33 years ago

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.