Jan. 17, 1964 - Zora Folley, sixth-ranked heavyweight, outboxed the Canadian heavyweight champion, George Chuvalo, and gained a unanimous decision in a 10-round nationally televised fight tonight at the Cleveland Arena. Folley, a 31-year-old father of seven, used a piston-like left jab and counter-punched cleverly on the wild-swinging Chuvalo. Folley used his ring savvy to keep his heavier and younger foe far off balance throughout the battle, which had the 5,415 fans booing for lack of action. Folley, who weighed 200 pounds, won his 64th fight as he started off being the aggressor, then laid back to stage a pinpoint counterattack as Chuvalo tried to pull it out of the fire. Chuvalo, 26, weighed 212 pounds. There were no knockdowns.
In the first round, Folley, the 7-5 favorite — now in his 12th year in the ring — concentrated on Chuvalo’s left eye, and before the round was over there were bruises above and below the Canadian’s eye. Folley’s best round was the sixth when he had his heavier foe hurt twice with vicious head attacks which occurred after Chuvalo tried long-range tactics. Chuvalo left his face an easy target for the lightning jabs of Folley because the Canadian had his left glove hanging low during much of the bout. Twice in the fight Folley indicated he had been hit by a low punch, but referee Tony Labranch did not warn Chuvalo. At the end of the fight, Folley’s right eye was slightly swollen.
