60 years ago
Carlos Ortiz vs Flash Elorde
Date: 15th February 1964
Venue: Rizal Memorial Sports Complex, Manila, Metro Manila
Title: WBC & WBA World Lightweight Titles
Promoter: Community Chest
Carlos Ortiz
(
42
-
4
-
0
)
Weight: 135 lbs
Flash Elorde
(
71
-
18
-
2
)
Weight: 135 lbs
Puerto Rico's Carlos Ortiz made the third defence of his world lightweight title against former world super-featherweight titleholder Gabriel 'Flash' Elorde at the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex in Manila, capital of the Philippines.
Ortiz had become the second Puerto Rican in history to win a world title when he stopped Kenny Lane in June 1959 to win the vacant world junior-welterweight crown, he then dropped down a division after losing twice to Italy's Duilio Loi and won the WBA world lightweight crown from long-serving champion Joe Brown.
Against Elorde, in the first of two world title meetings, Ortiz was ahead on all three judges scorecards when the referee, Jimmy Wilson called a halt in the 14th round as Elorde was being pummelled on the ropes. The Filipino challenger protested afterwards that he wasn't in serious trouble and that the fight should have been allowed to continue.
In November 1966, Ortiz knocked out Elorde, again in the 14th round of their second WBA world lightweight meeting.