1976 Olympic gold medalist Howard Davis dead at 59

[Like a Boss]

Former Olympic gold medal-winning boxer Howard Davis Jr. died on Wednesday after losing his battle with cancer. He was 59 years old.

Davis won the gold medal in the lightweight boxing division at the 1976 Olympics in Montreal. He was awarded the Val Barker Trophy as the most outstanding fighter at the Games, beating out boxers like Sugar Ray Leonard, and Leon and Michael Spinks.

As an amateur, the Long Island product defeated names like Thomas Hearns and Aaron Pryor.

Davis went 36-6-1 (14 KOs) as a professional.

Davis served as a boxing trainer for MMA fighters after retiring from boxing in 1996. He trained several American Top Team fighters, and notably trained UFC star Chuck Liddell. He also served as a commentator and promoter after hanging up the gloves.

[handsofstone]

Winning the Val Barker at THAT Olympic games really is something

From what ive read it never really happened for him in the pro ranks but still he must have been able to box a bit

RIP Champ

[tiny_acres]

The man was so talented.
RIP

[palooka]

RIP Mr Davis.

[reggaereggae]

Damn.... I really liked him.

[sucracristo]

i could swear i saw something about him dying last year

[Tony1244]

i could swear i saw something about him dying last year

Months ago something came out that he was terminally ill. That might be what you're thinking about.

[actjac]

One of the greatest boxing talents of the past 50 years. . . .RIP

[TheBeast]

Lots of young boxing fans probably don't know much about Davis Jr so i took the time to dig out all the footage on his Amateur and Pro Career so his career could be celebrated!

Here is the full career review of Mr Davir Jr:
http://www.the13thround.com/phpBB2/view ... 5&t=117800


R.I.P. Mr Davis

[RScarf1]

Howard Davis Jr. died of lung cancer even though he never smoked. Former Olympic champion and recently was a boxing promoter in Florida.

[ImranSarwar]

Winning the Val Barker at THAT Olympic games really is something

From what ive read it never really happened for him in the pro ranks but still he must have been able to box a bit

RIP Champ

Understatement. You > seem < to not even of ever even heard of him!

[ImranSarwar]

Lots of young boxing fans probably don't know much about Davis Jr so i took the time to dig out all the footage on his Amateur and Pro Career so his career could be celebrated!

Here is the full career review of Mr Davir Jr:
http://www.the13thround.com/phpBB2/view ... 5&t=117800


R.I.P. Mr Davis

Thank you that is meaningful! Howard Davis was a "Great fighter". Perplexing to me how Jim Watt did manage to turn him away! And he never could raise to world title! (Just was one more proof, how very "difficult" it is to take world championship)

[handsofstone]

Winning the Val Barker at THAT Olympic games really is something

From what ive read it never really happened for him in the pro ranks but still he must have been able to box a bit

RIP Champ

Understatement. You > seem < to not even of ever even heard of him!

Yeh your right i just guessed he won the VB award at the Olympics,was i right?

I never claimed to be avid fan,he won Gold 8 years before i was born

Howard>Davis<maybe <won>a<Gold

[Tanzio]

Lots of young boxing fans probably don't know much about Davis Jr so i took the time to dig out all the footage on his Amateur and Pro Career so his career could be celebrated!

Here is the full career review of Mr Davir Jr:
http://www.the13thround.com/phpBB2/view ... 5&t=117800


R.I.P. Mr Davis

A belated RIP to a beautiful boxer to watch and tremendous Olympc champion, Mr. Howard Davis Jr. (and fellow Fire Monkey).

Thank you TheBeast! I truly appreciate all of your efforts.

[ImranSarwar]

Lots of young boxing fans probably don't know much about Davis Jr so i took the time to dig out all the footage on his Amateur and Pro Career so his career could be celebrated!

Here is the full career review of Mr Davir Jr:
http://www.the13thround.com/phpBB2/view ... 5&t=117800


R.I.P. Mr Davis

A belated RIP to a beautiful boxer to watch and tremendous Olympc champion, Mr. Howard Davis Jr. (and fellow Fire Monkey).

