This is my continuing list of the fights I’ve watched on HBO over the years.
56. Lennox Lewis vs. Tommy Morrison. October 7, 1995. I didn’t have to travel anywhere to watch fights anywhere, and could watch them on my new 46 inch projection TV. The HBO buildup called this one a ‘Tossup’, but I knew Tommy had two chances to win the fight. Slim and none. Lennox dominated from the opening bell at the card from Atlantic City Convention Hall, and dropped Morrison four times enroute to a sixth round stoppage. Tommy could punch, but had no chin, and this would be his last bout of note. Just 4 months later, he announced he was HIV positive, and would have to retire from boxing.
57. Pernell Whitaker vs. Jake Rodriguez. November 18, 1995. ‘Sweet Pea’ had little trouble with his opponent that night at Convention Hall in Atlantic City. Pernell dominated the action, and knocked Rodriguez out in the sixth. It was his first KO in a title fight since 1990, when he stopped Juan Nazario in one. I always liked watching Pernell fight, and he had become one of my favorites over his career.
58. Oscar De La Hoya vs. James Leija. December 15, 1995. I was in Las Vegas for a week, and caught his one on the big screens at the Caesar’s Palace Sports Book. The ‘Golden Boy’ destroyed ‘Jesse’ James in two rounds at Madison Square Garden in New York City. Oscar was one of the sport’s brightest stars, with both his talent and good looks, and always put on a great show. He was headed for a showdown with Julio Cesar Chavez in spring of 1996, to prove who was the top Mexican fighter around.
59. Pernell Whitaker vs. Wilfredo Rivera. April 12, 1996. I watched this bout on my recliner with little interest quite frankly, since it was far from a riveting out. Whitaker won a twelve round split decision, and the thing that annoyed me the most was the commentating from HBO. They were always quick to criticize a great champion like ‘Sweet Pea’, and just because he loses a few round, all of a sudden he’s finished. Pernell won the fight, and that’s all that mattered to me.
60. Lewis vs. Mercer/Witherspoon vs. Gonzalez/Holyfield vs. Czyz. May 10, 1996. This tripleheader from Madison Square Garden featuring all heavyweights was certainly an entertaining night of boxing. As had been the custom since I bought the big screen TV in June of 1995, my brother now came over my house to watch the fights. We were both big Evander fans, so his bout was the one we had the most interest in. Tim Witherspoon knocked out Gonzalez in five rounds in his bout, and looked sharp in his latest comeback attempt. In second bout, Lennox Lewis and Ray Mercer fought a spirited and close affair, with Lewis winning a close decision. Evander Holyfield and Bobby Czyz closed the show, with Evander struggling to stop the smaller Czyz. It was called after five, when Czyz complained he could no longer see because of a substance in his eye. The critics lambasted Holyfield, saying he should quit if that’s the best he could do. Evander didn’t listen, and surprised the whole world just six months later.
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