Leigh Wood - The curly perm

[rhino222]

Who was the last male fighter, before Leigh Wood last night, to win a big belt whilst in possession of a non afro curly perm.

Any takers?

[handsofstone]

Robbie Davies Jr won British, Commonwealth and European titles whilst sporting a perm I'm sure

[jameswilson]

Salvador Sanchez,

[JamesPhilips]

Jorge Castro had a Hispanic one

[handsofstone]

Rafael "Bazooka" Limon

[milpool]

Francesco Damiani had a curly top.

[JamesPhilips]

Francesco Damiani had a curly top.

Yup. Got robbed at 1984 Olympics. But liked pasta too much as a pro. He did avenge the Biggs loss as a pro, and also beat I THINK Teofilo Stevenson?

A very underrated fighter who went in to train the Italian Olympic team.

Super curly mop as well.

[JamesPhilips]

Barry McGuigan was almost there just lacked the right rings

[rhino222]

Robbie Davies Jr won British, Commonwealth and European titles whilst sporting a perm I'm sure

Great call, id forgotten about RDJ. weirdly, when he left merseyside his scouse perm and his shell suit disappeared aswell.

[margaret thatcher]

at the pressers leigh gave off massive 'camp rock and roller' vibes, as in addition to the perm he was sporting a stubble handlebar stache. put him in some leather and you got it

great performance tbf

[rhino222]

at the pressers leigh gave off massive 'camp rock and roller' vibes, as in addition to the perm he was sporting a stubble handlebar stache. put him in some leather and you got it

great performance tbf

like the love child of Salvador Sanchez and Lemmy from Motorhead.

[margaret thatcher]

[My Name Is Earl]

Bugner

[rubberneck]

I had a mental picture of Terry Marsh and seemed to remember him with a ‘fro. However, it looks like he always kept it very short.

Not a world title winner, but very good domestically. Jon jo Irwin sometimes sported a very tidy mop. I’d imagine if he let it loose it would have been a fantastic ket-wig.

[bennie]

Francesco Damiani had a curly top.

Yup. Got robbed at 1984 Olympics. But liked pasta too much as a pro. He did avenge the Biggs loss as a pro, and also beat I THINK Teofilo Stevenson?

A very underrated fighter who went in to train the Italian Olympic team.

Super curly mop as well.

Damiani outpointed the legendary Stevenson in the quarter-finals of the 1982 world championships in Munich but was outscored in the final by Biggs. In fact, Biggs outscored Damiani three times in the unpaid ranks and there was nothing particularly scandalous about the verdict in the Olympic super-heavyweight final between the pair. Biggs got it on a 4:1, which looked fair. Damiani clubbed away in a scrappy affair and what boxing there was came from Biggs. I can only assume that you are thinking of Italian heavyweight Angelo Musone, who was horribly robbed in the Games against Henry Tillman.

[JamesPhilips]

Francesco Damiani had a curly top.

Yup. Got robbed at 1984 Olympics. But liked pasta too much as a pro. He did avenge the Biggs loss as a pro, and also beat I THINK Teofilo Stevenson?

A very underrated fighter who went in to train the Italian Olympic team.

Super curly mop as well.

Damiani outpointed the legendary Stevenson in the quarter-finals of the 1982 world championships in Munich but was outscored in the final by Biggs. In fact, Biggs outscored Damiani three times in the unpaid ranks and there was nothing particularly scandalous about the verdict in the Olympic super-heavyweight final between the pair. Biggs got it on a 4:1, which looked fair. Damiani clubbed away in a scrappy affair and what boxing there was came from Biggs. I can only assume that you are thinking of Italian heavyweight Angelo Musone, who was horribly robbed in the Games against Henry Tillman.

You may be right. I will watch fight. Didn’t DeWitt get robbed against Tillman

[bennie]

Yup. Got robbed at 1984 Olympics. But liked pasta too much as a pro. He did avenge the Biggs loss as a pro, and also beat I THINK Teofilo Stevenson?

A very underrated fighter who went in to train the Italian Olympic team.

Super curly mop as well.

Damiani outpointed the legendary Stevenson in the quarter-finals of the 1982 world championships in Munich but was outscored in the final by Biggs. In fact, Biggs outscored Damiani three times in the unpaid ranks and there was nothing particularly scandalous about the verdict in the Olympic super-heavyweight final between the pair. Biggs got it on a 4:1, which looked fair. Damiani clubbed away in a scrappy affair and what boxing there was came from Biggs. I can only assume that you are thinking of Italian heavyweight Angelo Musone, who was horribly robbed in the Games against Henry Tillman.

