Maurice Watkins (boxer)
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Maurice Watkins (born August 29, 1956) is a former
boxer Boxer most commonly refers to: *Boxer (boxing), a competitor in the sport of boxing * Boxer (dog), a breed of dog Boxer or boxers may also refer to: Animal kingdom * Boxer crab * Boxer shrimp, a small group of decapod crustaceans * Boxer snipe ee ...
from
Houston, Texas Houston ( ) is the List of cities in Texas by population, most populous city in the U.S. state of Texas and in the Southern United States. Located in Southeast Texas near Galveston Bay and the Gulf of Mexico, it is the county seat, seat of ...
. Nicknamed ''Termite'', he was born into a family that was in the insect killing business, and he is a professional fumigator.


Professional Boxing Career

Watkins turned professional as a boxer on May 21, 1974, beating Cesar Cortez by
knockout A knockout (abbreviated to KO or K.O.) is a fight-ending, winning criterion in several full-contact combat sports, such as boxing, kickboxing, Muay Thai, mixed martial arts, karate, some forms of taekwondo and other sports involving striking, ...
in round one at Houston. Through his career, Watkins fought some of the best fighters in the Lightweight and Jr. Welterweight divisions. He beat Marion Thomas by a knockout in round seven, Rocky Ramon by a decision in twelve, Arturo Leon by decision in ten,
Bruce Strauss Bruce Strauss (born February 6, 1952) is an American retired boxer who competed in the middleweight division, his nickname was The Mouse. He achieved notoriety in the 1970s and 1980s after fighting, and generally losing, to a wide variety of oppo ...
by knockout in three,
Bobby Rodriguez Bobby Rodriguez is an American retired Super Featherweight boxer from Minneapolis, Minnesota. Personal life Bobby Rodriguez is a member of Minnesota's illustrious Rodriguez family of boxers: Rafael, Kenny, Rudy, all of whom fought professiona ...
by knockout in one, and others. His fight with former United States Lightweight champion Norman Goins resulted in a three-round
no contest ''Nolo contendere'' () is a type of legal plea used in some jurisdictions in the United States. It is also referred to as a plea of no contest or no defense. It is a plea where the defendant neither admits nor disputes a charge, serving as an ...
. He also lost to
Olympic Olympic or Olympics may refer to Sports Competitions * Olympic Games, international multi-sport event held since 1896 ** Summer Olympic Games ** Winter Olympic Games * Ancient Olympic Games, ancient multi-sport event held in Olympia, Greece bet ...
gold medalist Howard Davis Jr. and
Alfredo Escalera Alfredo "El Salsero" Escalera (born March 21, 1952) is a Puerto Rican former professional boxer and is the former World Boxing Council Super Featherweight world champion. A native of Carolina, his nickname was "Salsero" because he was a fan o ...
. On October 2 of 1980, at the
Caesars Palace Caesars Palace is a luxury hotel and casino in Paradise, Nevada, United States. The hotel is situated on the west side of the Las Vegas Strip between Bellagio and The Mirage. It is one of Las Vegas's largest and best known landmarks. Caesar ...
hotel in
Las Vegas, Nevada Las Vegas, colloquially referred to as Vegas, is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and the county seat of Clark County. The Las Vegas Valley metropolitan area is the largest within the greater Mojave Desert, and second-l ...
, he got his only world title shot, losing to
Saoul Mamby Saoul Paul Mamby (June 4, 1947 – December 19, 2019) was an American professional boxer who fought between 1969 and 2008. He held the WBC super lightweight title from 1980 to 1982. Personal Mamby was born in South Bronx, New York, to Victor ...
by a fifteen-round decision for the WBC's world Jr. Welterweight title. He retired with 61 wins, 5 losses, 2 draws (tie), one no contest and 48 wins by knockout.


Professional boxing record

, - , align="center" colspan=8, 61 Wins (42 knockouts, 19 decisions), 5 Losses (0 knockouts, 5 decisions), 2 Draws, 1 No Contest''

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Phoenix, Arizona Phoenix ( ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of cities and towns in Arizona#List of cities and towns, most populous city of the U.S. state of Arizona. With over 1.6 million residents at the 2020 census, it is the ...
