Meldrick Taylor signed 8" x 10" action photo in his 2nd fight with legendary Mexican icon Julio Cesar Chavez, mounted and presented in removable frame.

Signature inscribed in blue sharpie on dark background although clearly visible.

Taylor down in the 8th round. Referee Mills Lane stops the fight after Taylor takes follow up punches shortly after the knockdown. Taylor was deducted 2 points for low blows


Julio Cesar Chavez vs. Meldrick Taylor I.
This was one of the most anticipated bouts in boxing at the time. Many people were expecting it to be the "fight of the year" before it even happened. Chavez was an undefeated rising star, who had the longest reigning title streak of an undefeated fighter in over 78 years. Meldrick Taylor was a young and fast fighter, also undefeated at the time.

Chavez and Taylor engaged in a high-paced action fight. Taylor had built a huge lead and was winning the fight easily going into the last round, although Chavez landed the more crushing blows that led to a fracture in Taylor’s orbital bone. With 28 seconds left on the clock, Chavez badly staggers Taylor with a crushing right hand. Taylor moves towards Chavez and takes a sickening left hook to the body and a left uppercut. Taylor mauled Chavez into the ropes, and Chavez stepped to the side and landed a vicious left uppercut followed by a crushing right hand that sent Taylor down. Taylor got up at the count of five and seemed to some ringside observers to be okay, even though he didn't respond when referee Richard Steele asked him if he was okay. Referee Steele waved off the fight with less then two seconds to go.
This fight is one of the most controversial boxing matches in history. Many fans thought that Steele should not have stopped the fight, as there was not enough time for Chavez to do any further damage; while other fans argued Taylor deserved to be stopped, because how much time is left in a fight is irrelevant.
Steele was interviewed by HBO television commentator Larry Merchant after the fight and asked why he stopped it. Steele said he didn't know how much time was left in the fight and that he was doing his job--protecting a hurt fighter.
Despite demand for an immediate rematch, Taylor felt making the 140 pound limit weakened him, and decided to move up in weight. Chavez didn't want to leave his weight division at junior weltered-weight, where he felt comfortable. Thus. the rematch didn’t occur until four and a half years later.
Named Ring Magazine Fight of the Year. This fight was also named by Ring Magazine as Fight of the Decade.

Price: £ SOLD