myself, as well. i was 18 y. o. and remember watching boxing with my father, who was also a fighter - this is how we connected. im not sure if i saw this fight back then, ir not. Like the day Dale Earnhardt died, a very sad day in sports.
never knew how normal and cool Trump was and how badass his presidency was until the JRE episode… Also just great conversation that lead me to be interested and look stuff like this up for myself.
Same here. Never knew about this story. Very heartbreaking and I can only imagine how worried and frightened the viewers were. I mean, damn... But I'm just glad we raised our awareness for concussions and brain trauma over the years.
What an absolute warrior, when he got knocked down in round 14, he knew he was finished yet he still tried to get up. The man literally fought to the death
@@Josef_Stylin no his corner also failed him..... sometimes you never know when you have enough! that is why you have coaches/corner people to see from the outside to see that you have had enough.... terrible corner/coach to be honest
@@KuyaArbee Firstly they have 15 rounds which contributed to a lot of damage, the ref could've stopped the fight at round 13, it wasn't his ego it was his warrior spirit not everyone chooses to die a peaceful death. Finally this fight contributed to the decision to change the rounds to 12 for safety reasons.
The referee had no particular faults, Duk was clearly beaten and exhausted, but it was something gradual, he had never been on the varge of the KO in the previous rounds, he was always answering back. That terrible tragedy, with his death, his mother's suicide and the referee's suicide was something beyond immagination. A tragedy indeed.
Maximiliano Herrera it really was a lesson the boxing world had to learn though: there were fighters who, on this stage, would fight to the death. Not as in trying to kill their oponent or just die by accident, but rather push their bodies well beyond what they can take rather than lose. I don't think they realized it until this fight. There had been accidental deaths, but Kim died largely because he absolutely refused to go down and pushed himself way beyond what he could take. That's why the rules changed shortly there after.
Maximiliano Herrera I would have called the fight in the 8th because I would never let man live with the guilt of killing another man it's better to let him see another day than letting be a warrior and die
Had the fight ended with a simple knockout it would still be considered one of the great fights of all time...it was an absolute war. Sad that it ended the way it did. In boxing circles Kim is spoken of in reverent terms. He was not big on skill but he was completely fearless and an absolute warrior. I remember watching this fight when I was a kid and as it went along I was afraid for Mancini, because this guy just would not stop...on that Saturday afternoon when I was 15 y/o I was cheering for Mancini to knock the guy out...30+ years later when I watch the fight I'm cheering for Kim.
"You will remember him today win or lose." I watched this fight live. It still stuns me. Kim was a very strong fighter. I kept thinking that Kim would throw a big left hand and knock out Mancini.
I also watched it live with my Korean wife. We were both huge fight fans and were sure that Mancini would win because we had seen many of his fights. Kim was unknown to us but we knew that Koreans are a tough and determined people. We were very sad that the young man died.
there was a boxer from Peru orlando romero that challenge mancini,,,,, before the fight,,, they kept showing the high lights about this fight!!!! creating fare to the media in Peru and drama,,, like orlando romero was going to face a murder !!!
It's heartbreaking that after this fight, Kim Duk-Koo dies, Mancini falls into a deep depression, thinking that he killed Kim, Kim's mother committed suicide 3 months after the bout, and the referee, Richard Green, killed himself in July 1983, a year and 2 months after the bout. :(
That is horrible, two suicides and glad Mancini did not take it that far. Mancini was a clean fighter, did nothing wrong--but one can imagine, not being an animal in any way, how he must have felt. Years later, I heard Mancini's daughter watched the film for the first time, and came to the same conclusion everyone came to, that her Dad did nothing wrong. It's a brutal sport, for sure, but in my mind, Kim would not have blamed The champion--and Kim would have knocked Mancini out, if he could have, also without apology.
I saw it live too and felt relieved that Ray won in the end. Then I was shocked when Kim ended up in a coma and died. Despite the tragedy, this is one my favorite fights of all time along with the Hagler vs. Hearns fight.
@@georgevincent1834 you’ve never done anything in your life, yet you yap, trying to put down braver, better men who actually got in the ring. What a tiny, pathetic little man you are. You repulse me.
Kim's mother donated his body parts to save the lives of at least four other people ,what a courageous decision in such a miserable ending of a great fight among two warriors!God bless his mother and the ability of science!
4 months after the fight, Kim's mother drank a bottle of pesticide, taking her own life. During those 4 months she was in seclusion, refusing to speak to anyone. The grief too strong, her spirit broken, she chose to be with her son again. 8 months after this fight, Richard Greene, the referee in this fight, shot himself in the head at home. He couldn't bare the burden of the overwhelming grief either... 7 months after the fight, Kim's fiancé gave birth to his son. The son and his mother lived in dire poverty, she did any kind of work available to survive. Kim's son accidently overheard someone mention his father's tragic death,........... that's how he learned of his father's death. He was 9 years old at the time.
That sent chills through me the first time watching the fight and already knowing the outcome and consequences. Kim was a warrior. May he rest in peace 😢
RIP my man Kim. You had a steel heart. Threw all you got until you knew you got nothing left in the tank. I don’t remember when was the last time my tank got emptied, yet I still complaint. This true warrior should never be forgotten. I am proud to be your kind. korean.
+Maximus4587 I lived 20 miles outside of Youngstown and was 10 y/o at the time. Boom Boom was my hero...and then this happened...and things got strange and difficult. I can only imagine how hard it was for him.
Duk-Koo Kim's childhood was a poor and hard knock life. His father died when he was 1 years old (2 years old in Korean age), his mom went through three different marriages and Duk-Koo himself ran away from home at age 17 being tired of constant fights with his half siblings. He moved to Seoul and worked as a shoe shine boy, tour guide, doing manual labors...just about anything to survive. He must have learned the importance of education because he finished high school while working at those jobs. Boxing was the passion he found.
I remember watching this fight as a young teenager in my grandmothers basement. Before watching this fight again, my thoughts. I thought Kim won, or would have won a decision. Mancini got lucky in the end. Kim became a legend. My family is from Denmark, we are Viking. We believe how a man dies is as important as how he lives. This man is an example of a true warrior. He deserves all the respect the world can show him, even in death.
I too believed that Kim was ahead on the scorecards at least until the 13th. But the fact is Mancini was going to win that fight unless Kim knocked him out. the powers that be were getting worried towards the end so I can't remember if it was the 12th or 13th round the announcer stated that they had deducted a point from Kim for hitting after the bell in the 10th. I just went back and watched the end of the 10th over and over and did not see a punch. It was getting ready for the fix in case needed, but nobody even payed attention to it because of the ending.
No such thing as luck in boxing at the pro level. Moreover the Vikings we’re a mix of Benjamin and Judah. So called “black” ppl ruled all over Europe during that time period. Caucasian didn’t come into real power until the 17-1800’s
52:19 "Deuk Koo kim the challenger. You may have not heard of him before, you will remember him today". Accurate words but a horrible way of being remembered. I'm named after Ray "Boom Boom" Mancini though. Great fighter that fought with everything he had. In the present they would have stopped the fight earlier.
How do you figure they would have stopped the fight... I watched that flight live... they fought their hearts out neither man stop punching throughout the fight. He was knocked down on a single blow in the 14th round. Until that point both men fought their hearts out no reason to stop the fight. Richard Steele reft a very good fight he should have never felt any remorse... there was never a reason to stop that fight prior to the 14th round knockdown.
*Epic* fight which literally changed the game. Respect to the Kim duk koo for giving his all till the end and showing different types of boxing in all those 14 rounds, and respect to the Ray Mancini for showing respect to the challenger and honoring him by praising him in the end intending to fight him for all 15 rounds. Present day fighters can learn a lot from them.
Seeing a fifteen round boxing match is like seeing the ironman. Every moment you are expending energy and have a war go on your brain telling your body to not stop. I boxed in the Army and those were three rounds! We ran 10 miles a day and boxing was way harder. Hats off.
