Percy Pugh vs. Eddie Pace

Percy Pugh 145 lbs beat Eddie Pace 148 lbs by MD in round 10 of 10

• Date: 1967-11-13
• Location: Municipal Auditorium, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA
• Referee: Lucien Joubert 5-5
• Judge: Herman Dutreix 6-4
• Judge: Pete Giarusso 6-2

"Nasty cuts over and below Percy Pugh's left eye cost him a fight with welterweight champion Curtis Cokes. Pugh, 145, jumped off to a commanding lead, scoring heavily with jabs and combinations. But Pace, 148, finally started to work out of his lethargy in the 4th and appeared to be in command when he damaged Pugh's eye at the end of the 7th. In the 8th, Pace went right after Pugh and the blood began to stream from the cut. Pace kept the pressure on and also won the 9th. The last round was fought to the roar of the crowd which sensed that Percy could lose it. But Pugh fought back hard. He was jabbing and countering well at the bell." -Ring Magazine, February 1968 issue

• Lou Messina of the New Orleans Boxing Club announced before the fight that the winner would meet Curtis Cokes in December for the title. However, Pugh's cuts scuttled any arrangements and the two never met.
• Attendance - 2,722
• Gate - $7,514

Post-fight comments

• "I cut him bad and I carried the fight to him." -Eddie Pace, insisting he should have won.

• "I was just taking a breather because he was a strong fighter and I didn't want to run out of gas." -Percy Pugh, denying he tired in the middle rounds.