Ismael Laguna vs. Raul Soriano

Ismael Laguna 136 lbs beat Raul Soriano 137 lbs by TKO in round 8 of 10

• Date: 1965-06-19
• Location: Estadio Nacional, Panama City, Panama
• Referee: Servio Tulio Lay

Pre-fight comments

• "I feel in good shape and have good speed. As always I am eager to give Panama another victory. I know Soriano has come with the same purposes, but I'll do my best to stop him before the 8th round." -Ismael Laguna

• "I cannot be in better shape. I have trained hard in order to gain speed. I expect to win by a knockout." -Raul Soriano

"Lightweight champion Ismael Laguna of Panama pounded Mexican lightweight champ Raul Soriano unmercifully Saturday night to score an easy 8th round TKO in their non-title bout at Olympic Stadium. Laguna, 136, started slowly and didn't show much of his vaunted speed in the early rounds. But at the start of the 5th round he began hitting Soriano almost at will with a series of quick left-right combinations. Soriano, 136 3/4, continued to absorb punches through the 6th and 7th rounds and in the 8th the Panamanian succeeded in getting Soriano pinned against the ropes." -United Press International

• The Panamanian Boxing Commission fined Laguna $200 (which was raised to $250 when Laguna protested their decision) for inappropriate behavior and "aggressive action" during the bout. With Soriano helpless on the ropes in the 8th round, while the referee was trying to stop the fight, Laguna twice pushed the referee out of the way to get in more punches. The Mexican Boxing Commission announced no Panamanian boxers would be permitted to box on Mexican soil and no Mexican boxers would be allowed to box in Panama until Laguna apologized for his "disgracefully unsportsmanlike conduct".