ON MARCH 21, 1963, two boxers Davey Moore and Sugar Ramos entered Dodger Stadium to fight for the featherweight championship of the world.

Davey Moore, the champ, had held the title for four years. Many considered him to be the best pound-for-pound boxer in the sport. Approaching 30, he was planning to fight for a couple more years, long enough to earn serious money.

Then he was going to retire and enjoy his wife’s delicious cooking without having to worry about making weight.

Moore made his professional debut on May 11, 1953, aged 19, beating Willie Reece by a decision in six rounds. He boxed 8 times in 1953, with a total record that year of 6 wins, 1 loss and 1 no contest.

From the beginning of his career through 1956 Moore fought a total of 29 bouts, with a total record of 22–5–1, and 1 no contest. Beginning with his April 10, 1957 fight against Gil Cadilli, Moore had an 18-bout winning streak, ending when he lost to Carlos Morocho Hernández on March 17, 1960, with a TKO.

Moore was scheduled to face Cuban-Mexican Sugar Ramos on July 1962 at Dodger Stadium but a torrential typhoon-like rainstorm hit Los Angeles on the night of the fight and the fight was postponed until March 21, 1963.

It was shown on national television in front of a crowd of 22,000. In the tenth round, Ramos staggered Moore with a left and then continued to pummel him with blows until he fell, striking the base of his neck on the bottom rope and injuring his brain stem.

Moore got to his feet for the eight-count and, despite Ramos’ continuing attack, managed to finish the round on his feet, but the referee stopped the fight before the eleventh, and Ramos was declared the new World Featherweight Champion.

Moore was able to give a clear-headed interview before he left the ring, but in the dressing room fell into a coma from which he never emerged.

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Write up: Culled from Wikipedia