December 14th: This Day in Boxing History — Notable Bouts Throughout the Years

December 14^th: This Day in Boxing History — Notable Bouts Throughout the Years

The fights that have landed on December 14 span more than a century of the sport’s evolution. From early heavyweight championship contests and headline-grabbing knockouts by rising contenders to influential bantamweight title defenses and modern heavyweight transitions, the date offers a cross-section of how boxing has changed in style, structure, and global reach.

1920 — Jack Dempsey Stops Bill Brennan in Heavyweight Title Defense

Jack Dempsey’s title defense against Bill Brennan at Madison Square Garden stands as one of the earliest significant fights ever staged on this date. Dempsey, already a major American sports figure, was pushed harder than expected by Brennan, a rugged and capable contender who had given several top heavyweights trouble. Before a crowd estimated at over 13,000, Brennan boxed confidently and traded with the champion for long stretches, winning some rounds. But as the pace increased, Dempsey’s pressure and heavier punching took over, and he secured a knockout in the 12th round.

1936 — Joe Louis KO’s Eddie Simms 

In this fight, a young Joe Louis, not yet world champion but already a major heavyweight contender, delivered one of the fastest stoppages of his early career. At Public Hall in Cleveland, Louis floored Eddie Simms with a single, telling left hook early in the first round and referee Arthur Donovan stopped the fight just 26 seconds in, ruling that Simms was in no condition to continue. The bout drew considerable press attention the following day for both the speed of the finish and the decisiveness of Louis’s punch, and marked the first knockout defeat in Simms’s extensive ring record

1971 — Rubén Olivares Defeats Jesús Pimentel to Retain Bantamweight Titles

More than fifty years later, bantamweight champion Rubén Olivares defended his WBC and WBA titles against Jesús Pimentel at the Forum in Inglewood, California. Pimentel, a respected puncher whose long career had finally earned him a title opportunity, boxed well early but struggled to handle Olivares’s pace and pressure. Olivares dropped Pimentel in the sixth round and steadily wore him down, prompting Pimentel’s corner to stop the fight after the 11th. For Olivares, the victory added to his growing résumé as one of the most destructive bantamweights in history. For Pimentel, it closed a decade-long pursuit of a title shot.

1996 — Riddick Bowe vs. Andrew Golota II Ends in Disqualification

One of December 14’s most controversial modern fights occurred in 1996, when Riddick Bowe and Andrew Golota met for a rematch at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City. Their first bout had ended with Golota’s disqualification for repeated low blows, and the rematch followed a similar pattern. Golota boxed effectively for long stretches and was ahead on two scorecards when the pattern of fouls re-emerged, culminating in another disqualification in the ninth round. The ending mirrored the first fight’s chaos and overshadowed what had otherwise been a strong performance from Golota. For Bowe, the fight marked the beginning of the end of his heavyweight peak. For Golota, it became another missed opportunity in a career marked by flashes of brilliance and costly lapses in discipline.

2002 — Chris Byrd Defeats Evander Holyfield for the IBF Heavyweight Title

Chris Byrd, a technical southpaw known for his defensive style, faced former multi-time champion Evander Holyfield for the vacant IBF title in Atlantic City. Byrd controlled the tempo with movement, counterpunching, and accuracy, earning a clear unanimous decision. The win elevated Byrd to the top tier of the heavyweight division during a transitional period between the late-1990s American contenders and the emerging Klitschko era. For Holyfield, the fight represented the closing stages of an already legendary career.

December 14th

The fights that have taken place on December 14 highlight the sport’s continuity across generations. From Jack Dempsey’s heavyweight title defense in the early 1920s and Joe Louis’s explosive rise in the 1930s to later moments of championship excellence and controversy, the date captures defining snapshots of boxing history shaped by power, precision, and consequence.

INTERESTING FACTS:

Dempsey vs. Brennan (1920)

Although about 10,875 tickets were sold (nearly 13,000 attendees), the promoter Tex Rickard reportedly took a financial loss on the event because the total fight card cost more than the live gate receipts.

