November 1: A Date Etched in Boxing History

Every date on the boxing calendar has its stories — the nights when gloves touched, history shifted, and reputations were forged. On November 1^st we are reminded of the debut of the sport’s first Black heavyweight champion in 1898  and multiple modern WBC title defenses.

The Galveston Giant’s Beginning (1898)

On November 1, 1898, a young fighter named Jack Johnson stepped into a ring in his hometown of Galveston, Texas. The bout, scheduled for 15 rounds against Charley Brooks, was for the Texas State Middleweight Title. Johnson’s second-round knockout didn’t make national headlines that night, but it lit the fuse for one of boxing’s most transformative careers.

Over the next decade, Johnson rose to the top of a racially divided sport, becoming the first African American world heavyweight champion in 1908. What began in a local Texas fight on November 1 would eventually break barriers worldwide.

The WBC Connection: A Date of Champions

The World Boxing Council (WBC) rose to prominence in the 1960s. Over the years, they have continued to host a series of meaningful title fights on the first of November.

Bruno Arcari’s Road Win (1973)

In 1973, Italy’s Bruno Arcari defended his WBC super-lightweight belt against Denmark’s Jørgen Hansen in Copenhagen. Fighting on the challenger’s home turf, Arcari stopped Hansen in the fifth round to record one of his most dominant defenses. Arcari, one of Europe’s most consistent champions, retired without ever losing his title in the ring.

Óscar Larios’s Revenge (2002)

Fast-forward nearly three decades. On November 1, 2002, Mexican contender Óscar “Chololo” Larios stepped in for a rematch with Willie Jorrín, the man who had handed him a controversial loss the year before.

Larios didn’t wait for the judges this time. He overwhelmed Jorrín with a furious opening assault, winning the WBC Super Bantamweight Title by first-round knockout. The sudden ending stunned the Sacramento crowd — and completed one of the most emphatic revenge stories of the early 2000s.

Floyd Mayweather Jr. vs. Phillip N’dou (2003)

On November 1st in 2003, in his hometown of Grand Rapids, the undefeated Floyd Mayweather Jr. defended his WBC and The Ring lightweight Titles against South Africa’s Phillip N’dou, a dangerous puncher with 30 knockouts in 31 wins.

Mayweather turned the fight into a masterclass — controlling distance, slipping N’dou’s power shots, and responding with crisp counters. The end came in round seven, after a blistering flurry forced the referee to step in. The bout improved Mayweather’s record to 31-0 and

Vic Darchinyan’s Unification Night (2008)

Five years later, Armenia’s Vic Darchinyan bulldozed Mexico’s Cristian Mijares in a stunning ninth-round knockout to unify the WBC, WBA & IBF Super Flyweight World Titles at 115 pounds.

Mijares, known for his slick defensive style, had never been stopped before. Darchinyan’s relentless power overwhelmed him, making the Armenian-Australian champion one of the few to hold multiple belts in the division simultaneously.

Kenshiro Teraji’s Modern Mastery (2022)

In 2022,, Japan’s Kenshiro Teraji unified the WBC & WBA Light Flyweight world titles by defeating Hiroto Kyoguchi via seventh-round stoppage. The bout, held in front of a roaring Saitama Super Arena crowd, was a technical showcase that continued November 1’s tradition of championship fights.