When we discuss the great comebacks of all time we think of fights like Julius Jackson Vs Herol Graham and Archie Moore Vs Yvon durelle. Two fantastic come from behind victories. Another fight that should always be in the same discussion is the 1977 battle between battle hardened Korean Soo Hwan Hong (then 39-4-3, 13) and destructive Panamanian teenager Hector Carrasquilla (then 11-0, 11).
The bout, which took place on November 26th 1977, was the inaugural WBA Super Bantamweight title fight and despite less than 9 minutes it was a memorable, action packed and ridiculously dramatic contest that deserves it’s place in the “Closet Classic” series.
Hong had first made his name in 1974, when he became the WBA Bantamweight champion, stopping Arnold Taylor. His reign was however short lived, losing the belt to big punching Mexican Alfonso Zamora. A rematch with Zamora also saw Hong coming up short, in fact Zamora would stop Hong in both of their fights.
In 1977 Hong moved up to the newly created Super Bantamweight division and defeated Futaro Tanaka with a 12 round decision in one of two Eliminator bouts for the WBA title. The win guaranteed Hong a shot at the newly created belt.
Whilst Hong had been a world champion Carrasquilla was seen as a rising phenom. He had turned professional in 1976, as a 15 year old. After 9 fights he had stopped 9 opponents, all within 2 rounds. It wasn’t until his 10th bout that Andres Torres, a gutsy Puerto Rican, managed to extend Carrasquilla beyond the opening rounds, though he was stopped in round 7.
In 1977 Carrasquilla won his own eliminator bout, stopping Jesus Esparragoza in 7 rounds to book his place in the bout for the vacant title, a bout that saw him facing Hong.
Although aged just 17 the expectancy was on the young destroyer to continue to do what he had been doing. Destroying opponents, and quickly. The expectancy on his young shoulders had helped sell out the Gimnasio Nuevo Panama, which was wildly cheering him on from the opening bell, and baying for the head of the Korean visitor.
The bout started respectfully with both men trying to get their jabs going early but the pace of the opening round was certainly not that of a feeling out process and both did let some big shots go.
Although the first round was relatively even the bout took a huge turn in round 2. Both men picked up the pace which turned out to be a mistake for Hong who struggled to take the power of Carrasquilla and was dropped, flat on to his back, by two powerful left hooks to the head from the local star. The shots would have finished off lesser fighters but not Hong who charged back at Carrasquilla, and was dropped again, again from left hooks up top. The crowd went wild as Hong slowly rose to his feet. Instantly Hong was back in Carrasquilla’s face, as if he’d learned nothing, and down he went again. A third knockdown in the space of 50 seconds. Once again Hong to to his feet and once again he went after Carrasquilla, who caught him with a left hook and sent him down. Once again Hong got up but this time he seemed to be hurt and wasn’t as willing to fight fire with fight as Carrasquilla jumped on him.
Some how Hong saw out the round and began round 3 looking like a refreshed fighter. He came out again taking the fight to Carrasquilla and this time it was the Korean who managed to take the advantage forcing Carrasquilla backwards, towards the ropes. On the ropes the Panamanian was much less effective and Hong dug in seriously hurtful shots, with a body shot seemingly hurting the local star before a left sent him down, for the count.
The Korean celebrated whilst accompanied in the ring by local police, who seemed to be there to protect him from the fans, who were seemingly in shock by their man being stopped, especially given the way he had dominated round 2.
Sadly for Carrasquilla the loss was the beginning of the end for him and he would subsequently go 7-4-0-1 (5), before retiring in 1981. Between the Hong fight and his retirement he would face Eusebio Pedroza, in a WBA Featherweight title bout, and Ruben Castillo, though lost to both. Asfor Hong he would go 1-1-1 before retiring in the early 1980’s. He defended the title once, in Japan against Yu Kasahara who was down multiple times, before losing it to Richard Cardona. A draw with Dong Kyun Yum, a former WBC Super Bantamweight champion, saw both men end their career in what was their second meeting.
Scott Graveson covers the Asian boxing scene for www.asianboxing.info
