Nov. 27, 1964 - José Torres scored one of the most dramatic knockout victories of the year tonight when he stopped Carl (Bobo) Olson in the first round of their scheduled 10‐round light‐heavyweight bout at Madison Square Garden.
The 28‐year‐old Puerto Rican from Brooklyn flattened the former middleweight champion in 2 minutes 51 seconds. The punch that separated Olson from his senses was a terrific left hook.
The blow took all the strength out of the 36‐year‐old Olson’s legs. Unable to get away from the punching fury of Torres’ fists, Olson was hammered to the canvas by a succession of hooks and jolting rights to the head. He tried desperately to regain his feet as referee Johnny LoBianco tolled the count.
But the best Olson could do was get to all fours. Even in that position he was tottering, and that’s where he rested when LoBianco reached the count of 10.
Torres, making his first venture into the 175‐pound division, went into the ring against the cagey Olson a 2‐to‐1 favorite. Olson, a seasoned campaigner noted more for his tricks than his punching prowess, never had a chance to feel out his younger foe. Torres weighed 170½ pounds to 176 for Olson.
Both appeared cautious at the start, jabbing and circling. Both held their hands high to protect their jaws. But it was the quicker‐hitting, stronger-punching Torres who found the first opening. And once Torres fired the shot that dazed his rival, he wasted no motions in finishing Olson. The crowd of 7,933 had barely had time to get settled in the seats.
Even before Lo Bianco had reached the end of his count, Torres was jumping up and down in a neutral corner. He apparently was sure that Olson would never rise in time.
“Yes, I was positive he would not get up,” Torres said afterward. “In all his fights, he only goes down once.”
After the fight, an elated Torres reported from his dressing room that midway through the round he had sunk a punch deep to Olson’s midsection.
“It was the punch to the stomach, the left hook that did it just before I went to the head,” Torres reported. “I heard him say ‘oooh.’ He made a noise, and I knew he was hurt.”
Torres, who claims he could still reduce to the middleweight limit if he had to, said that now he would prefer to fight in the 175‐pound class.
He said, “I think I’ll get a chance to fight Willie Pastrano for the light-heavyweight title, but I also think he will take a little longer to fight me now.”
Olson had nothing to recommend his continuance in the ring. He left in tears, undoubtedly aware that he has nothing left for his more than 100 pro fights except an empty pocket and a storeroom of bitter memories.
However, Olson was not prepared to accept retirement at the moment.
“He caught me cold,” said Bobo. “Maybe I underestimated him. I heard the count 6-7-8, but my legs were rubbery, and I couldn’t make it up.
“A lot of good fighters have been knocked out in the first round. Archie Moore was one of them — and kept on going.”
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