This 12 round WBC Lightweight Championship Title Fight between Champ Edwin “Chapo” Rosario vs Howard Davis, Jr. took place on June 23, 1984 at the Coliseo Roberto Clemente in San Juan, Puerto Rico….as this fight feature a super boxer during the golden age of boxing in Chapo Rosario….and a very good boxer during this awesome era of boxing…..who both deserve to be remembered for their skills and talents in the ring….but are being too soon forgotten.
Edwin “Chapo” Rosario was a world champion professional boxer from 1979 to 1997…. who won the lightweight championship of the world on 3 different occasions….as the WBC lightweight champion (1983–84)….then the WBA champion (1986–87)….and then again (1989–90)….while finishing his incredible career by winning a 4th world championship after moving up to the junior welterweight division by claiming the WBA title….holding that crown from 1991 to 1992….and finishing his career in 1997 with a record of 47 wins, 41 KO’s and 6 losses. Rosario was posthumously inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2006.
El Chapo entered the ring in 1984….with his first defense of the title…as he faced Roberto Elizondo….who had lasted 7 rounds with boxing legend Alexis Argüello in a previous world title challenge….and was expected to give Chapo a tough fight….but Rosario KO’d Elizondo in the 1st round…..which led to this WBC Lightweight title fight with highly touted Howard Davis Jr….who proved more of a challenge….as Davis Jr was ahead on all scorecards with ten seconds remaining in the bout….but was dropped by Rosario and lost a split decision….in one of the best fights of 1984.
Chapo’s opponent Howard Davis Jr. was an American amateur Olympic gold medal winner and professional boxer….who grew up on Long Island as the eldest of 10 children,… who first learned boxing from his father. After being inspired by a movie about Muhammad Ali, Davis embarked on his amateur career…..which led to him winning the 1976 Montreal Olympics gold medal just one week after his mother died. He was also awarded the Val Barker Trophy at the Olympics, beating out such boxers as Sugar Ray Leonard, Michael Spinks and Leon Spinks.
He turned professional after the Olympics and went on to compile a professional record of 36–6–1 with 14 knockouts….retiring in 1996….when after retirement he became a trainer. Eventually he worked as boxing director at American Top Team in Coconut Creek, Florida…. where he trained both amateur and professional boxers and MMA fighters. He was also a motivational speaker and a musician.
Davis turned professional in 1977….and after winning his first thirteen fights….he challenged Jim Watt for the WBC lightweight title in 1980….as Watt won by a 15 round unanimous decision. In 1984, with a record of 26–1, Davis fought Edwin Rosario for the WBC lightweight title….when Rosario retained his title with a twelve-round split decision. Davis Jr.’s final attempt to win a world title came in 1988….when he was stunningly knocked out in the first round by IBF junior welterweight champion Buddy McGirt….as he retired after the fight.
Any way you cut this pie….this Rosario vs Davis Jr. fight was a real battle….that the eventual outcome proved to be by one single punch with just 10 seconds in the fight…. otherwise, Howard Davis Jr. would have left the ring as WBC Lightweight Champion…. which makes this fight MUST SEE TV for any boxing fan.