Thank you TheBeast! I truly appreciate all of your efforts.

Howard Davis SIR! We WILL MISS YOU!

When I was in the SERVICE/ ARMY/GERMANY.. One of my good mates, James Dancy of Albany NY ("shout out from John Wilkinson"!!!!) told me once how he had fought Howard Davis twice (1-1).

[ImranSarwar]

^ ^ James Dancy.....no, it was James Dingle. ALBANY, NEW YORK. Know him while he was on the Baumholder, Germany program with Coach Jesse Irving [8TH INF.DIV].

[Tony1244]

Lots of young boxing fans probably don't know much about Davis Jr so i took the time to dig out all the footage on his Amateur and Pro Career so his career could be celebrated!

Here is the full career review of Mr Davir Jr:
http://www.the13thround.com/phpBB2/view ... 5&t=117800


R.I.P. Mr Davis

Thank You Thank You for those Great clips! Everyone remembers Howard Davis Jr. has a great Guy and a great boxer. But he had more pop in those punches than I had previously remembered.

[N2 Shape]

Sad news. Davis was very talented. However he ended up being the nearly man in the pro's fighting for and missing out on the World title 3x.

1980: LUD15 Jim Watts - You could claim this fight came about to early for Davis.
1984: LSD12 Edwin Rosario - The KD in the 12th round didnt cost him the W but likely cost him the DRAW going by the judges scorecards.
1988: LKO1 JamesMcGirt - By this stage Davis had gone 6-3-1 since losing to Rosario, and was in all likelyhood not the same fighter

[ImranSarwar]

Sad news. Davis was very talented. However he ended up being the nearly man in the pro's fighting for and missing out on the World title 3x.

1980: LUD15 Jim Watts - You could claim this fight came about toooooearly for Davis.
1984: LSD12 Edwin Rosario - The KD in the 12th round didnt cost him the W but likely cost him the DRAW going by the judges scorecards.
1988: LKO1 JamesMcGirt - By this stage Davis had gone 6-3-1 since losing to Rosario, and was in all likelyhood not the same fighter

^ ^ Tony12:44 the" luck of dah draw"call it! Jim Watt I am pret.certain was a underdog in that fight. Remember it well..& "shock" that Jim Watt could hold/onto his belt when all was said-&-accomplished! [Who got better "Ring miles" for their product quality: Scott LeDoux, or Jim Watt?]
Yeah..vs James "Buddy" McGirt. Until the late/late/late comeback vs Dana Rosenblatt..Howard Davis "stopped" but one time that shocker vs James "Buddy". (Those things happen! Like "someone" once famously said on a BoxRec post...."boxing ain't singing!")
By the way (to my many fans spread out over the BoxRec pages..Ha- Ha!), in my own 53 match pro-am career....I negotiated once "seriously" to box James Buddy McGirt. That was sometime in the first 1/2 of the year, '89. [was MSG bound if it was to happen. I only had three pro fights at that time. When we "cancel" negotiations..I soon went into that June 27(26?) match Ilhave on my record/which was around same time line as the McGirt negotiation[Look at Andrey Shkalikov, his 5th fight of 1992..then see that boxers first match in USA tour.. that's me..] -AND- Dana...we were contracted to compete his & my first eight rounder. Was set for March 93. I started training at San Juan Center, Hartford; George Cruz Gym proprietor! [& "made the match"]. But, as it turned out the Mass. Com. wound up calling it OFF. [I had a string of losses. But..they came vs all "quality opp" line][have four -4- "common Opp" w/ Dana. The people I fought and hung with "normally" did well against Dana R.][Jose Torres lost 8r.decision..]
Well....only YAWNING! HAVE FREE ALL DAY TONIGHT AND TOMORROW IF I WANT IT! : )

[ImranSarwar]

^ ^ Hands of Stone: "Sorry"! I just......have HOWARD DAVIS "Magnified" must be in my mind's eye. & he CERTAINLY did big things as pro also! just....missed the grand prize! He was followed big time..

[TheBeast]

Glad you guys enjoyed and that it helped to keep Davis' career highlights alive!