[Crimson]

Tuesday, November 19^th, 1996
The Big Kahuna; Wilmington, DE
Mickey Rourke 11-2-4 (5) California
vs. (8 rounds)
Greg Cadiz 4-46-2 (3) Connecticut

- This small venue, seating less than 800 patrons, was a surprise last minute recipient of a visit by Mickey Rourke. Two days before the boxing show was scheduled to take place the media was notified of Rourke fighting on the card.
- The 48 hour notice was enough to boost ticket sales from about 300 to being completely sold out at 825. Like almost all Rourke fights, this card was untelevised. Known as a partying college area, Wilmington was bustling with boxing fans on November 19.
- Fresh off his disappointing 4 round draw with Butterbean, this fight had the appearance on paper of being an easy fight for Rourke. In his last 5 fights Rourke has gone 1-2-2 (0). His opponents in those 5 fights have had a respectable combined record of 91-37-6 (42).
- Well known as an “opponent”, Greg Cadiz was coerced out of his planned retirement for one last payday.
- With the fight taking place on a Tuesday night and the media becoming aware of it on such short notice, press coverage was much smaller than has become customary at the last 7 or 8 Rourke fights.
- Rourke weighed in at a solid 192, while Cadiz was the heaviest he’d ever been in his 53 fight career, 184. Cadiz once weighed in as low as 134 pounds! Of course that was in 1989 for his second professional fight. Of his 46 losses, often against solid competition, only 14 of them had been by TKO or KO.


ROUND 1: Rourke came out at the bell throwing bombs and looking to end it very early. Cadiz quickly went into a holding mode, where he began applying the many tricks of the trade he’d learned in his 9 years of prize fighting to hit Rourke while holding him. A frustrated Rourke began using his own fouling tactics, but was proving to be no match for the 53 fight veteran. The fight was getting ugly quick, but was also competitive. (Cadiz 26-6)


ROUND 2: Rourke was undeterred by his lack of success with roundhouses in the previous round and applied the same tactics in the second. A looping powerful right from Rourke landed on the temple of Cadiz and he fell to the floor for the count of 6. Cadiz recovered nicely and before the round had ended Rourke was bleeding from a cut within his right eyebrow. (Cadiz 26-12)


ROUND 3: Chuck Bodak had Rourke’s cut closed up to start the round. Rourke was on a search and destroy mission to land a right hand like the one that had dropped Cadiz with in round 2. The crowd was on their feet cheering throughout, as the underdog Cadiz was giving at least as good as he got. Expecting to have a blowout win against a fighter with a horrible (4-46-2!) record, Rourke’s all out KO strategy was backfiring. His cut was reopened and the ringside doctor spent a good 20-30 seconds inspecting it before deciding that Rourke could continue. (Cadiz 33-24)


ROUND 4: About ½ way into the round Rourke scored a flash knockdown of Cadiz when he got another looping right hand in. Cadiz pulled out all the tricks he knew and survived the round, but not before being warned by the referee for holding and hitting. (EVEN 12-12)


ROUND 5: After 4 rounds Cadiz had out hit Rourke 97 to 54. Ringside Expert Mark Jones had Rourke ahead by 1 point, 38-37. Covering the fight for the “Boston Globe” the highly respected and regarded writer, Ron Borges, also had Rourke in front by 1 point, 38-37. Following the instructions of trainer Albert Davila, Rourke was on his toes and boxing in round 5. Both fighters were fouling the other at will and drawing some scattered booing from the crowd, who did not appreciate the fight turning into a WWF exhibit. (Cadiz 27-6)


ROUND 6: Once again the cut outside Rourke’s right eye was bleeding badly enough for the referee to have the doctor take a close look at it. To the relief of Rourke and cheers of the crowd the fight was allowed to continue. However, Rourke was now having difficulty seeing with the torrent of blood flowing down the right side of his face. (Cadiz 18-12)

ROUND 7: With his cut closed for the moment, thanks to the expertise of Chuck Bodak, and believing he was losing on the scorecards, Rourke came out desperate to land a big punch. Both fighters were exhausted and fighting at a much slower pace. Rourke stormed out and bullied Cadiz into the corner, where he then proceeded to miss one big punch after another. Unfortunately for Cadiz, he was too tired to counter. Eventually a big hook from Rourke got through the Cadiz guard. Showing plenty of “suck it up!” energy Rourke then proceeded to have his best round of the fight. With the referee appearing very close to stopping it, the bell rang saving Cadiz from a TKO loss. (Rourke 36-13)


ROUND 8: Entering the final round Ringside Expert Mark Jones had EVEN at 66-66, as did Ron Borges on his scorecard. Still looking for a KO victory, Rourke came out swinging from his heels in the final round. He was met at ring center though with an opponent looking to do the same to him! A solid right hand from Cadiz had the Rourke cut gushing blood once again. With 2:20 remaining in the fight the referee halted the action and to the shock, disgust, and dismay of Rourke…..stopped the fight!! The winner by TKO8, the fighter with a record of 4-46-2 (3)…GREG CADIZ!!
[Amazing! Wow, shocker!]

POST FIGHT: Punches landed at the time of the stoppage favored Cadiz 167-114. Cadiz landed 32% of his punches compared to only 13% by Rourke. The judge’s scorecards amazingly ALL had Rourke ahead 68-63, 67-64, and 70-62!!!!!! The face of Cadiz was virtually unmarked. Rourke’s was busted up pretty good. He no longer resembled the movie star actor who was able to turn the ladies heads. Or, if they did now turn their head it was to look away from what had become a grotesquely battered face.
Greg Cadiz TKO8 Mickey Rourke