2008 in Sports - Boxing

Boxing

  • February 23 – Wladimir Klitschko defeats WBO heavyweight champion Sultan Ibragimov at Madison Square Garden in New York City, to unify the IBF and WBO Heavyweight titles. The Klitschko-Ibragimov fight was the first heavyweight unification bout since Holyfield-Lewis in 1999.
  • March 8 – David Haye achieves a TKO of Enzo Maccarinelli in the second round in a unification fight for the WBC, WBA and WBO cruiserweight titles.
  • April 19 – Joe Calzaghe, fighting for the first time in the USA, wins a 12-round split decision over Bernard Hopkins for the latter's world light heavyweight title
  • June 28 – Manny Pacquiao defeats David Díaz via 9th-round knockout to take the WBC lightweight crown, his 4th world title in 4 divisions.
  • October 18 – Bernard Hopkins beats then-undefeated Kelly Pavlik via unanimous decision. Throughout the fight, Hopkins, although 17 years older than Pavlik, managed to outwork and outhustle Pavlik throughout the fight.
  • November 8 – Joe Calzaghe remains unbeaten after 46 fights with a 12-round unanimous decision over Roy Jones, Jr. at Madison Square Garden in New York City.
  • December 6 – Manny Pacquiao defeats Oscar De La Hoya after eight rounds in a fight billed as "The Dream Match" in Las Vegas, when De La Hoya couldn't answer the bell for the ninth round. It was officially a technical knockout.

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