Date: 21st March 1998
Venue: Max Schmeling Halle, Prenzlauer Berg, Berlin, GermanyTitle: vacant WBC World Light-heavyweight Title
Promoter: Sauerland Event
Tv: RTL
Graciano Rocchigiani
(
39
-
4
-
1
)
Weight: 175 lbs
Michael Nunn
(
52
-
3
-
0
)
Weight: 175 lbs
On Saturday, 21st March 1998, Graciano Rocchigiani and Michael Nunn faced off at the Max Schmeling Halle in Prenzlauer Berg, Berlin, Germany. This bout was promoted by Sauerland Event and aired on RTL. The vacant WBC World Light-heavyweight Title was at stake. Both fighters entered the ring with impressive records, Rocchigiani at 39-4-1 and Nunn at 52-3-0.
The match was a closely contested affair, with both boxers engaging in a gruelling battle.
After twelve rounds of intense action, the judges' scores would determine the outcome of the match. Richard James Davies scored the fight 118-111 in favor of Rocchigiani, while Ken Morita scored it 115-113, also for Rocchigiani. However, Jose Juan Guerra saw the fight differently, scoring it 116-113 in favor of Nunn. The split decision ultimately went in Rocchigiani's favor, crowning him the new WBC World Light-heavyweight champion.
In an interesting turn of events, the WBC conducted an investigation into the Rocchigiani vs. Nunn fight in 2021. The investigation uncovered irregularities in the match, which led the WBC to retroactively award Michael Nunn a championship belt and proclaim him the WBC light heavyweight champion for 1998.