Vicente Mijares ~ 'Talented Mexican Lightweight'

[Bill Paxtom]

Thursday ~ February 26, 1976

Olympic Auditorium ~ Los Angeles, California

~ NABF Lightweight Championship ~
~ WBC Elimination Bout ~

#4 WBC - Vicente Mijares - 18-0-0 {11 KO's} ~ 135 lbs. ~ {Age; 22 years, 1 month}
vs.
#7 WBC - Randy Shields - 27-1-0 {15 KO's} ~ 134 1/2 lbs. ~ {Age; 20 years, 3 months}
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~ The Skinny ~

This bout is both for the NABF Lightweight Championship, as well as a WBC Lightwieght Eliminator,
with the winner 'guaranteed' a bout with WBC Lightweight Champion - Ishimatsu 'Guts' Suzuki next.

Randy Shields is out to 'reverse' his loss by {TKO 8} to the smart-boxing Mexican 3-Months earlier,
back on November 29, 1975.

Manager - Harry Kabakoff {for Vicente Mijares} stated that his fighter will have no problem getting
by Randy Shields again.

The WBC Lightweight Champion - Ishimatsu 'Guts' Suzuki of Japan last defended his Title on
December 4, 1975 > when he stopped {TKO 14} Alvaro Rojas.

The WBC has stated that the winner here, will get to challenge for the WBC Championship in
early-May 1976 > providing the fight purse bid offer is accepted.
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~ Vicente Mijares Repeats Win Over Randy Shields ~

Mexican boxing-master - Vicente Mijares repeated his earlier success, with anther win over 'highly-touted'
Californian - Randy Shields.

This time is was by a 12-Round Unanimous Decision, to capture the NABF Lightweight Championship.

Just as in their 1st-Bout, the tall-and-lanky Shields got off to a fast start, as he landed with his long
left-jab, and right-hand leads to the head over the first 4-Rounds.

But, Mijares used a steady body-attack throughout the middle-Rounds to erase the taller Shields' early
Rounds lead, as the Californian had taken advantage of his 5" Reach advantage to win the early sessions.

The Mexican started to move inside in Round 5, and slammed the 'thin-body' of Shields with solid
right-uppercuts to the mid-section and left-hook to the ribs.

The fast-handed Mexican hurt Shields with body-punches in Rounds 6 and 7, and had his opponent
backing away and 'scampering' in Rounds 8 and 9.

In Round 10, a now-desperate Shields attempted to 'swing-the-tide', and went toe-to-toe with Mijares,
and held his own for the first 2-Minutes of the session.

But by the end of the Round, Mijares had Shields backing away and to the Ropes. Mijares raked the
body of Shields, and had the 20 year-old bending in pain at the Bell.

Over the last 2-Rounds, Mijares used a 'stiff' left-jab to keep Shields on the outside and on the defensive,
as he went on to score a solid 12-Round Decision win.

Scorecards
* Referee - Dick Young ..... 6-4
* Judge - Larry Rozadilla ... 7-4
* Judge - Rudy Jordan ...... 7-5