BoxRec - User contributions [en]

Chad Dawson

2014-06-19T10:42:25Z

Bill hodge:

[[File:DawsonC.jpg|left|thumb|275px]]
<boxer>060393</boxer>
'''Manager:''' [[Al Haymon]] (2014-present) 
'''Trainers:''' [[Dan Birmingham]], [[Floyd Mayweather]], [[Eddie Mustafa Muhammad]] (-2010, 2013-), [[Emanuel Steward]] (2011), [[John Scully]] (2011-2012)

==Biography==
'''Chad Dawson''' was born to Wanda and [[Rick Dawson]] in Hartsville, South Carolina in 1982. He has 4 brothers and 2 sisters. When Chad was 7 years old, his father, a former boxer, moved the family to New Haven, Connecticut. He turned professional in 2001, after being the 2000 United States National Under-19 Amateur Champion at 165 pounds while compiling a 67-13 amateur record.

In his professional debut, Dawson knocked out [[Steve Garrett]] at 1:46 of the second round on August 18, 2001. Coming up as a prospect he earned victories over notable opponents such as [[Ian Gardner]] and [[Carl Daniels]].

On June 2nd, 2006 in his bout with [[Eric Harding]] (23-3-1), Dawson scored a unanimous decision victory becoming the new [[North American Boxing Federation|NABF]] Light Heavyweight Champion. After suffering a flash knockdown in the opening seconds of the first round, Dawson dominated the fight and came away with a decision by scores of 117-110, 116-111, and 117-110. On February 3, 2007, Dawson faced [[Tomasz Adamek]] (31-0-0) for the [[WBC]] Light Heavyweight Championship, Dawson would win by unanimous decision, with scores of 116-110, 117-109, and 118-108. Dawson has since defended his title successfully against [[Jesus Ruiz]] and [[Epifanio Mendoza]], by 4 and 6 round TKOs, respectively.

Dawson still resides in New Haven, Connecticut and has a son, Prince Chadwick.

His brother [[Ricky Dawson]] is also a boxer.

==Amateur Highlights==
*Amateur Record: 67-13
*'''1998''' Silver medalist at the U.S. Junior Olympics (15-16 year olds) at 139 lbs.
*'''1999''' Bronze medalist at the U.S. Under-19 Championships at 156 lbs.
**Defeated [[Jesse Orta]] PTS (8-3)
**Lost to [[Rudy Cisneros]] DQ 4
*'''2000''' Gold medalist at the U.S. Under-19 Championships at 165 lbs.
**Defeated [[Jared Hidalgo]] RSCO 3
*'''2000''' Bronze medalist at the World Junior Championships in Budapest, Hungary at 165 lbs.
**Defeated [[Beibut Shumenov]] (Kazakhstan) RSC 3
**Defeated [[Mohamed Akli Amari]] (Algeria) Walk Over
**Lost to [[Sullivan Barrera]] (Cuba) PTS (11-21)

==Titles Held==
*'''[[The Ring Magazine]] Light Heavyweight Title''' (2012-2013)
*'''[[International Boxing Federation]] Light Heavyweight Title''' (2008-2009)
*'''[[World Boxing Council]] Light Heavyweight Title''' (2007-2008, 2012-2013)
*[[NABF]] Light Heavyweight Title (2006)
*[[NABO]] Super Middleweight Title (2005-2006)
*[[WBC]] Youth World Middleweight Title (2003-2005)
{{start box}}
{{Succession box|
before=[[Tomasz Adamek]]|
title=[[WBC Light Heavyweight Champion]]|
after=[[Adrian Diaconu]]|
years=2007 Feb 3 – 2008 Jul 11 '''Stripped'''
}}
{{Succession box|
before=[[Antonio Tarver]]|
title=[[IBF Light Heavyweight Champion]]|
after=[[Tavoris Cloud]]|
years=2008 Oct 11 – 2009 May 27 '''Vacated'''
}}
{{Succession box|
before=[[Bernard Hopkins]]|
title=[[WBC Light Heavyweight Champion]]|
after=[[Adonis Stevenson]]|
years=2012 Apr 28 – 2013 Jun 8
}}
{{end box}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Dawson, Chad}}
[[Category:African American Boxers]]
[[Category:World Light Heavyweight Champions]]
[[Category:American World Champions]]
[[Category:The Ring Magazine Champions]]
[[Category:Southpaw World Champions]]
[[Category:NABF Light Heavyweight Champions]]
[[Category:NABO Super Middleweight Champions]]

