I once sat in New York with Jim Jacobs, the co-manager of Iron Mike Tyson, who had a collection of “The Greatest Fight Movies of the Century.”
Speaking of bad decisions, he said “when Willie Pastrano beat the champion Harold Johnson.” It was June 1968 in Las Vegas when Pastrano, 57-11-8, won a split decision over Johnson, 69-8. I saw Johnson at a boxing event and asked “how did a bum like Pastrano beat you?” His response was “he was a good boxer.
My worst was in Philadelphia in November 1976 when I saw Puerto Rico WBC Super Featherweight champion Alfredo Escalera, 36-7-2, win a split decision over Tyrone Everett of Philadelphia, 34-0. I went 13-2 in the round for Everett. The Mexican umpire had Everett up, while Puerto Rico and Philadelphia umpire Lou Tress had it for Everett. The 46-year-old veteran judge has never done a single show. He must have been “well paid!”
I heard it once in June 1973 in Atlantic City, New Jersey, when Chuck Wepner, 26-9-2 of New Jersey, won a decision over former heavyweight champion Ernie Terrell, 46-7 to 7-5 in rounds by referee Harold Wallan.
With a recent light heavyweight title fight between WBC, WBO and IBF champion Artur Beterbiev, 20-0, he won a majority decision over WBA and IBO champion Dmitry Bivol, 23-0, in October in Saudi Arabia. I had Buffalo in front. The second leg will be played in February.
The second was in April 1987 when former champion “Sugar” Ray Leonard, 33-1, defeated middleweight champion “The Miracle” Marvin Hagler, 62-2-2, by split decision, who never fought again but moved to Italy . I was one of the few who thought Leonard had won.
In other championship bouts, WBC Light Heavyweight Champion Floyd ‘Money’ Mayweather, Jr., 27-0, won a split decision against Jose ‘El Terrible’ Luis Castillo, 45-4-1, in San Francisco, California. in April. 2002. It was bad enough for an immediate rematch.
When 42-0 heavyweight champion Larry ‘The Easton Assassin’, in Las Vegas in May 1983, won a majority decision over future champion ‘The Terrible’ Tim Witherspoon, 15-0. At a press conference, I once yelled, “No You don’t think you really beat ‘Scary’ Tim Witherspoon?” He wasn’t happy with me.
When champion Muhammad Ali, 50-2, defeated Jimmy Young of Philadelphia, 17-4-2, in April 1976 in Landover, MD. Controversial, if not bad.
When champion Joe ‘The Brown Bomber’ Louis, 56-1, defeated ‘Jersey’ Joe Walcott, 42-13-1, it earned an instant rematch, in their fight in December 1947 when Louis hit the canvas twice.
When super middleweight champion Andre ‘SOG’ Ward, 30-0, defeated welterweight champion Sergey Kovalev, 30-0-1, in November 2016 in Las Vegas, it was bad enough for an instant rematch with Ward winning and withdrew.
The second was when WBO Welterweight Champion Tim Bradley, Jr., 28-0, defeated former champion Manny ‘Pac Man’ Pacquiao, 54-3-2, in Las Vegas in June 2012.
I could go on and on. What are some of your favorites?
