On this day: Larry Holmes drops Ocasio with a jab, scores four knockdowns, retains WBC title
The perfect punch should be felt and not seen.
On March 23, 1979, Larry Holmes made the second defense of his WBC heavyweight title against Puerto Rican challenger Ossie Ocasio at the Las Vegas Hilton.
Holmes, who had dethroned Ken Norton in a classic battle the previous June and blasted out Alfredo Evangelista in his maiden defense, was on red-hot form once again. Ocasio was outclassed from the opening bell and as the rounds progressed the damage intensified.
In Round 7, Holmes scored four memorable knockdowns. The first came courtesy of a rocket left jab; the second from a straight right to the jaw; the third from another vicious right; and Ocasio went out for good from a jolting left hook that spun him on to his face.
Ocasio earned his shot at Holmes by posting two decision wins over the criminally underrated Jimmy Young. He would never fight for a heavyweight championship again but did enjoy a reign as the WBA cruiserweight titleholder in the mid-1980s.
On the Holmes-Ocasio undercard, power-puncher Earnie Shavers brutally knocked out Norton in the opening round.
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