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The Grand Slam of Boxing: Chávez vs. Haugen

Date	February 20, 1993
Venue	Estadio Azteca, Coyoacán, Mexico City, Mexico
Title(s) on the line	WBC super lightweight title
Tale of the tape
Boxer Julio César Chávez Greg Haugen Nickname El Gran Campeón Mexicano ("The Great Mexican Champion") Mutt Hometown Ciudad Obregón, Sonora, Mexico Auburn, Washington, U.S. Purse $2,500,000 $1,000,000 Pre-fight record 84–0 (72 KO) 32–4 (1) (16 KO) Age 30 years, 7 months 32 years, 5 months Height 5 ft 8 in (173 cm) 5 ft 6 in (168 cm) Weight 139+1⁄4 lb (63 kg) 140 lb (64 kg) Style Orthodox Orthodox Recognition WBC Super Lightweight Champion The Ring No. 1 Ranked Light Welterweight The Ring No. 1 ranked pound-for-pound fighter 3-division world champion WBC No. 2 Ranked Super Lightweight The Ring No. 9 Ranked Light Welterweight Former lightweight champion
Result
Chávez wins by 5th-round technical knockout

Julio César Chávez vs. Greg Haugen was a professional boxing match contested on February 20, 1993, for the WBC super lightweight title. The fight was the featured bout on a boxing card promoted by Don King dubbed The Grand Slam of Boxing.

Background

A Chávez–Haugen super lightweight title fight was originally announced in October 1992 to take place on December 5 that same year at Caesars Palace in the Las Vegas Valley. Organized by promoter Don King, the Showtime pay-per-view event was also set to include a WBC super welterweight title fight between Terry Norris and Simon Brown and a WBA super middleweight title rematch between Michael Nunn and Víctor Córdoba. However, only two weeks later, the entire card was cancelled due to rival network HBO airing an episode of HBO World Championship Boxing featuring James Toney, Iran Barkley and Roy Jones Jr. on the same day. On December 1, 1992, King announced a new event billed as The Grand Slam of Boxing scheduled to take place on February 20, 1993, in Estadio Azteca in Chávez's native Mexico. Headlined by Chávez and Haugen, the card was originally announced to once again include the Norris–Brown super welterweight title bout, as well as Julian Jackson defending his WBC middleweight title against Gerald McClellan and a WBC super featherweight title bout between Azumah Nelson and Gabriel Ruelas. However, Jackson was forced to pull out of his fight with McClellan due to an injury to his right hand and that fight was replaced with a WBA super middleweight fight between Nunn and Danny Morgan, while Brown required surgery for a detached retina and was replaced by Maurice Blocker.

Leading up to the event, Haugen, a 25–1 underdog, engaged in frequent trash talk, insulting both Chávez and his home country of Mexico. When asked about his safety should he defeat Chávez before a reported 130,000 of his countrymen Haugen responded "First of all, I don’t think there’s 130,000 Mexicans who can afford to go." Haugen would also ridicule Chávez's 84–0 record, claiming that Chávez's undefeated record was a result of him facing "Nothing but stiffs" during the first 50 fights of his career also remarking "Every one of them was a cab driver from Tijuana."

Attendance

132,274 spectators attended the event, setting the world record for the largest paid attendance at a boxing event, surpassing the first fight between Jack Dempsey and Gene Tunney at Sesquicentennial Stadium in 1926 which drew 120,557. Only the 1941 Tony Zale–Billy Pryor fight in Milwaukee's Juneau Park, which drew 135,132 was better attended, though that fight was free to the public.

The fights

Undercard

The preclude to the PPV event saw stoppage wins for Félix Trinidad and Gerald McClellan.

Nunn vs. Morgan

The first world title bout on the card saw WBA and lineal super middleweight champion Michael Nunn make the second defence of his title against No. 12 ranked Danny Morgan.

Nunn had made his first defence only three weeks earlier, scoring a wide unanimous decision in his rematch with former champion Víctor Córdoba on January 30. Nunn was the prohibitive favorite, so much so that there was no betting line.

The fight

Nunn would score a 1st round knockout of Morgan, dropping him with combination to the head with 30 seconds to go in the round. Morgan make it to his feet but a straight left to the jaw sent him down again and this time he failed to beat the count.

Nelson vs. Ruelas

The second title bout saw WBC super featherweight champion Azumah Nelson face Gabriel Ruelas in the ninth defence of his title.

Nelson, a 2-1 favourite to win, was confidant of defeating the 22 year old Ruelas saying "We're going to handle this boy like a baby doll."

The fight

The bout was largely a tactical affair, with both fighters making the other miss frequently. Nelson landed a big rally at the end of the 1st round and finished the fight strong by landing some of his best punches.

