43 years ago
Tadashi Mihara vs Davey Moore
Date: 2nd February 1982
Venue: Metropolitan Gym, Tokyo, JapanTitle: WBA World Super-welterweight Title
Promoter: Shin Nihon Saito Promotions
Referee: Carlos Berrocal
Tv: NBC Sportsworld
Tadashi Mihara
(
15
-
0
-
0
)
Weight: 153¾ lbs
Davey Moore
(
8
-
0
-
0
)
Weight: 152¾ lbs
On February 2, 1982, the Metropolitan Gym in Tokyo, Japan, became the stage for an international boxing confrontation that would mark a significant moment in the careers of two rising superstars. With an unblemished record of 8-0, American challenger Davey Moore ventured into his first world title fight against the newly crowned WBA World Super-welterweight champion, Tadashi Mihara, who was defending his title for the first time. Under the Shin Nihon Saito Promotions promotional banner, the event was overseen by referee Carlos Berrocal and broadcast internationally on NBC Sportsworld.
Mihara, a native of Japan, had secured the super-welterweight title just three months prior in a contest against Rocky Fratto. He entered the ring with a perfect 15-0 record, weighing 153¾ lbs, poised to defend his title in front of a home crowd. Davey Moore, weighing slightly less at 152¾ lbs, was a promising 23-year-old fighter from New York. Despite his relative inexperience, Moore's ambition was clear, as he aimed to seize the championship early in his career.
The fight commenced with both fighters exchanging cautious blows, gauging each other's strengths and weaknesses. However, as the rounds progressed, Moore's aggressive style and powerful punching began to dominate the proceedings. In the pivotal fifth round, Moore landed a critical blow that sent Mihara to the canvas for the first time. This knockdown set the tone for what was to come.
The sixth round proved even more dramatic as Moore intensified his attacks, knocking down Mihara three more times. The final knockdown prompted referee Carlos Berrocal to invoke the three-knockdown rule, stopping the fight without a count. This decisive action crowned Davey Moore the new WBA World Super-welterweight Champion, marking a meteoric rise in the professional ranks.
Moore's victory in Tokyo was a personal triumph and a statement to the boxing world about his capabilities and potential. He went on to defend his title successfully on three occasions against high-calibre opponents, including a knockout victory over Charlie Weir in Johannesburg, a technical knockout against Ayub Kalule in Atlantic City, and another knockout win over Gary Guiden.
However, Moore's promising career came to a screeching halt. He encountered the legendary Roberto Duran in June 1983 at Madison Square Garden, suffering his first professional defeat. Moore's life ended tragically five years later in 1988, under heart-breaking circumstances involving a vehicular accident at his home.
Tadashi Mihara's professional record was impressive, with Moore being the only blemish on it. Despite this, a closer look reveals that Moore and Fratto were the only opponents Mihara faced who held winning records at the time of their bouts, painting a complex picture of his career in a fiercely competitive division.
Tadashi Mihara vs Davey Moore on YouTube
