GALINDEZ, VICTOR-MIKE ROSSMAN ABC SPORTS PIN (1979)

HISTORY: In a big upset, Rossman defeated Galindez by a 13th-round TKO to win the WBA light heavyweight title at the Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana, on September 15, 1978. Afterwards, Galindez said: "I had personal problems, marital troubles, and I was out of shape. I couldn't concentrate on my training. And I had been sick. I weighed 190 pounds and I had to starve myself. I wasn't myself as a fighter." Rossman was scheduled to defend the WBA light heavyweight title in a rematch against Galindez at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, Nevada, on February 24, 1979, but the bout was cancelled shortly before fight time because of a dispute over the judges. Rossman said he didn't know the fight was going to be canceled until he was in the ring waiting for Galindez to arrive. Galindez had asked that the WBA appoint two judges and one local judge, but the Nevada State Athletic Commission, maintaining it had the right to name all three judges, appointed officials from Nevada. Promoter Bob Arum negotiated with both sides in an attempt to put the fight on as scheduled, but he was unsuccessful. The commission refused to back down, and Galindez refused to fight. The WBA and Galindez did not have such problems with the Louisiana State Athletic Commission, which imported Stanley Christodoulou from South Africa, Waldemar Schmidt from Puerto Rico and Jesus Celis from Venezuela. Rossman made $175,000, and Galindez earned $75,000. There was a crowd of 8,900 at the Superdome. Pat Putnam of Sports Illustrated reported: In the opening round, Rossman threw more than 30 left jabs. Many of them fell just a tick short but he connected often enough to win the round on the cards of all three officials. Then Galindez unveiled his strategy, aimed at evading the jab and overcoming the disadvantage of his shorter reach. He began taking a quick step forward and throwing a lunging jab, following that with a wicked right. The 22-year-old champion countered with stiff right hands over the jab. After this round there were two votes for Rossman. Celis voted for Galindez. In the third, Christodoulou warned Rossman for hitting low, and while Rossman got two of the official votes--again, Celis was for Galindez--that was the last round Rossman would take. Stung by a sharp right hand early in the fourth round, Galindez now began fighting with a fury, scoring with thunderous hooks from both sides. With Rossman hurt and reeling, Galindez even kept punching after the bell. Christodoulou, who said later that he didn't hear it, merely observed the action. Just as Christodoulou finally realized that the round had ended, Rossman's younger brother Andy, who works the corner, bounded into the ring and rushed at Galindez. Andy threw a punch and missed; Galindez threw two and didn't. Then the Argentinians started pouring into the ring. By now the referee was in command. He shooed both factions out of the ring, and a possible brawl was averted. In the fifth Galindez continued to dominate the fight, despite having suffered a cut high on his forehead. Rossman unleashed perhaps a dozen rights; on one of them he broke his hand. From that point to the end, Galindez was in complete charge, throwing the savage blows that rocked Rossman several times. Near the end of Round 9, Rossman fired a final right hand to Galindez' head, then staggered forward in obvious pain. When he got back to his corner Rossman said, "I can't stand the pain." [Trainer Slim] Robinson turned and told [Manager Jimmy] DePiano what the fighter had said. "O.K., that's it," DePiano said. "The fight is over. Let's get out of here." When Galindez heard the news, he came roaring out of his corner--and he fell down. Leaping up, he charged Rossman, screaming taunts. Finally his people grabbed him and pulled him away. In his dressing room, waiting to be taken to a local hospital where the hand would be put in a cast, Rossman said he had thrown that last right hand in pure desperation. "I said, `Hey, I've got to go for it,'" he said. "I couldn't just stand out there and go jab, jab, jab when he's throwing bombs. I was going crazy. I could see these big openings over his jab and I couldn't throw the right." In his dressing room, the jubilant Galindez was telling the world that he would never fight Rossman again. "He chickened up," Galindez shouted. "He's a chicken. I'll never give him a rematch." It was pointed out that Rossman had given him a return. "I got a rematch because I deserved it," Galindez said. "I won't give him one, because he doesn't deserve it." Offered here is an original ABC Sports pin advertising the fight.

FULL DESCRIPTION: This is an original, metallic, ABC Sports pin naming the fighters and date. Bold color and print. Pin firmly attached to back. Clean front and back. No dents or scratches. No pitting. 3" in diameter. Rare, the only we have seen.