Eder Jofre vs. Vicente Saldivar

Eder Jofre 125 lbs beat Vicente Saldivar 126 lbs by KO at 1:40 in round 4 of 15

• Date: 1973-10-21
• Location: Ginásio de Esportes Antônio Balbino, Salvador, Bahia, Brazil

Eder Jofre knocked out Mexico’s Vicente Saldivar in the 4th round of what was to have been a 15-round contest. Jofre maintained a good pace throughout the fight. The opening round was about even and not very thrilling. The second saw Vicente take the initiative, but the attack was short-lived. Jofre had decided not to prolong the battle and adopted a devastating technique. In the 4th round, he appeared to have decided that the time had come. He tore into Saldivar with jabs to the face and hooks to the body. Jofre then maneuvered his man against the ropes, where he had no space for action, and blasted him with jabs and hooks until he had more than enough. A terrific left was the finisher. Saldivar tumbled to the deck and was off to dreamland. The 30-year-old Saldivar retired after the fight with a record of 37-3-0 (26 kayos).

Jofre's title was stripped on June 18, 1974 for failure to defend. The WBC ordered Jofre to defend his title against mandatory challenger Alfredo Marcano of Venezuela or be stripped of the title. Co-manager Marcos Lazaro tried to strike a deal on Jofre’s behalf, but Abraham Katzenelson refused to accept the financial terms. On June 17, 1974, the WBC stripped Eder of his title for failure to defend against Alfredo Marcano.