You may be right. I will watch fight. Didn’t DeWitt get robbed against Tillman

Yes, I thought DeWitt was robbed against Tillman in their Olympic heavyweight final in August 1984, although Henry boxed better on the day than he had in his earlier bouts in the Games (and had twice outscored a teenage Mike Tyson in the Olympic trials). If boxing is all about timing, DeWitt was a victim. He sparked Tillman in the first round just eight months earlier in an international clash in Reno, hitting Tillman so hard that the referee went down as well. The burly Canadian then outscored Tillman in a challenge match just three months before the Games. Tillman was able to close the gap at the perfect time in the Olympics but I still thought he was lucky to get the nod and for me, Canada's brilliant Shawn O'Sullivan was also robbed in his Olympic light-middleweight final against Frank Tate. Nevertheless, both DeWitt and O'Sullivan looked far more suited to the pros but then suffered through blatant mismanagement. Sugar Ray Leonard, who handled O'Sullivan (with Mike Trainer), actually thought that his man would beat Simon Brown. DeWitt's camp thought their man would beat Bert Cooper.
As for Damiani, yes he was very underrated because of his blubbery appearance. I remember him boxing the ears off an unbeaten Ray Mercer in the States in 1991. Damiani was miles ahead on the cards when Mercer found a left uppercut in the ninth round that won him the fight and the WBO heavyweight title. The Italian's career fizzled out afterwards but at least he had the satisfaction of thumping Tyrell Biggs in five rounds as a pro. Damiani had dropped a majority decision to Biggs in their Olympic super-heavyweight final in 1984, after stopping our own Bobby Wells in the semi-finals. (Biggs outscored one Lennox Lewis in the Games.)
As you point out, the biggest win of Damiani's career came against the lethal Teofilo Stevenson in the quarter-finals of the world amateur championships in 1982 in Munich. It was a huge upset. Stevenson was still knocking everyone out but Damiani targetted the big Cuban's body and kept him honest enough to take it 5:0 on the cards. Damiani fell just short again when that man Biggs outpointed him in the final but he became (and remains) a national hero in Italy for his win over Stevenson, a man who destroyed Biggs in two rounds later in 1982.


If you're interested, you can see DeWitt knocking out Tillman in the first round here:

[JamesPhilips]

Damiani outpointed the legendary Stevenson in the quarter-finals of the 1982 world championships in Munich but was outscored in the final by Biggs. In fact, Biggs outscored Damiani three times in the unpaid ranks and there was nothing particularly scandalous about the verdict in the Olympic super-heavyweight final between the pair. Biggs got it on a 4:1, which looked fair. Damiani clubbed away in a scrappy affair and what boxing there was came from Biggs. I can only assume that you are thinking of Italian heavyweight Angelo Musone, who was horribly robbed in the Games against Henry Tillman.

You may be right. I will watch fight. Didn’t DeWitt get robbed against Tillman

Yes, I thought DeWitt was robbed against Tillman in their Olympic heavyweight final in August 1984, although Henry boxed better on the day than he had in his earlier bouts in the Games (and had twice outscored a teenage Mike Tyson in the Olympic trials). If boxing is all about timing, DeWitt was a victim. He sparked Tillman in the first round just eight months earlier in an international clash in Reno, hitting Tillman so hard that the referee went down as well. The burly Canadian then outscored Tillman in a challenge match just three months before the Games. Tillman was able to close the gap at the perfect time in the Olympics but I still thought he was lucky to get the nod and for me, Canada's brilliant Shawn O'Sullivan was also robbed in his Olympic light-middleweight final against Frank Tate. Nevertheless, both DeWitt and O'Sullivan looked far more suited to the pros but then suffered through blatant mismanagement. Sugar Ray Leonard, who handled O'Sullivan (with Mike Trainer), actually thought that his man would beat Simon Brown. DeWitt's camp thought their man would beat Bert Cooper.
As for Damiani, yes he was very underrated because of his blubbery appearance. I remember him boxing the ears off an unbeaten Ray Mercer in the States in 1991. Damiani was miles ahead on the cards when Mercer found a left uppercut in the ninth round that won him the fight and the WBO heavyweight title. The Italian's career fizzled out afterwards but at least he had the satisfaction of thumping Tyrell Biggs in five rounds as a pro. Damiani had dropped a majority decision to Biggs in their Olympic super-heavyweight final in 1984, after stopping our own Bobby Wells in the semi-finals. (Biggs outscored one Lennox Lewis in the Games.)
As you point out, the biggest win of Damiani's career came against the lethal Teofilo Stevenson in the quarter-finals of the world amateur championships in 1982 in Munich. It was a huge upset. Stevenson was still knocking everyone out but Damiani targetted the big Cuban's body and kept him honest enough to take it 5:0 on the cards. Damiani fell just short again when that man Biggs outpointed him in the final but he became (and remains) a national hero in Italy for his win over Stevenson, a man who destroyed Biggs in two rounds later in 1982.