Tommy Burns vs. Jack Johnson

2014-06-10T17:52:52Z

Bill hodge:

[[File:Burns-vs.-Johnson.jpg|right|400px]]
<fight>19141</fight>
*'''World Heavyweight Title''' (12th defense by Burns)
*[[:Image:F19141Pr.jpeg|Program Cover]]

==Notes==
*Johnson received $5,000 and Burns $30,000, which was the largest amount ever earned by a boxer for a single fight up to that time.
*Former [[World Heavyweight Champion]] [[James J. Jeffries]] was asked to referee the fight, but he wanted $5,000 plus his expenses paid.
*Burns was a 6 to 4 favorite.
*Over 20,000 people crammed into Sydney Stadium at Ruschcutters Bay and another 30,000 were estimated to be outside the stadium perched in trees, on roofs, up power poles and wherever they could gain a vantage point.
*Promoter [[Hugh McIntosh]] refereed the fight. It was the first fight he ever refereed.
*According to Burns, McIntosh took hold of his left glove while forcing a break in the first round and Johnson struck him on the jaw with a right uppercut. The force of the blow lifted Burns off his feet and sent him to the canvas for a count of eight.
*Johnson mocked Burns from the onset: "Poor little Tommy, who told you you were a fighter?" And on the rare occasion when Burns managed to land a punch, Johnson laughed and said, "Poor, poor, Tommy. Who taught you to hit? Your mother?" Although most of what he said was relatively banal, it was always accompanied by a sardonic smile.
*The fight was stopped by the police. Burns always claimed he could have continued had the police not intervened. Lightweight boxer [[Rudy Unholz]] later admitted to promoter [[Otto Floto]] that he and a pal had crawled under the ring prior to the fourteenth round and shouted for the police to stop the fight. Unholz worked Johnson's corner and had bet a large sum of money on Jack winning.
*The ''New York Times'' reported: "The end came in the fourteenth round when the police, seeing Burns tottering and unable to defend himself from the savage blows of his opponent, mercifully stopped the fight. Previously it had been arranged that if the police interfered a decision would be rendered on points, and referee McIntosh without hesitation declared the big black man the winner, for all through the fight he had shown himself Burns's master in every style of fighting."
*Jack London, the famous novelist, was in Sydney covering the fight for the ''New York Herald''. He wrote: "The fight? There was no fight. No Armenian massacre could compare with the hopeless slaughter that took place today. The fight, if fight it could be called, was like that between a pygmy and a colossus....But one thing now remains. Jim Jeffries must emerge from his alfalfa farm and remove the golden smile from Jack Johnson’s face. Jeff, it’s up to you! The White Man must be rescued."
*A month after Johnson won the championship, James J. Jeffries wrote: "Tommy Burns has his price—$30,000. Burns has sold his pride, the pride of the Caucasian race...The Canadian never will be forgiven by the public for allowing the title of the best physical man in the world to be wrested from his keeping by a member of the African race....I refused time and again to meet Johnson while I was holding the title, even though I knew I could beat him. I would never allow a negro a chance to fight for the world's championship, and I advise all other champions to follow the same course....All night long I was besieged with telegrams asking me to re-enter the ring. I answer them now as I have answered them hundreds of times: 'I have fought my last fight.'"

==External links==
*"Jack Johnson Wins; Police Stop Fight" The ''New York Times'', December 26, 1908: [http://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F5081EFB3A5A17738DDDAF0A94DA415B888CF1D3]
*"Jeffries Scores Burns" The ''Sydney Mail'', January 27, 1909: [http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1302&dat=19090127&id=djlVAAAAIBAJ&sjid=cJUDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6332,1350892]
*"Burns-Johnson Bout Drew First Big Money In Australia--No Purses Now" by [[Joe Bonds]], The ''Tacoma Times'', December 1, 1915: [http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn88085187/1915-12-01/ed-1/seq-2/])
*''Tommy Burns: Canada's Unknown World Heavyweight Champion'' by Dan McCaffery, James Lorimer & Company Ltd., 2000: [http://books.google.com/books?id=Uhu4qBsA0Q4C&pg=PA205&lpg=PA205&dq=tommy+burns+johnson+arm+mcintosh&source=bl&ots=koxp1Tkm2x&sig=CEEp6ZMVInfWXg51-BEPgVWq0-g&hl=en&sa=X&ei=OnLpUqamDcSCrAGZg4H4Dg&ved=0CC4Q6AEwAQ#v=onepage&q=tommy%20burns%20johnson%20arm%20mcintosh&f=false]

Ray Bright

2014-05-28T09:51:58Z

Bill hodge: Created page with "1985 New England Golden Gloves welterweight champ; Raymond Bright is a Police Officer in New Haven, CT. currently."