, United States , align=left, , - , Win , , align=left, Robert "The Line" Dixon , TKO , 2 , 17/02/1990 , align=left,
Conroe, Texas Conroe is a city in and the county seat of Montgomery County, Texas, Montgomery County, Texas, United States, about north of Houston. It is a principal city in the metropolitan area. As of 2024, the population was 114,581. Since 2007, t ...
, United States , align=left, , - , Win , , align=left, Joe "Attorney" Garcia , PTS , 10 , 11/12/1989 , align=left,
Pasadena Convention Center The Pasadena Convention Center is a convention center in Pasadena, California, United States. It consists of three buildings. Pasadena Civic Auditorium The Civic Auditorium, one of the major structures in the Pasadena Civic Center District, wa ...
,
Pasadena, Texas Pasadena () is a city in the U.S. state of Texas, located in Harris County. It is part of the metropolitan area. As of the 2020 U.S. census, the city's population was 151,950, making it the 23rd most populous city in Texas and the second mos ...
, United States , align=left, , - , Win , , align=left, Moses "Governor" Robinson , KO , 2 , 05/10/1989 , align=left,
Houston, Texas Houston ( ) is the List of cities in Texas by population, most populous city in the U.S. state of Texas and in the Southern United States. Located in Southeast Texas near Galveston Bay and the Gulf of Mexico, it is the county seat, seat of ...
, United States , align=left, , - , Win , , align=left, "Candlelight" Virgil Green , KO , 3 , 10/08/1989 , align=left,
Billings, Montana Billings is the most populous Lists of populated places in the United States, city in the U.S. state of Montana, with a population of 117,116 as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. Located in the south-central portion of the state, i ...
, United States , align=left, , - , Win , , align=left, Raymundo Lopez , KO , 2 , 20/07/1989 , align=left,
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,
Tucson, Arizona Tucson (; ; ) is a city in Pima County, Arizona, United States, and its county seat. It is the second-most populous city in Arizona, behind Phoenix, Arizona, Phoenix, with a population of 542,630 in the 2020 United States census. The Tucson ...
, United States , align=left, , - , Win , , align=left, Carlos "Rocky" Gonzalez , KO , 1 , 01/06/1989 , align=left,
Phoenix, Arizona Phoenix ( ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of cities and towns in Arizona#List of cities and towns, most populous city of the U.S. state of Arizona. With over 1.6 million residents at the 2020 census, it is the ...
, United States , align=left, , - , Win , , align=left, Anthony "Two Gun" Williams , PTS , 6 , 30/04/1989 , align=left,
Galveston, Texas Galveston ( ) is a Gulf Coast of the United States, coastal resort town, resort city and port off the Southeast Texas coast on Galveston Island and Pelican Island (Texas), Pelican Island in the U.S. state of Texas. The community of , with a pop ...
, United States , align=left, , - , Loss , , align=left,
Alfredo Escalera Alfredo "El Salsero" Escalera (born March 21, 1952) is a Puerto Rican former professional boxer and is the former World Boxing Council Super Featherweight world champion. A native of Carolina, his nickname was "Salsero" because he was a fan o ...
, UD , 10 , 12/11/1982 , align=left,
Orange Bowl The Orange Bowl is an annual American college football bowl game played in the Miami metropolitan area. Played annually since 1935 Orange Bowl, January 1, 1935, it is tied with the Sugar Bowl and the Sun Bowl as the second-oldest bowl games in ...
,
Miami Miami is a East Coast of the United States, coastal city in the U.S. state of Florida and the county seat of Miami-Dade County, Florida, Miami-Dade County in South Florida. It is the core of the Miami metropolitan area, which, with a populat ...
, United States , align=left, , - , Win , , align=left, Paul Gentry , KO , 4 , 22/09/1982 , align=left,
Houston Houston ( ) is the List of cities in Texas by population, most populous city in the U.S. state of Texas and in the Southern United States. Located in Southeast Texas near Galveston Bay and the Gulf of Mexico, it is the county seat, seat of ...
, United States , align=left, , - , Win , , align=left, Jose "J-Rod" Rodriguez , KO , 10 , 27/08/1982 , align=left,
Houston Houston ( ) is the List of cities in Texas by population, most populous city in the U.S. state of Texas and in the Southern United States. Located in Southeast Texas near Galveston Bay and the Gulf of Mexico, it is the county seat, seat of ...
