30 years ago

Date: 29th January 1994

Venue: MGM Grand, Las Vegas, Nevada

Title: WBC World Super-lightweight Title

Promoter: Don King Productions

Referee: Richard Steele

Tv: KingVision Pay-per-view

Julio Cesar Chavez
( 89 - 0 - 1 )
Weight: 140 lbs

Frankie Randall
( 48 - 2 - 1 )
Weight: 140 lbs

In a stunning upset that shocked the boxing world, Frankie Randall defeated Julio Cesar Chavez on Saturday, 29th January 1994, at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. It was a split decision that ended Chavez's long undefeated streak, taking him to 89-1-1. This was Randall's triumph, emerging victorious against a fighter who had been an astounding 15-1 favorite, and solidifying his record at 49-2-1. Referee Richard Steele presided over the match, and it was the controversial penalties he issued to Chavez that became a topic of controversy.

Both fighters weighed in at 140 pounds. From the opening bell, Randall proved to be a more than capable opponent, demonstrating that he would not be easily dismissed. He scored effectively with well-placed counters, keeping Chavez off-balance throughout much of the fight. Even when Chavez gained the upper hand, Randall came straight back with scoring shots to stay on top in the fight. In the 8th round, Randall landed an impressive sequence of 13 consecutive punches to the head.

A decisive moment came in the 11th round when Randall landed a right-hand counter over Chavez's jab, knocking him down. Chavez managed to get up at the count of '3', but the bell rang shortly after. This round became a deciding factor in the scoring. It also marked the first time Chavez had been officially knocked down in his professional career. Despite his attempts to regain control with strong body attacks, Chavez was penalized for low blows, which inevitably swayed the match in Randall's favor.

The judges' cards confirmed the split decision in Randall's favor. The scores were as follows: Abraham Chavarria awarded Chavez 114-113, Chuck Giampa favored Randall 116-111, and Angel Luis Guzman also leaned towards Randall with a score of 114-113. The assessment of the judges became the subject of discussion, considering the role of Steele's penalties in the final tally.

The bout was the headliner of a title tripleheader, a night of boxing promoted by Don King Productions and broadcasted by KingVision Pay-per-view. An estimated crowd of 12,500 watched on as Randall made history, with other notable fights featuring Felix Trinidad defending his IBF welterweight title against Hector Camacho and Simon Brown defending his WBC super welterweight title against Troy Waters.

In the aftermath, Randall's stunning victory over Chavez will be remembered as one of the biggest upsets in boxing history. As for Chavez, his first official loss marked a turning point in his illustrious career, a sobering moment of humility for a fighter widely considered one of the greatest to have graced the sport.