Shozo Saijo vs. Frankie Crawford (1st meeting)
Shozo Saijo 126 lbs beat Frankie Crawford 126 lbs by MD in round 15 of 15
- Date: 1970-07-05
- Location: Miyagi Sports Center, Sendai, Miyagi, Japan
- Referee: Yusaku Yoshida 70-67
- Judge: Takeo Ugo 69-69
- Judge: Nick Pope 71-70
"Japan's Shozo Saijo bounced back from a 1st round knockdown, punched out a majority 15 round decision over Frankie Crawford of Los Angeles Sunday night, and retained his WBA featherweight crown. After Crawford dropped Saijo with a surprise left hook midway in the opening round, there were no other knockdowns. Saiyjo had the American challenger in trouble at the end of the 9th and beginning of the 10th rounds. At the end of the 9th, Saijo backed Crawford up to the ropes with a series of punishing blows but Crawford slipped away as the bell rang. Saijo came out for the 10th going all out for the knockout and again backed Crawford up to the ropes. But a moment later both fighters were back at mid-ring with Crawford punching as hard as previously. From there the fight slowed down and by the 15th the fighting became sloppy with frequent clinches." -Associated Press
Post fight comments
- "I should have followed up in that 1st round. I thought I won it. Every time he nailed me that crowd went wild and I think it might have influenced the judges." -Frankie Crawford
- "When you fight in the other guy's hometown, you have to figure you have a couple of points going against you. I think when hometown officials have it that close, that kind of tells the story." -Jackie McCoy, Crawford's manager