2015 Event Russian President Vladimir Putin acknowledges that the country is aiding the forces of Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad with military expertise and equipment; Putin states that troops may also be sent in the future to help fight against ISIL 2015 Event Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi gains parliamentary approval for his proposed reforms to fight corruption and reduce government spending; the measures include eliminating certain government positions and reexamining closed corruption cases 2015 Event Iraqi Prime Minister Haidar al-Abadi meets with U.S. President Barack Obama, focusing on the fight against ISIS militants; Obama agrees to send humanitarian aid but makes no commitment regarding military supplies or assistance 2015 Event Shiite militia forces in Iraq boycott the fight against ISIS in Tikrit to protest U.S. airstrikes; the U.S. was responding to a request from the Iraqi government, but militias are concerned that the U.S. will receive credit for their work to date 2015 Event The U.S. will support the Ukraine in its fight against separatist militants by providing $75 million in non-lethal aid in the form of drones, ambulances and radios; Humvees will also be sent under a separate agreement 2015 Event U.S. President Barack Obama will seek approval from Congress to add force in the fight against ISIS militants; the current U.S. military campaign began without Congressional approval, raising concerns that Obama exceeded the limits of his authority 2014 Event The United States and allied forces end the combat mission in Afghanistan, which began in 2001 after the 9/11 terrorist attacks on the U.S.; about 13,000 troops will stay to train Afghan police and military forces in their fight against the Taliban 2014 Event The Turkish government has reversed its stance and is now allowing Kurds to cross into Syria in order to fight Islamic State forces 2014 Event Russia supplies Iraq with military aircraft to help the government fight insurgents from the Islamic State of Iraq; the U.S. has readied military assistance, but it has not yet been delivered 2014 Event African leaders meet in Paris to discuss ways to fight Boko Haram, the Islamist group that kidnapped over 200 schoolgirls over a month ago in Nigeria; the country's president, Goodluck Jonathan, has been seen as slow to respond to the situation 2013 Event Republican Representative Ted Cruz urged grass-roots activists join him in the fight to defund The Affordable Care Act, commonly referred to as Obamacare 2012 Event In his first political speech, marking the five-year anniversary of his mother's death, ex-Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto's son, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, vows to maintain democracy and fight militancy 2011 Event Dubbed the 'Day of Martyrs' in honor of those killed in their fight for freedom, Egyptians continue protesting for the 13th day in Tahir Square 2010 Event In France, over 200 protests occur in as part of the 2010 strikes to fight against plans to raise the retirement age from 60 to 62 2009 Event Two mass graves relating to Columbia's long fight with the Farc, were found in northwest and south Columbia 1997 Death Alex Macintosh, broadcaster/actor (Hell Fight), dies at 72 1995 Event George Foreman loses IBF boxing title, refused to fight Axel Schulz 1995 Event George Foreman loses WBA boxing title, refusing to fight Tony Tucker 1995 Event Ecuador and Peru involve in boundary fight 1994 Death Rossano Brazzi, It resistance fight/actor (Final Justice), dies at 78 1992 Event Lennox Lewis given WBC title, when Riddick Bowe refused to fight him 1991 Event Former New York Jet Mark Gastineau wins 1st pro boxing fight in 12 seconds 1990 Death Henry Lauter, actor (Tarzan's Fight), dies 1990 Event Pistons and 76'ers get into a fight accruing $162,500 fines (NBA record) 1989 Event Soviet-U.S. agreement allows Soviets to fight U.S. pros 1985 Event Mike Tyson KOs Hector Mercedes in 1 round in his 1st pro fight 1984 Event NL suspends Mario Soto 5 days for Reds-Cubs fight on May 27th 1984 Event Lebanese army fight in Beirut 1983 Event Michael Dokes and Mike Weaver fight to a draw in 15 for hw boxing title 1982 Death Roy Webb, composer, arranger for over 200 films, Academy Award nominee, wrote fight song 'Roar, Lion, Roar', dies at 94 1982 Event Howard Cossell calls his last fight after being disgusted by Larry Holmes-Tex Cobb mismatch 1982 Event Pentagon plans 1st strategy to fight a nuclear war 1982 Death Red Smith, sportscaster (Pulitzer, Fight Talk), dies at 76 1981 Event Muhammad Ali's 61st and last fight, losing to Trevor Berbick 1981 Death Lola Lane, actress (Zanzibar, Mystery Ship, Big Fight), dies 1977 Event Thomas Hearns KOs Jerome Hill in 2 rounds in his 1st pro fight 1977 Event Sugar Ray Leonard beats Luis Vega in 6 rounds in his 1st pro fight 1975 Event Kurds end fight against Iraqi army 1974 Event A's Reggie Jackson and Bill North engage in clubhouse fight at Detroit 1974 Event Iran/Iraqi border fight breaks out 1973 Event 