Eddie Machen vs. Nino Valdes (1st meeting)

Eddie Machen 193 lbs beat Nino Valdes 212 lbs by UD in round 10 of 10

• Date: 1956-04-16
• Location: Cow Palace, Daly City, California, USA
• Referee: Jack Downey 55.5-54.5
• Judge: Fred Apostoli 56-54
• Judge: Toby Irwin 56-53.5

"Young Eddie Machen cut Nino Valdez, #3 in the world heavyweight ranks, down to size in taking an upset unanimous decision before a wildly partisan crowd of about 6,000 at the Cow Palace. The 23 year old from Redding, Calif., inflicted only slight damage on the big Cuban but piled up enough points to win on all three official cards." -Associated Press

"Valdez, weighing 212 to 193 for Eddie, almost pulled the fight out of the bag when he staggered Machen with a left hook in the final round. Eddie appeared on the verge of going down, but Nino was unable to follow up his advantage. Machen quickly regained his composure and was swinging away at the bell." -Oakland Tribune

• Attendance - 3,515
• Gate - $14,889

Unofficial scorecards

• AP - 55 1/2-54 1/2 Valdez
• UP - 57-53 Machen
• San Mateo Times - 55-55 Draw
• Oakland Tribune - 55 1/2 - 54 1/2 Machen

Post fight comment

• "I insisted on a return bout clause before I signed. I didn't think we lost, but I did tell Nino when the 9th round started that he better go out and KO the kid or he'd lose." -Bobby Gleason, Valdez's manager

• "This puts Eddie into the round-robin if Marciano retires. I'd put him in with any of the other heavies around." -Sid Flaherty, Machen's manager

• "No more fighting in California for me. Too many people here against me." -Nino Valdez

• "I thought I was winning all the way. He was big and strong, but otherwise he didn't show me a great deal." -Eddie Machen