, United States , align=left, , - , Win , , align=left,
Bruce Strauss Bruce Strauss (born February 6, 1952) is an American retired boxer who competed in the middleweight division, his nickname was The Mouse. He achieved notoriety in the 1970s and 1980s after fighting, and generally losing, to a wide variety of oppo ...
, KO , 3 , 17/08/1982 , align=left, Blackham Coliseum,
Lafayette, Louisiana Lafayette ( , ) is the most populous city in and parish seat of Lafayette Parish, Louisiana, Lafayette Parish in the U.S. state of Louisiana, located along the Vermilion River (Louisiana), Vermilion River. It is Louisiana's List of municipaliti ...
, United States , align=left, , - , Win , , align=left, Billy "The Kid" Smith , KO , 3 , 21/07/1982 , align=left,
Shreveport, Louisiana Shreveport ( ) is a city in the U.S. state of Louisiana. It is the List of municipalities in Louisiana, third-most populous city in Louisiana after New Orleans and Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Baton Rouge. The bulk of Shreveport is in Caddo Parish, Lo ...
, United States , align=left, , - , Loss , , align=left,
Saoul Mamby Saoul Paul Mamby (June 4, 1947 – December 19, 2019) was an American professional boxer who fought between 1969 and 2008. He held the WBC super lightweight title from 1980 to 1982. Personal Mamby was born in South Bronx, New York, to Victor ...
, UD , 15 , 02/10/1980 , align=left,
Caesars Palace Caesars Palace is a luxury hotel and casino in Paradise, Nevada, United States. The hotel is situated on the west side of the Las Vegas Strip between Bellagio and The Mirage. It is one of Las Vegas's largest and best known landmarks. Caesar ...
,
Las Vegas Las Vegas, colloquially referred to as Vegas, is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and the county seat of Clark County. The Las Vegas Valley metropolitan area is the largest within the greater Mojave Desert, and second-l ...
, United States , align=left, , - , Win , , align=left, Larry "Legend" Moore , KO , 3 , 22/05/1980 , align=left,
Holland, Michigan Holland is a city in Ottawa County, Michigan, Ottawa and Allegan County, Michigan, Allegan counties in the U.S. state of Michigan. Located in the West Michigan, western region of the Lower Peninsula of Michigan, Lower Peninsula, the city is si ...
, United States , align=left, , - , Win , , align=left, Sammy Rookard , KO , 4 , 06/04/1980 , align=left, Astro Arena,
Houston Houston ( ) is the List of cities in Texas by population, most populous city in the U.S. state of Texas and in the Southern United States. Located in Southeast Texas near Galveston Bay and the Gulf of Mexico, it is the county seat, seat of ...
, United States , align=left, , - , Win , , align=left, Nathan "Famous" Davis , KO , 3 , 22/03/1980 , align=left,
Grand Rapids, Michigan Grand Rapids is the largest city and county seat of Kent County, Michigan, United States. With a population of 198,917 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census and estimated at 200,117 in 2024, Grand Rapids is the List of municipalities ...
, United States , align=left, , - , Win , , align=left, Jimmy "Wakeboard" Martinez , KO , 1 , 09/01/1980 , align=left,
Holland, Michigan Holland is a city in Ottawa County, Michigan, Ottawa and Allegan County, Michigan, Allegan counties in the U.S. state of Michigan. Located in the West Michigan, western region of the Lower Peninsula of Michigan, Lower Peninsula, the city is si ...
, United States , align=left, , - , Loss , , align=left, Howard Davis, Jr. , UD , 10 , 14/09/1979 , align=left,
Houston Summit Houston Summit were a professional indoor soccer team that operated from 1978 to 1980. They played in the original Major Indoor Soccer League. In 1980, the franchise was moved to Baltimore to become the Baltimore Blast. Their roster mainly inclu ...
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Houston, Texas Houston ( ) is the List of cities in Texas by population, most populous city in the U.S. state of Texas and in the Southern United States. Located in Southeast Texas near Galveston Bay and the Gulf of Mexico, it is the county seat, seat of ...
, United States , align=left, , - , Win , , align=left, Roberto "Baby" Perez , KO , 7 , 15/08/1979 , align=left,
Beaumont Civic Center The Beaumont Civic Center, in downtown Beaumont, Texas, is a 6,500-seat arena where concerts, conventions, trade shows and exhibitions are held. Banquet maximum capacity is 2,000. It has of ground-level exhibit space and space on the second ...
