"Buster Mathis, 232, of Grand Rapids, Mich., bloodied George Chuvalo, 208, over 12 brutal rounds Monday night and scored a unanimous decision over the game Canadian heavyweight in the second half of a MSG boxing doubleheader. Mathis, enraged at some low blows in the opening round, charged at Chuvalo to retaliate and twice shoved referee Harold Valan out of the way in attempts to return the fouls. Mathis calmed down later and methodically chopped Chuvalo down, cutting him over both eyes and raising a huge lump on the Toronto fighter's left cheek. In the 11th round, a right lead opened a deep cut at the corner of Chuvalo's left eye and the wound pumped blood for the rest of the fight." -Associated Press

This bout was part of a co-main event along with a 10 rounder between Emile Griffith and Andy (Kid) Heilman. This bout was postponed from it's original date of December 6th, 1968 due to Chuvalo injuring a finger on his left hand.

Post fight comments

"If I ever got cut up like that, I have to say that I'd quit. It was awful." -Buster Mathis "I fought a bad fight. But I'd like to fight him again. It was just one of those nights." -George Chuvalo