65 years ago
Joe Brown vs Johnny Busso
Date: 11th February 1959
Venue: Sam Houston Coliseum, Houston, Texas
Title: World Lightweight Title
Joe Brown
(
89
-
20
-
11
)
Weight: 134 lbs
Johnny Busso
(
35
-
7
-
1
)
Weight: 135 lbs
New Yorker Johnny Busso earned his shot at the World Lightweight Title by beating the champion, Joe 'Old Bones' Brown by a 10 round unanimous decision on the 5th November 1958 in Miami Beach, Florida in a non-title bout.
Four months later, the pair met with the title at stake in Houston, Texas. This was Brown's sixth defence of the crown he won from Wallace 'Bud' Smith on the 24th August 1956 and the champion who hailed from Baton Rouge, Louisiana made no mistake over the 15 round championship distance, winning by a clear unanimous decision.
Scores: 148-141 | Bill Cornelius 149-140 | Ernie Taylor 147-138.
Joe Brown went on to make eleven successful defences of the World Lightweight Title before losing it to Carlos Ortiz in April 1962. Brown's 1961 rematch with Dave Charnley was named 'Fight of the Year' by Ring Magazine.
