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Raymundo "Battling" Torres was a Mexican junior lightweight who fought from 1957 to 1967.[2][3] Torres was a puncher, but proved to have difficulty taking punches himself. Thus, he was knocked out in many of his more important bouts, including his two attempts to capture a world title. Torres was born in Cerritos, San Luis Potosí, but was known as the "Reynosa Rattlesnake" because he was raised in the bordertown of Reynosa, Tamaulipas.[1] He first challenged for the world junior welterweight title when he faced champion Carlos Ortiz in February 1960. Ortiz prevailed in the hard fought contest when he scored a knock out in the tenth round.[4] Prior to that loss, Torres had been undefeated in 31 contests.[5] Torres' next crack at the title came when he challenged for the vacated WBA light welterweight crown in 1963. Although favored to win, he was knocked out in the first round by Roberto Cruz of the Philippines.[6] Cruz lost the title a mere three months later when he was defeated by Eddie Perkins and never contended for the title again.[7] Torres retired with a record of 56 wins (46 by KO) and 9 losses. He was selected for the Ring Magazine's list of 100 greatest punchers of all time. LINK TO ARTICLE: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raymundo_Torres_(boxer) TAGS: Raymundo Torres (boxer), Light-welterweight boxers, Super-featherweight boxers, Boxers from San Luis Potosí #GeneralKnowledge #AudibleWikiFactory #Audible #Wikipedia #RaymundoTorres(boxer)

George Henry "K.O." Chaney was a hard punching featherweight and lightweight who fought from 1910 to 1928. Known as the "Knockout King of Fistiana", Chaney was born in Baltimore, Maryland, to Irish-American parents. Boxing Illustrated ranked him #4 all-time in terms of pound for pound punchers, while the Bleacher Report named him the #14 greatest southpaw in boxing history. He was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2014. PROFESSIONAL CAREER Chaney, despite being a terrific puncher, was afflicted with a glass jaw which often was his downfall against top ranked opponents. Nevertheless, he fought many of the top lightweights and featherweights from his era, including Johnny Dundee, Rocky Kansas, Lew Tendler and Abe Attell. Chaney was selected for the Ring Magazine's list of 100 greatest punchers of all time. Chaney was afforded two opportunities to win a world title. On September 4, 1916, he challenged world featherweight champion Johnny Kilbane for his crown. Kilbane KO'd Chaney in round 3. His last title opportunity came when he sought to capture the newly created world junior lightweight title on November 18, 1921. Chaney met Johnny Dundee for the championship, but lost when he was disqualified in the fifth round. His bout with Rocky Kansas at old Oriole Park in 1920 was judged the most brutal and bloody bout ever held in Baltimore. PROFESSIONAL BOXING RECORD All information in this section is derived from BoxRec, unless otherwise stated. Chaney has a professional record of 177 fights, with 137 wins, 36 losses and 4 draws. LINK TO ARTICLE: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Chaney TAGS: George Chaney, Lightweight boxers, Featherweight boxers, Boxers from Maryland #GeneralKnowledge #AudibleWikiFactory #Audible #Wikipedia #GeorgeChaney

Charley Burley was an American boxer who fought as a welterweight and middleweight from 1936 to 1950. Archie Moore, the light-heavyweight champion who was defeated by Burley in a 1944 middleweight bout, was one of several fighters who called Burley the greatest fighter ever. Burley was the penultimate holder of both the World Colored Welterweight Championship and the World Colored Middleweight Championship. EARLY LIFE He was born Charles Duane Burley in Bessemer, Pennsylvania on September 6, 1917 to a mixed-race couple: his father was a black coal miner and his mother a white Irish immigrant from County Cork. Raised in Bessemer, the only son of seven children, the family moved to Pittsburgh when his father was killed in an industrial accident in 1925. He began boxing at the age of 12 at a Boys Club and, as a lightweight, won city, state and national junior boxing titles and a Golden Gloves junior title. As a welterweight, he won a Golden Gloves Senior and lost the 1936 National Senior Championship finals. That same year, he refused an invitation to participate in the Olympic trials due to his objection to the Nazi regime. He did accept an invitation to attend a scheduled 'Workers Games' to be held in Republican Spain as a protest to the 1936 Berlin Summer Olympics, but the games were cancelled by the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War. Burley had also excelled at baseball. He reportedly was offered a contract by the Homestead Grays, the local Negro leagues franchise. PRO BOXING CAREER The 5'9 ½ Burley fought at weights between 145 and 162 lbs. He made his pro debut on September 29, 1936, fighting as a welterweight at 150¾ lbs., at Pittsburgh's Moose Temple. He knocked out George Liggins in the fourth round of a four-round bout. Less than two years later, on August 22, 1938, Burley met the Cocoa Kid at Hickey Park in Millvale, Pennsylvania for the World Colored Welterweight Championship. He won a unanimous decision in the 15-round bout, knocking the Kid to the canvas three times and defeating him decisively, taking his title. Burley did not defend that title, possibly as part of a strategy to win a shot at Henry Armstrong's World Welterweight title. He won the World Colored Middleweight Title in a ninth round technical knockout against Holman Williams at Victory Arena in New Orleans, Louisiana on 14 August 1942. In their rematch for the title two months later at the same venue, Williams won a 15-round decision. Jack Kincaid of the Times-Picayune reported that Burley had won nine rounds of the fight and had been the aggressor throughout. Burley was never granted a world title shot by any of the world welterweight and world middleweight champions of his era and was avoided by many of the top white contenders. Among the fighters who "ducked" Burley were Hall of Famers Billy Conn (who fought Joe Louis for the heavyweight title), Frenchman Marcel Cerdan (who was supposed to face Burley in his American debut) and even Sugar Ray Robinson, considered by many boxing historians as the best pound-for-pound fighter of all time. Of course, not everyone ducked the slick Pittsburgh warrior. Burley won two out of three matches against future welterweight champion Fritzie Zivic, defeated the great Archie Moore by decision, and easily defeated future NYSAC middleweight king Billy Soose. Burley also faced future heavyweight champion Ezzard Charles, but dropped two 10-round decisions to him (the bouts were contested within a five-week period, sandwiching a fight against Williams). Another notable Burley fight was the one against heavyweight J.D. Turner, who outweighed him by around 70 lbs. "Turner, face beaten to raw beefsteak in six rounds, failed to answer the bell for the seventh." (The Ring, June 1942). Burley himself was never stopped in... LINK TO ARTICLE: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charley_Burley TAGS: Charley Burley, International Boxing Hall of Fame inductees, People from Lawrence County Pennsylvania, Boxers from Pittsburgh, World colored middleweight boxing champions, World colored welterweight boxing champions, Welterweight boxers, Bare-knuckle boxers #GeneralKnowledge #AudibleWikiFactory #Audible #Wikipedia #CharleyBurley

Irish Bob Murphy was an Irish-American light heavyweight boxer who fought from 1945 to 1954. He was born Edwin Lee Conarty in Flagler, Colorado, but fought out of San Diego, California. In 2003, Murphy, who was a southpaw, made the Ring Magazine's list of 100 greatest punchers of all time. EARLY LIFE Edward Lee Conarty was born in Flagler, Colorado, on July 22, 1922, to Della Mae (Curtis) and John Patrick Conarty. He joined the Navy at the age of 18 in Salt Lake City, Utah, on March 18, 1941, and was assigned aboard the U.S.S. Lexington. After the U.S.S. Lexington went down in the Battle of Coral Sea on May 8, 1942, Conarty was among the many Lexington survivors that were assigned to the U.S.S. Alabama (BB-60) to put it into commission. Conarty was known for his boxing skill and was a member of both the Lexington and Alabama boxing teams. Nicknamed "Jack" Conarty during his service aboard the "Mighty A," he was known as an exciting boxer who "packed a blockbuster in his left (southpaw) and would take anything his opponent could hand out just long enough to unload one of his bombs." It is said that he never lost a single boxing match in his entire service aboard BB-60. PRO CAREER Under the new professional name Irish Bob Murphy, he unsuccessfully challenged Joey Maxim for the light heavyweight championship on August 22, 1951. Although Murphy entered the ring as the favorite, Maxim clearly outboxed him and won a unanimous 15-round decision. Murphy's biggest win came on June 27, 1951 against former middleweight champion Jake LaMotta, who had moved up to the light heavyweight division after losing his crown to Sugar Ray Robinson. LaMotta appeared poorly prepared for the bout, weighing a career-high 175½ lbs. The match stopped when LaMotta could not answer the bell for the eighth round. Murphy and LaMotta fought a rematch on June 11, 1952, and LaMotta won the decision. Murphy retired in 1954 with a 65-11-1 record and 57 knockout wins. LINK TO ARTICLE: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irish_Bob_Murphy TAGS: Irish Bob Murphy, American male boxers, Southpaw boxers, American people of Irish descent, Light-heavyweight boxers, Boxers from Colorado, People from Kit Carson County Colorado #GeneralKnowledge #AudibleWikiFactory #Audible #Wikipedia #IrishBobMurphy

