This Day in Boxing History: Comebacks, Controversy, and Quiet Milestones

Some dates, like November 5, quietly earn their place in boxing history. It’s a date that’s produced one of the sport’s greatest comebacks, a few curious controversies, and reminders that boxing’s story doesn’t always unfold under the brightest lights.

1994 — George Foreman Turns Back Time

On November 5, 1994, George Foreman, at the age of 45, shocked skeptics and reclaimed the heavyweight title by stopping Michael Moorer in the tenth round.

Foreman had been counted out years earlier. His first reign as champion had ended two decades before, and most viewed his comeback as a novelty. But against Moorer — the 26-year-old, undefeated WBA and IBF champion — Foreman landed a perfectly timed right hand that flattened his opponent and rewrote the record books.

The victory made him the oldest heavyweight champion in boxing history, a record that still stands. It also reframed how the sport views age and longevity. Foreman wasn’t just an old champion cashing in; he was a case study in how experience, composure and timing was able to overcome youth and speed.

1971 — Pedro Carrasco’s Controversial Title Win

Decades earlier, another November 5 headline came from Madrid. On November 5, 1971, Spanish lightweight Pedro Carrasco won the WBC lightweight title after American contender Mando Ramos was disqualified in the 12th round.

The decision drew immediate debate. Ramos appeared to have the upper hand for most of the fight, but referee Jimmy Rondo ruled a knockdown punch illegal and awarded Carrasco the victory. For Spanish fans, it was a triumph; for others, a reminder of how geography and officiating could tilt the balance of title bouts.

The Carrasco-Ramos fight might not top highlight reels, but it is an important reflection on how poor or biased officiating and can affect a fighter’s career and the public’s perception of the sport.

2016 — Óscar Valdez Defends in Style

Fast-forward 45 years. On November 5, 2016, WBO featherweight champion Óscar Valdez headlined the undercard at Las Vegas’ Thomas & Mack Center, facing Japan’s Hiroshige Osawa. Valdez, 22-0 at the time, delivered a professional showcase — dropping Osawa in the fourth round and forcing a seventh-round stoppage.

It was Valdez’s first title defense since claiming the belt earlier that year. While the bout itself didn’t carry historic stakes, it represented a fighter stepping from prospect to established champion — an important transition in any fighter’s career.

2016 — Manny Pacquiao Reclaims the Welterweight Title

That same night, in the main event, Manny Pacquiao turned in yet another chapter of his long career, defeating Jessie Vargas by unanimous decision to reclaim the WBO welterweight title.

Pacquiao, then 37, floored Vargas in the second round with a sharp left hand and proceeded to control the action from there. It was his 11th world title across eight divisions — a résumé-padding victory that underscored his staying power.

The fight also marked Pacquiao’s return to the ring after a brief political hiatus in the Philippines. For a global audience, November 5, 2016, was the night the senator reminded everyone he was still a boxer first.

November 5 – A Date that Signifies Persistence, Controversy, Longevity, and Evolution

Look back across boxing’s decades, and November 5 stands as a microcosm of the sport’s identity. It’s about careers revived, belts reclaimed, and the small-print bouts that reveal where boxing really lives — in the steady churn of fights that don’t need to be historic to be important. For every global event and pay-per-view spectacle, there’s a November 5 — a reminder that fighters are courageously facing off, champions are developing, and the sport’s narrative keeps moving, one bell at a time.

Fun Facts

George Foreman named his six sons George. He once said that he named them all George so they’d “always have something in common.” Forema has been married five times and has a total of twelve children

Manny Pacquiao is an eight-division world champion and the only boxer in history to win titles in eight different weight classes. As senator, he is the fighter that has held the highest public office. In 2022, he filed ad campaigned for President of the Philippines; no other world title-holding boxer has done so.