79 years ago

Date: 18th April 1945

Title: NBA World Lightweight Title

Promoter: Jimmy Fitten

Ike Williams
( 64 - 7 - 2 )
Weight: 131¼ lbs

Juan Zurita
( 129 - 22 - 1 )
Weight: 133¼ lbs

On April 18, 1945, at El Toreo de Cuatro Caminos in Mexico City, Ike Williams challenged Juan Zurita for the NBA World Lightweight Title in a bout that would reshape the lightweight division landscape. Promoted by Jimmy Fitten, this fight marked Williams' ascension to world championship status and the end of Zurita's brief reign.

Williams, weighing in at 131¼ lbs, entered the ring with a record of 64-7-2, while the champion Zurita, at 133¼ lbs, boasted an impressive 129-22-1 record. Despite Zurita's experience advantage, having competed in 152 professional bouts compared to Williams' 73, the outcome would defy expectations.

Zurita had claimed the title just over a year earlier, on March 8, 1944, with a unanimous decision victory over Sammy Angott in Los Angeles. His championship tenure had been active, including a non-title loss and five subsequent knockout victories in 10-round bouts.

The fight itself was brief but decisive. In the second round, Williams launched a relentless two-fisted attack that Zurita couldn't withstand, leading to a technical knockout victory for the challenger. This outcome crowned Williams as the new NBA World Lightweight Champion and marked a change in the guards in the division.

Interestingly, both fighters faced immediate setbacks following this bout. Williams lost his next fight, a non-title 10-round decision to Willie Joyce. Meanwhile, Zurita lost a non-title 10-rounder to former world lightweight titleholder Beau Jack. The Mexican retired in 1948 with a career record of 130-23-1 and the accolade of being Mexico's first-ever world boxing champion.