Fight:325995
Eddie Spence 167 lbs beat Pete Riccitelli 176 lbs by TKO at 2:10 in round 4 of 10
- Date: 1970-07-23
- Location: Exposition Building, Portland, Maine, USA
- Referee: Pete Bennett
SPENCE TKO'S RICCITELLI IN 4TH: KEEPS NE.E. CROWN by Bruce Glasier, Portland Press Herald, Friday, July 4, 1970.
It was a long(45 rounds for nine bouts) hotmuggy night and Eddie Spence simply wanted to go home early. He did.
The 167pounder from Pittsfield, Mass. sporting a good left right combination, TKO'd Pete Riccitelli, 176, of Portland to retain his New England heavyweight title before some 2,300 paid fans at the Portland Exposition Building Thursday night.
FOURTH MEETING
It was the fourth meeting of the two curly haired boxers. Spence won the first via a decision and Riccitelli came back to win the next two.
Spence was aggressor in the early going throwing left jabs and quick right crosses to Pete's head. HOwever, the Portland Prancer didn't retreat and threw a minimal amount of punches.
In the second round, Spence threw a right hand to the side of Riccitelli's head which wobbled him momentarily but didn't follow up.
Pete started coming inn more in the third round but still didn't throw a punch with any authority and seemed, to many veteran ringside observes, to be pacing himself.
Spence opened up the fourth and what proved to be the final round, with two good right crosses which Riccitelli weathered well. Half a minute later Spence exploded a left, right combination to Riccitelli's head. Pete reeled back and Spence instinctively realizing a kill, moved in with a quick right to the midsection and another left-right combination to the head. Riccitelli went down on his back. At the count of five he managed to get to his feet but wobbled across the ring and went down again. This time he came right up but referee Pete Bennett called an end at 2:10.
RICCITELLI PROTESTS STOPPING FIGHT.
RICCITELLI protested the stopping of the bout, but one look at the glazed eyes of the Portland boxer substantiated Bennett's move.