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Rome: Sandro Mazzinghi vs Freddie Little, October 1968
Freddie Little comes to the ring determined to win the belt he fought so valiantly for the year before. Mazzinghi has held the title for three years since his 2nd fight with Nino Benvenuti.
The champion comes into the ring with rumours of undertraining, the Little camp say their man is in tip top shape.
Little starts out fast and to the shock of the crowd pierces Mazzinghi's inside defence with a blow to the ribs and the champion went down for a 7 count in the 2nd round. Stung into action, Mazzinghi storms back in the 6th round and drops Little to the canvass for a 7 count. Little recovers and takes the next three rounds. With the fight slipping away Mazzinghi needs to come up big and he did with a jolting uppercut in the 11th to put Little on the canvass for the 2nd time. Still not sure of victory Mazzinghi goes for the KO in thr 12th and final round and is rewarded when a body shot puts Little down on his haunches for his 3rd knockdown. Little survives until the end but it is clear Mazzinghi has defended his title yet again and the judges confirm it with a unanimous decision.
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