From the archive · December 13, 2003
Rosendo Alvarez vs Jose Victor Burgos
WBA & IBF World Light-flyweight Titles · Boardwalk Hall, Atlantic City, USA
Record 32-2-1 · 108 lb
Record 36-13-2 · 108 lb
The fight
On December 13, 2003, the Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, New Jersey, hosted a monumental boxing event billed as the "Night of the Undisputed." Don King Productions promoted this event. It featured eight world championship bouts, five televised on HBO PPV. The main card included several high-profile title fights, including John Ruiz vs Hasim Rahman for the WBA Interim Heavyweight Title, Cory Spinks vs Ricardo Mayorga for the WBC & IBF Welterweight Titles, and Bernard Hopkins vs William Joppy for the WBC & IBF Middleweight Titles.
One of the most intriguing bouts of the evening was the light-flyweight unification fight between Rosendo Alvarez, the WBA champion, and Jose Victor Burgos, the IBF titleholder. Alvarez, a former WBA World Minimumweight champion with four successful defences, had won the WBA Light-flyweight title from Beibis Mendoza in March 2001 and made his third title defence. Burgos, who had claimed the IBF title earlier in 2003, was looking to unify the titles. The fight ended in a split decision draw, with judges scoring 113-116 for Burgos, 114-114, and 116-112 for Alvarez. This outcome meant both fighters retained their respective titles.
Other notable fights on the card included Wayne Braithwaite's first-round knockout victory over Luis Andres Pineda for the WBC Cruiserweight Title, Zab Judah's first-round knockout of Jaime Rangel for the WBO Light Welterweight Title, Travis Simms's fifth-round knockout win over Alejandro Garcia for the WBA Super Welterweight Title, and Luis Alberto Perez's unanimous decision victory over Felix Machado for the IBF Super Flyweight Title. The event was attended by a crowd of 12,000, including actor Denzel Washington. It marked a significant moment in boxing history with its record number of world title bouts on a single card.
The Alvarez vs. Burgos fight was a closely contested affair, reflecting the skill and determination of both fighters. Alvarez entered the bout with a record of 32-2-1, while Burgos had a record of 36-13-2. Despite the split draw, both fighters demonstrated their ability to compete at the highest level, leaving fans eager for a potential rematch.