version of the heavyweight championship. This victory was the only world championship of his career.

Smith’s win was one of the fastest heavyweight title changes in the modern era, with all three knockdowns landing inside 162 seconds.

Witherspoon had been mired in disputes with promoter Don King, and training camp for this fight was widely reported to be disorganized. Post-fight reports revealed Witherspoon nearly withdrew due to financial disagreements and was unhappy with last-minute contract changes.

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