One judge scored even at 115–115, while the other two had it for Nelson 115–114 and 115–113, giving him a majority decision victory. The decision was booed by the partisan Mexican crowd.

Aftermath

Speaking after the bout Nelson said "I was too strong for the boy. In the 10th, 11th and 12th rounds, I was too strong. That's why I'm the professor and he is the student."

Ruelas meanwhile left the ring immediately after the decision was announced and would later complain about Nelson headbutting him.

Norris vs. Blocker

The penultimate bout saw WBC light middleweight champion Terry Norris make the eighth defence of his title against IBF welterweight champion Maurice Blocker.

Norris was a 12-1 favourite to beat Blocker with speculation linking him to a superfight against Chávez at the welterweight limit. During the build up Norris would state that "I think I'm the best fighter in the world."

The fight

Norris knocked down Blocker with a left hand midway through the 1st round. He beat the count but he was knocked down again with a barrage of punches in the end of round. Despite getting to his feet Blocker appeared badly hurt.

Norris continued to dominate early in the 2nd, landing a hard left hand that sent Blocker against the ropes prompting referee Richard Steele to wave the fight off.

Aftermath

Speaking after the bout Norris said "I'm the best fighter in the world pound for pound. Chavez is not. I really didn't think he needed to stay around too long. He made a lot of noise." He also said that the fight should have gone beyond the 1st round saying "Richard Steele should have stopped it in the 1st round."

Main Event

Chávez got off to a quick start, sending Haugen down to the canvas 25 seconds into the first round, and then proceeded to dominate the remainder of the fight. In the fifth round, Chávez would score a second knockdown after landing a combination to Haugen's body just past the midway point of the round. Haugen answered referee Joe Cortez's 10-count and was allowed to continue, but Chávez quickly attacked a clearly hurt and exhausted Haugen when the fight resumed. With Haugen nearly defenseless, Cortez stepped in and ended the fight at 2:02 of the round, giving Chávez the victory by technical knockout.

Fight card

Confirmed bouts:

^Note 1 For WBC Super Lightweight title
^Note 2 For WBC Super Welterweight title
^Note 3 For WBC Super Featherweight title
^Note 4 For WBA Super Middleweight title

Broadcasting

Country	Broadcaster
United Kingdom	Sky Sports
United States	Showtime

References

1. "Julio Cesar Chavez vs. Greg Haugen". boxrec.com. BoxRec. Retrieved 1 October 2024.
2. Chavez to fight Haugen, challenges Whitaker, Norris, UPI article, 1992-10-15 Retrieved on 2024-09-28
3. Title Fight Card Canceled, NY Times article, 1992-10-29 Retrieved on 2024-09-28
4. ^ Nunn Knocks keeps belt with first-round KO of Morgan, UPI article, 1993-02-20 Retrieved on 2024-09-28
5. Even at the Top, Anger Often Has Bigger Punch Than Money, LA Times article, 1992-12-05 Retrieved on 2024-09-28
6. It’s Time to Hail Cesar : Boxing: Up to 130,000 will be on hand to watch Julio Cesar Chavez, the pride of Mexico, fight Greg Haugen in one of four bouts tonight., LA Times article, 1993-02-20 Retrieved on 2024-09-28
7. Down and Out In Mexico City, Sports Illustrated article, 1993-03-01 Retrieved on 2024-09-28
8. , Guinness World Records, Retrieved on 2024-09-29
9. "Nunn decisions Cordoba". Memphis, Tennessee. United Press International. 31 January 1993. Retrieved 9 December 2024.
10. "Azumah Nelson vs. Gabriel Ruelas". boxrec.com. BoxRec. Retrieved 9 December 2024.
11. ^ Ed Schuyler Jr. (21 February 1993). "Four Title Belts On Line Tonight". The Day. Associated Press. p. D8. Retrieved 9 December 2024.
12. ^ "Norris retains his title in two easy rounds". Record-Journal. Mexico City. Associated Press. 21 February 1993. p. D8. Retrieved 9 December 2024.
13. "Terry Norris vs. Maurice Blocker". boxrec.com. BoxRec. Retrieved 9 December 2024.
14. Andrew Downie (21 February 1993). "Chavez and Norris talk the talk". Mexico City. United Press International. Retrieved 9 December 2024.
15. Chavez Knocks Out Haugen In Fifth, NY Times article, 1993-02-21 Retrieved on 2024-09-29
16. "BoxRec - event".

• 1993 in boxing
• 1993 in Mexican sports
• February 1993 events in Mexico
• Boxing matches in Mexico
• Boxing matches involving Julio César Chávez
• Boxing matches refereed by Joe Cortez
• Boxing on Showtime
• Boxing on Sky Sports
• Light welterweight championship matches