27 years ago
Herbie Hide vs Tony Tucker
Date: 28th June 1997
Venue: Sports Village, Norwich, EnglandTitle: vacant WBO World Heavyweight Title
Promoter: Sports Network
Tv: Sky Sports
Herbie Hide
(
28
-
1
-
0
)
Weight: 214¾ lbs
Tony Tucker
(
54
-
5
-
0
)
Weight: 243¼ lbs
Herbie Hide, the former WBO Heavyweight Champion, got another chance at heavyweight glory, this time in his hometown of Norwich, England, against Tony Tucker, the former IBF Heavyweight Champion, for the vacant WBO title. Hide had previously won the belt by stopping Michael Bentt in 1994 but lost it to Riddick Bowe in his first defence. After a 14-month hiatus following his first career defeat, Hide was back on the winning track and looking to regain his championship.
Tucker, on the other hand, had experienced a career decline. Despite being considered one of Mike Tyson's toughest opponents in their 1987 unification bout, Tucker had suffered losses to Lennox Lewis, Bruce Seldon, Henry Akinwande, and Orlin Norris in recent years. He entered the fight against Hide with a significant weight advantage, tipping the scales at 243 lbs compared to Hide's 215 lbs.
The bout, which served as a prelude to the highly anticipated Holyfield-Tyson II rematch, took place in Hide's hometown of Norwich. Hide set a blistering pace from the opening bell that the slower Tucker struggled to match. In the second round, the hometown favourite sent the crowd into a frenzy, landing a devastating three-punch combination that sent Tucker to the canvas.
Although Tucker managed to beat the count, Hide was relentless in his attack. He knocked Tucker down twice more in the same round, prompting referee Raul Caiz Sr to stop the fight at 2:45 due to the three-knockdown rule. The judges' scorecards after the first round were all in favour of Hide, with Samuel Viruet, Rafael Lopez Santos, and Jose Roberto Torres all scoring it 10-9.
The victory saw Herbie Hide regain the WBO Heavyweight Title, albeit a less prestigious belt than those of the other major sanctioning bodies. Unlike previous champions, Hide chose to defend his title rather than pursue more lucrative fights. He would make several successful defences before losing the belt to Vitali Klitschko in 1999.
Tony Tucker's loss to Hide was one of the final chapters in his career. He fought four more times, winning three and losing to John Ruiz, before retiring at 57-7. Despite his brief reign as IBF champion, Tucker is remembered as a solid contender who faced some of the best heavyweights of his era.
Herbie Hide vs Tony Tucker on YouTube
