This Day in Boxing History: Key Fights and Champions

This Day in Boxing History: Key Fights and Champions

November 29 has produced outcomes that shifted divisions, elevated contenders, and revealed how the sport’s most important developments often unfold far from the biggest stages. From Japan to Las Vegas to London, November 29 has served as a checkpoint where champions defended, underdogs broke through, and careers took notable turns.

1984 Watanabe vs. Poontarat

One of the earliest significant moments came in 1984, when Jiro Watanabe defended his WBC super-flyweight championship with an 11th-round knockout of Payao Poontarat in Kumamoto, Japan. The victory helped solidify Watanabe’s position as one of the division’s defining figures during an era when the super-flyweights were still carving out global relevance. His dominance gave the weight class a foothold in the international conversation, particularly across Asia.

1991 McGirt vs. Brown

The date delivered another significant result in 1991, when Buddy McGirt upset reigning WBC welterweight champion Simon Brown at The Mirage in Las Vegas. McGirt entered as a clear underdog, but he boxed with control and discipline from the opening bell, earning a unanimous decision that reshaped the welterweight picture. The win marked a crucial inflection point in McGirt’s career, establishing him as a major force in one of boxing’s deepest and most historically rich divisions. For Brown, the loss disrupted a reign that had shown no obvious signs of decline heading into the bout.

1999 Johnston vs. Schwer

In 1999, Stevie Johnston added another chapter to the date’s history when he traveled to London to defend his WBC lightweight title against Billy Schwer. Fighting on foreign soil, Johnston delivered a composed, technically sound performance en route to a decision win. The result helped solidify his standing as one of the more reliable champions of his era and highlighted the increasingly global footprint of the lightweight division at the turn of the millennium.

2009 Kameda vs. Naito

The most widely watched November 29 fight arrived a decade later, in 2009, when Kōki Kameda defeated Daisuke Naito by unanimous decision to capture the WBC flyweight title at Saitama Super Arena in Japan. Beyond the title itself, the matchup was a major domestic event — one that drew enormous television viewership and demonstrated how deeply the flyweight division resonates with Japanese audiences. For Kameda, the win represented a generational shift, unseating a respected veteran and signaling the arrival of a new, polarizing figure at the top of the division.

November 29 has produced championships won abroad, upsets that reset divisions, and domestic showdowns that captured national attention.

Interesting Facts:

Jiro Watanabe

Watanabe was known for his aggressive style and body attack. He defended his WBC super‑flyweight title 10 consecutive times, one of the longest streaks in the division during the 1980s. Despite his domestic dominance, he fought very few matches outside Japan — his only fight abroad was a title defense in South Korea. After retiring, Watanabe had a brief run as a boxing trainer and mentor, influencing Japan’s next generation of lighter-weight champions.

Buddy McGirt

Before becoming a world champion, James Buddy McGirt represented the U.S. in amateur tournaments and was considered a technically gifted, defensively strong fighter. Throughout his career, he was known for his tactical intelligence in the ring, often outsmarting opponents with counterpunching and precise body shots. After retiring, McGirt became a renowned trainer, working with notable champions such as Arturo Gatti, Antonio Tarver, and Sergey Kovalev.

Stevie Johnston

Stevie “Lil’ But Bad” Johnston was considered one of the slickest lightweights of his era, known for fast hands, sharp angles, and excellent ring IQ. He defended his WBC lightweight title multiple times on foreign soil, which was unusual for American champions at the time. Johnston’s career included high-profile fights against other elite lightweights like Floyd Mayweather Jr., giving him a reputation as a tough, technically sound gatekeeper for the division. Outside the ring, he was known for being approachable with fans and often spoke about the importance of mental preparation in boxing.

Kōki Kameda

Kōki “The Fighting Fist of Naniwa” Kameda comes from a famous boxing family in Japan; both of his older brothers were world champions. He won his first professional world title at age 21, making him one of the youngest Japanese boxers to capture a WBC championship. Kameda was known for his flamboyant personality and in-ring theatrics, which drew both admiration and criticism, but it also significantly boosted TV ratings for his fights. After winning the WBC flyweight title from Daisuke Naito, he became a polarizing figure in Japanese boxing — simultaneously drawing attention to the flyweight division and raising debates about fighting style and sportsmanship.