76 years ago

Date: 10th June 1948

Venue: Ruppert Stadium, Newark, New Jersey

Title: World Middleweight Title

Promoter: Tournament Of Champions INC

Rocky Graziano
( 47 - 7 - 5 )
Weight: 158½ lbs

Tony Zale
( 66 - 17 - 2 )
Weight: 158¾ lbs

On June 10, 1948, Tony Zale and Rocky Graziano met for the third and final time in their legendary trilogy at Ruppert Stadium in Newark, New Jersey. The fight, originally scheduled for June 9, was postponed by one day due to rain. Graziano, the defending World Middleweight Champion, was a 12 to 5 favourite against Zale.

A crowd of 21,497 gathered at Ruppert Stadium to witness the rubber match. The gross gate was $335,646, with an additional $45,000 for radio and movie rights and $25,000 for radio rights. The promoters banned television broadcasting. Graziano was guaranteed a purse of $120,000, while Zale was assured $60,000.

Both fighters, at the peak of their physical prowess, weighed in at 159 lbs. The first round saw Zale, with a display of raw power, deck Graziano with a left hook for a 3-count. Graziano, showing his resilience, managed to come back and hurt Zale with his own right. The third round, a testament to their skill and power, saw Zale drop Graziano for a seven-count with a left hook. Shortly after rising, Graziano was knocked out cold by another left hook to the jaw, with referee Paul Cavalier counting him out at 1:08 of the round.

With this monumental victory, Zale etched his name in boxing history, becoming the third boxer to regain the World Middleweight Championship, joining the ranks of Stanley Ketchel and Al Hostak. The fight, a more decisive win for Zale compared to their previous two encounters, which had both ended in sixth-round stoppages, marked a turning point in his career and in the history of boxing.

After the fight, a dazed Graziano admitted that he never fully recovered from the first punch Zale landed, stating, "I never even remembered the last round." The Zale-Graziano trilogy remains one of the most celebrated rivalries in boxing history, with all three fights showcasing both men's incredible skill, heart, and punching power.