Freddie Little vs. Eddie Pace (1st meeting)

Freddie Little 154 lbs lost to Eddie Pace 153 lbs by SD in round 12 of 12

• Date: 1966-01-31
• Location: Convention Center, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
• Judge: Harold Buck 51-56
• Judge: Harry Reid 53-57
• Judge: Frank Windsor 56-54

"Eddie Pace of Los Angeles scored a grueling 12 round split decision over Chicago school teacher Freddie Little last night in an elimination bout for the NABF junior middleweight crown at the Convention Center. Pace was down from a right uppercut in the 1st round, but was unhurt and jumped up to take the mandatory eight count on his feet. Pace continually pressed Little, not giving him any punching room for his vaunted knockout punch. Pace piled up points with his infighting throughout the first eight rounds, but Little rallied in the final rounds, going all out for the knockout and throwing bombs. Pace's left eye was almost completely closed by the end of the bout." -Las Vegas SUN

• Unofficial SUN scorecard - 58-57 Little
• Pace was to receive a shot at Stan Harrington's NABF junior middleweight title with this victory, but Harrington never again defended his title.
• The co-main event on this card featured Ernie 'Indian Red' Lopez against Memo Lopez.

Post fight comments

• "I hope I never have to fight that guy again. He has fists like bombs. If I do have to fight him again, they'll have to give me a bundle to do it." -Eddie Pace

• "Little is one of the best we've ever fought. But my boy had the biggest heart of anyone I've ever seen tonight." -Cannonball Green, Pace's trainer

• "Pace is a great fighter. We have no complaints on the decision. It was close and we knew it could go either way. We'd just like to get a rematch." -Joe Kiernan, Little's manager