78 years ago

Date: 27th September 1946

Venue: Yankee Stadium, The Bronx, New York

Title: World Middleweight Title

Promoter: Mike Jacobs

Tony Zale
( 57 - 16 - 2 )
Weight: 160 lbs

Rocky Graziano
( 43 - 6 - 5 )
Weight: 154 lbs

On September 27, 1946, Tony Zale and Rocky Graziano met at Yankee Stadium in The Bronx, New York, for the World Middleweight Championship. Zale, the defending champion, had not fought in five years due to serving in the Navy during World War II, while Graziano, the younger and more active challenger, was a slight betting favourite.

The fight, promoted by Mike Jacobs, drew a crowd of 39,827 and a gross gate of $342,497. Zale weighed 160 lbs, while Graziano weighed 154 lbs.

In the first round, Zale dropped Graziano for a five-count with a left hook. Graziano came back strong, pounding Zale and dropping him for a three-count at the end of the second round. Graziano continued his assault, and after five rounds, Zale appeared to be on the verge of defeat.

However, in the sixth round, Zale rallied and landed a powerful right to Graziano's solar plexus, followed by a left hook to the chin. Graziano went down and was counted out by referee Ruby Goldstein at 1:43 of the round.

The fight was named "Fight of the Year" by The Ring magazine and was later ranked as the fifth greatest title fight of all time by the publication in 1996. After the fight, the Associated Press described Zale as looking like "a man who had been in hand-to-hand combat with a buzzsaw" but somehow emerged victorious.

This bout marked the beginning of a legendary trilogy between Zale and Graziano. Graziano won the rematch in 1947 to capture the title, and Zale reclaimed the championship in their third and final meeting in 1948.