33 years ago
Marlin Starling vs Fujio Ozaki
Date: 5th February 1988
Venue: Convention Center, Atlantic City, New Jersey, USA
Title: WBA World Welterweight Title
Promoted by: Cedric Kushner Productions
Marlin Starling
(
42
-
4
-
0
)
Weight: 145 lbs
Fujio Ozaki
(
21
-
4
-
0
)
Weight: 146 1/4 lbs
WBA welterweight champion Marlon Starling (42-4-0) met Japan's Fujio Ozaki (21-4-0) at the Convention Center in Atlantic City, New Jersey on 5th February 1988 in his first title defence. The native of Hartford, Connecticut had won the title in a big upset against 1984 Olympic gold medalist Mark Breland six months earlier.
Ozaki, the WBA's sixth-ranked contender fought well throughout the 12 rounds but lost by unanimous decision to set up a rematch between Starling and Breland.
The Starling vs Breland rematch resulted in a split decision draw when they met in Las Vegas two months later.