On This Day in Boxing… June 22
1976: Mexico’s Carlos Palomino traveled to Wembley, England, to dethrone Britain’s John H. Stracey. Palomino relentlessly attacked the champion’s body before stopping him in the 12th round to become the new WBC Welterweight Champion.
1979: Heavyweight legend Larry Holmes successfully defended his WBC title for the third time, scoring a 12th-round technical knockout over the determined Mike Weaver in Las Vegas.
1985: Thailand’s Sot Chitalada retained his WBC Flyweight Title after fighting Mexico’s Gabriel Bernal to a draw in the second bout of their historic trilogy.
1989: Veteran Mexican Daniel Zaragoza defeated American Paul Banke by split decision in Atlantic City, beginning one of the fiercest rivalries in the super bantamweight division.
2002: In the second chapter of their epic trilogy, Marco Antonio Barrera defeated Erik “Terrible” Morales by unanimous decision in Las Vegas, capturing the WBC Featherweight Title and evening what is widely regarded as the greatest rivalry in Mexican boxing history.