Mike McCallum is a Jamaican former professional boxer who competed from 1981 to 1997. He held world championships in three weight classes, including the WBA super welterweight title from 1984 to 1988, the WBA middleweight title from 1989 to 1991, and the WBC light heavyweight title from 1994 to 1995. A slick, hard-hitting technician in the ring, McCallum was known for his exceptionally durable chin and toughness, and was never stopped in any of his five losses. He earned his nickname of "The Bodysnatcher" due to his ability to land vicious body punches in fights. McCallum was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2003. In 2011, The Ring magazine ranked him as eighth on their list of the "10 best middleweight title holders of the last 50 years." AMATEUR CAREER McCallum claimed an amateur record of 240 to 10. Pause the video for a full breakdown of his Amateur accomplishments. LINK TO ARTICLE: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_McCallum TAGS: Mike McCallum, Central American and Caribbean Games medalists in boxing, Pan American Games medalists in boxing, World light-heavyweight boxing champions, World middleweight boxing champions, World light-middleweight boxing champions, Cruiserweight boxers, Welterweight boxers, World Boxing Council champions, World Boxing Association champions, Commonwealth Games medallists in boxing, Jamaican male boxers, Living people, Sportspeople from Kingston Jamaica, Central American and Caribbean Games silver medalists for Jamaica, Central American and Caribbean Games gold medalists for Jamaica, Competitors at the 1978 Central American and Caribbean Games, Competitors at the 1974 Central American and Caribbean Games, Pan American Games silver medalists for Jamaica, Commonwealth Games gold medallists for Jamaica, Boxers at the 1979 Pan American Games, Boxers at the 1978 Commonwealth Games #GeneralKnowledge #AudibleWikiFactory #Audible #Wikipedia #MikeMcCallum

Luis Ángel Firpo was an Argentine boxer. Born in Junín, Argentina, he was nicknamed The Wild Bull of the Pampas. BOXING CAREER In 1917, Firpo began his professional boxing career by beating Frank Hagney by a decision in six in Buenos Aires. Originally declared a no decision, the bout's result was later changed to a win for Firpo. For his second bout, he traveled, in January 1918, to Montevideo, Uruguay, where he suffered his first defeat, a first round knockout at the hands of Angel Rodriguez. He put a string of six wins in a row after that, and so on November 1, 1919, he found himself challenging Dave Mills in Santiago, for the South American Heavyweight title. He lost on that occasion by a decision in 15 rounds, but then came back with a win over Andres Balsa by a knockout in round six. On April 20, 1920, he and Mills had a rematch and Firpo won the title with a first-round knockout. After one more win, he and Mills faced each other in a rubber match, and the result was the same as that of their second bout: Firpo the winner by a knockout in the first. In 1921, the quality of Firpo's challengers improved, when he defeated fringe contender Gunboat Smith twice, the first by decision in 12 and the second by knockout, also in 12. In 1922, he continued his rise in the Heavyweight rankings by winning all four of his fights by a knockout. Firpo began 1923 by knocking out former title challenger Bill Brennan in the 12th round. He followed that with seven more wins in a row, including wins over Jack McAuliffe and former world champion Jess Willard. After a win against Charlie Weinert, Firpo challenged world heavyweight champion Jack Dempsey at New York City on September 14, becoming the first Latin American in history to challenge for the title. Firpo was floored seven times in the first round of the bout, before he trapped Dempsey against the ropes and launched a combination that sent the champion out of the ring. Dempsey hit his head against a writer's typing machine, and for a moment, it looked as if Firpo would become world Heavyweight champion. But Dempsey was helped into the ring at the count of nine (in spite of having been seventeen seconds outside the ring; fighters are given a twenty-second count when they are knocked through the ropes) and he eventually knocked out Firpo in the second round. This fight has been regarded by critics and experts as one of the greatest fights in history. Boxing historian Bert Sugar called it the greatest fight in the history of the sport. Despite losing, Firpo gained substantial fame all over Latin America after this bout, as many people in different parts of that region spoke about his feat of dropping Dempsey. This fight remained so inspirational that, for instance, it led to the naming of the Salvadorian football club C.D. Luis Ángel Firpo. In 1924, Firpo won his first three fights by knockout, but then lost his last two by decision, the last to legendary challenger Harry Wills. He retired for a short period, but came back in 1926 to beat Erminio Spalla by a decision in ten. Then, he kept away from the fight game for nine years, but he attempted another comeback in 1936, winning two fights before being beaten by a knockout in three by future Joe Louis challenger Arturo Godoy. Firpo finally retired after compiling a record of 32 wins and 6 losses in 38 fights, with 26 wins by knockout. RETIREMENT Afterwards, Firpo became a car-dealer for Stutz and a rancher. By 1940 he was ranching on a large scale in Carlos Casares with 8,000 cattle, 4,000 sheep and 400 horses. He discovered the boxer Abel Cestac in July 1940. Firpo and Jack Dempsey agreed to jointly manage Cestac, who went on to become the South American heavyweight champion. On his passing in 1960, Luis Firpo was buried in La... LINK TO ARTICLE: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luis_Ángel_Firpo TAGS: Luis Ángel Firpo, Sportspeople from Buenos Aires Province, People from Junín Buenos Aires, Heavyweight boxers, Argentine male boxers #GeneralKnowledge #AudibleWikiFactory #Audible #Wikipedia #LuisÁngelFirpo

Ricardo López Nava is a Mexican former professional boxer who competed from 1985 to 2001. He was a two-weight world champion, having held the WBC mini flyweight title from 1990 to 1998, defending it against a record-breaking 21 opponents; the WBA and WBO mini flyweight titles between 1997 and 1998; and the IBF junior flyweight title from 1999 until his retirement in 2001. He is one of just fifteen world boxing champions to retire without a loss. He is the father of undefeated former boxer Alonso López. AMATEUR CAREER López would win four consecutive Guantes de Oro de México Championships from 1981 to 1984. He turned pro without having ever lost an amateur bout and is now known as one of the best amateur boxers to ever step in the ring. PROFESSIONAL CAREER On January 18, 1985, Ricardo made his professional debut at the age of 18 by scoring a third-round knockout of Rogelio Hernandez. He accumulated a record of 26 to 0 before receiving his first shot at a world title. LINK TO ARTICLE: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ricardo_López_(boxer) TAGS: Ricardo López (boxer), 20th-century Mexican people, Pan American Games competitors for Mexico, Living people, Boxers at the 1991 Pan American Games, Undefeated world boxing champions, World mini-flyweight boxing champions, Mini-flyweight boxers, World light-flyweight boxing champions, Light-flyweight boxers, International Boxing Federation champions, World Boxing Association champions, World Boxing Organization champions, World Boxing Council champions, International Boxing Hall of Fame inductees, Sportspeople from Cuernavaca, Boxers from Morelos, Mexican male boxers #GeneralKnowledge #AudibleWikiFactory #Audible #Wikipedia #RicardoLópez(boxer)