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Beaumont, Texas Beaumont is a city in the U.S. state of Texas. It is the county seat of Jefferson County, Texas, Jefferson County, within the Beaumont–Port Arthur metropolitan area, located in Southeast Texas on the Neches River about east of Houston (city ...
, United States , align=left, , - , Draw , , align=left, Teodoro Osuna , PTS , 10 , 09/03/1979 , align=left,
Madison Square Garden Madison Square Garden, colloquially known as the Garden or by its initials MSG, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in New York City. It is located in Midtown Manhattan between Seventh Avenue (Manhattan), Seventh and Eighth Avenue (Manhattan), Eig ...
, New York City, United States , align=left, , - , Win , , align=left, Richie Lee Roberts , KO , 3 , 16/01/1979 , align=left,
Houston Houston ( ) is the List of cities in Texas by population, most populous city in the U.S. state of Texas and in the Southern United States. Located in Southeast Texas near Galveston Bay and the Gulf of Mexico, it is the county seat, seat of ...
, United States , align=left, , - , Win , , align=left, Arthur "Space Odyssey" Clarke , KO , 7 , 09/12/1978 , align=left,
Houston Houston ( ) is the List of cities in Texas by population, most populous city in the U.S. state of Texas and in the Southern United States. Located in Southeast Texas near Galveston Bay and the Gulf of Mexico, it is the county seat, seat of ...
, United States , align=left, , - , Win , , align=left, Gary "Black" Smith , KO , 5 , 02/11/1978 , align=left,
Orlando, Florida Orlando ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Orange County, Florida, United States. The city proper had a population of 307,573 at the 2020 census, making it the fourth-most populous city in Florida behind Jacksonville, Florida, Jacksonville ...
, United States , align=left, , - , Win , , align=left, Rick Craney , KO , 1 , 15/08/1978 , align=left,
Houston Houston ( ) is the List of cities in Texas by population, most populous city in the U.S. state of Texas and in the Southern United States. Located in Southeast Texas near Galveston Bay and the Gulf of Mexico, it is the county seat, seat of ...
, United States , align=left, , - , Win , , align=left, Joe Medrano , KO , 7 , 16/05/1978 , align=left,
Houston Houston ( ) is the List of cities in Texas by population, most populous city in the U.S. state of Texas and in the Southern United States. Located in Southeast Texas near Galveston Bay and the Gulf of Mexico, it is the county seat, seat of ...
, United States , align=left, , - , Win , , align=left, John "Wolf" Morgan , KO , 4 , 20/04/1978 , align=left,
Houston Houston ( ) is the List of cities in Texas by population, most populous city in the U.S. state of Texas and in the Southern United States. Located in Southeast Texas near Galveston Bay and the Gulf of Mexico, it is the county seat, seat of ...
, United States , align=left, , - , Win , , align=left, Hilbert Stevenson , PTS , 10 , 11/04/1978 , align=left,
Orlando, Florida Orlando ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Orange County, Florida, United States. The city proper had a population of 307,573 at the 2020 census, making it the fourth-most populous city in Florida behind Jacksonville, Florida, Jacksonville ...
, United States , align=left, , - , Win , , align=left, Benny Marquez , PTS , 10 , 19/01/1978 , align=left,
Houston Houston ( ) is the List of cities in Texas by population, most populous city in the U.S. state of Texas and in the Southern United States. Located in Southeast Texas near Galveston Bay and the Gulf of Mexico, it is the county seat, seat of ...
, United States , align=left, , - , Win , , align=left, Steve "Hammer" Homan , PTS , 10 , 01/12/1977 , align=left,
Houston Houston ( ) is the List of cities in Texas by population, most populous city in the U.S. state of Texas and in the Southern United States. Located in Southeast Texas near Galveston Bay and the Gulf of Mexico, it is the county seat, seat of ...
, United States , align=left, , - , Win , , align=left, Freddie "Stepper" Harris , PTS , 10 , 25/10/1977 , align=left,
Orlando, Florida Orlando ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Orange County, Florida, United States. The city proper had a population of 307,573 at the 2020 census, making it the fourth-most populous city in Florida behind Jacksonville, Florida, Jacksonville ...
