Terence Crawford – Viktor Postal & A Look at the Rich History of the Super Lightweight Division

By Jeffrey “Italian Medallion” Cellini

On July 23rd, two of the best Super Lightweights, WBO Champion Terence “Bud” Crawford, 28-0, 20 KO’s, and WBC Champion Viktor Postol, 28-0, 12 KO’s, look to square off in a blockbuster fight to unify the titles. Crawford, ranked sixth in the pound-for-pound rankings, is one of boxing’s rising superstars. Viktor, a promising champion himself, won the vacant world title when he stopped Lucas Matthysse in the tenth round last October (2015) in a mild upset. One fighter will take the next step in their quest to elevate their place among the elite of the sport and perhaps have it placed with this generation’s list of great champions. This battle of two undefeated warriors will likely provide the boxing world with another epic war that this weight class has seen before on so many other occasions.

The Super Lightweight division is no stranger to giving boxing fans memorable fights, with several champions etching their names among the immortals of pugilistic glory. Legends such as Aaron Pryor, Julio Cesar Chavez, and Arturo Gatti are just a few of the names that come to mind when remembering the games’ greatest warriors who had their most career-defining signature wins at this weight class. Let’s walk down memory lane and relive just a few of the greatest classics that this sport has ever witnessed courtesy of the super lightweights.

Aaron Pryor Vs Alexis Arguello (November 12, 1982)

The “Hawk” retains his WBA title for the fifth time when he outslugs the former three-division world champion and stops the Nicaraguan legend in the fourteenth round. The Ring’s Fight-of-the-Year is an instant classic that propels Pryor into stardom. The fight ends in dramatic finish as the “Hawk” unloads a barrage of 22 straight unanswered punches that sends Arguello back into the ropes and finally drops him.

Oscar De La Hoya Vs Miguel Angel Gonzalez (January 18, 1997)

After stopping Julio Cesar Chavez the prior year to win WBC title, De La Hoya wins a very controversial decision over the previously-unbeaten former lightweight champion Gonzalez.
March 17,1990…Julio Cesar Chavez Vs Meldrick Taylor I…Two of the top pound-for-pound (undefeated) fighters in the world clashed in a memorable unification showdown that surpassed expectations in excitement and drama. Trailing on the scorecards entering the final (12th) round, Julio Cesar Chavez drops a bloodied Taylor in the closing seconds of the fight and pulls out a miraculous victory when the referee Richard Steele stops fight with two seconds remaining. “The Fight of the Year” was perhaps the career-defining moment in both of these two warrior’s careers.

Mickey Ward Vs Arturo Gatti I (May 18, 2002)

Voted by Ring Magazine as the “Fight of the Year” Ward wins a majority decision over Gatti in a brawl. The 9th round was called the Round of the Century by legendary Emanuel Steward. The fight was such an epic battle, the two fighters returned to face each two more times in what transpires to be one of boxing’s greatest trilogies.

Arturo Gatti Vs Mickey Ward III (June 7, 2003)

Once again voted as the Ring’s “Fight of the Year”, Gatti wins the rubber match by unanimous decision, but not until breaking his right hand again during the fight. Gatti-Ward I and III were voted by HBO as two of the best fights of the decade.

Ricky Hatton Vs Kostya Tszyu (June 4, 2005)

The undefeated Hatton stops the long reigning defending champion Tszyu in the 11th round to win the IBF and Ring Super Lightweight championship in a memorable contest. Ricky “Hitman” Hatton pulls off one of the biggest shockers of the year in boxing and goes on to become the Fighter of the Year after winning a unification fight with WBA Super Lightweight champion Carlos Maussa later that same year.
January 29, 2011….Timothy Bradley Vs Devon Alexander…

In a unification fight for WBC and WBO Super Lightweight belts, Bradley is awarded a unanimous technical decision after the two combatants clash heads, and Alexander receives a deep gash that brings a stoppage to the battle.

Lamont Peterson Vs Amir Khan (December 10, 2012)

Peterson wins a very controversial decision in this unification match for the IBF and WBA Super Lightweight titles.

The Super Lightweight division has historically been a battleground for some of boxing’s most tremendous fights. The upcoming unification fight between Crawford and Postol will likely add to a long list of classics already enshrined in boxing lore for this weight class. The winner will take a monstrous step at establishing their legacy in the sport. The Super Lightweights will likely enjoy another classic fight when these two champions clash later this month.

[si-contact-form form=’2′]