1985 New England Golden Gloves welterweight champ; Raymond Bright is a Police Officer in New Haven, CT. currently.

Rocky Gannon vs. Dominick Carter (1st meeting)

2014-05-21T00:04:04Z

Bill hodge:

<fight>115068</fight>

*Carter is knocked down by Gannon in the opening seconds of the fight. Gannon also loses a point for hitting Carter while he was down.
*With a minute remaining, Cole deducts a point from Carter for holding.
*Shortly after the deducition, Gannon is knocked down. After beating the count, Cole stops the fight as Gannon staggers to the ropes, ending an exciting slugfest.

Human:675177

2014-05-19T06:07:31Z

Bill hodge: Created page with "E-mail me please. blackcombs-5@live.com will work a deal there can come to England for three mo. John Wilkinson"

E-mail me please. blackcombs-5@live.com will work a deal there can come to England for three mo. John Wilkinson

Human:240428

2014-05-19T05:40:09Z

Bill hodge: Created page with "We have a John Wilkinson who is ~nearly 58 years old~ 147lbs. who can match with this boxer intention to OUT-POINT him 1ST fight back in 21 years. Call us 860-515-7680. ~Thank..."

We have a John Wilkinson who is ~nearly 58 years old~ 147lbs. who can match with this boxer intention to OUT-POINT him 1ST fight back in 21 years. Call us 860-515-7680. ~Thank you/ good luck~

Moises Rivera (Boston, MA)

2014-05-19T05:22:03Z

Bill hodge: Created page with "860-515-7680 John Wilkinson in CT. ~looking to restart career will need good 30 days prep time on this one /contract/ 4r OK/ 147 lb.~ *thanks!"

860-515-7680 John Wilkinson in CT. ~looking to restart career will need good 30 days prep time on this one /contract/ 4r OK/ 147 lb.~ *thanks!

Ike Ibeabuchi

2014-05-19T04:09:31Z

Bill hodge:

[[File:Ike160064011.jpg|left|300px|]]<boxer>005981</boxer>
'''Trainer:''' [[Curtis Cokes]]

==Boxing Career ==
Ike Ibeabuchi planned on joining the Nigerian military before he witnessed [[James (Buster) Douglas]] [[Mike Tyson vs. James (Buster) Douglas|upset]] [[Mike Tyson]] to win the World Heavyweight Championship in 1990. Inspired by the fight, Ibeabuchi decided to become a boxer.

As an amateur, Ibeabuchi twice defeated countryman and eventual 1996 Olympic Bronze Medalist [[Duncan Dokiwari]]. Ibeabuchi emigrated to the Dallas area with his mother in 1993 and won the Dallas and Texas Golden Gloves tournaments in 1994.

As a professional, Ibeabuchi was 20-0 with 15 knockouts. His biggest wins were a [[Ike Ibeabuchi vs. David Tua|twelve-round unanimous decision]] over [[David Tua]] in 1997 and a [[Chris Byrd vs. Ike Ibeabuchi|fifth-round knockout]] of [[Chris Byrd]] in 1999.

==Legal Troubles==
Immediately after the fight with Tua, Ibeabuchi began complaining of a terrible headache. He was taken directly to a hospital and underwent several tests, including an MRI. From what the latest advances in scientific technology could detect, there was nothing at all wrong with him, and he was sent home with a clean bill of health.

After being released from the hospital, Ibeabuchi began to swear that he was being plagued by demons; evil spirits that only he and his mother could see.

A couple of months after the Tua fight, distraught over a perceived snub in the [[WBC]] rankings, Ibeabuchi abducted the 15-year-old son of his former girlfriend and slammed his car into a concrete pillar on Interstate 35 north of Austin, Texas. According to the criminal complaint, the boy suffered "numerous injuries" from the accident "and will never walk normally again." Ibeabuchi was charged with kidnapping and attempted murder, but the courts concluded he was trying to commit suicide, and he was sentenced to 120 days after pleading guilty to false imprisonment. He also paid a $500,000 civil settlement.

"It was a very frustrating case because what he did wasn't as clearly criminal as what I expected him to get involved with down the line," said District Attorney John Bradley, who prosecuted Ibeabuchi. "I fully expected that his contact with the criminal justice system had not ended with our county. We weren't able to get him examined, but it sure seemed to me -- even if he was a heavyweight boxer looking at making millions of dollars -- that he should have been committed to a psychiatric community and treated."

