Livingstone Bramble vs. Tyrone Crawley

Livingstone Bramble vs. Tyrone Crawley, billed as The Grand Slam, was a professional boxing match contested on February 16, 1986, for the WBA lightweight title.^[1]

After Livingstone Bramble upset Ray Mancini to claim the WBA lightweight title in June 1984, the two fighters pursued an rematch set for February 1985. However, as Tyrone Crawley was now ranked the WBA's number-one lightweight and thus Bramble's mandatory challenger, the promoters of the bout had to pay Crawley $150,000 to step aside and allow the rematch to continue forward. Both Bramble and Mancini signed contracts stating they would next fight Crawley should they win.^[2] Crawley, meanwhile defeated Nick Parker on January 31, 1985, in what was supposed to be a tune-up before challenging the winner for the lightweight title. Afterwards, Crawley stated that he expected his title fight to take place later that summer in either June or July.^[3]

Two weeks after Crawley's victory over Parker, Bramble would once again defeat Mancini to retain his title and supposedly set up a fight with Crawley^[4] Shortly after his victory over Mancini, Bramble was found to have the banned stimulant ephedrine, briefly putting his title reign, and thus his fight with Crawley, in jeopardy, though the Nevada State Athletic Commission decided against suspending him and only issued a fine to he and his manager Lou Duva.^[5][6]

The Bramble–Crawley fight was officially announced in early April to take place on May 26, but the fight was plagued with delays and postponements.^[7] One month later, the fight was postponed for the first time when Bramble suffered a fractured left hand while training.^[8] The fight was then rescheduled for October 12, but was postponed again for various reasons which included; NBC reneging on their offer to broadcast the fight, Bramble's preferred trainer Panama Lewis being unable to get a license in Nevada and promoter Dan Duva claiming that Crawley had not agreed to the contractual terms.^[9] With NBC recommitting to broadcasting the fight and contractual issues fixed, the fight was rescheduled for November 23, but was postponed for a third time when Crawley pulled out just days before citing a hand injury he had suffered two weeks prior while sparring.^[10] After the third postponement, the fight was finally set for February 16, 1986, one year to the day of Brambles previous fight.^[11]

After the second postponement, Bramble parted ways with his manager Lou Duva after Duva's managerial contract expired. Duva promptly sued Bramble claiming he was owed money from this and past fights. Lou's son Dan, offered Bramble the opportunity to buy him out of his promotional contract with Bramble, but was retained for the fight with Crawley.^[12]

Bramble pressed the action, repeatedly attacked Crawley's body and was able to avoid any real trouble en route and had built up a comfortable lead on the judge's scorecards heading into the final rounds.

Bramble scored an early flash knockdown, sending Crawley down less than one minute into the second round after catching him with a right hand that sent Crawley off-balance and down on his knees, though he was quickly back up. Just after the bell at end of the sixth round, Bramble landed a punch, for which referee Joey Curtis deducted a point. The point deduction briefly opened a window for Crawley to get back in the fight as he won some of following rounds, though Bramble regained control and didn't lose a round on any of the scorecards after the eighth. The fight came to an end when with around 30 seconds left in the 13th round, Bramble connected with a right that sent a dazed Crawley staggering back into the corner, after which Bramble landed a barrage of punches that sent Crawley through the ropes and then down on the canvas. Crawley was able to answer Curtis' 10-count but was clearly hurt and on wobbly legs but Curtis nevertheless allowed him continue the fight. Bramble quickly moved in and quickly sent Crawley down with a combination causing Curtis to the stop the fight.^[13]

Promoter Bob Arum was openly critical of referee Joey Curtis' decision to allow Crawley to continue fighting after the first knockdown in the 13th round, calling it "inexcusable" and "insane." Duane Ford, the then-vice president of the Nevada State Athletic Commission himself was very critical of judges Hector Hernandez Vilchis and Harmodio Cedeno for scoring many of the rounds even. Ford called their judging "pathetic."^[14]

Confirmed bouts:^[15]

^Note 1 For WBA Lightweight Title