By Jack Hirsch AUGUST 18, 1969 will be the 55th anniversary of when I attended my first professional boxing show. Unfortunately, I have not kept an exact count of how many I went to since, but it is safe to say not many people have gone to more. There have been legendary fights that this writer has viewed from the stands such as the Fight of the Century between Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier, Roberto Duran lifting the world lightweight title from Ken Buchanan, and Diego Corrales’ miracle comeback in stopping Jose Luis Castillo.
But it is the first show and the men who boxed on it which will always hold a special place in my heart. The new Madison Square Garden had opened up a little over a year prior. It was still the Mecca of Boxing on that Monday evening in August.
But not all shows in the hallowed arena were big. Many relied solely on the live gate, even some at MSG. All of the men boxing that night had dreams.
For some, fate would be kind. Others later went down the wrong path. But on that night, all had one thing in common, which was to allow them to go as far as their ring talents allowed.
What would later become of some of the fighters on the show is fascinating when we look back on it. George Foreman makes a long left jab at Chuck Wepner in the second round of their fight, August 18th. Wepner’s eye opened up slightly in the first, and was bad enough by the beginning of the third round to give Foreman a TKO.
There were 7,000 people in attendance at MSG that night, th.