On This Date: August 2, 1980
Posted: 02 Aug 2024, 03:36
On this day of Saturday, August 2, 1980, two of the most exciting boxers of the 1980s decade became world boxing champions.
The two new kings of American Boxing were Aaron "The Hawk" Pryor of Cincinnati, OH and Thomas "The Hitman" Hearns of Detroit, MI.
The afternoon started with Pryor, ducked by top lightweights of his era, challenged then WBA World Jr Welterweight Champion Antonio Cervantes Kid Pambele of Colombia at the Cincinnati Coliseum. Pryor, dropped by a right against Cervantes in the first round, was on the attack in the following rounds and stopped the aging 34-year old champ by technical knockout in the fourth round. Pryor becomes the fourth world champion in the city of Cincinnati's boxing history after Freddie Miller, Ezzard Charles and Wallace "Bud" Smith did it years before him.
Later in the evening, in Detroit's Joe Louis Arena, Hearns became the WBA World Welterweight Champion when he defeated long-reigning champion Pipino Cuevas of Mexico City, Mexico with a devastating right hand stopping Cuevas in only two rounds. It was a sensational knockout that is still seen in boxing's knockout highlight films. Hearns became Detroit's famous Kronk Gym second world champion.
The year 1980 was the new agenda of American Boxing for young American prospects to become world boxing champions. The sport started to change after a decade of Latin Boxing invasion that dominated since 1969 when the great Jose "Mantequilla" Napoles of Cuba became World Welterweight Champion.
By the end of the year 1980, American Boxing had 11 world champions across the weight classes: Larry Holmes (WBC World Heavyweight), Mike Weaver (WBA World Heavyweight), Matthew Saad Muhammad (WBC World Light-heavyweight), Eddie Mustapha Muhammad (WBA World Light-heavyweight), Marvelous Marvin Hagler (World Middleweight), Sugar Ray Leonard (WBC World Welterweight), Thomas Hearns (WBA World Welterweight), Saoul Mamby (WBC World Jr Welterweight), Aaron Pryor (WBA World Jr Middleweight), Hilmer Kenty (WBA World Lightweight), and Jeff Chandler (WBA World Bantamweight).
Olympic Gold Medalist, Leo Randolph of Seattle, WA became WBA World Jr Featherweight Champion in 1980, but was dethroned by Sergio Victor Palma of Argentina later in the year. His Olympic Gold Medalist teammate, Howard Davis of Long Island, NY failed to win a crown for America when he was beaten by champ Jim Watt of Scotland for Watt's WBC World Lightweight crown.
Other American boxing prospects, Derrick Holmes and Rocky Lockridge, also failed to win world titles that year. Holmes lost by knockout against the great Wilfredo "Bazooka" Gomez of Puerto Rico for Gomez's WBC World Super Bantamweight Crown and Lockridge lost to the great Eusebio Pedroza of Panama for Pedroza's WBA World Featherweight title by decision.
It was definitely one of the best years in American Boxing history.
The two new kings of American Boxing were Aaron "The Hawk" Pryor of Cincinnati, OH and Thomas "The Hitman" Hearns of Detroit, MI.
The afternoon started with Pryor, ducked by top lightweights of his era, challenged then WBA World Jr Welterweight Champion Antonio Cervantes Kid Pambele of Colombia at the Cincinnati Coliseum. Pryor, dropped by a right against Cervantes in the first round, was on the attack in the following rounds and stopped the aging 34-year old champ by technical knockout in the fourth round. Pryor becomes the fourth world champion in the city of Cincinnati's boxing history after Freddie Miller, Ezzard Charles and Wallace "Bud" Smith did it years before him.
Later in the evening, in Detroit's Joe Louis Arena, Hearns became the WBA World Welterweight Champion when he defeated long-reigning champion Pipino Cuevas of Mexico City, Mexico with a devastating right hand stopping Cuevas in only two rounds. It was a sensational knockout that is still seen in boxing's knockout highlight films. Hearns became Detroit's famous Kronk Gym second world champion.
The year 1980 was the new agenda of American Boxing for young American prospects to become world boxing champions. The sport started to change after a decade of Latin Boxing invasion that dominated since 1969 when the great Jose "Mantequilla" Napoles of Cuba became World Welterweight Champion.
By the end of the year 1980, American Boxing had 11 world champions across the weight classes: Larry Holmes (WBC World Heavyweight), Mike Weaver (WBA World Heavyweight), Matthew Saad Muhammad (WBC World Light-heavyweight), Eddie Mustapha Muhammad (WBA World Light-heavyweight), Marvelous Marvin Hagler (World Middleweight), Sugar Ray Leonard (WBC World Welterweight), Thomas Hearns (WBA World Welterweight), Saoul Mamby (WBC World Jr Welterweight), Aaron Pryor (WBA World Jr Middleweight), Hilmer Kenty (WBA World Lightweight), and Jeff Chandler (WBA World Bantamweight).
Olympic Gold Medalist, Leo Randolph of Seattle, WA became WBA World Jr Featherweight Champion in 1980, but was dethroned by Sergio Victor Palma of Argentina later in the year. His Olympic Gold Medalist teammate, Howard Davis of Long Island, NY failed to win a crown for America when he was beaten by champ Jim Watt of Scotland for Watt's WBC World Lightweight crown.
Other American boxing prospects, Derrick Holmes and Rocky Lockridge, also failed to win world titles that year. Holmes lost by knockout against the great Wilfredo "Bazooka" Gomez of Puerto Rico for Gomez's WBC World Super Bantamweight Crown and Lockridge lost to the great Eusebio Pedroza of Panama for Pedroza's WBA World Featherweight title by decision.
It was definitely one of the best years in American Boxing history.