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James Smith (boxer)
James "Bonecrusher" Smith (born April 3, 1953) is an American former professional boxer who competed from 1981 to 1999 and held the WBA heavyweight title from 1986 to 1987. Early life Smith was born in Magnolia, North Carolina. After graduating from high school, he attended James Sprunt Community College in Kenansville, North Carolina. He earned an associate's degree in business administration in 1973. Two years later, he got a bachelor's degree in business administration from Shaw University in Raleigh.Biography of James Smith at his charity, ChampionForKids.org Amateur career After serving in the and working as a |
Heavyweight
Heavyweight is a weight class in combat sports and professional wrestling. Boxing Professional Male boxers who weigh over are considered heavyweights by 2 of the 4 major professional boxing organizations: the International Boxing Federation and the World Boxing Organization. In 2020, the World Boxing Council increased their heavyweight classification to 224 pounds (102 kg; 16 st) to allow for their creation of the bridgerweight division. The World Boxing Association (WBA) did the same in 2023. Female boxers who weigh over are considered heavyweights by 2 of the 4 major boxing organizations: the IBF and the WBC. The WBA and WBO do not have a female heavyweight world title. Historical development Because this division has no upper weight limit, it has historically been vaguely defined. In the 19th century, for example, many List of heavyweight boxing champions, heavyweight champions weighed or less (although others weighed 200 pounds). In 1920, the light heavyweight divi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ricky Parkey
Ricky Parkey (November 7, 1956 – April 7, 2024) was an American professional boxer who held the IBF cruiserweight title from 1986 to 1987. Professional career Parkey turned professional in 1981 and won the IBF cruiserweight title with a TKO win over Lee Roy Murphy in 1986. He defended the belt once before losing the title to Evander Holyfield Evander Holyfield (born October 19, 1962) is an American former professional boxer who competed between 1984 and 2011. He reigned as the undisputed championship (boxing), undisputed champion in the cruiserweight (boxing), cruiserweight division ... via TKO the following year in a title unification bout. He retired in 1994. Parkey died on April 7, 2024, at the age of 67. Professional boxing record See also * List of world cruiserweight boxing champions References External links * {{DEFAULTSORT:Parkey, Rickey 1956 births 2024 deaths American male boxers African-American boxers Boxers from Tennessee Sportspeople ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Mitch "Blood" Green
Mitch Green (born January 13, 1957) is an American former professional boxer who competed from 1980 to 2005. He is best known for having gone the distance with Mike Tyson in 1986, who was undefeated at the time. Two years later, in 1988, Green ended up fighting Tyson again in a notorious street brawl. A toothpick dangling between his lips became his trademark at any public appearance.Green learned on mean streets by Tom Hanrahan, ''Daily News from New York'', March 9, 1980, p. 65. Early years Green grew up in the Bronx on 175th St. between Anthony and Clay Aves. "I was shot twice when I was 17. But it had to have been the will of God that I wasn't hurt" said Green. The first time Green was shot, it was with a .22 ...[...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
David Bey
David Bey (March 11, 1957 – September 13, 2017) was an American heavyweight boxer who held the USBA title. He unsuccessfully challenged Larry Holmes for the heavyweight title in 1985. Bey was an outstanding amateur boxer who had taken up the sport to lose weight and eventually competed on the U.S. All Army Boxing Team. He made his professional debut in 1981, defeating future undisputed world heavyweight champion James "Buster" Douglas by a second-round knockout. He built up a record of 14–0, becoming the first man to stop the durable veteran contender George Chaplin (TKO4) as well as defeating future WBA heavyweight champion Greg Page (W12) to capture the United States Boxing Association heavyweight championship. In March 1985 Bey was given a title shot by IBF heavyweight champion Larry Holmes. After a strong start, Holmes knocked Bey down twice in the 8th round and the referee stopped the fight in the 10th round. Bey never regained his confidence, losing his USBA ti ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Jesse Ferguson
Jesse Ferguson (born March 20, 1957) is a retired American boxer who was a Heavyweight title challenger and top contender who Beat undisputed Heavyweight world champion Buster Douglas, Heavyweight world champion Ray Mercer and Cruiserweight world champion Tyrone Booze. His professional career is filled with matches with champions and contenders and his name is linked with numerous boxing stars of the 1980s and 1990s. Early years Ferguson grew up in rural Knightdale, North Carolina, one of 13 children of a tobacco farm workers William and Jesse Ferguson. Military service Ferguson took up boxing at the age of 22, while serving with the U.S. Marines. Professional career After an amateur career in the early 80s, Ferguson turned pro in 1983 at the age of 25. He had 10 straight wins (all by knockout), the most notable being a 4-round knockout of Reggie Gross. To supplement his meager boxing earnings, Jesse Ferguson was working as a construction worker and a security guard. This ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Mike Weaver (boxer)
Michael Dwayne Weaver (born June 13, 1951) is an American former professional boxer who competed from 1972 to 2000, and held the WBA heavyweight title from 1980 to 1982. He is widely regarded as one of the Best Heavyweight Boxers of the 1980s beating Heavyweight Champions such as Gerrie Coetzee and John Tate. Marines Weaver was a member of the United States Marine Corps from 1968 to 1971, and went to Vietnam. During this time he started amateur boxing and training. Professional career Early years By 1972 Weaver was living and training in California, and took up professional boxing. In his early career, Weaver was considered a journeyman opponent. He was frequently brought in on short notice and overmatched against more experienced and developed contenders, and used as a sparring partner for Muhammad Ali and Ken Norton, who famously nicknamed him "Hercules" due to his top developed muscle definition. In 1976 Weaver beat well regarded veteran Jody Ballard, and in 1978 lost two ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Marvis Frazier
