The Quickest Heavyweight Title Bouts
June 27th was the anniversary of Mike Tyson’s quickest title defense. He sent IBF champ Michael Spinks to the canvas for good at 1:31 on that date in 1988. In the process, Tyson, who already held the WBA and WBC belts, unified all of the heavyweight crowns.
Tyson also handed Spinks (34-1) the only loss of his career in what would turn out to be the farewell fight of Spinks’ pro career.
On 29 occasions in boxing history, a heavyweight boxing title bout has defied the odds and finished before the bell to signal the end of the first round was sounded.
Four of these fast-finishing fights involved boxers with ties to the Carolinas. Let’s look back at those fantastic finishes, famous first-round knockouts in heavyweight title fight history.
Lamon Brewster vs. Andrew Golota, May 21, 2005
The Foul Pole, as Golota was known due to his penchant for hitting below the belt, wasn’t given a chance to deliver a low blow before he was sent to the canvas. Brewster took out Golota just 52 seconds into their WBO title bout.
That ties the mark for the quickest ending to a title bout in heavyweight history. Herbie Hide also KO’d the inappropriately-nicknamed Dangerous Damon Reed at the 52-second mark of their April 18, 1998 WBO title fight.
Golota and Waco’s Floyd Patterson are the only fighters to twice be knocked out in the first round of a heavyweight title fight. Lennox Lewis stopped Golota just 1:35 into their Oct. 4, 1997, WBC title bout.
Tommy Burns vs. Jem Roche, March 17, 1908
Canadian Burns was the shortest heavyweight champ at 5-foot-7, a full 14 inches shorter than current champ Tyson Fury. He successfully defended his title 11 times and liked to work fast.
Four times, Burns scored first-round knockouts in title defenses. Twice he won at the 1:28 mark, against American Bill Squires on July 4, 1907, and over England’s Roche in a bout staged in Dublin, Ireland.
Also making this first historic is that it was the first title bout in heavyweight history where neither fighter was American.
Joe Frazier vs. Dave Zyglewicz, April 22, 1969
Though generally associated with Philadelphia, Smokin’ Joe was born and raised in Beaufort, S.C.
Frazier’s second title defense was against Zyglewicz, who entered the ring at Houston’s Astrodome with a 28-1 record. Just 1:36 later, Frazier sent Zyglewicz out of the ring on his back.
Joe Louis vs. Max Schmeling, June 22, 1938
The Brown Bomber was the king of first-round knockouts. Over his reign as heavyweight champ, six Louis opponents failed to survive the first round.
The most famous of these bouts was his rematch with German Schmeling, who two years earlier handed Louis his first defeat. The fight was rife with political and racial undertones. German leader Adolf Hitler made Schmeling the example for all Nazi Germany to strive and be like after he defeated Louis.
In the rematch, Louis destroyed Schmeling. The German fighter was knocked down three times before his corner threw in the towel at 2:04 of the first round.
Sonny Liston vs. Floyd Patterson, September 25, 1962
Carolinas’ Boxing Hall of Patterson held the heavyweight title on two different occasions between 1956-62. He was the youngest heavyweight champ ever when he first won the title against Archie Moore on Sept. 30, 1956, at the age of 21.
Patterson’s reign was ended by the imposing Liston, who floored Patterson at 2:04 of the first round.
Sonny Liston vs. Floyd Patterson II, July 22, 1963
The rematch resembled their first bout. Liston again took out Patterson via first-round knockout. This time, it took four seconds longer than the original meeting between the two in the ring.
Patterson was knocked down three times before the end came.
Cassius Clay vs. Sonny Liston, May 25, 1965
Liston lost his title to Clay, the future Muhammad Ali, in 1964. He was expected to regain his crown in the rematch but Ali dropped him in the first round.
There’s always been an aura of suspicion about the end to this fight at 2:12 of the first round. Some speculated that Liston took a dive, among many conspiracy theories have been floated about the surprising end to this bout. Ali insisted the punch he’d hit Liston with was devastating.
James (Bonecrusher) Smith vs. Tim Witherspoon, December 12, 1986
Magnolia’s Bonecrusher lost his first title bout to Larry Holmes in 1984. He got a second chance against Witherspoon and made the most of the opportunity.
Smith lost a decision to Witherspoon in 1985. In the rematch, Smith dropped Witherspoon three times in the opening round. The fight ended at 2:12 of the opening round.
Rocky Marciano vs. Jersey Joe Walcott, May 15, 1953
Walcott was the referee for the controversial Clay-Liston title fight. A dozen years earlier, he faced champion Marciano in a rematch for the championship belt.
In their first fight, champion Walcott put Marciano on the canvas in the opening round. He was ahead on points when Marciano knocked him out in the 13th round to take the title.
The rematch proved a mismatch. Barely two minutes into the bout, Marciano floored Walcott with a combination.
A dazed Walcott appeared to lose track of the count and rose to his feet just after referee Frank Sikora reached 10. The fight ended at 2:25 in the first round.