Emile Griffith vs Luis Rodriguez IV

On June 12, 1964, Emile Griffith and Luis Rodriguez clashed at the Convention Center in Las Vegas, Nevada, for the fourth and final time. Griffith retained his welterweight title with a split decision victory in a razor-thin decision, leaving fans and experts divided on who truly deserved the win. Griffith, weighing in at 146 pounds, edged out Rodriguez, who came in at 147 pounds, throughout a gruelling 15-round contest.

The scoring reflected the intensity and controversy of the bout. Referee Harold Krause saw it 69-67 for Griffith, while Judge David Zenoff had it 71-70 for Rodriguez, and Judge John Romero scored it 70-68 in favour of Griffith. The bout's defining moment came early when Krause deducted a crucial point from Rodriguez in the third round for low blows and striking on the break. This penalty played a significant role in the final decision, as the fight remained fiercely competitive from start to finish.

Griffith began the fight strongly, showing command in the first three rounds. However, as Rodriguez found his rhythm, his momentum appeared to dip in the middle rounds, from the fourth to the seventh. The contest turned into a seesaw battle, with neither fighter able to establish clear dominance for long. Griffith staged a late rally, pressing the action in the twelfth round and carrying his momentum into the championship rounds. Still, the fifteenth round saw two judges favour Rodriguez, suggesting that Griffith's surge may have sputtered in the final minutes.

The official scorecards reflected the razor-thin margins: the United Press International had it 71-70 for Rodriguez, while the Associated Press scored 72-68 in favour of Griffith. Local sentiment was equally split, with the Las Vegas Sun scoring the fight 70-68 for Rodriguez. A poll of twelve ringside sportswriters revealed a similarly divided opinion, with seven giving the edge to Griffith and five favouring Rodriguez. The contrasting views highlighted how difficult the fight was to judge, with opinions swaying based on how the penalty and the fighters' ebb and flow were weighed.

The bout attracted an audience of 4,604, generating $45,295 at the gate, with an additional $70,000 coming in from television rights. Griffith earned a $50,000 purse for his efforts, while Rodriguez walked away with $20,000. Despite the close nature of the fight, Rodriguez expressed little interest in rechallenging Griffith, citing his frustration with the champion's connections and influence in the welterweight division. In contrast, Griffith, already weary of cutting down to the welterweight limit, expressed ambitions to move up in weight and challenge Joey Giardello for the middleweight crown, eyeing both the challenge and the potential payday.

The encounter was a fitting end to a storied rivalry between two of the era's best fighters, leaving behind a debate over who had the upper hand in their final meeting. Each fighter had moments of brilliance, but Griffith emerged with the victory in the end, albeit by the slimmest of margins.