Dempsey’s December 14, 1920 title defense was among the first heavyweight title fights conducted under New York’s modern legalized boxing rules, which standardized official decisions rather than newspaper verdicts.

Dempsey’s major fights in the 1920s were some of the earliest sports events to receive broad radio coverage, helping cement boxing as the first truly national spectator sport in the U.S.

Both Dempsey and Brennan received a cut from the movie picture (film) rights of the match.

Some reports from the era claimed that Dempsey delivered a rabbit punch (illegal blow) to finish Brennan; though the referee’s ruling stood and the result wasn’t overturned.

After retiring from boxing in 1923, Brennan purchased and operated a speakeasy nightclub called Club Tia Juana in the Washington Heights neighborhood of Manhattan. His club apparently got caught up in the underworld economy of prohibition and organized crime. After being accused of buying beer from the “wrong mob”, Brennan refused to cooperate and threw them out. Later that night, he was shot and killed outside of his bar. He was thirty years old.

Joe Louis vs. Eddie Simms (1936)

Joe Louis stopped Eddie Simms in just 18–26 seconds of the first round. Some contemporary newspaper accounts record the bout ending as early as 18 seconds with a single devastating left hook that put Simms down immediately.

Referee Arthur Donovan stopped the fight immediately, believing another punch might have caused serious injury to Simms, as he was clearly unable to defend himself after the knockdown.

Major news services like the Associated Press reported that Louis earned a significant payday (reported at $20,000) for this fight, a sizeable purse in 1936.

At the time of this bout, Joe Louis was still rising toward world championship status, having suffered his only loss earlier that year to Max Schmeling, but he was already recognized as one of the most formidable heavyweights in boxing.

The Simms fight was part of a busy 1936 campaign for Louis during which he fought multiple bouts, including victories over other notable contenders like Jack Sharkey and Jorge Brescia, building toward his title shot the following year.

Olivares vs Pimentel (1971)

Olivares was not just a dominant bantamweight, he was a major cultural figure and national hero in Mexico, helping popularize boxing among a new generation of Mexican fighters with his aggressive style and knockout power.

Jesús Pimentel, although never a champion, was a fan favorite known as El Jaguar. Despite decades in the sport and many victories, December 14, 1971, was his only world title fight before retiring.

Bowe vs. Golota II (1996)

Contemporary accounts of the first Bowe–Golota fight describe crowd unrest and a near-riot atmosphere, with police reportedly scrambling to maintain order once the fight ended.

Four months after the fight, Bowe announced his retirement following a brief attempt to join the U.S. Marine Corps, which he left shortly after beginning training. He did return to the ring years later from September 2004 to December 2008 and added three more wins to his record.

Byrd vs. Holyfield (2002)

The fight was a classic contrasting styles matchup: Byrd’s slick, defensive, southpaw counter-punching versus Holyfield’s traditional, aggressive, forward-pressure style.

According to CompuBox, Byrd threw 747 total punches and landed 252, while Holyfield managed 344 thrown and 102 landed.

Holyfield reportedly suffered a left shoulder injury very early in the fight (possibly even in the first round). Later reports indicated he underwent medical evaluation for possible rotator cuff damage, which could explain his inability to land more jabs or left hooks.

Despite being past his prime, Holyfield still earned around $5 million for the fight — more than twice what Byrd was paid (approximately $2.15 million).

The fight took place at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, New Jersey, a classic boxing venue that has hosted many historic bouts. The announced crowd was around 8,543, which was modest by heavyweight title standards but enthusiastic, especially when Holyfield rallied briefly in later rounds.

The IBF title on the line had been vacated by Lennox Lewis, who chose to surrender the belt rather than defend it against Byrd. Lewis was actually ringside for the fight, observing the next generation of heavyweight action.

Chris Byrd was known for being a clever, awkward, defensive heavyweight rather than a knockout artist. He once described his strategy as making opponents “miss and pay”, a style that frustrated many big punchers of the era.

Despite Byrd outboxing Holyfield, the two fighters showed sportsmanship after the fight, linking arms and praying together in the ring.

To comment on this story in the Fight Forum CLICK HERE.