TODAY IN SPORTS HISTORY
6 MARCH 2020
BY: GEORGE ‘Alan Green’ MAHAMAH
On this day 6 March 1976 (Exactly 44 years ago today) Ghana’s David ‘Poison’ Kotey knocked out Flipper Uehara of Japan to successfully defend his World Boxing Council (WBC) World Featherweight Title at the Accra Sports stadium.
Saturday Night – March 6, 1976
Sports Stadium – Accra, Ghana
Attendance; 50,000
WBC Featherweight Championship
Champion – David ‘Poison’ Kotey
Challenger – Japanese Featherweight Champion – Flipper Uehara.
The 25 year-old Champion 31-2-2 (19 KO’s) was making the ‘1st-Defense’ of his WBC Title versus #10 WBC-ranked – 24 year-old Flipper Uehara 16-2-1 (5 KO’s).
Flipper Uehara was a ‘replacement challenger’ for Shigefumi ‘Shig’ Fukuyama who suffered a cut eye while in training 3-weeks earlier.
The Fight
The Champion (5′ 7 1/2″ and 126 lbs.) came out like a ‘Ghanan Terror’ and bombarded the smaller Japan Challenger (5′ 5″ and 124 1/2 lbs.) with a barrage of left hooks and right uppercuts to the head and body.
In rounds 2, 3 and 4 – Kotey hammered ‘Flipper’ with a continuous two-fisted attack, and drove his challenger all over the ring. Flipper was in ‘survival mode’, as Kotey was too fast and too powerful.
In round 5, Kotey landed a thunderous left hook which stunned Uehara, and a follow-up right-hand and left hook staggered Flipper.
Referee – Harry Gibbs looked in, and almosts stopped the ‘one-sided’ bout, but
allowed the fight to continue.
Suprisingly, in round 6, ‘Flipper’ battled back, and started to get inside and under the champion’s arms, and started attacking the body with left and right hands.
In round 7, ‘Flipper’ maintained the pressure, and backed the champion up, while landing good hard body shots.
But, the champion stem the tide in round 8, and out- gunned the challenger with hard 1-2’s, and controlled the action through rounds 9 and 10 with a consistent attack, as ‘Flipper’ was on the complete defensive.
In round 11, Kotey continued to land hard left hooks and right hands to ‘Flippers’ face,swelling up both his eyes, but the ‘tough’ challenger will not fold.
After round 11, Referee-Harry Gibbs called the Ringside Physician to look over the challenger’s puffy eyes, but he let the bout continue.
In round 12, Kotey went back to his steady attack of hard lefts and sharp right hands. Uehara tried a short attack of body punches, but was quickly out-gunned by the champion, and then got battered into the ropes. Referee Harry Gibbs jumped in and stopped the bout at 2:32 of round 12.
The champion received $30,000 for his ‘first title defense’, plus an additional $2500 for film rights of the bout.
Flipper Uehara received $10,000 – plus $3000 ancillary fee’s for the Japan Television broadcast rights.
Elsewhere;
On this day 6 March 2005 (Exactly 15 years ago today) A determined Dolphins Club of Port Harcourt, Nigeria humiliated Accra Hearts of Oak Sporting Club when they beat them 4-0 in their Confederation of Africa Football (CAF) Champions League first leg match played at the Port Harcourt Liberation Sports Stadium.
Hearts who made the trip with question marks on their form could not leave up their expectations as they allowed their hosts, who seemed an ordinary side, lots of space to dominate the game.
Dolphins Kelechi Osunwa unsettled Hearts on the 13th minute mark when he capitalised on sloppy marking from the depleted defence of the visitors to register the opener that set the intimidating stadium ablaze.
The early goal inspired the Nigerians to kill off the game early, but for the bravery of goalkeeper, Saanie Mohammed who rescued the Kwabena Boafo-led defencs with some breath taking saves which left the supporters applauding on the 21st minute.
In between play, it was the tired looking Bernard Don Bortey who was gifted with the clearest chance for the visitors when he raced above his markers only to shoot wide to the relief of the partisan home crowd. Another rare opportunity came the way of sluggish, Richard Anderson but the youngster in an easier position to score than to miss fashion, shot into the waiting hands of goalkeeper Austin Brown when anxiety took the better part of him with only the yawning net ahead of him.
When Dolphins finally resumed control, it was their lousy shooting upfront which kept Hearts in the game for the rest of the first half. Fatigued Prince Tagoe, who joined Hearts from his abortive trials with PSG of France three days before the match , was also presented with a glaring opportunity to pull even from the recess, but the lanky striker made a mess of the situation to leave the Blue and White Nigerian champions off the hook.
When Dan Oppong and Michael Donkor twice scooped goal bound balls from the goal line within two minutes interval, it was obvious that coach Sir Cecil Jones Attuquayefio’s worst fears of a possible humiliation was on the way.
