On March 31, 2020, boxing lost one of its fraternity with the passing of Hedgemon Lewis, a prominent contender during the 1960s and 70s.

Like so many walks of life, timing is everything. Lewis had the misfortune of having his best years land opposite one of the great welterweight champions of all time, Jose Napoles. While Lewis was able to claim the New York state version of the world welterweight crown between losing battles in 1971 and 74 with Napoles, the recognition of the rest of the world as champion wasn’t meant to be.

BoxingScene’s Tris Dixon provided a wonderful summation of the life and career of Lewis recently on this page. When a request came in to this author to take a look at a single moment in his career, it was an easy yes. Emailing as reader wickedguicho, this edition of Boxing Without Boxing answers the following request:

Came across this underrated gem on youtube.  Would be a great way to pay respect and show off the class of Hedgemon Lewis. It's a good quality video for the time and the boxing is even better. 

The underrated gem in question was Lewis’s 1975 showdown with rising contender Carlos Palomino. Still only 29, Lewis entered the bout with already more than eleven years as a professional. Palomino, 26, was just starting his fourth year in the paid ranks. Lewis entered off two straight wins after consecutive losses to Napoles and contender Armando Muniz. Palomino was taking the most significant step up in competition to that point in his career.

In a moment of ships passing, these two put together ten fast paced rounds displaying how good Lewis was and hinting at how good Palomino would become.

This write-up marks a first time viewing of the contest.

Heading Into The Fight

Hedgemon Lewis

Age: 29

Titles/Previous Titles: None

Height: 5’8

Weight: 148 lbs.

Stance: Orthodox

Hailed from: Detroit, Michigan 

Record: 53-6, 26 KO, 3 KOBY

Ring Magazine Ranking: #9 (Cover Date: November 1975)

Record in Title Fights: 0-2, 1 KOBY

Previous Five Opponents: 169-24-3 (.870)

Vs.

Carlos Palomino

Age: 26

Titles/Previous Titles: None

Height: 5’8 ½    

Weight: 147 ½ lb.

Stance: Orthodox

Hailed from: Los Angeles, California

Record: 17-1-2, 8 KO

Ring Magazine Ranking: Unrated

Record in Major Title Fights: None

Last Five Opponents: 74-49-6 (.597)

Venue: Olympic Auditorium - Los Angeles, California

Referee: Rudy Jordan

Recapping the Action

Round One

Both men come out jabbing before going to a quick exchange in a clinch. Lewis lands a clipping hook and continues to have success with the shot throughout the round. Palomino is steady, letting Lewis lead and looking for straight counters, sometimes off the ropes.

Round Two

Palomino attempts to assert himself at the bell, stepping forward behind the jab. Lewis smiles off a combination from Palomino and this time it’s the veteran looking to counter. Palomino lands a nice right and clubbing left in the second half of the round with Lewis getting in the last big shot, a right, before the bell.

Round Three

Lewis connects with a right and left in the early going. The pair exchange hard shots in the middle of the ring. Palomino muscles Lewis towards the ropes but takes a hard shot allowing Lewis to escape. Lewis lands another and soon they are back in the center of the canvas. Lewis lands a pair of lefts shortly before a brief clinch. Palomino lands well in the last thirty seconds before another snappy firefight with Palomino working off the ropes.

Round Four

Lewis builds an early lead in the round, quicker and more elusive outside and able to touch Palomino at mid-range. Palomino bulls Lewis to the ropes but eats a horrific left to the body and leans into Lewis to keep his breath and resist further damage.

Round Five

Lewis is quicker again to start the fifth, sticking the jab and slipping in occasional hooks. Palomino lands a right but is tied up before he can add another. Palomino lands a right over the top then eats a pair of jabs. Again Palomino lands a good right when Lewis is against the ropes; again Lewis answers with a right of his own and gets away from the strands.

Round Six

Palomino presses the action and walks into a muffled Lewis right. Battling at close quarters, Palomino finds a home for some body shots and overhand rights. Lewis is taking more than he’s giving until stepping out to longer range but Palomino is on top of him again shortly.

Round Seven

The younger man continues to surge forward but a patient Lewis is jabbing and countering well. Lewis guards well inside as Palomino struggles to find the mark. They end the frame grappling and slugging away near a corner.

Round Eight

Lewis is boxing smart, landing from the outside and stepping into the pressure of Palomino to keep his less experienced foe off balance. Palomino misses a right and is tagged by a right and left for his trouble. Undeterred, Palomino stays on the front foot, digging at the body.

Round Nine

Palomino lands a right over the top as the round gets underway. Both men let their hands go as they tussle from mid-ring to the ropes and back again. Lewis lands a 1-2 and Palomino lowers his shoulder and drives toward the ropes. Lewis gets away but Palomino keeps coming and as Lewis is again near the ropes a big Palomino left hook finds the mark. Lewis is stunned and Palomino lands more big shots to the head as he presses the advantage. Lewis fights back but takes the worst of it as the pro-Palomino crowd roars.

Round Ten

Seemingly recovered after a minute’s rest, Lewis returns to boxing and uses his feet to create space to counter Palomino’s charges. Lewis is first often, and cleaner on the counter, through the first two minutes. Palomino almost throws himself forward in the final minute, trying one more time to get Lewis in trouble. It doesn’t come to pass.

After the Bell

At the end of ten rounds, one could easily have seen Lewis as the victor and probably should have. His greater speed, accuracy, and control of the fight was evident for more than five rounds. Instead, Lewis settled for a majority draw by scores of 4-4-2, 3-3-4, and 6-3-1 for Palomino. Coming on hostile turf, one can wonder if there was at least a moral victory achieved.

The Palomino draw paved the way for one last crack at the title for Lewis. After another draw against Harold Weston in his next fight, Lewis would get a shot at the man who dethroned Napoles, the UK’s John H. Stracey. In March 1976, Stracey would stop Lewis in the tenth. Lewis retired with a mark of 53-7-2. 

The lessons learned against Lewis were applied in short order by Palomino. Following his successful first defense against Lewis, Stracey would defend at home against Palomino. Palomino would stop Stracey in the twelfth round to capture the WBC and lineal claims to the welterweight throne in June 1976. Palomino would defend the title seven times, five times by knockout, before losing the title to the great Wilfred Benitez by split decision in January 1979.

Palomino retired after a loss later in the year to Roberto Duran but made a comeback in the late 1990s, going 4-1. Palomino retired at 31-4-3 and was elected to the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2004.

While the sport is largely postponed, boxing has a rich library of classic fights, films, and books to pass the time. In terms of fights, readers are welcome to get involved. Feel free to email, comment in the forum, or tweet @roldboxing with classic title fight suggestions. If they are widely available on YouTube, and this scribe has never seen them or simply wants to see them again, the suggestion will be credited while the fight is reviewed in a future chapter of Boxing Without Boxing.     

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Cliff Rold is the Managing Editor of BoxingScene, a founding member of the Transnational Boxing Rankings Board, and a member of the Boxing Writers Association of America.  He can be reached at roldboxing@hotmail.com