Marvis Frazier (born September 12, 1960) is an American former professional boxer who fought in the heavyweight division. The son of Joe Frazier, he challenged once for the heavyweight title. Early life Marvis was born September 12, 1960, in Philadelphia, the son of the then future world heavyweight champion, Joe Frazier. Marvis was at ringside for all of his father's fights after the second Oscar Bonavena bout in December 1968, including the great fights with Muhammad Ali. Marvis exhibited four rounds with his father in Rochester, New York, on December 3, 1976, and staged another exhibition in 1977. His sister Jackie Frazier-Lyde was also a professional boxer, as was his brother Joe Frazier, Jr. (a.k.a. Hector Frazier). Marvis lived with his family in a 16-room stone split-level home in Whitemarsh.Being Joe Fr ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
North American Boxing Federation
The North American Boxing Federation (NABF) is a not-for-profit regional sanctioning body that awards regional boxing titles. It is a boxing federation within the World Boxing Council (WBC). History The WBC established the NABF in 1969 as part of its creation of a variety of regional boxing federations. These regional federations would sanction championship bouts and crown regional champions. These champions would be given consideration in the world rankings put out by the WBC. The first NABF title bout was between Sonny Liston and Leotis Martin on December 6, 1969. According to the International Boxing Research Organization, "the appearance of the NABF in 1969 marked the start of major 12-round title bouts in western countries..." Current champions Male Female Other regional WBC federations * Oriental and Pacific Boxing Federation (OPBF) *European Boxing Union The European Boxing Union (EBU), formerly known as the International Boxing Union (IBU), is a pan-European govern ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Tim Witherspoon
Tim Witherspoon (born December 27, 1957) is an American former professional boxer who competed from 1979 to 2003. He was a two-time world heavyweight champion, having held the WBC title in 1984, and the WBA title in 1986. He beat heavyweight world champions Greg Page, James Smith, Tony Tubbs, Frank Bruno and cruiserweight world champions Alfonzo Ratliff and Al Cole. He is best known for his fight against undefeated heavyweight world champion Larry Holmes in which he lost by split decision. Witherspoon also worked as a regular sparring partner for Muhammad Ali. Professional career Early years Witherspoon had six amateur bouts, losing the last to Marvis Frazier on decision after getting knocked down. Making his professional debut with a first-round TKO over Joe Adams on October 30, 1979, Witherspoon quickly rose through the ranks. In 1981, he participated in his first high-profile fight, knocking out future world cruiserweight champion Alfonzo Ratliff, after which he w ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
José Ribalta
José Manuel Ribalta (born March 31, 1963) is a Cuban former professional boxer who competed in the heavyweight division from 1982 to 1999. A talented and physically imposing gatekeeper (6 ft 6 in tall with 80 in reach), Ribalta is best known for his brave performance against Mike Tyson in 1986. Beside Tyson, Ribalta faced many notable fighters during the peak of his career, among which he had beaten former undisputed HW world champion Leon Spinks by 1st round stoppage, lost to Frank Bruno also by stoppage, and was closely outpointed by Larry Holmes, Tim Witherspoon, Tony Tubbs, Michael Dokes and (controversely) James "Bonecrusher" Smith. Nearing retirement, he was stopped by Vitali Klitschko, Chris Byrd and Donovan "Razor" Ruddock. Early life Ribalta's family fled Cuba by way of the Freedom Flights in 1967 and settled in Adams Morgan area of Washington, D.C. Then four years later the family moved to Miami, the city with the largest Cuban diaspora outside of Cuba. Both of ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Tony Tubbs
Tony Tubbs (born February 15, 1958) is an American former professional boxer who competed from 1980 to 2006, and held the WBA heavyweight title from 1985 to 1986. Amateur career As an amateur, Tony Tubbs competed in 253 bouts, compiling a record of 240 wins and 13 losses—primarily in the heavyweight division. In a 1976 match between the USSR and the United States, Tubbs lost by knockout in the second round to future Soviet Heavyweight Champion Igor Vysotsky. In 1978 Tubbs lost in the quarterfinals of the world Cup to Cuban boxer Teofilo Stevenson. Tubbs was the only opponent who managed to go the distance with Stevenson. Tubbs trained with the Muhammad Ali Amateur Boxing Team in Santa Monica, CA. In 1979, Tubbs became the National AAU Heavyweight Champion by defeating Mitch Green and Greg Page, both contests were rematches of previous defeats. In the match-up meetings USSR versus the United States Tubbs defeated the two-time amateur European champion Yevgeni Gorstkov and t ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Don King (boxing Promoter)
Donald King (born August 20, 1931) is an American boxing promoter, known for his involvement in several historic boxing matchups. King's career highlights include, among multiple other enterprises, promoting "The Rumble in the Jungle" and the "Thrilla in Manila". King has promoted some of the most prominent names in boxing, including Muhammad Ali, Joe Frazier, George Foreman, Larry Holmes, Tomasz Adamek, Roberto Duran, Mike Tyson, Evander Holyfield, Chris Byrd, John Ruiz, Julio César Chávez, Ricardo Mayorga, Andrew Golota, Bernard Hopkins, Félix Trinidad, Roy Jones Jr., Azumah Nelson, Gerald McClellan, Marco Antonio Barrera, Salvador Sanchez, Wilfred Benitez, Wilfredo Gomez and Christy Martin. Many of these boxers sued him for allegedly defrauding them. Mike Tyson was quoted as saying, "He did more bad to black fighters than any white promoter ever in the history of boxing." King has been charged with killing two people in incidents 13 years apart. In 1954, ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