, United States , align=left, , - , Win , , align=left, Cuyo Mendoza , TKO , 3 , 27/09/1977 , align=left,
Orlando, Florida Orlando ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Orange County, Florida, United States. The city proper had a population of 307,573 at the 2020 census, making it the fourth-most populous city in Florida behind Jacksonville, Florida, Jacksonville ...
, United States , align=left, , - , Win , , align=left, Paulino Garcia , TKO , 5 , 22/09/1977 , align=left, Curtis Hixon Hall,
Tampa, Florida Tampa ( ) is a city on the Gulf Coast of the United States, Gulf Coast of the U.S. state of Florida. Tampa's borders include the north shore of Tampa Bay and the east shore of Old Tampa Bay. Tampa is the largest city in the Tampa Bay area and t ...
, United States , align=left, , - , Win , , align=left, Ernesto Ortega , KO , 7 , 26/07/1977 , align=left,
Orlando, Florida Orlando ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Orange County, Florida, United States. The city proper had a population of 307,573 at the 2020 census, making it the fourth-most populous city in Florida behind Jacksonville, Florida, Jacksonville ...
, United States , align=left, , - , No Contest , , align=left, "Stormin" Norman Goins , ND , 10 , 22/03/1977 , align=left, Memorial Coliseum,
Corpus Christi, Texas Corpus Christi ( ; ) is a Gulf Coast of the United States, coastal city in the South Texas region of the U.S. state of Texas and the county seat and largest city of Nueces County, Texas, Nueces County with portions extending into Aransas County, T ...
, United States , align=left, , - , Win , , align=left, Jose "Speedy" Gonzalez , PTS , 10 , 16/02/1977 , align=left,
Orlando, Florida Orlando ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Orange County, Florida, United States. The city proper had a population of 307,573 at the 2020 census, making it the fourth-most populous city in Florida behind Jacksonville, Florida, Jacksonville ...
, United States , align=left, , - , Loss , , align=left, Augustin Estrada , UD , 10 , 17/11/1976 , align=left, Convention Center Arena,
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, United States , align=left, , - , Win , , align=left, Otto Breeding , KO , 3 , 26/10/1976 , align=left,
Orlando, Florida Orlando ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Orange County, Florida, United States. The city proper had a population of 307,573 at the 2020 census, making it the fourth-most populous city in Florida behind Jacksonville, Florida, Jacksonville ...
, United States , align=left, , - , Win , , align=left, Arturo Leon , UD , 10 , 21/09/1976 , align=left,
Corpus Christi, Texas Corpus Christi ( ; ) is a Gulf Coast of the United States, coastal city in the South Texas region of the U.S. state of Texas and the county seat and largest city of Nueces County, Texas, Nueces County with portions extending into Aransas County, T ...
, United States , align=left, , - , Win , , align=left, Rocky Ramon , PTS , 12 , 31/08/1976 , align=left,
Corpus Christi, Texas Corpus Christi ( ; ) is a Gulf Coast of the United States, coastal city in the South Texas region of the U.S. state of Texas and the county seat and largest city of Nueces County, Texas, Nueces County with portions extending into Aransas County, T ...
, United States , align=left, , - , Win , , align=left, Agustin Estrada , TKO , 7 , 09/08/1976 , align=left, Municipal Auditorium,
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, United States , align=left, , - , Win , , align=left, Richie Puentes , KO , 6 , 24/07/1976 , align=left,
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, United States , align=left, , - , Loss , , align=left, Adriano Marrero , SD , 10 , 16/03/1976 , align=left,
Miami Beach Convention Center The Miami Beach Convention Center (originally the Miami Beach Exhibition Hall) is a convention center located in Miami Beach, Florida. Originally opened in 1958, the venue was renovated from 2015 to 2020 for $640 million. The re-imagined and enha ...
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Miami Beach, Florida Miami Beach is a coastal resort city in Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States. It is part of the Miami metropolitan area of South Florida. The municipality is located on natural and human-made barrier islands between the Atlantic Ocean ...
, United States , align=left, , - , Win , , align=left, Valente Ramos , KO , 3 , 09/03/1976 , align=left,
Orlando, Florida Orlando ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Orange County, Florida, United States. The city proper had a population of 307,573 at the 2020 census, making it the fourth-most populous city in Florida behind Jacksonville, Florida, Jacksonville ...
