WBC 60: Thirtieth Anniversary of Poker of Aces card – Chavez vs. Haugen

This year the World Boxing Council celebrates 60 years of its creation, and we remember great events and fights that have built our history.

On February 20, 1993, one of the all time classics in sports occurred in Mexico, which also transcended borders and something of this magnitude may never happen again. The legend Julio César Chávez fighting Greg Haugen at the Estadio Azteca, in Mexico City, achieving a Guinness Record for the boxing event with the highest attendance in history with 132,274 paid tickets giving a grand total of 136,274 attendees in total.

That fabled evening was created by promoter Don King. For it he drew  a vivid  billboard along with the combined  artistry of Televisa and the Azteca Stadium.

Gambling on historic greatness,  he called it Pokar de Ases, because in addition to the fight between Chávez and Haugen, it included great title fights with legendary champions such as Terry Norris, Azumah Nelson and Michael Nunn, plus Félix “Tito” Trinidad:

Ghana’s Azumah Nelson defeated tough Mexican Gabriel Ruelas in a so close and competitive fight that went the full twelve rounds. Nelson did just enough in the ring to defend his WBC featherweight title.

In another thriller, Terry Norris took just 3:49 minutes to drop challenger, Maurice Blocker, to the canvas twice and oblige Referee  Richsrd Steele to stop the fight. Norris retained the WBC super welterweight title with fists of thunder and lightning.

Not to be outdone,  Michael Nunn amply demonstrated his southpaw power by knocking out Danny Morgan at 2:59 minutes of the first round, defending his WBA super middleweight title.

The Cesar del Boxeo turned the Estadio Azteca into a boxing arena extravaganza for the first and only time to date, where 136,274 fans gathered to see him confront audacious Greg Haughen.

The crescendo build up to the Megafight become searing and deeply personal, after the controversial and disrespectful statements of the American against the Mexican, because at that time he asserted that the record with which Chávez González arrived, was built based on facing “Tijuana taxi drivers.”

Such a provocative statement was not appreciated, especially by Julio who was then undefeated with 84 fights as a professional. It would not go unanswered, as  JC vowed to blast out Greg without an iota of mercy.

Julio Cesar, born in Ciudad Obregón, Sonora but who crafted  his boxing career within the portals of Culiacan, Sinaloa, was considered at that time the best Pound for Pound in the world, a situation that made him an idol within boxing, not only in Mexico, but also globally.

That night Greg Haugen was the first to enter the ring on a lonely walk, accompanied and bolstered by the song “Born in the USA” by Bruce Springsteen, it was evident that he keenly felt the intense pressure of the thousands of spectators who supported his rival. Julio entered the ring with the melody México Lindo y Querido, performed by Jorge Negrete, turning the Azteca Stadium into a roaring caldron. The ground literally shook! The scene was set!

In the first round, Chávez wasted no time in unleashing his awesome, chilling  and irresistible power, knocking down Haugen with a crashing straight right thunderbolt. He really meant business! The uphill task and the downhill unraveling ordeal for Haugen would last five wincingly painful rounds, with left hooks ripping into his body, and straight rights thudding into his ashen face. Overwhelmed and shell shocked, he went into his shell, but there was nowhere to shelter from the unremitting barrage.

Julio Cesar Chávez could have finished it somewhat sooner, but he pointedly wanted to teach Greg Haugen some manners, respect and humility. But by the fifth Haugen was utterly spent and finished. Referee Joe Cortez dove in to stop the contest and to save him. With this win Julio triumphantly and emphatically defended his WBC super lightweight title. Thirty years ago, the greatest boxer in Mexico set a record that still stands to this very day.

Julio smilingly asked bruised and battered Greg about his earlier impudent comments, and Greg poignantly  replied: “Oh boy they must have been TOUGH drivers! Julio laughed, forgave him and they hugged! Such sportsmanship defines Boxing at its Very Greatness.

Some of the participants of that evening commented on this 30th anniversary

Joe Cortez (referee):

“It is already 30 years since this historic fight. It was a great honor for me to have been named for a fight of this magnitude. It is very exciting to remember that night where Don José and Mauricio Sulaimán were present”.

Gelacio Perez (Judge):

“I will always be grateful to God and to the World Boxing Council, for having appointed me as a judge in this historic fight, where the public who was called “The monster with a thousand eyes”, had become “the monster of 264,000 eyes”, because we went to the Guinness record, thanks to the attendance of 132,000 people who packed the Azteca Stadium to see their idol. I also always thanked Lic. José Sulaimán because I was a judge for the first time in a world championship of this magnitude. It seems that he still heard the screams and felt the same emotion, difficult to express. It was unforgettable!”

Jimmy Lennon Jr (Ring Announcer).:

“One of the most common questions I get is ‘what was the most memorable boxing event you’ve ever advertised?’ I always respond that Chávez vs. Haugen at Estadio Azteca was clearly the most incredible experience I’ve ever had in boxing. Of the many memories of that night, my favorite is remembering the minutes before the fighters entered the ring for the main event and it was just Don King and I in the ring, watching the emotionally charged crowd during the extravaganza of music and laser lights. It was incredibly moving and I think I saw the great Don King, who had really seen it all, have a little tear in his eye as he felt the shock of the show and the emotion of the moment. I have sometimes jokingly concluded that the tears of joy in his eyes welled up as he counted the audience of 135,000 and mentally calculated the profit from ticket sales! It was truly a wonderful night 30 years ago, a night for the history books and a night I will never forget.

Don King:

“30 years have passed, that time 136,000 people entered, of whom 132,274 paid for tickets, and we also had a closed circuit outside the stadium, it was something fantastic. Without a doubt, there have been very special moments in my career, moments that are still alive, Rumble in the Jungle with Ali and Foreman, Thrilla in Manila with Ali and Joe Frazier and among them the sold-out at the Azteca Stadium with Julio César Chávez”. “Julio behaved like Pancho Villa, like Emiliano Zapata! He will always be the great Mexican champion, long live Mexico, I love you very much, I’m very hungry.”

Julio Cesar Chavez:

“I can’t believe 30 years have passed. I remember that day I had mixed emotions. From the dressing room to the ring there were a lot of people, I walked 12 minutes and I couldn’t move on the soccer field. I had Omar and Julio behind me. In round 1 I knocked him down, but there were a lot of people and I didn’t want to let them down. Then the height stressed me, I got tired, it got complicated until in the fifth round I knocked him down and won. Thank you for that love and support that people have always given me.

Mauricio Sulaiman:

“A historic event, it is incredible to hear how so many people relate their experience of that day, how they remember having attended in one way or another, people presume to have been at the Azteca when Chávez fought…. All of Mexico surrendered to Julio, I have never seen a fuller dressing room, I have never seen a longer exit to the ring, I have never heard a louder ovation and I have never seen my father José Sulaimán happier”.