Nigel Gregory Benn is a British former professional boxer who competed from 1987 to 1996. He held world championships in two weight classes, including the WBO middleweight title in 1990 and the WBC super-middleweight title from 1992 to 1996. At the regional level, he held the Commonwealth middleweight title from 1988 to 1989. Nicknamed "The Dark Destroyer" for his formidable punching power and aggressive fighting style, Benn retired with a 83.3% knockout ratio. His best-known fights include the successful world middleweight title defence against Iran Barkley in 1989; the two all-British world title contests against Chris Eubank in 1990 and 1993 (Nigel Benn vs. Chris Eubank), and the successful—but tragic—defence of his world super-middleweight title against Gerald McClellan in 1995 (Nigel Benn vs. Gerald McClellan). In the build to his ring walks, Big Ben would often chime before he made his entrance to music. EARLY YEARS AND AMATEUR CAREER Benn was born in Ilford, East London, on 22 January 1964. Benn joined the British Army Royal Fusiliers at the age of 18. He was stationed in West Germany for three years, and then in Northern Ireland for eighteen months. On leaving the army, Benn joined West Ham Amateur Boxing Club. AMATEUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS 1986 Amateur Boxing Association Middleweight Champion. LINK TO ARTICLE: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nigel_Benn TAGS: Nigel Benn, I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! (British TV series) participants, Boxers from Greater London, World super-middleweight boxing champions, World middleweight boxing champions, Commonwealth Boxing Council champions, England Boxing champions, English expatriates in Spain, Royal Regiment of Fusiliers soldiers, World Boxing Organization champions, World Boxing Council champions, Black British sportsmen, People from Ilford, Living people, English sportspeople of Barbadian descent, English male boxers, English Christians, English evangelicals, Club DJs #GeneralKnowledge #AudibleWikiFactory #Audible #Wikipedia #NigelBenn

Rodolfo González is a Mexican former professional boxer who competed from 1959 to 1974. He held the WBC lightweight title from 1972 to 1974. PROFESSIONAL CAREER González started his career very young at the age of 14, and won his first 37 bouts. On November 10, 1972, he took on Chango Carmona for the WBC Lightweight Title and won via a Corner retirement in the 13th round. González defended the title two times before losing the belt to Guts Ishimatsu on April 11, 1974, via KO in the 8 round. Later in the year he rematched Ishimatsu, but lost via TKO and retired from boxing. González was a devastating puncher and was named to Ring Magazine's list of 100 greatest punchers, and had a career record of 81-7-1 with 71 ko's. González actually missed making it into the World Boxing Hall of Fame by one vote in 2003, of the 140 voting members. A private vote was then taken by the 10-member Executive Committee, and González was accepted by an 8-2 vote. Two members resigned in protest, and later that year many more Executive Committee members had dropped out. LINK TO ARTICLE: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rodolfo_Gonz%C3%A1lez_(boxer) TAGS: Rodolfo González (boxer), Lightweight boxers, Mexican male boxers, World boxing champions, Sportspeople from Guadalajara Jalisco, Boxers from Jalisco, Living people #GeneralKnowledge #AudibleWikiFactory #Audible #Wikipedia #RodolfoGonzález(boxer)

Evander Holyfield is an American former professional boxer who competed between 1984 and 2011. He reigned as the undisputed champion at cruiserweight in the late 1980s and at heavyweight in the early 1990s, and is the only boxer in history to win the undisputed championship in two weight classes in the three belt era. Nicknamed "the Real Deal", Holyfield is the only four-time world heavyweight champion, having held the unified WBA, WBC, and IBF titles from 1990 to 1992, the WBA and IBF titles again from 1993 to 1994, the WBA title a third time from 1996 to 1999; the IBF title a third time from 1997 to 1999 and the WBA title for a fourth time from 2000 to 2001. As an amateur, Holyfield represented the United States at the 1984 Summer Olympics, winning a bronze medal in the light heavyweight division. He turned professional at the age of 21, moving up to cruiserweight in 1985 and winning his first world championship the following year, defeating Dwight Muhammad Qawi for the WBA title. Holyfield then went on to defeat Ricky Parkey and Carlos de León to win the WBC and IBF titles, thus becoming the undisputed cruiserweight champion. He moved up to heavyweight in 1988, later defeating Buster Douglas in 1990 to claim the unified WBA, WBC and IBF heavyweight titles and the undisputed heavyweight championship. He successfully defended his titles three times, scoring victories over former champions George Foreman and Larry Holmes, before suffering his first professional loss to Riddick Bowe in 1992. Holyfield regained the crown in a rematch one year later, defeating Bowe for the WBA and IBF titles (Bowe having relinquished the WBC title beforehand). Holyfield later lost these titles in an upset against Michael Moorer in 1994. Holyfield was forced to retire in 1994 upon medical advice, only to return a year later with a clean bill of health. In 1996 he defeated Mike Tyson and reclaimed the WBA title, in what was named by The Ring magazine as the Fight of the Year and Upset of the Year. This made Holyfield the first boxer since Muhammad Ali to win a world heavyweight title three times. Holyfield won a 1997 rematch against Tyson, which saw the latter disqualified in round three for biting off part of Holyfield's ear. During this reign as champion, he also avenged his loss to Michael Moorer and reclaimed the IBF title. In 1999 he faced Lennox Lewis in a unification fight for the undisputed WBA, WBC and IBF titles, which ended in a controversial split draw. Holyfield was defeated in a rematch eight months later. The following year, he defeated John Ruiz for the vacant WBA title, becoming the first boxer in history to win a version of the heavyweight title four times. Holyfield lost a rematch against Ruiz seven months later and faced him for the third time in a draw. Holyfield retired in 2014, and is ranked number 77 on The Ring's list of 100 greatest punchers of all time and in 2002 named him the 22nd greatest fighter of the past 80 years. He currently ranks No.91 in BoxRec's ranking of the greatest pound for pound boxers of all time. BoxingScene ranked him the greatest cruiserweight of all time. He is also the first boxer to hold world titles in three different decades, in the 1980s, 1990s and 2000s. EARLY LIFE Evander Holyfield was born on October 19, 1962, in the mill town of Atmore, Alabama. The youngest of nine children, Holyfield was much younger than his other siblings and was born from a different father. Holyfield's family later moved to Atlanta, Georgia, where he was raised in the crime-ridden Bowen Homes Housing Projects. He began boxing at age seven and won the Boys Club boxing tournament. At 13, he qualified to compete in his first Junior Olympics. By age 15, Holyfield became the Southeastern Regional Champion, winning this... LINK TO ARTICLE: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evander_Holyfield TAGS: Evander Holyfield, Participants in Argentine reality television series, 20th-century African-American sportspeople, 21st-century African-American people, Medalists at the 1983 Pan American Games, Sportspeople from the Atlanta metropolitan area, BBC Sports Personality World Sport Star of the Year winners, American autobiographers, American Christians, Pan American Games medalists in boxing, International Boxing Hall of Fame inductees, Pan American Games silver medalists for the United States, Medalists at the 1984 Summer Olympics, American male boxers, World heavyweight boxing champions, World cruiserweight boxing champions, World Boxing Council champions, World Boxing Association champions, People from Fayette County Georgia, People from Atmore Alabama, Participants in American reality television series, Olympic bronze medalists for the United States in boxing #GeneralKnowledge #AudibleWikiFactory #Audible #Wikipedia #EvanderHolyfield

Ricardo Moreno Escamilla was a Mexican professional boxer in the Super Featherweight division. Moreno was ranked #76 on The Ring's list of 100 All time Greatest Punchers. EARLY LIFE Moreno was born and raised in the mining town of Chalchihuites, Zacatecas, Mexico. He left school to work as a metal breaker at the mines. Later he went to Mexico City where he worked as a parking lot attendant before turning to boxing. He did not fight as an amateur and turned professional at age 17 on June 16, 1954. PROFESSIONAL CAREER Known as "Pajarito", Moreno was a heavy puncher, having won 19 of his first 20 fights with all 19 of his wins by KO. LINK TO ARTICLE: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ricardo_Moreno TAGS: Ricardo Moreno, Super-featherweight boxers, People from Zacatecas City, Boxers from Zacatecas #GeneralKnowledge #AudibleWikiFactory #Audible #Wikipedia #RicardoMoreno

