Hard to believe it was 30 years ago today that Ray “Boom Boom” Mancini beat Duk Koo Kim. I can clearly remember watching the fight live on television.This was a war. I don’t know how either man make it to the 14th round. There was no quit in either man. When Mancini won in the 14th on a TKO it was clear that Kim was in serious trouble. He was in a coma as they took him out of the ring. He would die on November 17th of that year. This was a terrible tragedy. Duk Koo Kim’s death led to a lot of changes in boxing to help protect the boxer. Boom Boom who was more of a brawler than a boxer was never the same fighter after this and I can certainly understand why.

Note- The fight turned out to be even more tragic. Kim’s mother and the referee both committed suicide within a few months of the fight.