In looking back at three world champions who retired unbeaten, all had one controversial win that could have or should have gone the other way in many opinions.
The one controversial match before becoming champion for Marciano, 25-0, was in June of 1950 when he defeated Roland LaStarza, 37-0, with scores 5-4 for each fighter and a 5-5 but under New York’s supplemental scoring system referee’s 5-5 was 9-6 giving Marciano the win.
It would be September of 1953 when they had their rematch with Marciano, 44-0, then world champion, making his second defense when he stopped LaStarza, 53-3, in the eleventh round. Scores after ten rounds were 7-3, 5-5, and 6-4, with Marciano ahead.
2004 Olympic Gold Medalist Andre “S.O.G.” Ward WBA, WBC World Super Middleweight champion and WBO International Light Heavyweight champion, 30-0, defeated IBF, WBA, and WBO Light Heavyweight champion Sergey “Krusher” Kovalev, 30-0-1, by scores of 114-113.
He was knocked down in the second round.
Like most controversial fights there was an immediate rematch in their next fights. Most felt Ward was fortunate to get the decision in the first one.
In June of 2017, Ward went to the body of Kovalev in the eighth round, stopping him at 2:29 of the round. Scores after seven rounds were 67-66 twice and 65-68 Ward.
1996 Olympic Bronze Medalist and WBC World Super Featherweight champion Floyd “Money” Mayweather, Jr., 27-0, in April of 2002 defeated WBC World Lightweight champion Jose Luis Castillo, 45-4-1, by scores of 116-111, 115-111 twice.
Each was deducted a point. The decision was controversial enough that a rematch followed in December, with Mayweather winning by scores of 115-113 twice and 116-113.
In making his USA debut, WBA, WBC, and WBO World Super Middleweight champion Joe “Price of Wales” Calzaghe, 44-0, defeated former unified Middleweight and IBO World Light Heavyweight champion Bernard “The Executioner” Hopkins, 48-4-1, coming off the canvas in the first round by scores of 115-112, 116-111, 113-114. In reviewing this on www.youtube, this writer had Calzaghe well ahead of Hopkin, who was doing enough holding that he could have been DQ’d.
Calzaghe would next end his career defeating former five-division world champion Roy Jones, Jr., 52-4, by scores of 118-109, coming off the canvas in the first round. Finishing with a 46-0 record, he retired due to both hands being injured.