Antonio Esparragoza Betancourt (born 2 September 1959) is a Venezuelan former boxer who is a former WBA Featherweight Champion of the World. AMATEUR CAREER Esparragoza represented Venezuela as a Featherweight at the 1980 Moscow Olympic Games. In the Round of 32, he lost to Peter Hanlon, of Great Britain, by decision, 1-4. PROFESSIONAL CAREER Esparragoza turned pro in 1981 and after largely fighting unproven fighters in his native Venezuela was granted a shot at Lineal and WBA Featherweight Titles holder Steve Cruz in 1987. Esparragoza pulled off an upset with a TKO in the 12th round. Esparragoza defended the titles against seven contenders before losing the belts to Yong-Kyun Park in 1991 via unanimous decision. He retired after the loss. Due to his incredible knockout power, Esparragoza is ranked at 75 in Ring Magazine's list of 100 Greatest Punchers. LINK TO ARTICLE: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antonio_Esparragoza TAGS: Antonio Esparragoza, Featherweight boxers, AIBA World Boxing Championships medalists, World Boxing Association champions, Venezuelan male boxers, Boxers at the 1980 Summer Olympics, Olympic boxers of Venezuela, People from Cumaná, Living people #GeneralKnowledge #AudibleWikiFactory #Audible #Wikipedia #AntonioEsparragoza

Charles "Kid" McCoy, born Norman Selby, was an American boxer and early Hollywood actor. He claimed the vacant world middleweight title when he scored an upset victory over Tommy Ryan by 15th round knockout. OVERVIEW Born in Moscow, Rush County, Indiana, McCoy would eventually weigh 160 pounds (73 kg), stand 5 feet 11 inches (180 cm), and go on to a record 81 wins (55 by KO, with 6 losses, 9 no decision, and 6 disqualifications). McCoy was noted for his "corkscrew punch" – a blow delivered with a twisting of the wrist. According to McCoy, he learned the punch one evening while resting in someone's barn after a day of riding the rails. He noticed a cat strike at a ball of string and imitated its actions. Whether true or not, McCoy was known as a fast, "scientific" fighter who would cut his opponents with sharp blows. He reportedly would wrap his knuckles in mounds of friction tape, to better cut his opponents faces. He was listed # 1 Light Heavyweight of all time in Fifty Years At Ringside, published in 1958. He was also regarded as a formidable puncher, and was included in Ring Magazine's list of 100 greatest punchers of all time. BOXING CAREER Tommy Ryan was knocked out by Kid McCoy in the 15th round on March 2, 1906. This bout forms part of the lore of the McCoy legend. McCoy served as a sparring partner for Ryan, and absorbed many beatings at the hands of his employer. Ryan was notorious for showing little mercy to his sparring partners. As a result, McCoy hated Ryan, and sought revenge. It is alleged that McCoy, who appeared thin, pale and frail, persuaded Ryan that he was seriously ill before their fight. McCoy, who was famed as a trickster, purportedly rubbed flour on his face so as to appear deathly ill. Ryan is said to have fallen for the ruse, failed to train properly and was not in top condition for the bout. Whether true or not, McCoy scored an upset win over Ryan in a fight billed for the American and World 154lbs Middleweight Title. Another one of McCoy's tactics was demonstrated while McCoy was on a tour of Australia and some other Pacific Islands. To supplement his income, he would take on all comers. In one unidentified port, McCoy, who scarcely weighed 160 pounds (73 kg), agreed to box a huge native reputed to weigh in excess of 250 pounds (110 kg). McCoy watched him train and noted the man fought in his bare feet. When the fight began, McCoy's corner threw handfuls of tacks into the ring, causing the bare-footed challenger to drop his guard and raise up one foot. As soon as he did so, McCoy lowered the boom on his distracted adversary. Although slight of build, McCoy captured the world middleweight championship by defeating Dan Creedon. McCoy never defended the title, choosing to abandon the crown to enable him to pursue the world heavyweight championship. Despite his handicap in size, McCoy battled the best heavyweights of his era, and defeated Joe Choynski and Peter Maher. He was defeated by Tom Sharkey and Jim Corbett. The Corbett fight was the subject of controversy, as the ending was suspect and Corbett's estranged wife claimed the bout was fixed. LINK TO ARTICLE: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kid_McCoy TAGS: Kid McCoy, Bare-knuckle boxers, Boxers from California, World middleweight boxing champions, Drug-related suicides in Michigan, Fordson High School alumni, American prisoners and detainees, Prisoners and detainees of California, American people convicted of manslaughter, American male boxers, People from Rush County Indiana, Boxers from Indiana, American male film actors, American male silent film actors, 20th-century American male actors #GeneralKnowledge #AudibleWikiFactory #Audible #Wikipedia #KidMcCoy

José Luis Ramírez is a Mexican former professional boxer who was a two-time World Lightweight Champion. CAREER A native of Huatabampo, Sonora and a resident of Culiacán, Ramírez made his professional debut on March 25, 1973 at the age of 15. He climbed slowly but steadily on boxing's rankings. In 1978, as a Featherweight, a 19 year old Ramírez lost by knockout for the only time in his career to legendary three time former world champion Rubén Olivares in two rounds. After his move in weight to the Lightweights, 21-year-old Ramírez accumulated a record of 67-2, and met another boxing legend inside the ring, when he fought Alexis Argüello. Ramírez dropped Argüello for the first time in his career in round six, but lost a disputed ten round split decision in Miami. He then faced Ray Mancini for the North American Lightweight belt, and lost a 12 round decision in Ohio. By then, Ramírez and Julio César Chávez were gymmates and friends. Ramírez won his following 10 bouts and on May 1, 1983, he was given the chance at becoming world Lightweight champion for the first time, when he fought Puerto Rican Edwin "El Chapo" Rosario at the Coliseo Roberto Clemente in San Juan, Puerto Rico, for the World Boxing Council's championship. Ramírez lost a close 12 round unanimous decision, but on November 3, of 1984, he and Rosario had a rematch, also in San Juan. After rising from two knockdowns, Ramírez rallied back to stagger Rosario in the third round. With Rosario pinned against a corner and Ramírez attacking, referee Steve Crosson stopped the bout in round four, after Ramírez had landed 17 straight punches, making Ramírez a world Lightweight champion for the first time, by a technical knockout. The fight was named the 1984 Ring Magazine fight of the year. Ramírez then went into training for a defense against Héctor Camacho, another boxer from Puerto Rico. The fight was postponed when Camacho suffered a broken ankle during a pick up basketball game, but it finally came off on August 10, 1985. On his first fight telecast on HBO Boxing, Ramírez was dropped in round three and lost a 12 round unanimous decision. Ramírez, a culturally intellectual person, moved to Paris soon after. There, he re-grouped, and was able to regain the WBC's world championship when Camacho left it vacant in 1987, by edging out Terrence Alli with another close but unanimous 12 round decision. In his first title defense, he defeated former champion Cornelius Boza-Edwards by fifth round knock out. In his second defense, he was awarded a 12 round split decision victory against future multiple world champion Pernell Whitaker. The consensus among both United States and English media and fans was that Whitaker deserved to win the fight. European and Latin American media and fans agreed it was the right decision. Back in Mexico, he and Chávez were neighbors. Chávez had lifted the World Boxing Association's world Lightweight championship by beating Rosario, and a unification bout between the two friends and neighbors was planned. Ramírez, who is a godfather to one of Chávez's sons, lost an 11 round technical decision to Chávez on October 29 of 1988, which marked the last day he would be a world champion. In 1989, he tried to win the International Boxing Federation's belt from Whitaker, in Virginia, but he lost a 12 round decision. Then, in 1990, he returned to France, where he lost to Juan Martin Coggi by a decision in 12 for the WBA's world Jr. Welterweight title in Ajaccio. After that bout, he retired. Ramírez was a member of the less recognized, defunct World Boxing Hall of Fame in California, not to be confused with the more widely recognized International Boxing Hall of Fame in Canastota. In 2003, Ring magazine placed Ramirez on their list of the 100... LINK TO ARTICLE: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jos%C3%A9_Luis_Ram%C3%ADrez TAGS: José Luis Ramírez, World boxing champions, Southpaw boxers, People from Huatabampo, Boxers from Sonora, Mexican male boxers, Living people, Lightweight boxers #GeneralKnowledge #AudibleWikiFactory #Audible #Wikipedia #JoséLuisRamírez