Ibeabuchi developed a new persona based on his nickname, "The President." When he was being churlish or refusing to complete a simple requirement, such as attending a weigh-in, his handlers would appeal to The President's regal nature by convincing him it was the noble thing to do. "There were times when he thought he was really a president," boxing promoter and former HBO Sports executive [[Lou DiBella]] said. "He would get into these mental states where he insisted on people calling him The President. It was his alter ago, where 'I am The President,' not of the United States, but maybe the world."

Promoter [[Cedric Kushner]] said Ibeabuchi on two occasions had to be literally dragged onto airplanes before fights because of perceived demonic forces.

Ibeabuchi once wielded a knife during a dinner meeting in New York to discuss a possible three-fight HBO deal. "We were having a fine meal at a nice restaurant," Kushner said, "and mid-course, Ike picked up a big carving knife, slammed it into the table and screamed 'They knew it! They knew it! The belts belong to me! Why don't they just give them back.' That was a peculiar experience," Kushner said. "That wasn't the type of conduct I expected to romance the guy from HBO. (Ibeabuchi) was like a Viking."

While training for the Byrd fight in February 1999, one of Ibeabuchi's sparring partners, [[Ezra Sellers]], cut him during a sparring session.

The cut was on the left eyelid and would take four stitches. Sellers had his gloves and handwraps removed by Jay Wilson, Ibeabuchi's assistant trainer. Afterward, Sellers retrieved his wedding ring from his gym bag and went over to apologize.

Ibeabuchi spotted the ring and accused Sellers of intentionally cutting him. Sellers said Ibeabuchi then kicked him in the right knee.

"As I was falling, I grabbed him and he wound up on top of me, straddling me, and he was punching my head and then he was choking me, and finally they pulled him off me," Sellers said. "I said, 'Your own trainer wrapped my hand,' and that sent him off after (Wilson)."

Sellers left the gym to find a policeman. That's when he realized he couldn't walk and took a cab instead to a hospital. He was told to forget a March 12 boxing date because of torn knee ligaments.

After leaving the hospital, Sellers filed charges. So did Wilson. However, they later dropped the charges.

A former Kushner matchmaker, Bill Benton, was dispatched by the promoter and HBO to check on Ibeabuchi. Benton said the Sellers incident was "just a gym skirmish" and the fight with Byrd went off as planned.

In July 1999, Ibeabuchi was staying at The Mirage Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas when he phoned a local escort service and had a woman sent to his room.
The 21-year-old woman said she was there to strip and nothing else. She claimed he attacked her in the walk-in closet after she demanded to be paid up front.

"He invites her up to his room and begins to get physical with her," said Christopher Lalli, a Clark County chief deputy district attorney. It got loud enough that people in the adjoining room notified hotel security.

"When they enter the room," Lalli said, "a woman, naked from the waist down, is running toward them."

Ibeabuchi barricaded himself in the bathroom, and police discharged pepper spray under the door to coax his surrender.

Ibeabuchi's defense faced the further difficulty of the Clark County DA's reopening of a similar sexual assault allegation from eight months earlier that took place next door to The Mirage, at sister-property Treasure Island Hotel and Casino.

He was released on bail and placed on house arrest—able to train and fight again until his trial—but he was remanded after two more sexual-assault allegations surfaced in Arizona.

"The troubling thing for us was this was not an isolated incident," Lalli said.

Lalli said the case against Ibeabuchi's crimes at The Mirage was solid. There was physical evidence, eyewitness testimony, a pattern of unacceptable behavior.

"It was evidence you don't have nine times out of 10 in these cases when you go to trial," Lalli said.

Ibeabuchi was deemed incompetent to stand trial and was sent to a state facility for the mentally ill. Medical experts concluded he exhibited bipolar disorder, and a judge granted permission to force-medicate him. Eight months later, 2½ years after his arrest, he was ruled cogent enough to plea.

He entered an Alford plea, conceding the prosecution had enough evidence to convict him while not admitting guilt. Had he gone to trial and been found guilty of rape, he could have received 10 years to life in prison. Instead, he got two to 10 years for battery with intent to commit a crime and three to 20 years for attempted sexual assault, to be served consecutively.

Ibeabuchi was paroled on the first charge in 2001 and has been denied parole on the second charge four times. He was denied parole in 2004, 2007, 2009 and 2012. He is not eligible for another hearing until May 2013, at which time he will be 40. Ibeabuchi also faces likely deportation.

