Barry McGuigan vs Steve Cruz

The Barry McGuigan vs Steve Cruz WBA World Featherweight Title fight took place on June 23rd, 1986, at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas. The bout was a highly anticipated event and attracted a crowd of 10,200 people to the outdoor arena. The fight was promoted by Bob Arum and was refereed by Richard Steele. The bout was also broadcasted live on BBC in the UK.

McGuigan, who was the reigning champion, entered the ring with a record of 29-1-0, while Cruz came in with a record of 25-1-0. Both fighters weighed in at 126lbs, and McGuigan was the 5-1 favorite to win the fight. The purse for McGuigan was $500,000, while Cruz was paid $70,000.

As the fight started, the temperature was 110 degrees, and both fighters gave it their all. McGuigan was ahead by two points on the scorecards of judges Guy Jutras and Angel C. Tovar after fourteen rounds. However, the final round proved to be decisive as McGuigan was knocked down twice and both judges awarded the round to Cruz by a 10-7 margin, giving him a one-point victory on the two judges' scorecards.

Referee Richard Steele took a point away from McGuigan in the twelfth round for a low blow, and McGuigan was knocked down in the tenth round. Despite this, the fight was highly entertaining and was named Fight of the Year by The Ring.

After the fight, McGuigan was taken to Valley Hospital as a precaution and stayed overnight. Despite the loss, McGuigan had a successful career and will always be remembered as one of the great featherweight champions of all time. On the other hand, Cruz's victory over McGuigan helped cement his place as one of the top fighters in the featherweight division.