Thomas Eugene Gómez, Jr. was an American professional boxer at Heavyweight. PROFESSIONAL CAREER Gómez was born December 25, 1919, in Tampa, Florida. Gómez, known as "Tampa Tommy" also "Terrible Tom the Tampa Thumper", turned pro in 1939. Although Gómez never fought for a major title, he fought several notable fighters of his era, including Jersey Joe Walcott. He was often ducked by many of the heavyweight contenders of his time due to his fierce power. Gómez was a feared knockout artist, and was named to the Ring Magazine list of the 100 greatest punchers of all time. After 86 professional fights, Gómez retired in 1950 with a career boxing record of 75-9-2 (65 KOs). He was inducted into the Florida Boxing Hall of Fame June 27, 2010. PERSONAL Gómez was Spanish-American, his parents having immigrated from Spain. Mother Josefa immigrated from Lugo, Sarria, Spain, and father, Thomas Gomez Sr, from Valladolid, Spain. Gómez was a World War II Purple Heart veteran who was wounded 16 times in Germany. He returned and resumed his boxing career with shrapnel still lodged in his arms and back. He was a mentor to the Police Athletic League program in Tampa and maintained an active interest in boxing throughout his life. For many years he had his own line of cigars, "Tommy Gomez Champs", manufactured in Ybor City. He was also an artist and music lover. He died April 27, 2006, in a hospital in Austell, Georgia after a brief illness. His survivors include four daughters by his wife of 58 years, Opal May Gómez. Daughters: Lynda G. Wheelock; Daphne G. McElwreath; Toni Gomez Gwaltney; and Melanie Gomez Rocca. He was buried in Tampa, Florida, on Tuesday, May 2. LINK TO ARTICLE: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tommy_G%C3%B3mez TAGS: Tommy Gómez, American male boxers, Sportspeople from Tampa Florida, Heavyweight boxers, Boxers from Florida #GeneralKnowledge #AudibleWikiFactory #Audible #Wikipedia #TommyGómez

Jacob Henry "Buddy" Baer was an American boxer and later an actor with important parts in seventeen films, as well as roles on various television series in the 1950s and 1960s. In 1941, he came extremely close to boxing stardom at Washington's Griffith Stadium, when in the opinion of most ringside officials, Joe Louis gave him a disqualifying late sixth-round hit in a title match that should have made Baer the world heavyweight champion. He lost to Louis in a rematch for the title the following year but remained solidly ranked among the top heavyweights in the early 1940s. In 2003, Baer was chosen for The Ring magazine's list of 100 greatest punchers of all time. He was the younger brother of boxing heavyweight champion and actor Max Baer, and the uncle of actor Max Baer Jr. BOXING CAREER Baer was born in Denver, Colorado, on June 11, 1915, to father Jacob, a butcher, and mother Dora Bales. A few sources list his birthplace, like his brother Max, as Omaha, Nebraska. He moved with his family to California in 1928, living first in Livermore in 1926 and then Hayward, before settling in the early 1930s in Sacramento, where he would later retire. Both Buddy and his brother Max had a large Jewish following, for they claimed Jewish ancestry on their father's side and frequently wore a Star of David on their boxing trunks. Neither brother, however, appeared to be observant or openly religious, and their claims of Jewish heritage were questioned by legendary trainer Ray Arcel. Standing at 6' 6½" (1.99 m), Baer fought from 1934 to 1942 and was one of the best punchers of his era. Baer's manager during the largest portion of his boxing career was Ancil Hoffman, who also managed Max's career for a period. EARLY CAREER In his professional debut, Baer knocked out Tiny Abbott, 1:54 into the first round on September 23, 1934, in Eureka, California. A boxer of some repute, the towering 6' 8" Abbott had twice faced Baer's brother Max, and though it was Baer's first time in the ring, the more experienced Abbott was nearing the end of his career. Baer had a long winning streak following his debut fight until he met Babe Hunt. On January 10, 1935, Baer was defeated in a four-round bout, losing on points to Hunt at Boston's Rickard Recreation Center. The loss was Baer's first in thirteen straight fights, twelve of which Baer won by knockout. Though Hunt had a bad second round, he came back strongly in the third and fourth to win by unanimous decision. He completed a technical knockout of Jack O'Dowd at 2:10 into the second round at Detroit's Olympia Stadium on January 4, 1935. On a ticket that included Joe Louis, the total audience reached 15,853. The sizable crowd witnessed an exceptional performance from Baer, who outweighed his opponent by 29 pounds, less than his typical advantage. In an odd victory, O'Dowd, who seemed to lack the will to fight, was down five times in the first round, in a few instances without actually being hit. Though O'Dowd had faced the great Joe Louis the previous year, he showed no desire to mix with Baer and appeared thoroughly outmatched. Frank Connolly, a former Golden Gloves champion, fell to Baer on March 20, 1935, in a convincing first-round knockout at the Oakland Auditorium before a substantial early-career crowd of 9,500. The final blow was a right hook that started low and came up with enormous power to knock out Connolly, who weighed 245, only a pound heavier than Baer. Baer defeated Al Delaney on July 18, 1935, in a four-round knockout at Buffalo's Offerman Stadium. In a complete victory, Baer had Delaney down five times before the referee counted him out 34 seconds into the fourth round from a right behind the ear. In the opening round, Baer was knocked to his knees by a strong left, but he recovered,... LINK TO ARTICLE: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddy_Baer TAGS: Buddy Baer, Deaths from dementia in California, Military personnel from Colorado, Military personnel from California, Male actors from Denver, Male actors from California, Jewish American male actors, Jewish American boxers, Heavyweight boxers, Deaths from hypertension, Deaths from diabetes, Deaths from Alzheimer's disease, Burials in California, Boxers from Denver, Boxers from California, American people of Czech-Jewish descent, American male television actors, American male film actors, American male boxers, 20th-century American male actors, 20th-century American Jews #GeneralKnowledge #AudibleWikiFactory #Audible #Wikipedia #BuddyBaer

Donovan "Razor" Ruddock is a Jamaican-born Canadian former professional boxer who competed from 1982 to 2001 and in 2015. He is known for his two fights against Mike Tyson in 1991, a fight against Lennox Lewis in 1992, and a fight with Tommy Morrison in 1995. Ruddock was also known for his exceptionally heavy punching; one of the best examples of his left hand power was his knockout of former WBA heavyweight champion Michael Dokes in 1990. His favoured weapon at the ring proved to be a highly versatile half-hook, half-uppercut left-handed punch he called "The Smash" which accounted for the majority of his knockout wins -- it also happened to be his major downside throughout his career. Being a left-handed puncher fighting out of the orthodox stance, he didn't throw a single right hand during most knockout flurries. PROFESSIONAL CAREER EARLY YEARS Ruddock was born in St. Catherine, Jamaica. At age 11, he left Jamaica with his family and moved to Toronto, settling in the city's Weston neighbourhood. Ruddock attended Emery Collegiate Institute and Westview Centennial Secondary School, when he was a teenager. As an amateur boxer, Ruddock had a win over Lennox Lewis in March 1980 in Toronto at the Ontario Junior Boxing Championship, winning via a split decision (3:2) in the 75 kg weight class (165 lbs). He turned pro in 1982, but his career started slowly, having only 11 fights between 1982 and 1985. He won eight of his first nine fights, but drew his fifth. More controversy would follow in April 1985 when he lost to journeyman David Jaco, who would be KO'd by a young Mike Tyson the next year. After eight rounds Ruddock's corner threw in the towel when he complained of breathing problems. Jaco was awarded a TKO victory. It was discovered Ruddock had a rare respiratory illness and doctors told him his career would be over. LINK TO ARTICLE: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donovan_Ruddock TAGS: Donovan Ruddock, People from Weston Toronto, Jamaican male boxers, Jamaican emigrants to Canada, Heavyweight boxers, Canadian male boxers, Boxing people from Ontario, Boxers from Toronto, Black Canadian boxers, 21st-century Canadian inventors, Living people #GeneralKnowledge #AudibleWikiFactory #Audible #Wikipedia #DonovanRuddock

