On Saturday, 19th April 2003, the highly anticipated WBC Lightweight Title fight between Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Victoriano Sosa took place at the Selland Arena in Fresno, California. Mayweather, the defending champion, entered the bout with an unblemished record, while Sosa aimed to dethrone the pound-for-pound king and secure the prestigious title for himself. Mayweather's purse for this fight was an impressive $2.8 million.
From the outset of the match, Sosa showcased his aggressive and high-volume fighting style, relentlessly pressuring Mayweather. However, Mayweather demonstrated his superior boxing skills, effectively neutralizing Sosa's offense and landing clean, precise jabs to Sosa's face and midsection throughout the contest.
In the sixth round, Sosa attempted to change the momentum by launching a fierce offensive assault. Nonetheless, Mayweather displayed his defensive prowess, weathering the storm and continuing to dominate the bout with his impeccable jabbing technique.
As the fight progressed, Mayweather's accuracy and ring generalship became more apparent, with Sosa struggling to connect with any meaningful blows. Despite Sosa's high punch output, Mayweather continued to exploit openings and pick his opponent apart with surgical precision.
After twelve gruelling rounds, the judges' scorecards reflected Mayweather's dominance in the ring. Mayweather was awarded a unanimous decision victory, with scores of 118-110, 119-109, and 118-110. The Times also scored the fight in Mayweather's favor at 117-111.
