This Day in Boxing History: Forgotten Champions, Trilogies, and Upsets

If you look closely at November 27th you’ll find a surprising mix of iconic trilogies, global title shifts, and 19^th century championship bouts that helped shape multiple generations of boxing. It’s a date where rivalries found closure, underdogs shocked the sport, and forgotten champions briefly climbed into the spotlight.

1896 — Frank Erne Dethrones George Dixon

The earliest major fight tied to November 27th dates back to 1896, when Frank Erne outpointed the legendary George Dixon over 20 rounds at New York’s Broadway Athletic Club to claim the featherweight championship. Dixon, one of boxing’s first universally recognized world champions and a pioneer in defensive footwork, rarely lost in his prime. Erne’s win was a genuine surprise and marks one of the first world-title changes ever tied to this date. Though Erne’s reign was short and he soon lost the title back to Dixon, the fight remains a clear historical marker of boxing’s early organized era.

1964 — Éder Jofre Defends in Bogotá

Jumping forward nearly seven decades, another great added his own entry to the November 27th ledger. In 1964, bantamweight master Éder Jofre defended his title in Bogotá with a seventh-round stoppage of Bernardo Caraballo. It wasn’t Jofre’s most famous win, but it was a quintessential example of his efficiency: measured pressure, steady body work, and a clean finish.  Even in an era overflowing with talent from flyweight to featherweight, Jofre’s consistency stood out, and this date captures him in full command.

2004 — Barrera vs. Morales III: A Trilogy Gets Its Final Word

The most celebrated November 27^th fight arrived in 2004, when Marco Antonio Barrera and Erik Morales closed out one of boxing’s great trilogies at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. Their first two meetings were instant classics; the third became the tie-breaker, fought at super featherweight with the WBC belt on the line.

Barrera boxed with discipline, Morales pressed forward, and the exchanges, which peaked in the 11^th round, were fierce enough to earn “Round of the Year” honors. The judges gave Barrera a majority decision, sealing the trilogy in his favor, 2–1. It wasn’t the wildest of the three fights, but it was a fitting final act: two future Hall of Famers giving the sport one more definitive chapter and providing closure to one of boxing’s most enduring rivalries.

2021 — Kambosos Shocks the World

In 2021, virtually no one expected George Kambosos Jr. to leave Madison Square Garden’s Hulu Theater as the unified lightweight champion. Teófimo López was heavily favored; he was young, explosive, and fresh off beating Vasiliy Lomachenko. Kambosos knocked López down in the first round, survived a knockdown in the tenth, and after twelve unforgiving rounds he edged a split decision to claim the unified WBA (Super), IBF, WBO, and The Ring titles. The fight was recognized by many as “Upset of the Year” and as one of the biggest upsets of the decade. It wasn’t a fluke; it was a clean, disciplined, confident performance from a fighter who seized the moment.

A Date That Quietly Matters

November 27 is a patchwork of eras and styles. A 19th-century title change. A bantamweight great in full stride. The final chapter of an all-time trilogy. A modern upset that shook the sport.

INTERESTING FACTS:

Frank Erne vs. George Dixon (1896)

Erne was known for his boxing intelligence more than brute power.

Erne commented in later years that his success came from “ring generalship”, the fact that boxing IQ was important and helped distinguish “real” fighters in the sport’s early days.

Éder Jofre (1964 bantamweight title defense)

Jofre is widely regarded by historians as one of the greatest bantamweights ever, and that bout on Nov 27 is part of what built his legacy of technical excellence and longevity.  Jofre’s style of balance, efficiency, and consistent discipline resulted in victories that came via technical mastery rather than highlight knockouts.

Marco Antonio Barrera vs. Erik Morales III — Trilogy Finale (2004)

According to punch statistics from that night, Barrera landed 290 of 765 punches compared with 231 of 808 for Morales; illustrating how he edged out a win not necessarily through volume, but accuracy and timing.

Round 11 is widely regarded as one of the greatest single rounds in modern boxing history; both fighters traded heavy leather, refusing to back down, turning a title fight into an instant classic.

Interestingly, after years of rivalry that included mutual hostility, harsh words, and brutal fights, Barrera and Morales later reconciled and eventually co-hosted a boxing podcast together.