Combat Sports OTD: Ali, Hopkins, and Pep win big at MSG
Combat Sports OTD [on this day] was a big one for the sweet science, as historically on September 29th, Muhammad Ali, Bernard Hopkins, and Willie Pep all had standout moments within their respective careers.
In 1977, on this very day, Muhammad Ali retained the undisputed heavyweight championships and maintained his hold on the gold with a win over one of the most fearsome knockout punchers in boxing history. The legendary figure would garner a win by way of a unanimous decision over the course of a calculated fifteen-round battle versus Earnie Shavers inside of the World’s Most Famous Arena, Madison Square Garden.
That was the first title shot for the brick-fisted Shavers, and he would fall short in his subsequent sophomore attempt at gold against Larry Holmes.
Combat Sports OTD: Ali, Hopkins, and Pep show out inside the hallowed halls of MSG
On this particular Autumn day in 2001, Bernard Hopkins also added some notable middleweight hardware to his resume as he entered this key bout already in possession of a pair of notable belts at 160 pounds. ‘The Executioner’ would add the WBA and Ring world middleweight straps to the WBC and IBF crowns that he was already holding.
Combat Sports OTD saw Hopkins would accomplish this impressive feat by way of a twelfth-round TKO stoppage as he tested skill with fellow generational great, Felix Trinidad. This standout boxing outing also transpired at the aforementioned Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York.
Also of note, Willie Pep retained his championship belts on September 29th, 1944, against Chalky Wright. The NYSAC and Ring world featherweight crowns would remain in the ownership of ‘Will O’ the Wisp’ after he authored a fifteen-round unanimous victory against a reputable former champ in Chalky Wright. To fill out the MSG trifecta here, that Pep vs. Wright title fight also took place under the bright lights of New York’s famed Madison Square Garden venue.