, United States , align=left, , - , Win , , align=left, Lamar Baskin , KO , 2 , 24/02/1976 , align=left, Albuquerque Civic Auditorium,
Albuquerque, New Mexico Albuquerque ( ; ), also known as ABQ, Burque, the Duke City, and in the past 'the Q', is the List of municipalities in New Mexico, most populous city in the U.S. state of New Mexico, and the county seat of Bernalillo County, New Mexico, Bernal ...
, United States , align=left, , - , Win , , align=left, Chamaco Cuenca , KO , 5 , 10/02/1976 , align=left,
Miami Beach Convention Center The Miami Beach Convention Center (originally the Miami Beach Exhibition Hall) is a convention center located in Miami Beach, Florida. Originally opened in 1958, the venue was renovated from 2015 to 2020 for $640 million. The re-imagined and enha ...
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Miami Beach, Florida Miami Beach is a coastal resort city in Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States. It is part of the Miami metropolitan area of South Florida. The municipality is located on natural and human-made barrier islands between the Atlantic Ocean ...
, United States , align=left, , - , Win , , align=left, Juan "and Only" Hidalgo , UD , 10 , 20/01/1976 , align=left,
Miami Beach Convention Center The Miami Beach Convention Center (originally the Miami Beach Exhibition Hall) is a convention center located in Miami Beach, Florida. Originally opened in 1958, the venue was renovated from 2015 to 2020 for $640 million. The re-imagined and enha ...
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Miami Beach, Florida Miami Beach is a coastal resort city in Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States. It is part of the Miami metropolitan area of South Florida. The municipality is located on natural and human-made barrier islands between the Atlantic Ocean ...
, United States , align=left, , - , Win , , align=left, Bobby Flores , TKO , 6 , 18/11/1975 , align=left,
Houston Houston ( ) is the List of cities in Texas by population, most populous city in the U.S. state of Texas and in the Southern United States. Located in Southeast Texas near Galveston Bay and the Gulf of Mexico, it is the county seat, seat of ...
, United States , align=left, , - , Win , , align=left, Larry Peterson , KO , 5 , 19/08/1975 , align=left,
Orlando, Florida Orlando ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Orange County, Florida, United States. The city proper had a population of 307,573 at the 2020 census, making it the fourth-most populous city in Florida behind Jacksonville, Florida, Jacksonville ...
, United States , align=left, , - , Win , , align=left, Gene Prado , UD , 10 , 29/07/1975 , align=left,
Circle Star Theater The Circle Star Theater was a performing arts venue active from 1964 until 1993, located at 2 Circle Star Way in San Carlos, San Mateo County, California, U.S.. Its name is based on it being a theater in the round, featuring a rotating circular ...
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San Carlos, California San Carlos (Spanish language, Spanish for "St. Charles") is a city in San Mateo County, California, United States. The population is 30,722 per the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. History Native Americans Prior to the Spain, Spanis ...
, United States , align=left, , - , Win , , align=left, Marion "Tiger" Thomas , KO , 7 , 16/07/1975 , align=left,
Houston Houston ( ) is the List of cities in Texas by population, most populous city in the U.S. state of Texas and in the Southern United States. Located in Southeast Texas near Galveston Bay and the Gulf of Mexico, it is the county seat, seat of ...
, United States , align=left, , - , Win , , align=left, Victor de la Cruz , UD , 10 , 17/06/1975 , align=left, San Jose Civic Auditorium,
San Jose, California San Jose, officially the City of San José ( ; ), is a cultural, commercial, and political center within Silicon Valley and the San Francisco Bay Area. With a city population of 997,368 and a metropolitan area population of 1.95 million, it is ...
, United States , align=left, , - , Win , , align=left, Leroy Walker , TKO , 8 , 21/05/1975 , align=left,
Circle Star Theater The Circle Star Theater was a performing arts venue active from 1964 until 1993, located at 2 Circle Star Way in San Carlos, San Mateo County, California, U.S.. Its name is based on it being a theater in the round, featuring a rotating circular ...
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San Carlos, California San Carlos (Spanish language, Spanish for "St. Charles") is a city in San Mateo County, California, United States. The population is 30,722 per the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. History Native Americans Prior to the Spain, Spanis ...
