39 years ago
Tim Witherspoon vs James Bonecrusher Smith
Date: 15th June 1985
Venue: Riviera Hotel & Casino, Las Vegas, NevadaTitle: NABF Heavyweight Title
Promoter: Don King
Referee: Richard Steele
Tv: HBO World Championship Boxing
Tim Witherspoon
(
25
-
2
-
0
)
Weight: 221½ lbs
James Smith
(
18
-
5
-
0
)
Weight: 228¾ lbs
Tim Witherspoon defended his North American Boxing Federation (NABF) Heavyweight title against James 'Bonecrusher' Smith on June 15, 1985, on a Don King-promoted card. The fight demonstrated the gap in class between the two heavyweights over twelve rounds.
Witherspoon controlled the action throughout, with his superior boxing skills evident as he repeatedly outmanoeuvred and outboxed Smith. Under referee Richard Steele's supervision, the champion put on a masterclass, reflected in the unanimous scoring. All three judges - Dick Cole, John McSweeney, and Dave Moretti - turned in identical scorecards of 119-109 in Witherspoon's favour.
The bout represented Witherspoon's first defence of his NABF title, and while Smith showed durability in lasting the distance, he could not mount any significant offence against the champion. The one-sided nature of the contest was evident in the scoring, with Smith claiming just a single round on each judge's card.