Kim wasn't just determined he was also so strong! never seen anyone push Mancini back repeatedly. Mancini so tough and durable and his punching power even late into a fight is outstanding! 2 warriors in there
There are a few stories about this fight. Mancini said that while getting ready in his dressing room,........he heard some wild noise coming from somewhere. Ray asked someone to see what it was;....... it was Kim yelling and punching the metal lockers in his dressing room. Mancini said he knew right then it would be a tough fight. Ray also said about middle of the fight,......maybe round 8 or 9, he seriously considered quitting. He knew he couldn't do that as champion, with his father there and the Vegas crowd, but Mancini said at that point he didn't have nothing left to give, and certainly not 6 more rounds. Ray Mancini lived with this tragedy for 25 years. He had dreams of Kim often. He was asked about Kim everywhere he went for all those years. His difficulty in dealing with this tragedy was overshadowed by the suffering endured by others as a result of Kim's death. When Duk Koo Kim left Korea for this fight, he was also leaving behind his pregnant fiancé. Korean custom prevented her from seeing Kim when he departed. 7 months after his death, Kim's fiancé gave birth to his son. She tried to work while raising him,..... taking any work she could find. They lived in dire poverty. Four months after the fight,........Duk Koo Kim's mother drank a bottle of pesticide, ending her life and the agony she could no longer bare. Her spirit broken, never speaking to anyone for 4 months, she decided to join her son. A few months later and 8 months after the fight, the man that refereed the fight, Richard Green, shot himself in the head at home. He was hounded by the media after the fight, asking why he didn't stop the fight sooner. Nobody involved in the tragedy ever felt the referee did anything but his job. There were no complaints directed towards him, but he was grief stricken nonetheless. Duk Koo Kim and his mother, and referee Richard Green died that day in Las Vegas. Kim's fiancé and his son struggled through heartache and poverty without Kim. Kim's son learned of his father's death when he was nine. Ray Mancini ended his career at an early age, and the memory of the tragedy hung around his neck ,....his constant companion.
In an interview, Kim said either he dies or I die.He was willing to fight to the death.After Kim died ,all championship fights went from 15 rounds down to 12 rounds(Kim was knocked out in the 14th round of this fight). Ironically Ray Mancini was TKO'd in the 14th round against then champion Alexis Arguello a little over a year earlier before this fight.
@@angravante was also TKO'd in the 14th later against BRamble from the Virgin Islands. That tragedy struck Mancini a lot. He was never the same as before. Arum said that. I think that without that tragedy affecting him, Mancini would have beaten Livingstone Bramble, at least in the rematch.
I was 13 years old when this fight came on tv, and I remember calling up my buddy after a couple rounds, saying "dude, this Korean kid Kim is for real! He is landing some shots on Mancini!" And I then sat and watched the war unfold, at the edge of my seat the whole time. Tragic ending, but Kim was a hero
moshe cohen well most people judge it by today's rules. These days that first knock down in round 13 would have ended the fight most likely, the ref would have called it after observing Kim for the mandatory 8. If not, it's likely round 13 would habe ended, but Kim wouldn't have been allowed into round 14, he was pretty banged up and exhausted.
The referee ended up killing himself a few months after this fight. Probably because of people blaming him for not ending it *earlier*. If you ever wonder why some fights are called earlier than you think they should, it's because of this fight. BUT, the way Kim was fighting in the 13th round you wouldn't have guessed that he wasn't healthy enough to end up how he did. He was giving it his all till the end and this was probably one of the greatest physical performances I've ever witnessed. edit: not ending it *earlier*
Dopamean otmic Exactly, that's why refs are quicker to stop fights when a fighter's defenses crumble these days. You can be fine (relatively), but then a single punch cause massive damage because exhaustion and lack of defense cause you to take the full force rather than break with a block or roll or avoid it with a dodge.
Shit. Did not know that about Richard Green (looked him up, as I thought it respectful to use his name instead of just calling him "the ref"). Doubly tragic.
I remember watching this fight live on TV. What a battle between two warriors.Mancini was a hero to many young fighters . The announcer was right Kim had nothing left. His mom committed suicide as did the referee .This fight still haunts Mancini.Very sad that Kim died it effected so many people God Bless his family!
Before Kim left for vegas, in an interview in Korea he said that he won't be walking off the ring if he lost the fight. He kept his words as a man but sacficied the most important thing, his life. I also feel very bad for the other boxer and the referee who commited suicide 7 months after the fight. I hope Kim gets more recognition in the boxing world for changing it, for his mentality, and his sad but honourable life. A real warrior.
he didn't change the boxing world. the boxing world as a whole started thinking about what went wrong with this fight and what could cause it and then they realized that rules should be upgraded so WBC shortened number of rounds
His death contributed to the introduction of changes in professional boxing, aimed at improving the health and life protection of boxers. His death, not him.
The greatest fight I ever watched! I watched it live at the time and never forgot it. Thanks for uploading. I don't know what the punch stats were but I'm willing to bet no fight ever had as many punches thrown. Two warriors in a fight to the death! RIP Duk Koo Kim and his mom who committed suicide 3 months after he died. Ray Mancini was never the same after this fight!
Thank you for posting the entire telecast. We see a young Hector Camacho as well as the other contenders from perhaps one of the greatest eras in boxing. No pay per view. When television was actually good.
They are both absolute machines. 15 rounds outside in Nevada heat. I love the respect between both fighters beginning to end. Truly a lost moral in combat sports these days. The oldest fights always inspire me the most and I didn't know of these two fighters either. Thanks for this upload!
Joe Rogan bringing this back to attention during his interview with Donald Trump is important. This tragic fight changed boxing forever. But what a fight it was. RIP Duk Koo Kim.
Same for Gabriel Ruelas after his fight with Jimmy Garcia. Unlike this one where I was only 3 years old, I saw the Ruelas/Garcia fight. It was one sided and probably should've been stopped a good two rounds prior.
@@TommyMVSERVTI How could they know that? It was the cumulation of the punches that killed that poor young man. Mancini was never the same, he should have retired in respect of Kim. No more punches to intentionally do damage to another human being. That would have honored Kim's heart and soul that kept him fighting to the bitter end.
I was in a nightclub in Pittsburgh about 1980 something. I was backing up to let people through and I stepped on yes, boom, boom Mancini's foot. When I turned around to say Oh my, God I'm so sorry. There stands boom, boom Mancini. This was six months after the accident. I am now 62 and I'll never ever forget that night with that gentleman and the nice lady he was with. That goes along with meeting Roberto Clemente and shaking his hand. Pittsburgh is a great place.
Duk Koo Kim, This man right here. had a bright future ahead of him, he may not have speed or power. but he had Heart, he had will and a chin to boot. but unfortunately his life was taken too early, because they paired a little-known rookie to an experienced veteran. Ray Mancini knew he was up for a war. but didn't expect this kind of ferocity from Duk Koo Kim. the two battled for 14 rounds with Kim getting hit 39 times in the 13th round and finished without falling to his knees. in the 14th round he was hit hard twice. but this time he was struggling, he was dying, but he still stood up. the referee stopped the fight but it was too late. and he died 4 days later. he had the heart of a lion. and he had the will to not step back from the fight. truly a brave man. RIP Duk Koo Kim.
what a battle. I remember this as a kid. We had never heard of Kim but when he raised his hands in a cheer after getting hit early in the fight we knew he was hungry and was a real fighter. It's of course a terrible shame he died like this. His friends later reported that Kim had repeatedly said he would win or die. This kind of heart and determination deserves our respect and remembrance today. To me at least its disrespectful to the memory of Kim to blame the ref or boxing in general. Compare a battle like this to a recent big vegas fight and you'll either be happy that boxing has become a safer sideshow or disgusted
His mom committed suicide after this. Heartbreaking stuff. The guy was poor, started with nothing. Shining shoes then became a boxer and made it all the way to America. Incredible heart. It's sad someone had to die for something to be done about the strenuous 15 rounds. Sometimes I feel like 12 rounds is too much. Who gets knocked out past the 10th anyways? Those last two rounds are never really good. No matter the weight division. Just a couple of really tired guys trying to last the rounds out usually. USUALLY. We should cut it to 10.
ToddtheWadd very well put boxing has become a thing of the past it's all about M.O.N.E.Y. & more M.O.N.E.Y. this era here the 80"s is gone when the best fought the best today it's who can draw more MONEY!!! Kim had heart like all the fighters of the 1980"s miss that era I been collecting boxing fights since the early 80"s I always pop in fights of the past all classic W.A.R.S...!!! Not today's let's see who can make more money!!!
ToddtheWadd i was 13 when i saw this; i was at a barbershop getting a haircut. there were a lot of people there watching the fight. my haircut took way longer that day..
Man, so much tragedy associated with this fight, even after Kim died. His mom and the ref both committed suicide not long after and Mancini was never the same fighter. Kim was the ultimate warrior, literally carried out on his shield......A sad day for the sport of Boxing......Much respect for Duk Koo Kim. "Rest in peace".