, United States , align=left, , - , Win , , align=left, Rudy Gonzalez , PTS , 10 , 06/05/1975 , align=left,
San Jose, California San Jose, officially the City of San José ( ; ), is a cultural, commercial, and political center within Silicon Valley and the San Francisco Bay Area. With a city population of 997,368 and a metropolitan area population of 1.95 million, it is ...
, United States , align=left, , - , Win , , align=left, Otis Locklear , KO , 3 , 22/04/1975 , align=left,
Orlando, Florida Orlando ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Orange County, Florida, United States. The city proper had a population of 307,573 at the 2020 census, making it the fourth-most populous city in Florida behind Jacksonville, Florida, Jacksonville ...
, United States , align=left, , - , Win , , align=left, Mike Whymms , PTS , 8 , 15/04/1975 , align=left,
Orlando, Florida Orlando ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Orange County, Florida, United States. The city proper had a population of 307,573 at the 2020 census, making it the fourth-most populous city in Florida behind Jacksonville, Florida, Jacksonville ...
, United States , align=left, , - , Win , , align=left, Gilbert "Machete" Galvan , PTS , 10 , 17/02/1975 , align=left, Memorial Coliseum,
Corpus Christi, Texas Corpus Christi ( ; ) is a Gulf Coast of the United States, coastal city in the South Texas region of the U.S. state of Texas and the county seat and largest city of Nueces County, Texas, Nueces County with portions extending into Aransas County, T ...
, United States , align=left, , - , Win , , align=left, Dave Kibby , UD , 8 , 29/01/1975 , align=left,
Cow Palace The Cow Palace (originally the California State Livestock Pavilion) is an indoor arena and events center located in Daly City, California, situated on the city's northern border with neighboring San Francisco. Because the border passes through t ...
,
San Francisco San Francisco, officially the City and County of San Francisco, is a commercial, Financial District, San Francisco, financial, and Culture of San Francisco, cultural center of Northern California. With a population of 827,526 residents as of ...
, United States , align=left, , - , Win , , align=left, Vicente Hernandez , PTS , 10 , 17/01/1975 , align=left, San Jose Civic Auditorium,
San Jose, California San Jose, officially the City of San José ( ; ), is a cultural, commercial, and political center within Silicon Valley and the San Francisco Bay Area. With a city population of 997,368 and a metropolitan area population of 1.95 million, it is ...
, United States , align=left, , - , Win , , align=left, "Sugar" Ray Sears , PTS , 6 , 17/12/1974 , align=left,
Orlando, Florida Orlando ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Orange County, Florida, United States. The city proper had a population of 307,573 at the 2020 census, making it the fourth-most populous city in Florida behind Jacksonville, Florida, Jacksonville ...
, United States , align=left, , - , Win , , align=left, Robert "Baby" Perez , KO , 1 , 10/11/1974 , align=left,
Corpus Christi, Texas Corpus Christi ( ; ) is a Gulf Coast of the United States, coastal city in the South Texas region of the U.S. state of Texas and the county seat and largest city of Nueces County, Texas, Nueces County with portions extending into Aransas County, T ...
, United States , align=left, , - , Win , , align=left,
Bobby Rodriguez Bobby Rodriguez is an American retired Super Featherweight boxer from Minneapolis, Minnesota. Personal life Bobby Rodriguez is a member of Minnesota's illustrious Rodriguez family of boxers: Rafael, Kenny, Rudy, all of whom fought professiona ...
, KO , 1 , 13/10/1974 , align=left,
Corpus Christi, Texas Corpus Christi ( ; ) is a Gulf Coast of the United States, coastal city in the South Texas region of the U.S. state of Texas and the county seat and largest city of Nueces County, Texas, Nueces County with portions extending into Aransas County, T ...
, United States , align=left, , - , Win , , align=left, Ricky Ramos , KO , 4 , 26/08/1974 , align=left,
Corpus Christi, Texas Corpus Christi ( ; ) is a Gulf Coast of the United States, coastal city in the South Texas region of the U.S. state of Texas and the county seat and largest city of Nueces County, Texas, Nueces County with portions extending into Aransas County, T ...
, United States , align=left, , - , Win , , align=left, Nick Alfaro , PTS , 8 , 18/08/1974 , align=left,
Houston Houston ( ) is the List of cities in Texas by population, most populous city in the U.S. state of Texas and in the Southern United States. Located in Southeast Texas near Galveston Bay and the Gulf of Mexico, it is the county seat, seat of ...
