1981
- March 28- Santos Laciar becomes world Flyweight champion for the first time, defeating Peter Mathebula by knockout in round seven to win the WBA title, in Soweto, South Africa.
- May 23- Wilfred Benítez becomes the first Hispanic and Puerto Rican to be a three time world champion, as well as the fifth boxer to do it and the first one to do it since Henry Armstrong four decades before, when he defeats Maurice Hope by knockout in round twelve to win the WBC's world Jr. Middleweight title in Las Vegas
- June 20- Alexis Argüello becomes the sixth three time world champion in boxing history when he defeats Jim Watt by decision in fifteen rounds to win the WBC world Lightweight title in London.
- June 25- Sugar Ray Leonard conquers the WBA world Jr. Middleweight title with a ninth round knockout of Ayub Kalule in Houston.
- August 21- The Battle of the Little Giants, Salvador Sánchez defeats Wilfredo Gómez by knockout in eight rounds to retain his WBC world Featherweight title in Las Vegas.
- September 16- A much anticipated bout takes place, and Sugar Ray Leonard unifies his WBC world Welterweight title with the WBA one by knocking out the WBA's champion Thomas Hearns in round fourteen at Las Vegas.
- December 3- Joe Frazier's last fight: He draws after ten rounds with Floyd "Jumbo" Cummings in Chicago.
- December 11- Muhammad Ali's last fight: He loses a ten round decision to future world Heavyweight champion Trevor Berbick in Nassau, Bahamas.
Read more about this topic: Boxing In The 1980s