As strange as this sounds, with no disrespect, I hope referee Richard Green's suicide was for _another_ reason than this fight. He acted absolutely as promptly as possible. As SOON as he saw Kim was dazed, he IMMEDIATELY ended it. PERFECT refereeing. Don't forget, Kim was pulling himself up. Other referees might have let him continue. Kim was still blasting away in the 13th. He took shots, but he was tenaciously slamming back some of his own. He was not only defending himself, he was continuing to fight offense. One account says "In the beginning of the 13th round Mancini charged Kim with a flurry of 39 punches, but had little effect." The truth is, had the fight been stopped in the 13th, Green would be considered a criminal for stopping the fight too soon. I'm sorry if he felt guilt, which is what most reporting claims, because he ruled properly, both before (not stopping), and by stopping as soon as Kim looked incapable of defense. And mother of fighter Kim, Kim fought as honorably as anyone could hope. The broadcaster gave high praise to his fighting at 22:20. I rooted for Mancini - who I believe is a major class act - but have high respect for Kim, who gave him one of the toughest fights of his life. (Edit: I meant 52:20 where broadcaster gives praise, not 22:20. Note, that is AFTER ROUND 13.)
+Bill Woo Greene's daughter told Mancini that her father's suicide had nothing to do with this fight...he had suffered from depression for years. Also, no one ever blamed the Greene for Kim's death and if you watch the fight he did a text book job...even breaking the fighters quite a few times and giving constant warnings/instructions. Ironically, if anything it was a very well officiated fight.
You can say that but with no certainty. 1. Ali's corner was in disagreement whether the former champ should or could continue. Dundee wanted to stop after nine but was overruled. Everyone knew and agreed after ten. And it ended right then. 2. Ali never went down in that fight. He was never "defenseless," though he took shots - only a few of them "blasts." 3. For a ref to rule defeat for the sport's greatest ever, in a world title bout - that's got to be absolutely clear. With what was at stake, you have to let the fighters fight. To a point, obviously. Read all the articles you can find. I've read many. None blamed Greene for allowing the fight to continue through 10. All blamed either Ali or his corner for going on with no chance. Even the corner ultimately resigned to that. And finally, so did Ali. In the most uncharacteristic move of his career, rather than jump and flail in outrage at the stoppage, he sat silently on the stool after round ten. Imagine. The only KO in the *entire history* of Muhammed Ali - and he accepted it.
Holmes took place before that kim fight my friend, even before that holmes and i dnt remember the guy's name where holmes did another punishment. In that golden era they thought that fighters were warriors. Its later that we all look back at what we did and see how wrong it was. Im sad, ali could have been in a better shape for the rest of his life, i hate don king.
I can only imagine what was going through Kim's head during that fight, I don't know about you guys but I have a hard time believing that he didn't know how bad he was hurt, but he refused to go down, knowing that it would probably mean his death. What incredible heart, to lay it all on the line like that. In my opinion, the most beautiful way to die, even if it was a tragedy.
I guess it depends how u look at it u say it's a beautiful way to die to me that sounds like a males ego and pride for me life is beautiful and I rather be alive and here for my family but I see your point to but I also can see my own point
You need to remember the infamous "No Mas" fight in 1980 when Duran just gave up and ended the fight vs. Sugar Ray Leonard --- he was mocked and shunned back in Panama for that, and the people called him a CHUMP --- so Kim saw that and didn't wanna be known as a quitter back in South Korea
My brother and I watched this fight. It was epic, it was brutal, and ultimately, it was tragic. Both fighters fought valiantly. This fight changed boxing forever.
Minutes after the fight was over, Kim collapsed into a coma and was removed from the Caesars Palace arena on a stretcher and taken to the Desert Springs Hospital. At the hospital, he was found to have a subdural hematoma consisting of 100 cubic centimeters of blood in his skull. Emergency brain surgery was performed at the hospital to try to save him, but Kim died five days after the bout, on November 18. The neurosurgeon said it was caused by one punch.
kim was a warrior for sure....ray said after he hit kim in the 4 th round with some hard shots to the head and kim just lifted his arms like he was cheering and keep coming. ray said he thought of quitting and thats the only time he said that in any of his other fights that shows you how tough kim was..
If you watch the fight, you will notice that time and time again, Duk Koo Kim came right back after Mancini scored with big punches. Kim seemed to get hurt in the 11th, but not too bad, and in the 13th, Mancini came out throwing everything he had, and in that round, Kim didn't throw a punch for a long time, but then he came right back again in the 2nd half of the 13th. There wasn't anything evident to indicate the seriousness of Kim's condition, but the huge power shots that Kim sustained in the 14th looked brutal. That being said, this was a helluva fight, and Kim had the heart of a lion. It wasn't until the later rounds that Mancini seemed to really take control.
for me, this fight without a doubt enters the top 5 of the best matches in history, but I also position it as the most tragic combat in history, since it was not only the boxer who died, but 3 more people died.
I loved Boom Boom, back in the day, and this was a great fight with an incredibly unfortunate ending. Kim lost his life, but he did way more in the ring than hang in there.
I was 14 years old watching this fight and I was on the edge of my seat the whole time! It was like it just happened yesterday in my mind! I remember how distraught Ray was when he found out about Duks death! He quit for a time out right after that! Two of the best warriors to ever fight in a ring! ❤⚔❤🤜💥🤛RESPECT AND HONORS TO DUK KOO KIM & RAY “BOOM BOOM” MANCINI🤜💥🤛❤⚔❤….In memory ALWAYS Duk Koo Kim❤❤❤⚔❤❤❤
If he'd only stepped back, but in those days , there was no stepping back. . Mr. Kim was an amazing fighter & Had so much heart. A true warrior indeed.
Great fight. Shame about Duk Koo Kim. I expected the punch to be violent and hard to watch, it looked like a surprisingly normal knockout. Duk wasn't even unresponsive. Duk's mother and the referee of this match ended up killing themselves. What a horrible tragedy. I guess 12 rounds of beating eachother's heads in is more than enough.
Loved Ray Mancini when I was a teenager back in the '80's. I remember this fight, I don't think I watched it at the time, but growing up in a boxing household it was big news for us at the time. I watched the documentary about Ray and he's still as humble and real as ever. Thanks for uploading the fight. Anthony.
52:22 you may not have heard of him before, you will remember him today. the irony of that statement is no truer words were ever uttered that proved true. truly the fight that changed boxing. within two years all fights would go longer than 12 rounds. RIP duk koo kim!
Although I was a kid, I remember this fight, It was really epic, with Kim fighting very well in the first rounds, keeping Mancini off. Ray took heavy blows, yet he remained on focus, while Kim was losing strenght and stamina, you can see how after round 10 he grows weaker and weaker on guard while Mancini kept his stance. Round 13 was a massacre, but Kim responded promptly, and I guess the referee had no faults keeping the fight on. No one predicted the tragedy that was going on because it was simply impossible to predict. It's kinda annoying to listen to the boos from the audience and the bad consideration americans had for Kim, the best supporter of Kim was Ray, only him.
It was a great fight. But considering how it ended and how it impacted so many lives, it was also a fight that should not have happened. It should never come down to a choice between winning or dying. My heart goes out to all who have been affected. And now it's clear why the current rules of boxing are in place today.
GREAT FIGHT!!! Oh my god! This is my first time watching it. One of the greatest I've ever seen. It's too bad what happened to Duk Koo Kim. Rest in peace. :/
@52:00 "Duk Koo Kim, the challenger, you may not have heard of him before, but you will remember him today - win or lose." A very eerie and prophetic quote
Not true . WBC only used this fight as the excuse in reducing title fights to 12 rounds. Truth was they wanted to reduce telecasts to 1 hour or less after the Holmes-Cobb fiasco .
Another reason as that a 12-round fight fits better into a one-hour TV slot than a 15-round fight. It's kind of ironic that this was the golden age of TV fights.
Watching this again, I am reminded that when I originally saw this fight live on TV that Saturday afternoon, around the 9-10 round I thought, “this is the most brutal thing I have ever watched, somebody is going to die”. This fight haunts me to this day.
I saw this fight as a young man. One of the greatest fight ever !! its a tragedy that Kim died... this fight changed lot of things in boxing world. Watch Netflix "The Good Son" about Kim's son visiting Mancini decades later.
Bless this man Duk Koo. He's the reason why we have 12 round fights today. And the 8 second count down by the referee. His death tho unfortunate saved so many lives !!
This is just iron will, the man is tough as nails. Refusal to quit, despite the odds against him. Makes Rocky look like Taylor Swift at the victoria secret fashion show. His life story is quite sad but its what made him as tough as he was. There should be a monument of this man in his country.
I watched this fight as it happened with my grandmother. It was the only fight she ever paid attention to. It was really fun and funny to me to see her get so into the fight! She was cheering for Mancini without knowing who he was. She was even throwing punches of her own from her rocking chair. When she learned that Kim had died, she cried. It was the last time she watched a fight. She wouldn’t even watch Saturday morning wrestling after that. Great fight; tragic ending.
