CHICAGO -- Former middleweight champion Vito Antuofermo won a unanimous 10-round decision over Mauricio Aldana of Mexico Thursday night in his quest to earn a title bout with current champion Marvin Hagler.
Antuofermo, in his first fight since undergoing surgery last November, overcame two first-round knockdowns to come back and take the fight. The battle was marked by repeated warnings and cautions to both fighters in almost every round by referee Stanley Berg.
A title fight between Antuofermo and Hagler was tentatively scheduled for June, said promoter Robert Arum.
Antuofermo, who underwent surgery to scrape the bones in his forehead in hopes of preventing the cutting and severe bleeding that has cost him four important fights, survived Aldana's punching but he was cut severely on the forehead and side of the head.
He started to bleed severely in the fourth round, but continued to fight.
Judge Collins Brown scored the fight 46-43, Judge Gerald Hults 48-42 and referee Berg 48-40.
Antuofermo's last fight was a rematch with Alan Minter in London June 28, 1980. Antuofermo lost when the fight was stopped after eight rounds because of cuts and excessive bleeding.
Antuofermo underwent plastic surgery last November. Surgeons cut through scar tissue to shave down parts of the bone above his eyes which they said was the internal cause of his cuts.
After winning the world middleweight title on June 30, 1979 in a 15-round decision over Hugo Corro, Antuofermo lost the title to Minter in his second title defense after drawing with Hagler Nov. 30, 1979.
Aldana's last match was Feb. 26 against Tony Chiaverini in Las Vegas. Aldana was ahead on points and accidentally butted Chiaverini, causing a serious cut. The fight was declared a technical draw after six rounds.
In other fights Thursday night, Tony Braxton, Patterson, N.J., won a 10-round unanimous decision over Al Clay, Chicago. Ray 'Boom Boom' Mancini won a 10-round unanimous decision over Al Ford, Edmonton, Alberta, in the third bout.
Braxton is now 10-0-1, while Clay dropped to 16-6-1. Mancini kept his slate unbeaten at 18-0 and Ford dropped to 54-13.
