34 years ago
Julio Cesar Chavez vs John Duplessis
Date: 18th March 1991
Venue: Mirage Hotel & Casino, Las Vegas, Nevada
Title: WBC & IBF World Super-lightweight Titles
Promoter: Don King Productions & M&M Sports
Tv: Showtime
Julio Cesar Chavez
(
73
-
0
-
0
)
Weight: 139 lbs
John Duplessis
(
36
-
1
-
0
)
Weight: 139 lbs
On March 18, 1991, the Mirage Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas hosted the matchup between Julio Cesar Chavez and John Duplessis. The event, promoted by Don King Productions and M&M Sports, was televised by Showtime. In this highly anticipated WBC and IBF World Super-lightweight Titles defense, the undefeated Chavez (73-0-0) was to face Duplessis (36-1-0), whose only career loss had been a contentious decision three years prior.
The first round of the bout saw Duplessis primarily on the defensive, moving constantly and throwing very few punches. Chavez was the aggressor, managing to land a few hits on Duplessis, who repeatedly clinched whenever Chavez got close. Duplessis seemed reluctant to engage Chavez, often throwing punches that did not reach Chavez or only hit his gloves.
The dynamic continued into the second round, with Duplessis landing some light punches early on. Despite this, Chavez was able to overcome Duplessis's defensive tactics by landing several hard punches, including a body shot that sent Duplessis to the canvas. After rising at the count of three and taking the mandatory eight, Duplessis was once again on the defensive, primarily employing clinching and evasion tactics.
Round three saw Duplessis relying heavily on ineffective jabs and constant movement. Chavez attempted to work Duplessis's body, but his efforts were often thwarted by Duplessis's clinching. Despite his corner's shouts of "Get out of there!", Duplessis found himself trapped by Chavez, who focused his offensive on Duplessis's body.
The fourth and final round of the fight began with Chavez focusing more on headshots. Despite landing a few of his own, Duplessis's focus was on defense, often trying to push Chavez down during clinches. Chavez was warned by referee Carlos Padilla for low blows during one such clinch. The fight came to a sudden end when Chavez sent Duplessis through the ropes with a series of hard rights and a final body punch. Although Duplessis could have continued after the knockdown, Padilla waved the fight off, signalling a victory for Chavez.