41 years ago

Date: 15th September 1983

Venue: Madison Square Garden, New York

Title: WBA World Lightweight Title

Promoter: Top Rank

Tv: CBS Sports Saturday

Ray Mancini
( 26 - 1 - 0 )
Weight: 135 lbs

Orlando Romero
( 30 - 0 - 1 )
Weight: 134¾ lbs

On Thursday, September 15, 1983, Madison Square Garden in New York witnessed a memorable WBA World Lightweight Title bout between the defending champion Ray "Boom Boom" Mancini from Youngstown, Ohio, and the challenger Orlando Romero from Trujillo, Peru. Mancini, with a record of 26-1-0, was making his third title defense, while Romero, ranked No. 1 by the WBA, held an undefeated record of 30-0-1 with 12 knockouts. The event, promoted by Top Rank, was aired on CBS Sports Saturday and officiated by referee Tony Perez.

Both fighters entered the ring with determination, Mancini weighing 135 lbs and Romero at 134¾ lbs. Ray Mancini was inspired to fight at Madison Square Garden after witnessing Roberto Duran's victory over Davey Moore earlier that year, while his father, Lenny Mancini, had a deep emotional connection to the venue, having fought there in 1947.

In this closely contested match, Mancini's first title defense since the tragic fight against Deuk-Koo Kim, both fighters displayed skill and tenacity. Romero, despite being a huge underdog and fighting outside his native Peru for the first time, proved to be a formidable opponent for the champion.

The fight saw a constant back-and-forth between the two young boxers, with the judges' scorecards reflecting the closeness of the contest: Yusaku Yoshida scored it 79-77, Nicasio Drake had it 77-77, and Ismael Wiso Fernandez scored it 77-76. However, the outcome of the bout would not be left to the judges.

In the ninth round, at 1:56, Mancini unleashed a devastating left hook to Romero's chin, sending the Peruvian challenger to the canvas. Unable to beat the count, Romero suffered a knockout loss, and Mancini successfully defended his WBA World Lightweight Title.