Thomas "Sailor Tom" Sharkey was a boxer who fought two fights with heavyweight champion James J. Jeffries. Sharkey's recorded ring career spanned from 1893 to 1904. He is credited with having won 40 fights (with 37 KOs), 7 losses, and 5 draws. Sharkey was named to the Ring Magazine's list of 100 greatest punchers of all time. EARLY LIFE Sharkey was born in Dundalk, Ireland. His story began when he ran away from home and went to sea as a cabin boy. In 1892, Sharkey landed in New York City and joined the United States Navy. He was eventually deployed to Hawaii where he began his pro fighting career. CAREER Standing 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m) tall, Sharkey was a standup brawler, who came right after his opponents. Sharkey was easy to hit, but rough and tumble and a hard puncher. He had unusually broad shoulders for a man of his height, and sported a tattoo of a star and battleship on his chest. In 1900 he also acquired a large cauliflower ear, courtesy of a brawl with Gus Ruhlin, that added to his persona. Sharkey's first bout against a front-line fighter occurred in 1896 when he fought Joe Choynski, who was later to knock out legendary heavyweight Jack Johnson, in an eight-round match. Sharkey followed that fight up by challenging "Gentleman Jim" Corbett. The two met and the fight was ruled a draw after four rounds due to police interference. LINK TO ARTICLE: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Sharkey TAGS: Tom Sharkey, Heavyweight boxers, Bare-knuckle boxers #GeneralKnowledge #AudibleWikiFactory #Audible #Wikipedia #TomSharkey

Harry Wills was a heavyweight boxer who held the World Colored Heavyweight Championship three times. Many boxing historians consider Wills the most egregious victim of the "color line" drawn by white heavyweight champions. Wills fought for over twenty years (1911 to 1932), and was ranked as the number one challenger for the throne, but was denied the opportunity to fight for the title. Of all the black contenders between the heavyweight championship reigns of Jack Johnson and Joe Louis, Wills came closest to securing a title shot. BoxRec ranks him among 10 best heavyweights in the world from 1913 to 1924, and as No.1 heavyweight from 1915 to 1917. His managers included Jim Buckley and Paddy Mullins. BOXING CAREER Wills fought many of the top heavyweights of his era. He defeated Willie Meehan, who had decisioned Jack Dempsey, Gunboat Smith and Charley Weinart. He also fought Luis Firpo in a match that ended in a no decision. Wills faced future heavyweight champion Jack Sharkey in 1926, and was being decisively beaten when he was disqualified. The next year, Wills was knocked out by heavyweight contender Paolino Uzcudun in a bout that signalled the end of his reign as a serious title contender. His final record was 75 wins (with 47 knockouts), 9 losses and 2 draws. In 2003, he was named to the Ring Magazine's list of 100 greatest punchers of all time. The top black fighters of Wills' era were forced to continuously fight each other, as many white fighters also drew the "color line". As a result, Wills fought the redoubtable Sam Langford 22 times. His record against Langford was 6 wins, 2 losses and 14 no decisions, although the two losses were by knockout. He beat Langford three times for the colored heavyweight title, with Langford winning it back twice. (He was forced to vacate his third title when he fought Jack Sharkey in 1926 and was lost the bout due to a disqualification.) Wills also defeated colored heavyweight champ Sam McVey three times and fought two no-decision bouts with Joe Jeanette. In May 1922, the New York Daily News polled its readers, asking them to choose Dempsey's next title opponent. Over 45,000 readers responded, and Wills finished first with 12,177 votes. Dempsey initially said he was willing to fight Wills, but the bout was never scheduled. ABORTED 1926 DEMPSEY-WILLS HEAVYWEIGHT TITLE MATCH Midwestern boxing promoter Floyd Fitzsimmons rendered a check to Wills for his fee, but failed to produce even a downpayment for Dempsey's much larger fee for a bout between the two fighters, who had, in July 1925, signed an agreement for a 1926 title match, which never materialized as a result. Disagreement has existed among boxing historians as to whether Dempsey had avoided Wills—though Dempsey swore he was willing to fight him—as having said he would no longer fight Black boxers after winning the title. Wills twice attempted to sue Dempsey for breach of contract over the canceled bout, which had also been barred in New York State on orders from Governor Alfred E. Smith by Athletic Commissioner James Farley, an early champion of African-American equal rights due to his public threats to resign from the Athletic Commission if Wills was not given the fight against the champion Dempsey, as Farley deemed Wills the number one contender. A deadly race riot in the wake of Jack Johnson vs. James J. Jeffries also created reluctance to promote the match. The stand taken by Commissioner Farley would help enable Farley to add the African American vote to the New Deal coalition as Franklin D. Roosevelt 's campaign manager and subsequently Chairman of the Democratic National Committee from the Republican Party, which had traditionally up until the 1930s controlled the African American voting block as the party of Lincoln. LINK TO ARTICLE: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harry_Wills TAGS: Harry Wills, American male boxers, International Boxing Hall of Fame inductees, World colored heavyweight boxing champions, Sportspeople from New Orleans, Boxers from Louisiana, African-American boxers, Heavyweight boxers #GeneralKnowledge #AudibleWikiFactory #Audible #Wikipedia #HarryWills

Lew Jenkins was an American boxer and NYSAC and The Ring lightweight champion from 1940-1941. He was born in Milburn, Texas and was raised during the Great Depression. He began fighting in carnivals and later continued his boxing in the US Coast Guard. He was an exceptionally powerful puncher and 51 of his 73 wins were by knockout. His managers included Benny Woodhall, Frank Bachman, Hymie Kaplan, and Willie Ketchum and his trainer was Charley Rose. His punching power was legendary, and so was his drinking, carousing, and penchant for high-speed motorcycles. "The two toughest opponents I had were Jack Daniels and Harley Davidson," Lew Jenkins stated. Jenkins took the World Lightweight Championship on May 10, 1940 in a third-round TKO against Lou Ambers at New York's Madison Square Garden. Jenkins was admitted to the Ring Boxing Hall of Fame in 1977, the World Boxing Hall of Fame in 1983 and in 1999, the International Boxing Hall of Fame. EARLY LIFE Verlin E. Jenkins was born on December 4, 1916 in Milburn, Texas to Artie James and Minnie Lee, formerly Minnie Lee White. He was the third of four children and had two older and one younger sisters. He started professional boxing around 1935 in Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona, but by 1938 was boxing regularly in Dallas. The biggest fights of his early career took place after he moved to New York in 1939. PROFESSIONAL CAREER HIGHLIGHTS Jenkins defeated Lew Feldman on April 8, 1938 in a ten-round split decision at the Sportatorium in Dallas, Texas. Oddly, the Dallas crowd booed loudly after the decision of the judges and referees for Jenkins, the Texas native. LINK TO ARTICLE: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lew_Jenkins TAGS: Lew Jenkins, Recipients of the Silver Star, United States Army personnel of the Korean War, United States Coast Guard personnel of World War II, International Boxing Hall of Fame inductees, World boxing champions, World lightweight boxing champions, Lightweight boxers, Boxers from Texas, American male boxers #GeneralKnowledge #AudibleWikiFactory #Audible #Wikipedia #LewJenkins