Was your Grandma from Youngstown? I remember everyone in Ytown watching the fight because Boom Boom was such a big hero to the city. He was like a real life Rocky Balboa.
I can see that. If you're not into a sport and then the 1st time you decide to watch it, a tragedy happens, you'd feel nauseous even seeing highlights. I imagine people in similar tragic situations would feel the same (e.g. first Formula One race was Artyon Senna's death, first rodeo event was Lane Frost's death). Everything humans do have risks, but athletics even more so. All are gladiatorial games, but boxing is probably considered a direct cousin of that bloodsport 1st displayed in ancient Rome
Back when boxing was a real mans sport. As a die hard fan, its sad to see what a business its become... thanks, floyd. What a warrior Kim was. He was literally dying and was trying to get up. Much respect.
Jake Beattie Respect will always matter, nobody is going to be respected by everyone. And fans don’t pay medical bills, nor will they take care of fighters as they age. So money is always important in every profession. All fans do for guys like Kim and Arturo Gatti I’d say “He was a warrior”. I’ll take walking away from the game with all my faculties over that.
Maxim Dadashev died today because of injuries sustained before the weekend in a fight that lasted 11 rounds. It's still pretty much a man's sport I would say...
Everybody talks about the Hagler-Hearns fight, but this fight is definitely the most exciting fight I've ever seen in my life. Neither one of them ever gave up for one second. I have never seen a fight last that long with that many punches being thrown. It's just a tragedy that it ended in death. But I'm surprised they didn't both die from this. It was a brutal street fight all the way. And with one big punch, Kim could have pulled it out.
@@mikes2082 Not at all Mike, we both thank them both, for sure. What they did, together, will stand up for years to come. You know, Ray's daughter after many years of hearing about it, watched it independently and came to the same conclusion--that she already knew about her Dad, not a mean bone in his body, just doing his job in the Ring. And you know, to Kim, he stands as a reminded, especially to us in this country who are fat and happy, how much it means to an immigrant--from anywhere, who comes here to give more than 100 percent, whatever it takes to build a life here. Should make us all-it did me--grateful we have the chances we have, the life we have.
My grandfather loved boxing, so I'd watch it with him. I was 15 when I saw this fight... a terrible tragedy. I didn't realize Kim's mother and the ref (Richard Green) ended up taking their lives not long after. Makes it even worse.
Two things were changed after this fight. The WBA changed championship fights from 15 rds to 12 rds & WBC & IBF followed suite a couple of years later. They also changed the weigh in for championship fights instead of the weigh in being the morning of the fight to the morning the day before the fight.
Rip Du Ku Kim he was definitely a warrior, and a good technical fighter also. Its a shame the fight ended the way it did, it was an absolute battle, but it should have been stopped after the 13th round. Kim May have survived
Ahead of the fight, Doo Koo Kim said he would win or go home in a box. I grew up n Youngstown with Ray, and this forever changed him. He never wanted this to happen, became deeply depressed. He’s a great man, and was a great fighter. So tragic on so many levels
I grew up in Youngstown and remember how popular Boom Boom was back then --- a real life hero for Ytown! Felt so bad how his career fizzled out, all because of an accidental death that could've happened to anyone in the ring.
Here after the JRExTrump pod. RIP. What a warrior
myself, as well. i was 18 y. o. and remember watching boxing with my father, who was also a fighter - this is how we connected. im not sure if i saw this fight back then, ir not. Like the day Dale Earnhardt died, a very sad day in sports.
never knew how normal and cool Trump was and how badass his presidency was until the JRE episode… Also just great conversation that lead me to be interested and look stuff like this up for myself.
Same
Same here. Never knew about this story. Very heartbreaking and I can only imagine how worried and frightened the viewers were. I mean, damn... But I'm just glad we raised our awareness for concussions and brain trauma over the years.
yeah i had to be my own jamie for this one. what a sad story
What an absolute warrior, when he got knocked down in round 14, he knew he was finished yet he still tried to get up. The man literally fought to the death
I agree w/ you. I saw this fight when it happened. He was fighting for Korea. I admire his guts, his fury, his patriotism.
@john breiwoitz no it wasn't stopped early enough. It should have been stopped in the 13th round.
@@ronbowlingjr6122 its easy to say after the fact
@john breiwoitz are you a part time twat, or do you do it all the time?
@@philipthomas3629 I think the troll is a full time fool.
Duk Koo Kim. His ultimate sacrifice has no doubt saved many boxers. All in the sport should know and respect him
Saved how?… he should know when to quit…. Ego got himself killed not by how many round boxing has…. Also wtf was Kim corner doing?
@@KuyaArbee you clearly are closed minded
@@Josef_Stylin no his corner also failed him..... sometimes you never know when you have enough! that is why you have coaches/corner people to see from the outside to see that you have had enough.... terrible corner/coach to be honest
@@KuyaArbee Firstly they have 15 rounds which contributed to a lot of damage, the ref could've stopped the fight at round 13, it wasn't his ego it was his warrior spirit not everyone chooses to die a peaceful death. Finally this fight contributed to the decision to change the rounds to 12 for safety reasons.
Wow. Great comment.
The referee had no particular faults, Duk was clearly beaten and exhausted, but it was something gradual, he had never been on the varge of the KO in the previous rounds, he was always answering back. That terrible tragedy, with his death, his mother's suicide and the referee's suicide was something beyond immagination. A tragedy indeed.
+Maximiliano Herrera Such a sad, sad story.
Maximiliano Herrera it really was a lesson the boxing world had to learn though: there were fighters who, on this stage, would fight to the death. Not as in trying to kill their oponent or just die by accident, but rather push their bodies well beyond what they can take rather than lose. I don't think they realized it until this fight. There had been accidental deaths, but Kim died largely because he absolutely refused to go down and pushed himself way beyond what he could take. That's why the rules changed shortly there after.
Maximiliano Herrera I would have called the fight in the 8th because I would never let man live with the guilt of killing another man it's better to let him see another day than letting be a warrior and die
"I would have called it in the 8th"
That's why you're not a ref
Yeah
Had the fight ended with a simple knockout it would still be considered one of the great fights of all time...it was an absolute war. Sad that it ended the way it did. In boxing circles Kim is spoken of in reverent terms. He was not big on skill but he was completely fearless and an absolute warrior. I remember watching this fight when I was a kid and as it went along I was afraid for Mancini, because this guy just would not stop...on that Saturday afternoon when I was 15 y/o I was cheering for Mancini to knock the guy out...30+ years later when I watch the fight I'm cheering for Kim.
DEEEP!
Why
@@marksymbala3454 You talking to me!?
@@KOKINGWAYNE no
Wow...you just made me cry. That is deep, man.
"You will remember him today win or lose."
I watched this fight live. It still stuns me. Kim was a very strong fighter. I kept thinking that Kim would throw a big left hand and knock out Mancini.
That comment by Tim Ryan stuck with me. This fight changed the entire sport.
I did too.
I also watched it live with my Korean wife. We were both huge fight fans and were sure that Mancini would win because we had seen many of his fights. Kim was unknown to us but we knew that Koreans are a tough and determined people. We were very sad that the young man died.
@@jaythecat6633 I have huge respect for Kim. The man was so tough: a hero who truly went out on his shield.
there was a boxer from Peru orlando romero that challenge mancini,,,,, before the fight,,, they kept showing the high lights about this fight!!!! creating fare to the media in Peru and drama,,, like orlando romero was going to face a murder !!!
It's heartbreaking that after this fight, Kim Duk-Koo dies, Mancini falls into a deep depression, thinking that he killed Kim, Kim's mother committed suicide 3 months after the bout, and the referee, Richard Green, killed himself in July 1983, a year and 2 months after the bout. :(
That is horrible, two suicides and glad Mancini did not take it that far. Mancini was a clean fighter, did nothing wrong--but one can imagine, not being an animal in any way, how he must have felt. Years later, I heard Mancini's daughter watched the film for the first time, and came to the same conclusion everyone came to, that her Dad did nothing wrong. It's a brutal sport, for sure, but in my mind, Kim would not have blamed The champion--and Kim would have knocked Mancini out, if he could have, also without apology.
Wow. Now that's not something you normally find in the headlines.
Shows just how painful the sting of death can be.
His son is now a dentist
@@미오새-x8g who’s?
@@BokuGlack kim duk koo
I watched this fight live , still fresh in my mind . Both men ,warriors. Kim had more heart than most on this earth . R.I.P.
I saw it live too and felt relieved that Ray won in the end. Then I was shocked when Kim ended up in a coma and died. Despite the tragedy, this is one my favorite fights of all time along with the Hagler vs. Hearns fight.
