SPORTSCLOPEDIA 23: JANUARY 29, 1994 - FRANKIE RANDALL BEATS JULIO CESAR CHAVEZ FOR HIS FIRST PRO DEFEAT
By Maloney L. Samaco
PhilBoxing.com
Sun, 29 Jan 2023
Today in boxing history, January 29, 1994, Frankie Randall defeated Julio César Chávez for the WBC world junior welterweight title, dealing Chávez his first defeat in 91 professional bouts.
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Randall, born September 25, 1961 in Birmingham, Alabama, U.S.A., fought professionally from 1983 to 2005. He was a three-time light welterweight world champion, was the WBA and WBC titlist from 1994 to 1997. Randall is known as the first boxer to defeat Julio César Chávez with a professional record at the time of their 1994 fight of 89 wins and one draw.
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Julio César Chávez, born July 12, 1962 in Obregón, Sonora, Mexico, fought from 1980 to 2005. A multiple-time world champion in three weight divisions, Chávez was chosen by The Ring magazine as the world's No. 1 fighter pound for pound from 1990 to 1993. He was the WBC super featherweight champion from 1984 to 1987, the WBA and WBC lightweight champion from 1987 and 1989, the WBC light welterweight champion twice from 1989 and 1996, and the IBF light welterweight champion from 1990 to 1991.
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Chávez was also the Ring magazine lightweight champion from 1988 to 1989. He was named Fighter of the Year for 1987 by the Boxing Writers Association of America and 1990 by The Ring. He was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame for the Class of 2011.
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Chávez holds records for the most total successful defenses of world titles with 27 tied with Omar Narváez, most title fight victories of 31 and fighters beaten for the title with 31, and most title fights with 37. He has the second most title defenses won by knockout with 21 next to Joe Louis with 23.
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His fight record was 89 wins, 0 losses, and 1 draw before his first professional loss to Randall in 1994. Before that he had an 87-fight win streak until his draw with Pernell Whitaker in 1993. Chávez's 1993 win over Greg Haugen by fifth round TKO at the Estadio Azteca in Mexico City set the record for the largest attendance in an outdoor boxing match with 136,274 spectators.
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On January 29, 1994 Randall fought for the title against champion Julio César Chávez, in the grand opening of the MGM Grand Garden in Las Vegas. Chávez entered the ring with a record of 89-0-1 and was an 18-to-1 favorite. Randall dominated the early rounds, and his points lead in the middle of the fight seemed wide enough. Chávez made a rally and the gap was narrower in 10th round. Chávez threw a low blow that cost Chávez a point deduction. In the 11th round, Randall knocked Chávez down for the first time in his career.
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Randall was declared winner and new WBC light welterweight champion by a split decision. Chavez was not contented with the decision and demanded a rematch. He blamed the referee who deducted two points from him for low blows.
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The deduction in the eleventh round made the difference on judge Angel Guzman's card, which greatly influenced the decision. Guzman scored the bout 114-113 for Randall, and the fight would have ended in a draw since Chuck Giampa had Randall winning by a 116-111 margin and Abraham Chavarria favored Chavez by scoring 114-113.
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Chávez got a rematch on May 7 in the same year and regained the title from Randall on an eight-round technical split decision. Chávez was injured in an accidental clash of heads and unable to continue. Randall was deducted a point for the head butt. Judge Dalby Shirley's scorecard was 76-75 for Chávez, judge Ray Solis favored Chávez by a 77-74 margin and judge Tamotsu Tomihara saw the fight 76-75 for Randall.
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On May 22, 2004, Chávez fought Randall for the third time in a fight dubbed "Farewell to Mexico". Both men were already way past their prime. Chávez defeated Randall via a 10-round unanimous decision in Mexico City. The scores were: Victor Cervantes 99-91, Herminio Cuevas 98-92, Humberto Oliveres 98-92 all for Chávez.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Maloney L. Samaco.
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