1st heavyweight championship fight in Japan (Foreman beats Roman) 1970 Event Super Fight, computer mock championship between Ali and Marciano 1969 Birthday Edward Norton, born in Boston, Massachusetts, actor, appeared in films, 'Primal Fear', 'Rounder', 'Fight Club', 'Red Dragon', 'The Illusionist' 1969 Event Chinese-Russian borders fight (approx 70 die) 1968 Event Israeli-Jordan border fight 1966 Birthday Ad-Rock, Adam Horowitz, rocker, Beastie Boys-You Gotta Fight 1966 Event Peru and Argentina soccer fans fight in Lima; 248 die 1965 Birthday Mike Diamond, born in New York City, New York, rap vocalist, Beastie Boys-You Gotta Fight 1965 Event Phillies Dick Allen and Frank Thomas get into a fight during practice 1965 Event U.S. troops ordered to fight offensively in Vietnam 1965 Event India and Pakistan engage in border fight 1964 Birthday MCA, Adam Yauch, rock vocalist, Beastie Boys-You Gotta Fight 1962 Death Benny "Kid" Paret, U.S. welterweight boxer, dies after fight, at 24 1962 Event U.S. advisors in South-Vietnam join the fight 1960 Event Muhammad Ali's 1st professional fight, beats Tunney Hunsaker in 6 1954 Event 1st color telecast of a prize fight, Giardello vs Troy in MSG, New York City 1953 Birthday Dave Amato, rocker for REO Speedwagon, Can't Fight this Feeling 1951 Event Baseball Commish Happy Chandler loses fight (9-7) to stay in office 1950 Birthday Karl Rove, born in Denver, Colorado, Deputy Chief of Staff to President George W. Bush, author, 'Courage and Consequence: My Life as a Conservative in the Fight' 1950 Event Vic Toweel knocks down Danny O'Sullivan 14 times in a title fight 1950 Event 1st Major League baseball player to fight in Korea (Curt Simmons) 1948 Birthday Ruben Blades, salsa singer and actor, Critical Condition, Last Fight 1947 Event President Truman introduces Truman-doctrine to fight communism 1944 Event Rotterdam Passage fight frees 46 prisoners 1944 Death John Post, Dutch farmer/resistance fighter (passage fight), executed 1943 Event Hitler orders nazi troops at Stalingrad to fight to death 1942 Event Hitler orders Rommels African corps to fight to last man 1942 Event Fight at Matanikau, Guadalcanal (John Hersey-Into the Valley) 1940 Event 1st Polish squadrons fight along in the Battle of Britain 1940 Event Winston Churchill says "We shall fight on the seas and oceans" 1939 Event Chaim Weizmann informs England that Palestine Jews will fight in WW II 1938 Event British leaders and Arabians fight in Palestine 1938 Event March of Dimes established to fight polio 1932 Birthday Don King, fight promoter, Mike Tyson 1927 Event Famous "Long count" fight (Dempsey loses boxing title to Tunney) 1925 Birthday Alex Macintosh, broadcaster/actor, Hell Fight 1925 Event Spain and France fight Morocco 1916 Event Heavyweight Jess Willard and Franc Moran fight to no decision in New York City 1915 Event German and French fight Battle of Artois 1915 Event Vladmir Jabotinsky forms a Jewish military force to fight in Palestine 1915 Birthday Gus Lesnevich, light heavyweight boxing champ, 1947 fight of year 1914 Event Germany offers Austria war aid to fight against Russia in Serbia 1913 Event Heavyweight Jack Johnson-Jim Johnson fight to no decision in Paris 1908 Event Quickest world heavyweight title fight (Burns KOs Roche in 88 seconds) 1906 Event Tommy Burns and Jack O'Brien fight to a draw in 20 for hw boxing title 1906 Birthday Johannes Post, Dutch farmer/resistance fighter, passage fight 1905 Birthday Red Smith, Green Bay Wisconsin, sportscaster/columnist, Fight Talk 1902 Event Most knock downs in a fight, Oscar Nelson (5) and Christy Williams (42) 1900 Event Rival forces fight for control of the Union Park ball grounds in Balt 1896 Event Fight in Central Dance Hall starts fire (Cripple Creek Colorado) 1891 Event Boxers Peter Jackson and Jim Corbett fight to a draw in 61 rounds 1888 Birthday Roy Webb, born in New York City, New York, composer, arranger for over 200 films, Academy Award nominee, wrote fight song 'Roar, Lion, Roar' 1887 Event Jake Kilrain and Jem Smith fight 106 round bare knuckle draw 1885 Event Boxing's 1st heavyweight title fight with 3-oz gloves and 3-minute rounds fought between John L Sullivan and Dominick McCaffrey 1879 Event Longest championship fight (136 rounds) 1876 Event Nelly Saunders and Rose Harland fight 1st female boxing match (NY) 1864 Event Cavalry fight at Old Church (Totopotomoy Creek) Virginia 1863 Event 1st black regiment (54 Mass) leaves Boston to fight in Civil War 1856 Event James Kelly and Jack Smith fight bareknuckle for 6h15m in Melbourne 1849 Event 1st U.S. prize fight fatality (Tom McCoy) 1836 Event 3,000 Mexicans beat 182 Texans at the Alamo, after 13 day fight 1781 Event George Washington begins to move his troops south to fight Cornwallis 1775 Event Americans drag cannon up hill to fight British (Gun Hill Road, Bronx) 1747 Birthday John Paul Jones, naval hero, "I have not yet begun to fight" 1746 Death John Peter Zenger, journalist, involved in 1st amendment fight, dies 1688 Birthday Lukas Fencer, Dutch poet, Fight of Kings and Mice