I did also ,he fought all the way with everything he had,he would not give in.
My dad and grandfather were given tickets to the fight by Mancini
52:35
Kim holding onto the ropes and pulling himself back up to continue the fight was the bravest moment in boxing history. WARRIOR!!!
So sad he had to die --- but it was a painful reminder that boxing is a dangerous sport and death is always a possibility
Nah
Real Warriors don't get beaten to death in the ring. They're usually the ones doing the pummeling.
@@georgevincent1834
The audacity!!! Disgusting comment
@@georgevincent1834 you’ve never done anything in your life, yet you yap, trying to put down braver, better men who actually got in the ring. What a tiny, pathetic little man you are. You repulse me.
It's basically crazy to me how energetic they were even in round 14. Amazing conditioning.
Straight madness. And they didn’t sit around trying to win on points. They were wailing at each other the whole time
Kim's mother donated his body parts to save the lives of at least four other people ,what a courageous decision in such a miserable ending of a great fight among two warriors!God bless his mother and the ability of science!
4 months after the fight, Kim's mother drank a bottle of pesticide, taking her own life. During those 4 months she was in seclusion, refusing to speak to anyone. The grief too strong, her spirit broken, she chose to be with her son again.
8 months after this fight, Richard Greene, the referee in this fight, shot himself in the head at home. He couldn't bare the burden of the overwhelming grief either... 7 months after the fight, Kim's fiancé gave birth to his son. The son and his mother lived in dire poverty, she did any kind of work available to survive. Kim's son accidently overheard someone mention his father's tragic death,........... that's how he learned of his father's death. He was 9 years old at the time.
MrMarco855 where did his wife and kid live ?
고맙습니다! 스트브 해링톤님
and she killed herself months after the tragedy
@@joeygonzo As did the ref shortly after.
Duk Koo Kim was a warrior
I watched this fight live. The spirit he showed - to this day it is very memorable. Douk Koo Kim is a Legend.
Habanero House Both of these men would have given any lightweight a run for their money
Rip🙏
I remember that fight. It did change boxing. It reduced 15 rounds to 12.
@@christophercasey6775 Eventually. I mean, title fights were still 15 rounds for almost another five years.
The announcer said, if you have never heard of Kim, you will never forget him now. So true in such a horrible way.
I know.
NY Blast... Looks like there was premonition in the air about Kim's end.
I wonder if those words have haunted him.
I remember him more of someone with a heart of a warrior and tried to stand up to continue the fight in the 14th round
That sent chills through me the first time watching the fight and already knowing the outcome and consequences. Kim was a warrior. May he rest in peace 😢
RIP my man Kim. You had a steel heart. Threw all you got until you knew you got nothing left in the tank. I don’t remember when was the last time my tank got emptied, yet I still complaint. This true warrior should never be forgotten. I am proud to be your kind. korean.
I almost got fired from my job because I was late for work…could not stop watching. I’ll never forget the fight and the warrior Kim was….
The day boxing changed forever...
+Maximus4587
I lived 20 miles outside of Youngstown and was 10 y/o at the time. Boom Boom was my hero...and then this happened...and things got strange and difficult. I can only imagine how hard it was for him.
He's one helluva nice guy :) I live in New Castle, Pa and met him several times :)
@@swalk813 yeah and it was also so sad that people kept indirectly rubbing on him that he "killed" duk koo. like that's gotta feel so heavy.
Bullshit.
@@hlly20 He did kill him. That's a fact.
Never forget Duk Koo Kim.
He was a warrior... they both were
Or his mum, and the ref Richard Green. Both commited suicide months later. Very sad story.
Duk-Koo Kim's childhood was a poor and hard knock life. His father died when he was 1 years old (2 years old in Korean age), his mom went through three different marriages and Duk-Koo himself ran away from home at age 17 being tired of constant fights with his half siblings. He moved to Seoul and worked as a shoe shine boy, tour guide, doing manual labors...just about anything to survive. He must have learned the importance of education because he finished high school while working at those jobs. Boxing was the passion he found.
died a warrior Ray carries his soul.
My favorite boxing movie It's called Champion based on Kim
I remember watching this fight as a young teenager in my grandmothers basement. Before watching this fight again, my thoughts.
I thought Kim won, or would have won a decision. Mancini got lucky in the end.
Kim became a legend. My family is from Denmark, we are Viking. We believe how a man dies is as important as how he lives. This man is an example of a true warrior. He deserves all the respect the world can show him, even in death.
I too believed that Kim was ahead on the scorecards at least until the 13th. But the fact is Mancini was going to win that fight unless Kim knocked him out. the powers that be were getting worried towards the end so I can't remember if it was the 12th or 13th round the announcer stated that they had deducted a point from Kim for hitting after the bell in the 10th. I just went back and watched the end of the 10th over and over and did not see a punch. It was getting ready for the fix in case needed, but nobody even payed attention to it because of the ending.
No such thing as luck in boxing at the pro level. Moreover the Vikings we’re a mix of Benjamin and Judah. So called “black” ppl ruled all over Europe during that time period. Caucasian didn’t come into real power until the 17-1800’s
Duk Koo came from poverty in S. Korea and boxing was his way out. He was a fierce warrior no doubt. RIP Mr. Kim.
It reminds us that no matter country you grow up in --- people just want to fight for their dream and make their family proud
@@fredwerza3478o
Umm did you confuse S Korea with N Korea?
@@Huobaojiqisouth korea was not always a wealthy nation
??😊@@Huobaojiqi
watched it on CBS channel 4 Buffalo NY .
The night before Pryor Arguello HBO
what memories ...
those great boxing days are dead and gone forever...
52:19 "Deuk Koo kim the challenger. You may have not heard of him before, you will remember him today". Accurate words but a horrible way of being remembered. I'm named after Ray "Boom Boom" Mancini though. Great fighter that fought with everything he had. In the present they would have stopped the fight earlier.
They would have stopped the fight earlier because they cut the rounds from 15 to 12.
That comment was so prophetic and it stuck with me.
How do you figure they would have stopped the fight... I watched that flight live... they fought their hearts out neither man stop punching throughout the fight. He was knocked down on a single blow in the 14th round. Until that point both men fought their hearts out no reason to stop the fight. Richard Steele reft a very good fight he should have never felt any remorse... there was never a reason to stop that fight prior to the 14th round knockdown.
Yes. 39 straight punches in round 13, unanswered. There would have been a far better outcome.
This fight was the main reason fights were changed from 15 rounds to 12 rounds.
Rest in peace, Duk Koo Kim
Nah, that was the excuse they used.
The real reason was that television networks wanted shorter fights.
@@mikeroagreschen5350 source bro?
They fought 15 up until around 86-87.
Tyson actually fought a couple 15s.
@@charlestaylor1043 Did those go the distance?
@trwent Hell no...Tyson TKO'd
Tyrrell Biggs in the last and i believe Tysons only,15 round heavyweight fight.
*Epic* fight which literally changed the game. Respect to the Kim duk koo for giving his all till the end and showing different types of boxing in all those 14 rounds, and respect to the Ray Mancini for showing respect to the challenger and honoring him by praising him in the end intending to fight him for all 15 rounds. Present day fighters can learn a lot from them.
Ray praising Kim in the interview speaks a lot about his character. Both men were honorable.
Seeing a fifteen round boxing match is like seeing the ironman. Every moment you are expending energy and have a war go on your brain telling your body to not stop. I boxed in the Army and those were three rounds! We ran 10 miles a day and boxing was way harder. Hats off.
Kim wasn't just determined he was also so strong! never seen anyone push Mancini back repeatedly. Mancini so tough and durable and his punching power even late into a fight is outstanding! 2 warriors in there
There are a few stories about this fight. Mancini said that while getting ready in his dressing room,........he heard some wild noise coming from somewhere. Ray asked someone to see what it was;....... it was Kim yelling and punching the metal lockers in his dressing room. Mancini said he knew right then it would be a tough fight. Ray also said about middle of the fight,......maybe round 8 or 9, he seriously considered quitting. He knew he couldn't do that as champion, with his father there and the Vegas crowd, but Mancini said at that point he didn't have nothing left to give, and certainly not 6 more rounds.
Ray Mancini lived with this tragedy for 25 years. He had dreams of Kim often. He was asked about Kim everywhere he went for all those years. His difficulty in dealing with this tragedy was overshadowed by the suffering endured by others as a result of Kim's death.
When Duk Koo Kim left Korea for this fight, he was also leaving behind his pregnant fiancé. Korean custom prevented her from seeing Kim when he departed. 7 months after his death, Kim's fiancé gave birth to his son. She tried to work while raising him,..... taking any work she could find. They lived in dire poverty.
