Date: 31st January 1970
Venue: Palazzetto dello Sport, Roma, ItalyTitle: WBC World Super-lightweight Title
Promoter: Rino Tommasi
Referee: Teddy Waltham
Pedro Adigue Jr
(
29
-
9
-
5
)
Weight: 139½ lbs
Bruno Arcari
(
36
-
2
-
0
)
Weight: 138¼ lbs
On January 31, 1970, Pedro Adigue Jr. faced Bruno Arcari at the Palazzetto dello Sport in Rome for the WBC World Super-Lightweight title. Adigue, a Filipino fighter, entered the bout as the defending champion, boasting a record of 29 wins, 9 losses, and 5 draws. Arcari, from Italy, was coming into the fight with a stronger record of 36 wins and just 2 losses, holding the European title at the time.
Adigue had to lose 7 ounces at the weigh-in to reach the 140-lb limit.
The fight took place in front of a passionate Italian crowd, where Arcari was clearly the favourite. The match unfolded with Arcari imposing himself, using his experience and aggressive style to pressure Adigue throughout the rounds. While Adigue looked competitive at times, Arcari's relentless attack and sharper punching were evident as the fight wore on.
Referee Waltham warned Adigue on no less than nine occasions about head butts.
At the end of the 15-round fight, the decision was a clear victory for Arcari, with Waltham scoring the bout 74-66 in favour of the Italian.
Referee Waltham said after the fight, "I thought Arcari was a better all-round boxer. Adigue relied too heavily on one punch, the right. Arcari had anxious moments with that right swing, but he came out of it."
Arcari's victory marked the beginning of a dominant run in the super-lightweight division, where he would defend his WBC title nine times and remain unbeaten until his retirement in 1978.
For Adigue, the loss marked a setback in his career, but he would continue to remain a fixture in the lower-weight divisions, though he was never able to recapture a world title. Arcari's victory solidified his status as one of the top fighters of his era and established him as a major figure in the sport in Italy.