Boxing Matches on Network TV (1980-1984)

[Ambling Alp]

In the first half of the 1980s, there were still a lot of big time fights on Network TV for free. (CBS, NBC, ABC)

It was fun making a list of as many as I could recall. I'm sure that some are missing. (There were many other interesting fights that were on TV that I didn't list because they weren't as important.)

If you were living in the United States at this time, you will probably remember a lot of these:

1980
Marvin Johnson-Mustapha Muhammad
Leonard-Green
Holmes-Jones
Weaver-Tate
Holmes-Ledoux
Mamby-DeJesus
Gomez-Derrick Holmes
Saad Muhammad-Lopez
Minter-Antuofermo
Minter-Hagler
Hagler-Geraldo
Sanchez-Ford
Pedroza-Lockridge
Arguello-Castillo

1981
Holmes-Snipes
Spinks-Mustapha-Muhammad
Saad Muhammad-Martin
Saad-Muhammad-Sutherland
Spinks-M. Johnson
Arguello-Mancini
Benitez-Hope
Hearns-Shields
Boza Edwards-Chacon
Boza Edwards-Chacon

1982
Holmes-Cobb
Qawi-Martin
Spinks-Sutherland
Mancini-Frias
Mancini-Espana
Moore-Kalue
Starling-Curry
Pedroza-Taylor
Pedroza-LaPorte
Sanchez-LaPorte
Limon-Chacon
Qawi-Davis

1983
McCrory-Jones
Haley-Mamby
Chacon-Edwards
Camacho-Limon
Hamsho-Benitez
Holmes-Rodriguez
Holmes-Frank
Holmes-M. Frazier

1984
Costello-B. Curry
Costello-Mamby
Gomez-LaPorte
Lockridge-Mayweather
Brown-Paul
D. Curry-LaRocca
Rosario-Davis
(Couldn't remember if Spinks-Davis and Starling-Curry II were televised on the network or not.)

[Seamus]

Spinks v Davis was televised, and I had Davis winning it by 2.

I think of quite a few more fights not on your list that were televised.

[Ambling Alp]

There were several others that thought about including that I decided were a notch below. They were certainly worth watching for free.

Snipes-Coatzee
Snipes-Mustapha Muhammad
Page-Tills
Dokes-Chaplin
Dokes-Ocasio I and II
Hagler-Lee
Spinks-Sutherland I
Spinks-Lopez
Sibson-Davidson
Hamsho-Czyz
Green-Mugabi
Mugabi-Fletcher
Fletcher-Roldan
Saad Muhammad-V. Johnson
Spinks-V. Johnson
Starling-Ayers
M. Frazier-Bugner
Arroyo-Brown
Davis-Baltizar

I know Chandler and Gomez were on more but I can't think of their opponents.

Like Seamus said, there are more.

[SaadOffTheDeck]

[Seamus]

So many

1980
Leo Randolph v Ricardo Cardona
Sergio Palma v Leo Randolph
Salvador Sanchez v Danny Lopez
Salvador Sanchez v Danny Lopez
Jim Watt v Howard Davis
Jim Watt v Sean O'Grady

lot's more if I get the time

1981
Salvador Sanchez v Roberto Castanon
Alexis Arguello v Jim Watt
Alexis Arguello v Roberto Elizondo
Alexis Arguello v Steve Busceme
Rolando Navarette v Cornelius Boza-Edwards
Cornelius Boza-Edwards v Rafael Limon
Roberto Duran v Nino Gonzalez
Roberto Duran v Luigi Minchillo

[Ezzard]

I hate you all for having seen those fights for free back then.

[Seamus]

Tip of the iceberg. We also got occasional live fights on smaller networks during the week, and Spanish Television put on great fights a week or two late.

[Seamus]

More

1982
Jeff Chandler v Johnny Carter
Wilfredo Gomez v Lupe Pintor
Jose Caba v Jackie Beard
Alexis Arguello v Andy Ganigan
Alexis Arguello v Kevin Rooney
Ray Mancini v Julio Valdez
Ray Mancini v Duk Koo Kim

1983
Eusebio Pedroza v Rocky Lockridge
Alexis Arguello v Claude Noel

1984
Richie Sandoval v Jeff Chandler
Azumah Nelson v Wilfredo Gomez
Juan Meza v Jaime Garza
Barry McGuigan v Paul Devorce
Barry McGuigan v Felipe Orozco
Livingstone Bramble v Ray Mancini