Four months after the fight,........Duk Koo Kim's mother drank a bottle of pesticide, ending her life and the agony she could no longer bare. Her spirit broken, never speaking to anyone for 4 months, she decided to join her son.
A few months later and 8 months after the fight, the man that refereed the fight, Richard Green, shot himself in the head at home. He was hounded by the media after the fight, asking why he didn't stop the fight sooner. Nobody involved in the tragedy ever felt the referee did anything but his job. There were no complaints directed towards him, but he was grief stricken nonetheless.
Duk Koo Kim and his mother, and referee Richard Green died that day in Las Vegas. Kim's fiancé and his son struggled through heartache and poverty without Kim. Kim's son learned of his father's death when he was nine. Ray Mancini ended his career at an early age, and the memory of the tragedy hung around his neck ,....his constant companion.
In an interview, Kim said either he dies or I die.He was willing to fight to the death.After Kim died ,all championship fights went from 15 rounds down to 12 rounds(Kim was knocked out in the 14th round of this fight). Ironically Ray Mancini was TKO'd in the 14th round against then champion Alexis Arguello a little over a year earlier before this fight.
Kim's son is currently a successful dentist, which is awesome!!
@@angravante was also TKO'd in the 14th later against BRamble from the Virgin Islands. That tragedy struck Mancini a lot. He was never the same as before. Arum said that. I think that without that tragedy affecting him, Mancini would have beaten Livingstone Bramble, at least in the rematch.
Man, this made me weep. So tragic.
Oh shiiit
Gil Clancy's commentary and assessment of fights were exemplary and he was often spot on.
Agreed.
Didn't need SRL with his ego for this fight
@@MrT-ev4dq Comment doesn't make sense.
I was 13 years old when this fight came on tv, and I remember calling up my buddy after a couple rounds, saying "dude, this Korean kid Kim is for real! He is landing some shots on Mancini!" And I then sat and watched the war unfold, at the edge of my seat the whole time. Tragic ending, but Kim was a hero
Yes, he sure is!
🤜💥🤛
I'm not sure when people think the referee should have called this fight. Terrible that Kim died, but that's not on Boom Boom or the ref.
moshe cohen well most people judge it by today's rules. These days that first knock down in round 13 would have ended the fight most likely, the ref would have called it after observing Kim for the mandatory 8. If not, it's likely round 13 would habe ended, but Kim wouldn't have been allowed into round 14, he was pretty banged up and exhausted.
The referee ended up killing himself a few months after this fight. Probably because of people blaming him for not ending it *earlier*. If you ever wonder why some fights are called earlier than you think they should, it's because of this fight. BUT, the way Kim was fighting in the 13th round you wouldn't have guessed that he wasn't healthy enough to end up how he did. He was giving it his all till the end and this was probably one of the greatest physical performances I've ever witnessed.
edit: not ending it *earlier*
Dopamean otmic Exactly, that's why refs are quicker to stop fights when a fighter's defenses crumble these days. You can be fine (relatively), but then a single punch cause massive damage because exhaustion and lack of defense cause you to take the full force rather than break with a block or roll or avoid it with a dodge.
Shit. Did not know that about Richard Green (looked him up, as I thought it respectful to use his name instead of just calling him "the ref"). Doubly tragic.
no it was a fight and it botherd mancini after . kim was a hell of a fighter ''
I remember watching this fight live on TV. What a battle
between two warriors.Mancini was a hero to many young fighters .
The announcer was right Kim had nothing left. His mom committed
suicide as did the referee .This fight still haunts Mancini.Very sad that
Kim died it effected so many people God Bless his family!
Before Kim left for vegas, in an interview in Korea he said that he won't be walking off the ring if he lost the fight. He kept his words as a man but sacficied the most important thing, his life. I also feel very bad for the other boxer and the referee who commited suicide 7 months after the fight. I hope Kim gets more recognition in the boxing world for changing it, for his mentality, and his sad but honourable life. A real warrior.
he didn't change the boxing world. the boxing world as a whole started thinking about what went wrong with this fight and what could cause it and then they realized that rules should be upgraded so WBC shortened number of rounds
it happened after his death
His death contributed to the introduction of changes in professional boxing, aimed at improving the health and life protection of boxers.
His death, not him.
Walking OF the ring?
Kim's death actually brought about a lot of good --- changing to a 12-round limit probably saved many lives in the ring
The greatest fight I ever watched! I watched it live at the time and never forgot it. Thanks for uploading.
I don't know what the punch stats were but I'm willing to bet no fight ever had as many punches thrown. Two warriors in a fight to the death! RIP Duk Koo Kim and his mom who committed suicide 3 months after he died. Ray Mancini was never the same after this fight!
Thank you for posting the entire telecast. We see a young Hector Camacho as well as the other contenders from perhaps one of the greatest eras in boxing. No pay per view. When television was actually good.
They are both absolute machines. 15 rounds outside in Nevada heat.
I love the respect between both fighters beginning to end. Truly a lost moral in combat sports these days.
The oldest fights always inspire me the most and I didn't know of these two fighters either.
Thanks for this upload!
This is a beautiful comment but I still believe that most boxers have complete respect for each other.
One of the greatest boxing matches ever. Heartbreaking that it ended so tragically.
Absolutely would have been if not for what happened after.
Joe Rogan bringing this back to attention during his interview with Donald Trump is important. This tragic fight changed boxing forever. But what a fight it was. RIP Duk Koo Kim.
After Kim died, Ray Mancini was not the same fighter. He lost his drive to fight like he use to fight before this happened..
Kim defeated him in death.
That actually happened to just about every guy who killed someone in the ring. It either ended their career or almost did.
@@PlateletRichGel That's not fair. At all. That's a callous thing to say.
Same for Gabriel Ruelas after his fight with Jimmy Garcia. Unlike this one where I was only 3 years old, I saw the Ruelas/Garcia fight. It was one sided and probably should've been stopped a good two rounds prior.
@@PlateletRichGel Your Iife is worthIess.
"There's an unwritten clause in a professional boxing contract, at any moment in training or fighting you can die."
~Mike Tyson~
“Everybody got a plan until they get hit.”
The coroner behind the autopsy said that Kim received the hematoma in his head from a single punch
@@TommyMVSERVTI That 'single punch' must've been the HARDEST punch Mancini has ever thrown...
@@TommyMVSERVTI How could they know that? It was the cumulation of the punches that killed that poor young man. Mancini was never the same, he should have retired in respect of Kim. No more punches to intentionally do damage to another human being. That would have honored Kim's heart and soul that kept him fighting to the bitter end.
I was in a nightclub in Pittsburgh about 1980 something. I was backing up to let people through and I stepped on yes, boom, boom Mancini's foot. When I turned around to say Oh my, God I'm so sorry. There stands boom, boom Mancini. This was six months after the accident. I am now 62 and I'll never ever forget that night with that gentleman and the nice lady he was with. That goes along with meeting Roberto Clemente and shaking his hand. Pittsburgh is a great place.
So what’d he say after u stepped on him? Don’t leave us hanging bro! Lol
I remember this fight. I was 15.. it was on regular tv back then. Great fight... sad loss...🙏
Duk Koo Kim, This man right here. had a bright future ahead of him, he may not have speed or power. but he had Heart, he had will and a chin to boot. but unfortunately his life was taken too early, because they paired a little-known rookie to an experienced veteran. Ray Mancini knew he was up for a war. but didn't expect this kind of ferocity from Duk Koo Kim. the two battled for 14 rounds with Kim getting hit 39 times in the 13th round and finished without falling to his knees. in the 14th round he was hit hard twice. but this time he was struggling, he was dying, but he still stood up. the referee stopped the fight but it was too late. and he died 4 days later. he had the heart of a lion. and he had the will to not step back from the fight. truly a brave man. RIP Duk Koo Kim.
what a battle. I remember this as a kid. We had never heard of Kim but when he raised his hands in a cheer after getting hit early in the fight we knew he was hungry and was a real fighter. It's of course a terrible shame he died like this. His friends later reported that Kim had repeatedly said he would win or die. This kind of heart and determination deserves our respect and remembrance today. To me at least its disrespectful to the memory of Kim to blame the ref or boxing in general. Compare a battle like this to a recent big vegas fight and you'll either be happy that boxing has become a safer sideshow or disgusted
all true....all facts...I was a kid when I watched this fight and always give props to these two boxers on this day
His mom committed suicide after this. Heartbreaking stuff. The guy was poor, started with nothing. Shining shoes then became a boxer and made it all the way to America. Incredible heart. It's sad someone had to die for something to be done about the strenuous 15 rounds. Sometimes I feel like 12 rounds is too much. Who gets knocked out past the 10th anyways? Those last two rounds are never really good. No matter the weight division. Just a couple of really tired guys trying to last the rounds out usually. USUALLY. We should cut it to 10.
