Remembering 40 Years Ago Today: Sugar Ray Leonard KO's Dave "Boy" Green

[elmersalsa]

Forty years ago today on Sunday, March 31, 1980 on ABC Wild World of Sports TV program, we got to see the first title defense of the extraordinary new WBC World Welterweight Champion, the great Sugar Ray Leonard.

He was defending it against tough contender and one-time challenger, Dave "Boy" Green of England at the champion's turf of Baltimore Civic Center.

In front of his fans and family, the champion displayed brilliance of his tremendous talent. And what a talent he was. He proved to be too strong and too fast of foot and hands for the challenger, displaying his flashy style and playing to the crowd.

After a lethal combination of left and rights to the challenger's jaw, Green went down like a forest tree. Tiiiiimmmmbbbbbeeeeerrrrr!!!

It was over in 4. But, gosh! I would have liked to see some more!

NEXT for Leonard? The awaited showdown with the great Roberto Duran.

[JC]

As clinical a finish as you'll ever see.

[elmersalsa]

As clinical a finish as you'll ever see.

No doubt about that. That pretty boy was a killer!

[Nile4000]

Amazing that this was on the same day as Weaver-Tate.

[Ambling Alp II]

That was a devastating knockout.
Yes it was the same night as Weaver-Tate. There were actually four fights televised free on national TV:
Leonard-Green
Tate-Weaver
Eddie Mustafa Muhammad (then Eddie Gregory)-Marvin Johnson (Mustafa Muhammad won the light heavyweight title)
Larry Holmes-Leroy Jones

The fights were not all at the same place.

I remember watching these fights. It was a great time to be a fan.

[Onetimeonly]

That was a devastating knockout.
Yes it was the same night as Weaver-Tate. There were actually four fights televised free on national TV:
Leonard-Green
Tate-Weaver
Eddie Mustafa Muhammad (then Eddie Gregory)-Marvin Johnson (Mustafa Muhammad won the light heavyweight title)
Larry Holmes-Leroy Jones

The fights were not all at the same place.

I remember watching these fights. It was a great time to be a fan.

I had to listen on my radio because I was grounded from the fights for something. The casino money putting everything on Saturday night is a huge thing with the sports decline.

[Ambling Alp II]

Not me, I made sure to be on my best behavior before a big fight or a big game!
Yeah, back then there seldom were fights on Saturday nights, at least not on TV. I guess they didn't want to compete with Love Boat and Fantasy Island.
Usually the big fights (especially heavyweight fights) were on Friday nights. There were also some good fights on Saturday and Sunday afternoons.
Occasionally, though, there would be some on a week night. If I am remembering right, Leonard-Green and the rest of the card was on a weeknight.