, United States , align=left, , - , Win , , align=left, Arturo Cirillos , KO , 3 , 05/08/1974 , align=left,
Corpus Christi, Texas Corpus Christi ( ; ) is a Gulf Coast of the United States, coastal city in the South Texas region of the U.S. state of Texas and the county seat and largest city of Nueces County, Texas, Nueces County with portions extending into Aransas County, T ...
, United States , align=left, , - , Win , , align=left, Harvey "Candyman" Wilson , KO , 6 , 16/07/1974 , align=left,
Houston Houston ( ) is the List of cities in Texas by population, most populous city in the U.S. state of Texas and in the Southern United States. Located in Southeast Texas near Galveston Bay and the Gulf of Mexico, it is the county seat, seat of ...
, United States , align=left, , - , Win , , align=left, Arturo Cirillos , TKO , 4 , 02/07/1974 , align=left,
Houston Houston ( ) is the List of cities in Texas by population, most populous city in the U.S. state of Texas and in the Southern United States. Located in Southeast Texas near Galveston Bay and the Gulf of Mexico, it is the county seat, seat of ...
, United States , align=left, , - , Win , , align=left, Lupe Cantù , KO , 3 , 04/06/1974 , align=left,
Houston Houston ( ) is the List of cities in Texas by population, most populous city in the U.S. state of Texas and in the Southern United States. Located in Southeast Texas near Galveston Bay and the Gulf of Mexico, it is the county seat, seat of ...
, United States , align=left, , - , Win , , align=left, Cesar Cortez , KO , 1 , 21/05/1974 , align=left,
Houston Houston ( ) is the List of cities in Texas by population, most populous city in the U.S. state of Texas and in the Southern United States. Located in Southeast Texas near Galveston Bay and the Gulf of Mexico, it is the county seat, seat of ...
, United States , align=left,


After Boxing

After retiring, Watkins went back to
Texas Texas ( , ; or ) is the most populous U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. It borders Louisiana to the east, Arkansas to the northeast, Oklahoma to the north, New Mexico to the we ...
to work as a fumigator. In 2003, the American military, needing personnel to work rebuilding
Iraq Iraq, officially the Republic of Iraq, is a country in West Asia. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to Iraq–Saudi Arabia border, the south, Turkey to Iraq–Turkey border, the north, Iran to Iran–Iraq border, the east, the Persian Gulf and ...
's infrastructure, contracted him as a fumigator to work on Iraqi homes that had been decaying and infected with insects during
Saddam Hussein Saddam Hussein (28 April 1937 – 30 December 2006) was an Iraqi politician and revolutionary who served as the fifth president of Iraq from 1979 until Saddam Hussein statue destruction, his overthrow in 2003 during the 2003 invasion of Ira ...
's presidency. In 2008, writer Suzy Pepper, a former neighbor of Maurice Watkins, released "Termite", a biographical book about Watkins. Also in 2008, a movie based on the book was announced.


In Iraq

After the
IOC The International Olympic Committee (IOC; , CIO) is the international, non-governmental, sports governing body of the modern Olympic Games. Founded in 1894 by Pierre de Coubertin and Demetrios Vikelas, it is based in L ...
announced that Iraq would be allowed to compete in seven sports at the 2004 Olympics in
Athens Athens ( ) is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns in Greece, largest city of Greece. A significant coastal urban area in the Mediterranean, Athens is also the capital of the Attica (region), Attica region and is the southe ...
, including boxing, the United States military set about to find a new boxing coach for the Iraqi national boxing team. With research, they found out about Watkins' background, and invited him to coach a team of young hopefuls in
Baghdad Baghdad ( or ; , ) is the capital and List of largest cities of Iraq, largest city of Iraq, located along the Tigris in the central part of the country. With a population exceeding 7 million, it ranks among the List of largest cities in the A ...
. Realizing he needed to train the team in a setting different from Baghdad, he moved his team to a city close to Baghdad, but much quieter than the capital city. He trained nine Iraqi boxers who hoped to reach the Olympics, but only Najah Ali was able to qualify for the games.


Notes


External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Watkins, Maurice 1956 births Living people Boxers from Texas Place of birth missing (living people) American male boxers Boxing in Iraq 20th-century American sportsmen