This day in NY sports history

THIS DAY IN NY SPORTS HISTORY

Monday, March 4, 1968

Boxing bonanza at the Garden

In the first pro boxing night at the fourth incarnation of Madison Square Garden, Joe Frazier knocked out Buster Mathis and was recognized by the New York State Athletic Commission as the heavyweight champion. The title had been left vacated by Muhammad Ali. Frazier delivered a left hook that finished Mathis at 2:33 in the 11th round. On the same card, Nino Benvenuti recaptured the world middleweight title from Emile Griffith and Dennis Hefferman had a third-round knockout of Tony Smith in a middleweight bout. The fights drew 18,096 boxing fans.