ToddtheWadd very well put boxing has become a thing of the past it's all about M.O.N.E.Y. & more M.O.N.E.Y. this era here the 80"s is gone when the best fought the best today it's who can draw more MONEY!!! Kim had heart like all the fighters of the 1980"s miss that era I been collecting boxing fights since the early 80"s I always pop in fights of the past all classic W.A.R.S...!!! Not today's let's see who can make more money!!!
ToddtheWadd i was 13 when i saw this; i was at a barbershop getting a haircut. there were a lot of people there watching the fight. my haircut took way longer that day..
FAKE and FIXED are two words that best describe the boxing matches that are going on nowadays! >: P
Man, so much tragedy associated with this fight, even after Kim died. His mom and the ref both committed suicide not long after and Mancini was never the same fighter. Kim was the ultimate warrior, literally carried out on his shield......A sad day for the sport of Boxing......Much respect for Duk Koo Kim. "Rest in peace".
As strange as this sounds, with no disrespect, I hope referee Richard Green's suicide was for _another_ reason than this fight. He acted absolutely as promptly as possible. As SOON as he saw Kim was dazed, he IMMEDIATELY ended it. PERFECT refereeing. Don't forget, Kim was pulling himself up. Other referees might have let him continue.
Kim was still blasting away in the 13th. He took shots, but he was tenaciously slamming back some of his own. He was not only defending himself, he was continuing to fight offense. One account says "In the beginning of the 13th round Mancini charged Kim with a flurry of 39 punches, but had little effect."
The truth is, had the fight been stopped in the 13th, Green would be considered a criminal for stopping the fight too soon. I'm sorry if he felt guilt, which is what most reporting claims, because he ruled properly, both before (not stopping), and by stopping as soon as Kim looked incapable of defense.
And mother of fighter Kim, Kim fought as honorably as anyone could hope. The broadcaster gave high praise to his fighting at 22:20. I rooted for Mancini - who I believe is a major class act - but have high respect for Kim, who gave him one of the toughest fights of his life. (Edit: I meant 52:20 where broadcaster gives praise, not 22:20. Note, that is AFTER ROUND 13.)
+Bill Woo Greene's daughter told Mancini that her father's suicide had nothing to do with this fight...he had suffered from depression for years. Also, no one ever blamed the Greene for Kim's death and if you watch the fight he did a text book job...even breaking the fighters quite a few times and giving constant warnings/instructions. Ironically, if anything it was a very well officiated fight.
Same ref of the holmes fight.... What a bad ref.
He is responsable for the ali parkinson along don king
You can say that but with no certainty.
1. Ali's corner was in disagreement whether the former champ should or could continue. Dundee wanted to stop after nine but was overruled. Everyone knew and agreed after ten. And it ended right then.
2. Ali never went down in that fight. He was never "defenseless," though he took shots - only a few of them "blasts."
3. For a ref to rule defeat for the sport's greatest ever, in a world title bout - that's got to be absolutely clear. With what was at stake, you have to let the fighters fight. To a point, obviously.
Read all the articles you can find. I've read many. None blamed Greene for allowing the fight to continue through 10. All blamed either Ali or his corner for going on with no chance. Even the corner ultimately resigned to that.
And finally, so did Ali. In the most uncharacteristic move of his career, rather than jump and flail in outrage at the stoppage, he sat silently on the stool after round ten. Imagine. The only KO in the *entire history* of Muhammed Ali - and he accepted it.
Holmes took place before that kim fight my friend, even before that holmes and i dnt remember the guy's name where holmes did another punishment. In that golden era they thought that fighters were warriors. Its later that we all look back at what we did and see how wrong it was. Im sad, ali could have been in a better shape for the rest of his life, i hate don king.
FYI, Ali said Manilla was his most debilitating fight. He's not alone. If that counts for anything.
I can only imagine what was going through Kim's head during that fight, I don't know about you guys but I have a hard time believing that he didn't know how bad he was hurt, but he refused to go down, knowing that it would probably mean his death. What incredible heart, to lay it all on the line like that. In my opinion, the most beautiful way to die, even if it was a tragedy.
Jn
Kim was a TRUE warrior... Can't argue with that! Nobody can ever be as brave or fearless like he was.
I guess it depends how u look at it u say it's a beautiful way to die to me that sounds like a males ego and pride for me life is beautiful and I rather be alive and here for my family but I see your point to but I also can see my own point
@@jackcruz7952 Cool story bro, now get back to knitting sweaters for your wife's boyfriend.
You need to remember the infamous "No Mas" fight in 1980 when Duran just gave up and ended the fight vs. Sugar Ray Leonard --- he was mocked and shunned back in Panama for that, and the people called him a CHUMP --- so Kim saw that and didn't wanna be known as a quitter back in South Korea
Who’s here from the Joe Rogan Podcast ?
My brother and I watched this fight. It was epic, it was brutal, and ultimately, it was tragic. Both fighters fought valiantly. This fight changed boxing forever.
That was such a great fight. I was pulling for Mancini, but was very impressed with Kim's determination. How sad that it ended so tragically.
Minutes after the fight was over, Kim collapsed into a coma and was removed from the Caesars Palace arena on a stretcher and taken to the Desert Springs Hospital. At the hospital, he was found to have a subdural hematoma consisting of 100 cubic centimeters of blood in his skull. Emergency brain surgery was performed at the hospital to try to save him, but Kim died five days after the bout, on November 18. The neurosurgeon said it was caused by one punch.
52:37 such heart to get up. RIP Duk Koo Kim
Mancini met Kim's family(His son and wife) last 2011 and his son became a successful dentist. RIP Kim.
One of the guys that inspired me to box. RIP Duk Koo Kim
kim was a warrior for sure....ray said after he hit kim in the 4 th round with some hard shots to the head and kim just lifted his arms like he was cheering and keep coming. ray said he thought of quitting and thats the only time he said that in any of his other fights that shows you how tough kim was..
i watched this live as a 10 year old kid with my father on a Sunday afternoon. this match changed the face if boxing,
I’m here because of Joe and uncle Joey
What episode is that?
@@buddypeterson1070 1409
If you watch the fight, you will notice that time and time again, Duk Koo Kim came right back after Mancini scored with big punches. Kim seemed to get hurt in the 11th, but not too bad, and in the 13th, Mancini came out throwing everything he had, and in that round, Kim didn't throw a punch for a long time, but then he came right back again in the 2nd half of the 13th. There wasn't anything evident to indicate the seriousness of Kim's condition, but the huge power shots that Kim sustained in the 14th looked brutal. That being said, this was a helluva fight, and Kim had the heart of a lion. It wasn't until the later rounds that Mancini seemed to really take control.
for me, this fight without a doubt enters the top 5 of the best matches in history, but I also position it as the most tragic combat in history, since it was not only the boxer who died, but 3 more people died.
Yes I think so too, it's a beautiful fight
Duk Koo Kims sad ending probably saved many others who wanted to fight for a living and changed their minds!
R.I.P. Duk Koo Kim your a warrior for the ages and bless you Boom Boom Mancini.
Who’s here because of Rogan?
I loved Boom Boom, back in the day, and this was a great fight with an incredibly unfortunate ending. Kim lost his life, but he did way more in the ring than hang in there.
I was 14 years old watching this fight and I was on the edge of my seat the whole time! It was like it just happened yesterday in my mind! I remember how distraught Ray was when he found out about Duks death! He quit for a time out right after that! Two of the best warriors to ever fight in a ring! ❤⚔❤🤜💥🤛RESPECT AND HONORS TO DUK KOO KIM & RAY “BOOM BOOM” MANCINI🤜💥🤛❤⚔❤….In memory ALWAYS Duk Koo Kim❤❤❤⚔❤❤❤
One of the best fights of all time....Sad the way it ended.
If he'd only stepped back, but in those days , there was no stepping back. . Mr. Kim was an amazing fighter & Had so much heart. A true warrior indeed.
Great fight. Shame about Duk Koo Kim. I expected the punch to be violent and hard to watch, it looked like a surprisingly normal knockout. Duk wasn't even unresponsive. Duk's mother and the referee of this match ended up killing themselves. What a horrible tragedy. I guess 12 rounds of beating eachother's heads in is more than enough.
Loved Ray Mancini when I was a teenager back in the '80's. I remember this fight, I don't think I watched it at the time, but growing up in a boxing household it was big news for us at the time. I watched the documentary about Ray and he's still as humble and real as ever. Thanks for uploading the fight. Anthony.