Arnold Raymond Cream, best known as Jersey Joe Walcott, was an American professional boxer who competed from 1930 to 1953. He held the NYSAC, NBA, and The Ring heavyweight titles from 1951 to 1952, and broke the record for the oldest man to win the title, at the age of 37. That record would eventually be broken in 1994 by 45-year-old George Foreman. Despite holding the world heavyweight title for a relatively short period of time, Walcott was regarded among the best heavyweights in the world during the 1940s and 1950s. After retiring from boxing, Walcott did some acting, playing small parts in a few movies and television shows. He also refereed several boxing matches, but after the controversial ending to the second fight between Muhammad Ali and Sonny Liston, Walcott was not asked to referee again. From 1971 to 1974, Walcott held the elected position of Sheriff of Camden County, New Jersey, the first African-American to do so. From 1975 to 1984, he was the chairman of the New Jersey State Athletic Commission. EARLY LIFE Walcott was born in Pennsauken Township, New Jersey. His father was an immigrant from St. Thomas, Danish West Indies. His mother was from Jordantown (Pennsauken Township), New Jersey. Walcott was only 15 years old when his father died. He quit school and worked in a soup factory to support his mother and 11 younger brothers and sisters. He also began training as a boxer. He took the name of his boxing idol, Joe Walcott, a welterweight champion from Barbados. He added "Jersey" to distinguish himself and show where he was from. BOXING CAREER He debuted as a professional middleweight boxer on September 9, 1930, fighting Cowboy Wallace and winning by a knockout in round one. After five straight knockout wins, in 1933, he lost for the first time, beaten on points by Henry Wilson in Philadelphia. Walcott lost two bouts to Tiger Jack Fox and was knocked out by heavyweight contender Abe Simon during his 10th year as a pro. After losing to Simon, Walcott was inactive for over four years between 1940 and 1944. Many heavyweights at the time were serving in the war, although Walcott does not have a military record. Walcott had built a record of 45 wins, 11 losses and 1 draw before challenging for the world title for the first time. But that would change in 1945 when Walcott beat top heavyweights such as Joe Baksi, Lee Q. Murray, and Curtis Sheppard. He closed out 1946 with a pair of losses to light heavyweight Joey Maxim and top ranked heavyweight contender Elmer Ray, but he promptly avenged those defeats in 1947. LINK TO ARTICLE: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jersey_Joe_Walcott TAGS: Jersey Joe Walcott, 20th-century African-American politicians, Professional wrestlers from New Jersey, American male professional wrestlers, Stampede Wrestling alumni, The Ring (magazine) champions, 20th-century American politicians, American male boxers, World heavyweight boxing champions, World Boxing Association champions, American Protestants, New Jersey sheriffs, New Jersey Democrats, People from Pennsauken Township New Jersey, People from Merchantville New Jersey, Sportspeople from Camden New Jersey, International Boxing Hall of Fame inductees, Heavyweight boxers, Boxers from New Jersey, American people of United States Virgin Islands descent, African-American sheriffs, African-American boxers #GeneralKnowledge #AudibleWikiFactory #Audible #Wikipedia #JerseyJoeWalcott

Konstantin Borisovich "Kostya" Tszyu is a Russian Australian former professional boxer who competed from 1992 to 2005. He held multiple light-welterweight world championships, including the undisputed and lineal titles between 2001 and 2005. Tszyu was an exceptional all-around boxer-puncher who relied heavily on accuracy, timing, and carried formidable punching power; he is often regarded as one of the hardest-punching light-welterweights in the division's history. As an amateur, Tszyu represented the Soviet Union, winning a bronze medal in the lightweight division at the 1989 World Championships, and gold in the light-welterweight division at the 1991 World Championships. He also won consecutive gold medals at the 1989 and 1991 European Championships. In 1995, Tszyu won his first of many professional world championships at light-welterweight—the IBF title—by defeating Jake Rodríguez. Five successful defences were made until an upset loss to Vince Phillips in 1997, which was Tszyu's first professional defeat. He would spend the next eight years undefeated, winning the vacant WBC title in 1999 and the WBA (Super) title in 2001. Tszyu scored arguably his most famous win that year, when he knocked out Zab Judah to reclaim the IBF title, as well as the vacant Ring magazine and lineal titles, thus becoming the first to undisputed light-welterweight champion in over 30 years. In 2005, in what would be his final fight, Tszyu was stopped by Ricky Hatton. Tszyu is considered by many in Australia to be a national sports hero. In The Ring's March 2010 issue, Tszyu was ranked as the number one light-welterweight of the 2000s decade. In December 2010, he was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame for the Class of 2011. From 2012 to 2013 he coached professional boxers Alexander Povetkin, Denis Lebedev and Khabib Allakhverdiev. EARLY YEARS AND AMATEUR CAREER Tszyu was born in Serov, a town near the Ural Mountains, in the former Soviet Union to a Korean (paternal)–Mongol (maternal) father and a Russian mother. Tszyu's father was a fitter in a metal factory, whereas his mother was a nurse. As a child, Kostya was hyperactive, so his father decided to take him to a boxing gym, where he would channel that energy by fighting older boys. He impressed the Soviet amateur team coaches and he was sent to the Soviet Union's amateur boxing travelling training camps, where he visited more than 30 countries while training and fighting in tournaments. He trained with that group 250 days a year, and won various tournaments, such as amateur boxing's world championships. At the Cuban world championship tournament in 1987, he came in second place, and at the 1988 Summer Olympics, he lost in the third round. Tszyu was a member of the Soviet Army, but since he was selected as an elite athlete, he was not required to serve the ordinary duty. He fought at the world championships once again, in Moscow in 1989, where he came in third place. In 1991, he went again to the amateur world championships, this time held in Sydney. This was a trip that would change his life forever. Not only was the third time his charm, but he felt enchanted with the sights of Sydney and its people, and decided he wanted to live in Australia. Following the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, early the next year, Tszyu emigrated to Australia with his girlfriend, where they married in 1993 and became Australian citizens, settling in Sans Souci, Sydney. Before marrying her, though, Tszyu had already turned professional, beating Darrell Hiles by a knockout in one round on 1 March 1992, at Melbourne. 1992 OLYMPICS He was the only Soviet boxer to win a gold medal at the 1991 World Championships in Sydney. Immediately at the Championships he was approached by local boxing... LINK TO ARTICLE: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kostya_Tszyu TAGS: Kostya Tszyu, Competitors at the 1990 Goodwill Games, Goodwill Games medalists in boxing, World light-welterweight boxing champions, The Ring (magazine) champions, AIBA World Boxing Championships medalists, Russian male boxers, Living people, Boxers from Sydney, World Boxing Council champions, International Boxing Federation champions, World Boxing Association champions, Naturalised citizens of Australia, People from the Sutherland Shire, International Boxing Hall of Fame inductees, Boxers at the 1988 Summer Olympics, Olympic boxers of the Soviet Union, Soviet male boxers, Australian male boxers, Russian people of Mongolian descent, Russian people of Korean descent, Australian people of Russian descent, Australian people of Mongolian descent, Australian people of Korean descent, Russian emigrants to Australia #GeneralKnowledge #AudibleWikiFactory #Audible #Wikipedia #KostyaTszyu