A moment of indecision on the part of goalkeeper Saanie caused Hearts on the 63rd mark when Endurance Idahor finally consolidated his side’s lead when he out-jumped the defenders to connect home from a corner kick to open the flood gates for more goals.
The Rainbow Boys who travelled with only 17 players including four goalkeepers and played three flat at the rear were caught pants down when Ochuho Ojobo exploited an offside trap to race deep into the vital area before displacing Saanie for the third goal.
Hard pressed, Acquah Harrison made it four for the Nigerians when his clearance from an aerial scramble went into his own net.
Hearts Line-Up: Saanie Mohammed, Dan Oppong, Acquah Harrison, Kwabena Boafo, Michael Donkor, Eric Nyarko, Lawrence Adjah Tetteh, Bernard Don Bortey, Joe Tagoe/Douglas Nkrumah, Prince Tagoe/Wisdom Agblexo, Richard Anderson/Francis Bossman
Unused Subs: Abdul Samad Okocha, Eben Dida and Abubakar Sulemana
On this 6 Matche2004 (Exactly 16 years ago today) Major (rtd) Lawrence Yaw Ampene Larson was appointed as substantive Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Kumasi Asante Kotoko Football Club.
The veteran sports administrator, contested the position alongside Mr Sylvester Asare Owusu, then immediate past Interim Management Committee (IMC) chairman, Mr Kojo Bonsu, Adidas representative, Mr B.S. Boakye and Owusu Ansah.
The 13-member board took the decision after a marathon meeting held at the ‘Aseda’ House in Kumasi, which lasted for about seven hours.
Before the decision, the board had received a presentation by a two-man GIMPA delegation on the interview it conducted on the appointment of the Chief Executive at the request of the board. After the presentation and lengthy deliberations on it, the board by a majority decision appointed Major Larson as the CEO.
On this day 6 March 1993 (Exactly 27 years ago today) Future Welterweight champion, Ike Quartey defeated Mario Morales of Mexico by unanimous decision at the Palais Marcel -Cerdan, Levallois -Perret,Hauts- de -Seine, France in a Welterweight Contest.
On this day 6 March 2004 (Exactly 16 years ago today) Osmanu Akaba became the new World Boxing Council (WBC) International featherweight champion when he stopped compatriot Malik Jabir in the sixth round at the Accra Sports Stadium.
On this day 6 March 1985 (Exactly 35 years ago today) Mike Tyson knocked out Hector Mercedes in first round in his 1st professional fight (1 minute 47 seconds), at the Empire State Plaza Convention Center, Albany, New York, USA
Mercedes landed a decent left hand in the first few seconds of the bout but was overwhelmed by Tyson’s aggression. Tyson charged forward throwing power combinations both upstairs and to the body. A flurry with Mercedes against the ropes sent him retreating back into the corner. Tyson came in and threw seven unanswered punches highlighted by a left hook to the body that sent Mercedes down to a knee. Mercedes remained on one knee and motioned to the referee that he is done.
On this day 6 March 1976 (Exactly 44 years ago today) With his high school classmates in attendance, Wilfred Benitez became and to date still the youngest boxer in boxing history to win a world title at the age of 17 years, 5 months.
He defeated WBA light welterweight champion Antonio Cervantes of Colombia in a 15-round split decision .
“If you argue that great boxers are born, not made, Wilfred Benitez is your prime piece of evidence. The Puerto Rican boy wonder turned pro at age 15. Two years later, he became the youngest world champion in history. Benitez, 25-0, challenged WBA junior welterweight champion Antonio Cervantes at Hiram Bithorn Stadium in San Juan. He didn’t figure to threaten “Kid Pambele”; the Colombian had made 10 successful defenses, and was being mentioned as an opponent for the incomparable Roberto Duran. Cervantes and his teenaged foe boxed evenly until Benitez’ extraordinary speed and skill surfaced in the fifth. He took four consecutive rounds, jabbing smartly and making the champion miss with his hooks. Cervantes rallied in the 11th, but couldn’t maintain his momentum. After 15 rounds, Benitez, a clear winner, settled for a split decision victory (scores of 148-144, 147-142, and 145-147). At age 17½, he was too young to appreciate history, but old enough to have made it.”
On this day 6 March 1964 (Exactly 56 years ago today) Boxing legend Cassius Clay joined the Nation of Islam and changed his name to “Muhammad Ali”, calling his former title a “slave name
Elijah Muhammad announced in
recorded statement played over the radio that Clay would be renamed Muhammad Ali. Muhammad means “worthy of all praises”, and Ali means “most high”.
Later, Ali announced: “Cassius Clay is a slave name. I didn’t choose it and I don’t want it. I am Muhammad Ali, a free name – it means beloved of God, and I insist people use it when people speak to me.”