44 years ago
Alan Minter vs Vito Antuofermo
Date: 28th June 1980
Venue: Empire Pool, Wembley, LondonTitle: WBC & WBA World Middleweight Titles
Promoter: Mickey Duff , Harry Levene
Tv: BBC
Alan Minter
(
37
-
6
-
0
)
Weight: 160 lbs
Vito Antuofermo
(
45
-
4
-
2
)
Weight: 159 1/4 lbs
On June 28, 1980, at Wembley's Empire Pool, Alan Minter delivered a definitive defence of his undisputed middleweight crown, forcing Vito Antuofermo's corner to halt the contest after eight rounds of systematic punishment. The bout, promoted by Mickey Duff and Harry Levene and broadcast on BBC, erased any lingering doubts from their controversial first meeting three months earlier in Las Vegas.
At 160 pounds, Minter produced what many consider his career-best performance against the 159ΒΌ-pound challenger. The champion's precision resulted in severe damage to Antuofermo's eyebrows, creating cuts so grievous that BBC commentator Harry Carpenter questioned the humanity of allowing the fight to continue.
The one-sided nature of the contest was reflected in the scorecards at the time of the stoppage: Jean Deswert (80-71), Kurt Halbach (80-72), and Octavio Meyran (80-73) all had Minter winning decisively. The passionate London crowd witnessed their champion systematically dismantle Antuofermo, who, despite his legendary toughness, was saved by his corner's intervention.
The bout's brutality was evidenced by the blood-splattered ringside area, with Antuofermo suffering such significant blood loss that his corner's humanitarian stoppage likely prevented more serious injury. This marked a decisive end to their rivalry, with Minter emphatically settling any controversy from their first encounter.