Leotis Martin was an American boxer, the first ever NABF heavyweight champion and is best known for his victory over former heavyweight champion Sonny Liston. Martin was a good puncher and a fairly skilled heavyweight who fought from 1962 to 1969. He compiled a record of 31 wins (19 KOs) and 5 losses and in 2003 was named on The Ring's list of 100 greatest punchers of all time. His career, however, was marked by inconsistency and bad luck. AMATEUR CAREER Martin was the 1960 Chicago and Intercity Golden Gloves 160-pound champion and the 1961 160-pound Intercity Golden Gloves Champion (alternate). He also was the United States National AAU 165-pound champion in 1960 and 1961. PROFESSIONAL CAREER From February 1964, when Martin fought on the Liston-Clay world heavyweight championship fight undercard, to June 1967, Martin fought 15 times without suffering a defeat. This winning streak qualified him for the WBA heavyweight elimination championship series, after the organization had stripped Muhammad Ali of its world heavyweight crown when he refused induction into the United States Army. But even this win streak was laced with hard luck, On May 10, 1965, he faced Sonny Banks, then one of only two fighters to have knocked Muhammad Ali down for a count. Martin scored a ninth-round knockout over Banks. Martin's jubilation was short lived. Banks never recovered from the blows he received during the fight and died from his injuries. Although Martin was selected for the WBA title elimination tournament, he was matched, in his first fight, against the ultimate tournament winner Jimmy Ellis. The two fought in the Houston Astrodome on August 5, 1967. Ellis, as was his style at the time, came out sharp, trying to score an early knockout with his sneaky-fast and dangerous right hand. Although unable to knock Martin out, Ellis inflicted on the inside of Martin's mouth a nasty cut, which ultimately caused the fight to be stopped in the ninth round. Scoring was around even at that point. Many had predicted Martin might win the elimination series. Martin had campaigned for a contest with fellow Philadelphian Joe Frazier, but it never happened — mainly due to Martin's loss to Bonavena, who got the Frazier match instead. Martin rebounded from the Ellis defeat by traveling to Germany to knock out German and European heavyweight champion Karl Mildenberger in seven rounds. Martin appeared to be back in contention for a title shot when he dropped a decision to California heavyweight Henry Clark (record 14-3-2). He then came back from that defeat to upset and knock out Thad Spencer in nine rounds. His title quest, however, again was derailed when Martin travelled to Argentina to meet Oscar Bonavena in his home town of Buenos Aires, where he lost by decision. Bonavena went on to fight Frazier for the world title. After the Bonavena loss, Martin put together a four-fight win streak, including two wins over Detroit hometown favorite Al "Blue" Lewis. These fine efforts landed him a match with veteran former champion Sonny Liston on December 6, 1969. Liston had resumed boxing after his two stunning losses to Muhammad Ali, and had run off a winning streak of 14 fights with 13 knockouts. Although slowed by age, Liston was still a feared heavyweight. Martin, who formerly had been Liston's sparring partner, devised a simple fight plan. Rather than attempting to slug with the bigger and heavier Liston, Martin stayed away from him, boxing and waiting for the older man to tire. Despite a close call in the fourth round when Liston caught him with a booming left hook that knocked Martin down, Martin seemed to get stronger with every passing round while Liston weakened. Finally, in the ninth round, Martin hit Liston with a powerful combination that knocked the... LINK TO ARTICLE: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leotis_Martin TAGS: Leotis Martin, People from Helena Arkansas, Winners of the United States Championship for amateur boxers, Heavyweight boxers, Boxers from Arkansas #GeneralKnowledge #AudibleWikiFactory #Audible #Wikipedia #LeotisMartin

Eugene "Cyclone" Hart was an American middleweight boxer who fought from 1969 to 1982. Hart never fought for the title and could not get a victory against the upper echelon fighters he faced. His best showing against a top notch fighter was when he fought "Bad" Bennie Briscoe to a 10 round draw on November 18, 1975. Unfortunately he was stopped in one round by Briscoe in their rematch on April 6, 1976. Another big win for Hart was the 10 round decision he earned over former Olympic champion Sugar Ray Seales on August 15, 1975. Hart faced three future champions in his career. He suffered a 9 round TKO loss at the hands of future middleweight champion Marvin Hagler on September 14, 1976. Future light heavyweight champion Eddie Mustafa Muhammad knocked Hart out in the fourth round on August 26, 1974, and future middleweight king Vito Antuofermo KOed Hart in the fifth round of their March 11, 1977 match. The Antuofermo fight was typical of Hart's inability to get by championship caliber fighters. Hart came out throwing powerful left hooks to the head and body of Antuofermo. Some of Hart's left hooks actually lifted Antuofermo off the ground. When Antuofermo didn't wilt under the furious attack, Hart lost confidence and the tide of battle turned. Appearing completely spent, Hart became defenseless and was knocked out. Hart was trained by legendary boxing figure Cus D'Amato for a short period in 1973 and 1974, but another veteran, Sam Solomon, trained him before and after D'Amato. Hart never realized his great potential. Nevertheless, in 2003 Hart was named to the Ring Magazine's list of 100 greatest punchers of all time. His son is professional fighter Jesse Hart. PROFESSIONAL BOXING RECORD Hart has a professional record of 41 fights, with 30 wins, 9 losses, 1 draw and 1 no contest. LINK TO ARTICLE: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eugene_Hart TAGS: Eugene Hart, Middleweight boxers, Living people #GeneralKnowledge #AudibleWikiFactory #Audible #Wikipedia #EugeneHart

Maximilian Adolph Otto Siegfried Schmeling was a German boxer who was heavyweight champion of the world between 1930 and 1932. His two fights with Joe Louis in 1936 and 1938 were worldwide cultural events because of their national associations. Schmeling is the only boxer to win the world heavyweight championship on a foul. Starting his professional career in 1924, Schmeling went to the United States in 1928 and, after a ninth-round technical knockout of Johnny Risko, became a sensation. He became the first to win the heavyweight championship (at that time vacant) by disqualification in 1930, after opponent Jack Sharkey knocked him down with a low blow in the fourth round. Schmeling retained his crown successfully in 1931 by a technical knockout victory over Young Stribling. A rematch in 1932 with Sharkey saw the American gaining the title from Schmeling by a controversial fifteen-round split decision. In 1933, Schmeling lost to Max Baer by a tenth-round technical knockout. The loss left people believing that Schmeling was past his prime. Meanwhile, Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party took over control in Germany, but Schmeling never joined the Party. The same year, he married Czech film actress Anny Ondra. In 1936, in their first fight, Schmeling knocked out American rising star Joe Louis, placing him as the number one contender for Jim Braddock's title, but Louis got the fight and knocked Braddock out to win the championship in 1937. Schmeling finally got a chance to regain his title in 1938 in the rematch, but Louis won by technical knockout in the first round. During World War II, Schmeling served with the German Air Force (Luftwaffe) as a paratrooper (Fallschirmjäger). After the war, Schmeling mounted a comeback, but retired permanently in 1948. After retiring from boxing, Schmeling worked for The Coca-Cola Company. Schmeling became friends with Louis, and their friendship lasted until the latter's death in 1981. Schmeling died in 2005 aged 99, a sporting hero in his native Germany. Long after the Second World War, it was revealed that Schmeling had risked his life to save the lives of two Jewish children in 1938. At the age of 99, Schmeling was the longest living heavyweight boxing champion in history. In 2003, Schmeling was ranked 55 on The Ring magazine's list of 100 greatest punchers of all time. BIOGRAPHY EARLY YEARS Max Schmeling, Jr. was born in Klein Luckow, in the Prussian Province of Brandenburg, the son of Max, Sr. and Amanda (née Fuchs) Schmeling. He had an older brother, Rudolf, born in 1902 and a younger sister, Edith, born in 1913. He first became acquainted with boxing as a teenager, when his father took him to watch film of the heavyweight championship match between Jack Dempsey and Georges Carpentier. Impressed with Dempsey's performance in that fight, young Schmeling became determined to imitate his new hero. He began boxing in amateur competitions and, by 1924, won Germany's national amateur title in the light heavyweight division. Shortly thereafter, he turned professional. Ironically, though he idolised the raging, brawling Dempsey, Schmeling developed a careful, scientific style of fighting that lent itself more to counterpunching. Using this style, he won seventeen of his first twenty-three bouts, thirteen by knockout. In 1925, he got into the ring with Dempsey, who was then still heavyweight champion of the world and was touring Europe. Dempsey boxed for two rounds with the then-unknown German and, according to a story later told by Schmeling, was greatly impressed. He proved Dempsey's praises correct on 24 August 1926, when picking up the German light heavyweight championship with a first-round knockout of rival Max Diekmann, who had previously beaten Schmeling. The next year, Schmeling won the... LINK TO ARTICLE: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Max_Schmeling TAGS: Max Schmeling, People from the Province of Brandenburg, People from Vorpommern-Greifswald, Knights Commander of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany, Fallschirmjäger of World War II, International Boxing Hall of Fame inductees, European Boxing Union champions, World heavyweight boxing champions, World Boxing Association champions, Coca-Cola people, American male boxers, German male boxers, Heavyweight boxers #GeneralKnowledge #AudibleWikiFactory #Audible #Wikipedia #MaxSchmeling