36 years ago
Michael Moorer vs Frankie Swindell
Date: 19th February 1989
Venue: Monessen High Gym, Monessen, PennsylvaniaTitle: WBO World Light-heavyweight Title
Tv: NBC Sportsworld
Michael Moorer
(
13
-
0
-
0
)
Weight: 174 lbs
Frankie Swindell
(
15
-
2
-
0
)
Weight: 175 lbs
In a thrilling encounter at the Monessen High Gym in Pennsylvania, Michael Moorer successfully defended his WBO World Light Heavyweight Title for the second time, defeating Frankie Swindell by TKO in the sixth round.
The bout, which aired as the main event on NBC Sportsworld, ended at 2:50 of the round when the referee intervened to stop Swindell from enduring further punishment against the ropes.
Moorer, weighing in at 174 pounds, entered the ring with an impeccable record of 13-0, all wins coming by way of knockout. Swindell, from Nashville, Tennessee, brought a record of 17-3 into the fight, including a notable first-round TKO victory over former WBC world light-heavyweight champion Matthew Saad Muhammad. The matchup promised action, and it delivered, with both fighters exchanging heavy blows from the outset.
The fight took a dramatic turn in the fourth round when Moorer managed to regain control despite being momentarily staggered by a right hand from Swindell that closed his left eye. By the sixth round, Moorer unleashed a devastating combination on Swindell, driving him back into the ropes with two right hands and a right-hand hook. Seeing Swindell unable to effectively defend himself, referee Andy DePaul made the decisive call to halt the match.
The decision to stop the fight was met with mixed reactions. Under whose sanction the bout was held, the WBO does not recognise a standing eight count, a rule that Referee DePaul lamented in hindsight. He preferred issuing a standing eight count over stopping the fight but ultimately defended his decision, emphasising the importance of a fighter's safety over the timing of the stoppage.
Moorer, now 14-0 with all wins by knockout, acknowledged Swindell's competitive spirit but deferred comments on the stoppage to his manager, Emanuel Steward. Steward, representing Detroit's Kronk Gym, supported DePaul's decision, highlighting the clean blows Swindell had taken and the necessity of the stoppage for his safety.