MATTHEW SAAD MUHAMMAD VS. JERRY MARTIN
Fight Date – 📅September 26, 1981
Location – 🏟️Golden Nugget Casino, Atlantic City, New Jersey
On The Line – WBC Light-Heavyweight Title (Muhammad 8th defense of title)
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In the early rounds it was 🇺🇸Jerry Martin (22-2-0, 15KO👊) (the WBC #2 challenger) who pushed the pace of the fight, but the challenger would find himself hurt in the third round as a result of 🇺🇸Matthew Saad Muhammad (30-3-2, 22KO👊) landing a series of lefts and rights to the head.
There was plenty of see saw action over the next few rounds, and Martin, who had taken some serious shots from the Champion, responded with a heavy flurry of punches that Muhammad barely answered and it looked as though might be headed to a stoppage but Muhammad survived.
Both men continued to push each other with heavy blows, and Muhammad appeared to be getting the better work done when he landed two huge right hands to Martin’s jaw that wobbled him in the 11th round. Martin was still standing when 🗣️Referee Larry Hazzard stepped in 28 seconds into the round, controversially stopping the fight due to what he stated was a “concussive period” for Martin.
“Muhammad had begun to get to Martin and Martin was fighting out of desperation. Martin’s hands went down and he staggered. He was a sitting duck. His eyes went up and he was hurt.”
-Larry Hazzard
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