JULIO CESAR CHAVEZ vs MELDRICK TAYLOR (Fight of the year 1990)

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Ring magazine fight of the year 1990: Julio Cesar Chavez vs. Meldrick "The Kid" Taylor

The boxing world championship fight held on March 17, 1990 between WBC Jr Welterweight world champion Julio César Chávez of Mexico and IBF world champion Meldrick Taylor of the United States in Las Vegas, Nevada was a historic boxing match. Nicknamed "Thunder Meets Lightning" as an allusion to tremendous punching power of Chávez and blinding speed of Taylor, the bout was expected to be a rousing and exciting fight, but few, (if any) could have foreseen the intense action it would produce, and its lasting fame in boxing history due to its sudden, dramatic, and controversial ending that continues to be widely debated. It would later be named Ring Magazine's "Fight of the Year" for 1990, and later still the "Fight of the Decade" for the 1990s.
From the mid 80s until early 1990 almost all of the attention given to boxing, particularly by the casual fan, was devoted to Mike Tyson. This served to overshadow a number of bouts and emerging stars in the lower weight classes. However, after Tyson lost to Buster Douglas in February 1990, it would give other bouts and fighters a new chance to shine. As Chávez-Taylor took place only a month later, it was one of the very first bouts to benefit from this. The fact that both Chávez and Taylor were undefeated champions with vastly different personalities and fighting styles certainly did nothing to diminish the pre-fight hype, which was intense, especially for a fight not taking place in the heavyweight division.
Taylor's brilliant hand and foot speed and boxing abilities gave him the early advantage, allowing him to begin building a large lead on points. He frequently hit Chávez with dazzling combinations and danced around the other man, only to suddenly stop and trade punches with Chávez, often outlanding Chávez by a margin of anywhere between 3-5 to 1. Chávez, however, was relentless and his punches, which were far more devastating than Taylor's, consequently beginning to take a terrible toll on Taylor. Coming into the later rounds, Taylor was bleeding from the mouth, his entire face was swollen, the bones around his eye socket had been broken, he had swallowed a considerable amount of his own blood, and Taylor's love for brawling had him exchanging blows with Chávez more and more as his reflexes and foot speed slowed, which only served to further the damage Chávez caused. While there was little doubt that Taylor had solidly won the first three quarters of the fight, now the question was whether he would survive the final quarter, especially after the end of the 11th round when Taylor was so dazed that he nearly went into Chávez' corner between rounds, until referee Richard Steele directed him back to his own.

Going into the final round, Taylor held a secure lead on the scorecards of two of the three judges, (Dave Moretti and Jerry Roth had the score 107-102 and 108-101 respectively for Taylor, while Chuck Giampa had Chávez ahead 105-104), and the sense for everyone watching was that Chávez would have to knock Taylor out to claim a victory, whereas Taylor merely needed to stay away from the Mexican legend. However, in a strange scene between rounds, Taylor's trainer Lou Duva told him that he needed to win the final round, and as a result Taylor did not stay away, but continued to trade blows with Chávez. Taylor showed signs of extreme exhaustion, including staggering and wobbling around the ring and at one point falling to the canvas after missing Chávez with a wild left. Still, every tick of the clock brought Taylor closer to victory... until Chávez turned the tables.

With about a minute left in the round, Chávez hit Taylor squarely with several hard punches, and Taylor responded by mockingly feigning weakness, but Chávez was not convinced by Taylor's bravado and stayed on the attack, continuing to hit Taylor with well-placed shots. Finally, with about 20 seconds to go, Taylor staggered towards a corner, forcing Chávez back ahead of him. Suddenly Chávez stepped around him, positioning Taylor perfectly so that he was trapped in the corner, with nowhere to go. Chávez then nailed Taylor with a tremendous right hand that dropped the younger man. Taylor managed to return to his feet and was given the mandatory 8-count. Referee Ricard Steele concluded that Taylor was unfit to continue and in a controversial move, stopped the fight scoring a TKO victory in favor of Chávez with only 2 seconds to go in the bout.

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[GalickGun5078]

@arikat1 It seems Mayweather is better then Taylor because Taylor's career was destroyed after the Chavez fight, just like every other fighter Chavez fought (ex. Pernell Whittaker, who was the actual winner of the fight, even tho Chavez was on drugs during the fight, he lost to De La Hoya, Felix Trinidad, and Carlos Bojorquez). Though I also heard Whittaker eventually fell to drugs too, Mayweather and Pacqiuao have only fought weight-drained old men.

[youngmexx3]

@1kinggod07 exactly. they should of gave Taylor an extra 20 seconds so he could of got knocked the fuck out unconscious or probably dead. Then all the haters would just keep their mouth shut. 

[crapfacejoe]

What's with the video blackouts you dickhead.

[geno1001000]

bad call by ref but chavez ended taylors career chavez k.od taylor in the rematch but i like both fighter they were both great  big heart wouldve beat any of the welterweights that fight now

[1kinggod07]

Chavez didn't even get hurt just a scratch they should of let him knock he's ass out till he didn't get up so ppl can close there fuckn mouth

[Berman2012]

I totally agree dude taylore outboxed chavez n had great speed n stamina/condition but chavez punches were tearing taylor apart look at their faces taylor was battered n chavez wasn't he was just tired taylor never hurt chavez

[panchotheaddict420]

@Narick316 taylor won the boxing match but chavez won the war and ruined taylor.

[landrovermarv]

@Narick316 Good point

[budfr]

Taylor's face and body knew who the winner was... Chavez. The legend. The man.

[xAztecaBoxingx]

WAIT WAIT WAIT !!!

So Whitaker Beat Chavez???Rite?

And Didnt jose luis castillo beat mayweather???RITE?

[Hubero3]

A OL-CLASSIC MEXICAN ASS WHOOP'N..... "CHAVEZ" THA MAN!