It was a hell of a fight. I remember it as a teenager as well. Respect to those two men.
One of the most intense boxing matches i ever watched. Both of them did their best and gave their all, RIP to Kim.
Duk Koo Kim, was a true warrior!
He new the risks. We all do.😑
If there was no risk, it would lose it's meaning.
52:22 you may not have heard of him before, you will remember him today. the irony of that statement is no truer words were ever uttered that proved true. truly the fight that changed boxing. within two years all fights would go longer than 12 rounds. RIP duk koo kim!
Although I was a kid, I remember this fight, It was really epic, with Kim fighting very well in the first rounds, keeping Mancini off. Ray took heavy blows, yet he remained on focus, while Kim was losing strenght and stamina, you can see how after round 10 he grows weaker and weaker on guard while Mancini kept his stance. Round 13 was a massacre, but Kim responded promptly, and I guess the referee had no faults keeping the fight on. No one predicted the tragedy that was going on because it was simply impossible to predict. It's kinda annoying to listen to the boos from the audience and the bad consideration americans had for Kim, the best supporter of Kim was Ray, only him.
It was a great fight. But considering how it ended and how it impacted so many lives, it was also a fight that should not have happened. It should never come down to a choice between winning or dying. My heart goes out to all who have been affected. And now it's clear why the current rules of boxing are in place today.
GREAT FIGHT!!! Oh my god! This is my first time watching it. One of the greatest I've ever seen. It's too bad what happened to Duk Koo Kim. Rest in peace. :/
+K'dale Berry Fights in those days were unreal. The commentators were much more exciting as well.
@52:00 "Duk Koo Kim, the challenger, you may not have heard of him before, but you will remember him today - win or lose." A very eerie and prophetic quote
I saw this fight live. I'll never forget it.
I was watching this live, when this happened. Kim's heart is credible, but his corner should had stopped the fight
This fight changed that game. No more 15 round title fights. Duk-koo Kim is a legend, what a fighter and courageous athlete.
Not true . WBC only used this fight as the excuse in reducing title fights to 12 rounds. Truth was they wanted to reduce telecasts to 1 hour or less after the Holmes-Cobb fiasco .
Another reason as that a 12-round fight fits better into a one-hour TV slot than a 15-round fight. It's kind of ironic that this was the golden age of TV fights.
Actually, the WBA didn't start 12 rounders until 1987, with the IBF doing so the following year. Jorge Paez W 15 Calvin Grove was the last.
I can hear the punches being made and it feels like their punching hard sand. Iron wills, Iron hearts. RIP Kim. Respect for a warrior.
Watching this again, I am reminded that when I originally saw this fight live on TV that Saturday afternoon, around the 9-10 round I thought, “this is the most brutal thing I have ever watched, somebody is going to die”.
This fight haunts me to this day.
this is incredible fight. the two opponents give his best on the ring. but it so sad one fighter was died... RIP
I saw this fight as a young man. One of the greatest fight ever !! its a tragedy that Kim died... this fight changed lot of things in boxing world. Watch Netflix "The Good Son" about Kim's son visiting Mancini decades later.
I saw that. Mancini is still haunted by that fight but meeting Duks son helped him fight those demons.
Bless this man Duk Koo. He's the reason why we have 12 round fights today. And the 8 second count down by the referee. His death tho unfortunate saved so many lives !!
Yeah in a way Kim became a hero --- his death instituted changes that probably saved a lot of lives in the ring
first time I watched this since 1982
I thought you died in 1943
This is just iron will, the man is tough as nails. Refusal to quit, despite the odds against him. Makes Rocky look like Taylor Swift at the victoria secret fashion show. His life story is quite sad but its what made him as tough as he was. There should be a monument of this man in his country.
Mancini comes out like a monster in that 13th round. Hate the fact the Kim had to die but this was an excellent fight to watch.
Definition of never give up! Wow, it changed a lot of circumstances in Ray's life and a bunch of lives.
So Honorable see how they don't hit each other out of the clinch.....Both amazing fighters.......sad so sad the way it ended.....
I remember seeing this live on television when I was in high school. More effed-up stuff and brutal realism to scar a growing young man.
I watched this fight as it happened with my grandmother. It was the only fight she ever paid attention to. It was really fun and funny to me to see her get so into the fight! She was cheering for Mancini without knowing who he was. She was even throwing punches of her own from her rocking chair. When she learned that Kim had died, she cried. It was the last time she watched a fight. She wouldn’t even watch Saturday morning wrestling after that. Great fight; tragic ending.
Was your Grandma from Youngstown? I remember everyone in Ytown watching the fight because Boom Boom was such a big hero to the city. He was like a real life Rocky Balboa.
I can see that. If you're not into a sport and then the 1st time you decide to watch it, a tragedy happens, you'd feel nauseous even seeing highlights. I imagine people in similar tragic situations would feel the same (e.g. first Formula One race was Artyon Senna's death, first rodeo event was Lane Frost's death). Everything humans do have risks, but athletics even more so. All are gladiatorial games, but boxing is probably considered a direct cousin of that bloodsport 1st displayed in ancient Rome
@@fredwerza3478 No, not from Youngstown, just a small town in North Georgia…
The post fight commentary by Mancini just oozed class and respect for Kim.
Such a contrast to hear a classy guy like Ray talk after a fight versus the crybaby clown known as Floyd Junior
@@fredwerza3478 Unto each his own.
Back when boxing was a real mans sport. As a die hard fan, its sad to see what a business its become... thanks, floyd.
What a warrior Kim was. He was literally dying and was trying to get up. Much respect.
J Maynez Let’s see.... on one hand we have your respect, on the other hand we have life, health, and wealth.
difference is; back then respect mattered. These days money matters, and you get more money by taking less damage so you can do more fights
Jake Beattie Respect will always matter, nobody is going to be respected by everyone. And fans don’t pay medical bills, nor will they take care of fighters as they age. So money is always important in every profession. All fans do for guys like Kim and Arturo Gatti I’d say “He was a warrior”. I’ll take walking away from the game with all my faculties over that.
Maxim Dadashev died today because of injuries sustained before the weekend in a fight that lasted 11 rounds. It's still pretty much a man's sport I would say...
Floyd values his life over your entertainment and respect. Womp womp.
brawler vs a brawler. Great fight with an unfortunate ending. Well done Mancini and peace to kim (as i bow)
Duk did an excellent job . best fight ever !
Perhaps the greatest fight in sports history!!! Thanks Ray!!!
Everybody talks about the Hagler-Hearns fight, but this fight is definitely the most exciting fight I've ever seen in my life. Neither one of them ever gave up for one second. I have never seen a fight last that long with that many punches being thrown. It's just a tragedy that it ended in death. But I'm surprised they didn't both die from this. It was a brutal street fight all the way. And with one big punch, Kim could have pulled it out.
And thanks Kim
@@jimquanticmy bad.... Kim, the heart of a warrior... RIP
@@mikes2082 Not at all Mike, we both thank them both, for sure. What they did, together, will stand up for years to come. You know, Ray's daughter after many years of hearing about it, watched it independently and came to the same conclusion--that she already knew about her Dad, not a mean bone in his body, just doing his job in the Ring. And you know, to Kim, he stands as a reminded, especially to us in this country who are fat and happy, how much it means to an immigrant--from anywhere, who comes here to give more than 100 percent, whatever it takes to build a life here. Should make us all-it did me--grateful we have the chances we have, the life we have.
How many here because of the recent Joe Rogan and Trump interview?
My grandfather loved boxing, so I'd watch it with him. I was 15 when I saw this fight... a terrible tragedy. I didn't realize Kim's mother and the ref (Richard Green) ended up taking their lives not long after. Makes it even worse.
Ray never fought as hard again
He was taken back by the fact that he killed another in the ring
Two things were changed after this fight. The WBA changed championship fights from 15 rds to 12 rds & WBC & IBF followed suite a couple of years later. They also changed the weigh in for championship fights instead of the weigh in being the morning of the fight to the morning the day before the fight.
Rip Du Ku Kim he was definitely a warrior, and a good technical fighter also. Its a shame the fight ended the way it did, it was an absolute battle, but it should have been stopped after the 13th round. Kim May have survived
Ahead of the fight, Doo Koo Kim said he would win or go home in a box. I grew up n Youngstown with Ray, and this forever changed him. He never wanted this to happen, became deeply depressed. He’s a great man, and was a great fighter. So tragic on so many levels
I grew up in Youngstown and remember how popular Boom Boom was back then --- a real life hero for Ytown! Felt so bad how his career fizzled out, all because of an accidental death that could've happened to anyone in the ring.