Lionel Rose vs Rafael Limon 28.8.1976

The final filmed in-ring appearance of legendary Australian boxer, Lionel Rose. His opponenet this night would be future World Super Featherweight Champion, Rafael "Bazooka" Limon. More info below...
Rafael Limon is one of a long list of tough Mexican lightweight fighters and although he may not be classified as the "best" in that list he would go on to acheive a certain level of success and become a 2 x World Super Featherweight Champion. Limon turned pro in 1972 at just 18 years old and fought exclusively in Mexico for the first 4 years of his career. Limon suffered a handful of defeats early on his career however in 1975 he won an upset descision against former WBC World Featherweight Champion, Bobby Chacon. After a string of successive wins he was brought State side in August 1976 knocking out Ruben Coria (10-19-4) in the 4th Rd for his first win on US soil. His record at the time was 26-7 with a number of knock outs which had earned him the nickname "Bazooka". However with the exception of Bobby Chacon, whom would go on to become his greatest rival down the line, Limon had not really faced any truley talented opposition.
Lionel Rose was a former World Bantamweight Champion and at 1 time the sports most popular little man of the late 1960's. He won the World title in February 1968 by outpointing Fighting Harada over 15 rounds, successfully defended the title 3 times, but then lost it to Ruben Olivares in August 1969. Rose's career came to a halt after losing the World title, suffering some unexpected losses and moving up 2 weight classess as he struggled with making weight. In 1971 he challenged Yoshiaki Numata for the WBC World Super Featherweight title but lost a unamious descision. Rose retired following the loss, his 7 year career had come to an end... but retirement was not kind to Rose. Due to mounting debt and legal issues he was forced back into the ring in 1975. His first fight back was successful, outpointing Japanese fighter, Bomber Uchida (15-1-1), over 10 rounds in Kuala Lumpur. Rose should be credited here for returning to the ring and fighting some challenging opponents, he didn't just pick a few bums to get some easy wins. Unfortunetely, he probably should have fought a few bums first to get rid of any ring rust... Rose would lose his next 2 fights to former Australian Lightweight Champion, Blakeney Kid Mathews (40-12-5) and Commonwealth Super Featherweight Champion, Billy Moeller (27-9-3). In his most recent fight however, Rose did knock out the Italian Giuseppe Agate (13-14-2) to extend his record to 42-9.
In the first round Rose appeared hesitant to engage Limon, instead adopting an effective hit and run strategy while making Limon miss. Rose did hit the canvas with 15 seconds remaining however it was from a slip as he tried to over extend himself delivering a punch. Rose got to his feet and Limon was finally able to land a few good shots right before the round ended. In Rd 2 Rose appeared a little more aggressive, he traded a few shots in close before getting traped on the ropes and dropped hard by a perfect Limon right hook to the jaw. Rose beat the count and looked a bit flat footed but he was trying to fight back. Before the round was over Limon and Rose exchanged a heated flurry of punches which cut Rose above the eye. The ref took a quick look but fel the fight could continue however once things resumed Limon took full advatgae and dropped Rose again with another right hook. Rose got to his feet and looked worse for wear but there was only 5 seconds left in the round and he held on. The writing was on the wall and in Rd 3 it would be all over. Limon stalked Rose around the ring but took his time lining up punches, almost aware the end was coming. Rose did a good job with his head movement and blocked a number of shots but his offense was lacking the zip it once had from the previous rounds and Limon had no fear coming foward. With Rose once again against the ropes Limon unleashed a flurry of winging hooks and uppervuts, none really landling flush but even the glancing blows were enough to drop Rose for a third and final time. Although Rose got to his feet right away the ref had already made his descision to award the contest to Limon.
Rose would only have one more fight before finally accepting he just didn't have it anymore, a 2nd rd knockout loss at the hands of future France Super Featherweight Champion, Maurice Apeang (6-1). Rose retired in December 1976 with a 42-11 record.

[@dkkrecords]

thanks for putting this fight up...i trained at jack rennie's gym in marco polo street when australia was australia...trained a few nights alongside lionel rose.....kept a bond to that place and the sport ever since....jack rennie his trainer and lionel were great people...i met lionel a few times on the downslope of his life.....(Before bouncing back) hard to reconcile, but it is of the sport ...you search high to get to the top makes only the bottom lower.....i'd not seen this fight perhaps since it was contested a long time back......great to see.....for those who happen upon this fight and maybe don't know ...rose stopped the city of melbourne with crowds of over 100,000 when beating fighting harada for the title sometime in 1968......really no other fighter had galvanized a country as much as he, perhaps since les darcy around the time of the first world war.....

[@ClassicBoxingMatches]

Thank you for sharing mate. Always love hearing these stories and really cool to know you meet him! I'm reading his biography now

[@albertocorral9851]

@@ClassicBoxingMatches what does he mean. When Australia was Australia. It still is

[@ClassicBoxingMatches]

@@albertocorral9851 I can gather but maybe ask him

[@timcobos8954]

@@albertocorral9851 Aussie boxing is now a big WAS. Only Abos. or part Abos were world Champions so the whites of Australia are actually never wases.

[@bigjobbies]

@@albertocorral9851 The general consensus is that Australia is no longer producing anyone of note but is instead full of gutless wimps, metrosexuals, cheaters, jumped up nobodies, obsequious media toadies, and people too scared to challenge authority. An argument I have some sympathy with.

[@trevorbramich4849]

By KO?they are joking Rose looked ok to carry on