63 years ago

Date: 7th February 1961

Title: vacant NBA World Light-heavyweight Title

Promoter: Chris Dundee

Harold Johnson
( 62 - 8 - 0 )
Weight: 172 lbs

Jesse Bowdry
( 28 - 5 - 0 )
Weight: 173 lbs

When Archie Moore was stripped of the NBA World Light-heavyweight Title, Johnson and Bowdry were matched to find his successor.

The pair met in Miami in front of a crowd of 4,017 at the Convention Center in Miami Beach.

Johnson was dominant from the start and Bowdry was floored four times in the 9 rounds the bout lasted. Referee Cy Gottfried counting out Bowdry on his feet at 0:45 of the round.

After the fight when asked how it felt to win the belt johnson answered: "I don't feel like the champ yet, when I beat the old man (Archie Moore) I'll get that feeling."