If you're interested, you can see DeWitt knocking out Tillman in the first round here:

Wow. Thanks for that and great knowledge there! I didn’t know about the previous DeWitt Tillman matches. O’Sullivan and Dewitt were both mismanaged as you say. They should’ve been more protected and made good money in a title shot. Also Bobby Wells vs an Algerian (?) for the bronze was the first amateur bout I ever saw. I was a kid and didn’t understand why they were wearing those ‘helmets’ LOL

[bennie]

Nice initiation. Wells absolutely flattened the guy in the Olympics and returned home with a bronze medal, the only boxing medal our boys won in 1984.

[JamesPhilips]

Nice initiation. Wells absolutely flattened the guy in the Olympics and returned home with a bronze medal, the only boxing medal our boys won in 1984.

Thanks - I’m gonna watch all that video USA vs Can and GB on my TV when I get home. Looks interesting. Can’t remember a joint team match apart from that Wells did well. Wasn’t the most talented ever but that result got a bronze and a sweet KO vid to show to people to boot!

[bennie]

Nice initiation. Wells absolutely flattened the guy in the Olympics and returned home with a bronze medal, the only boxing medal our boys won in 1984.

Thanks - I’m gonna watch all that video USA vs Can and GB on my TV when I get home. Looks interesting. Can’t remember a joint team match apart from that Wells did well. Wasn’t the most talented ever but that result got a bronze and a sweet KO vid to show to people to boot!

The air is very thin in Reno, where the match took place, and all the British boys blew up in the final round. They were only in Reno for three days.

[JamesPhilips]

Nice initiation. Wells absolutely flattened the guy in the Olympics and returned home with a bronze medal, the only boxing medal our boys won in 1984.

Thanks - I’m gonna watch all that video USA vs Can and GB on my TV when I get home. Looks interesting. Can’t remember a joint team match apart from that Wells did well. Wasn’t the most talented ever but that result got a bronze and a sweet KO vid to show to people to boot!

The air is very thin in Reno, where the match took place, and all the British boys blew up in the final round. They were only in Reno for three days.

Also we’re they jet lagged? That’s and the air would be a disaster

[mickey1975]

Bennie is showing knowledge here to rival Cog!

[JamesPhilips]

Nice initiation. Wells absolutely flattened the guy in the Olympics and returned home with a bronze medal, the only boxing medal our boys won in 1984.

Thanks - I’m gonna watch all that video USA vs Can and GB on my TV when I get home. Looks interesting. Can’t remember a joint team match apart from that Wells did well. Wasn’t the most talented ever but that result got a bronze and a sweet KO vid to show to people to boot!

The air is very thin in Reno, where the match took place, and all the British boys blew up in the final round. They were only in Reno for three days.

Just watching now. Nice quality boxing! U.K. boxers some wear head guards some not and John Hyland took his off for the last round!

First 3 USA fighters are unusually all white LOL. Lentz, Minsker and Belinc. All 3 looking good but Minsker looked super stopping Colin Lynch. Minsker has that superstar look - good looking, likeable, big smile. He beat Meldrick Taylor but lost 2 in the nationals *I think* and Taylor went to Olympics. I remember Minsker was in some weird Bruce Weber arty boxing film. He had all the tools to be a star but never happened.

Belinc batters Alex Dickson. Looking at Belinc on Boxrec also boxed Pernell Whitaker 3 times in a row, winning fist box off but losing nationals and final box off to send Pernell to Olympics. Never understood the old USA qualification process seems complex.

Ronnie Rentz stops John Hyland after Hyland removes his headgear lol. Rentz later beaten by Paul Banke in trials.

This is a quality meet. Watching more now.

[JamesPhilips]

The always impressive Ricky Womack blasts out the outclassed Canadian in under a minute. Boxrec has this result wrong - says it’s a 3 round points decision. Womack was a real talent and shared 5 fights with Evander winning 3 and Ricky 2. Womack Drew on his pro debut vs a no one then retired in 1985 after 10 fights unbeaten 1 draw….. then randomly came back and won 4 in 2001 after a 16 year hiatus…. Then retired again. Weird…. Bennie I’m sure you’ll know but I can only assume Womack became a crack head or something!!??? He was such a talent as a amateur.

Wayne Gordon who lost to Breland on points ko’d future world champion Dennis Milton in a round.

DeWitt crushes Tillman in a minute or so…..

Wow great bill. Wish Amateur boxing still looked like this. The glove and rules change just messed amateur boxing up as a spectacle.