"We felt confident he was going to spend a good chunk of time in prison and then get kicked out of the country," Lalli said.

Since his incarceration, Ibeabuchi has earned two college degrees from Western Nevada Community College: an Associate of General Studies and an Associate of Applied Science in General Business.

----

Release pending at age 41. IKE IBEABUCHI certainly has plans to resume his career. Interested Promoters may call our Management/Mentor/Trainer Team Bill Hodge/John Wilkinson (860) 515-7680. We plan to change Ike's nick-name ("certainty") from the former to "TRAIN WRECK". If we can possibly bring him ALL THE WAY BACK, then, he will of earned his former nick name back again. We are LOOKING FOR A EXCLUSIVE CONTRACT W/ A PROMOTER,NOW.

==External Links==
[http://www.nydailynews.com/archives/sports/ibeabuchi-boxing-black-eye-article-1.825315 "Ibeabuchi Gives Boxing A Black Eye" by Michael Katz - ''New York Daily News'' - March 5, 1999] 
[http://www.amren.com/news/2004/08/ibeabuchi_close/ "Ibeabuchi Close To Being Unleashed" by Tim Graham - ESPN.com - August 18, 2004] 
[http://fightnews.ru/pirrova_pobeda_ayka_ibeabuchi_ili_kak_tua_pokalechil_prezide "Ike Ibeabuchi and the 'Pseudomonarchia Daemonum'" by Chris Thompson - FightNews.RU - December 19, 2007]

Ike Ibeabuchi

2014-05-19T04:07:35Z

Bill hodge:

[[File:Ike160064011.jpg|left|300px|]]<boxer>005981</boxer>
'''Trainer:''' [[Curtis Cokes]]

==Boxing Career ==
Ike Ibeabuchi planned on joining the Nigerian military before he witnessed [[James (Buster) Douglas]] [[Mike Tyson vs. James (Buster) Douglas|upset]] [[Mike Tyson]] to win the World Heavyweight Championship in 1990. Inspired by the fight, Ibeabuchi decided to become a boxer.

As an amateur, Ibeabuchi twice defeated countryman and eventual 1996 Olympic Bronze Medalist [[Duncan Dokiwari]]. Ibeabuchi emigrated to the Dallas area with his mother in 1993 and won the Dallas and Texas Golden Gloves tournaments in 1994.

As a professional, Ibeabuchi was 20-0 with 15 knockouts. His biggest wins were a [[Ike Ibeabuchi vs. David Tua|twelve-round unanimous decision]] over [[David Tua]] in 1997 and a [[Chris Byrd vs. Ike Ibeabuchi|fifth-round knockout]] of [[Chris Byrd]] in 1999.

==Legal Troubles==
Immediately after the fight with Tua, Ibeabuchi began complaining of a terrible headache. He was taken directly to a hospital and underwent several tests, including an MRI. From what the latest advances in scientific technology could detect, there was nothing at all wrong with him, and he was sent home with a clean bill of health.

After being released from the hospital, Ibeabuchi began to swear that he was being plagued by demons; evil spirits that only he and his mother could see.

A couple of months after the Tua fight, distraught over a perceived snub in the [[WBC]] rankings, Ibeabuchi abducted the 15-year-old son of his former girlfriend and slammed his car into a concrete pillar on Interstate 35 north of Austin, Texas. According to the criminal complaint, the boy suffered "numerous injuries" from the accident "and will never walk normally again." Ibeabuchi was charged with kidnapping and attempted murder, but the courts concluded he was trying to commit suicide, and he was sentenced to 120 days after pleading guilty to false imprisonment. He also paid a $500,000 civil settlement.

"It was a very frustrating case because what he did wasn't as clearly criminal as what I expected him to get involved with down the line," said District Attorney John Bradley, who prosecuted Ibeabuchi. "I fully expected that his contact with the criminal justice system had not ended with our county. We weren't able to get him examined, but it sure seemed to me -- even if he was a heavyweight boxer looking at making millions of dollars -- that he should have been committed to a psychiatric community and treated."

Ibeabuchi developed a new persona based on his nickname, "The President." When he was being churlish or refusing to complete a simple requirement, such as attending a weigh-in, his handlers would appeal to The President's regal nature by convincing him it was the noble thing to do. "There were times when he thought he was really a president," boxing promoter and former HBO Sports executive [[Lou DiBella]] said. "He would get into these mental states where he insisted on people calling him The President. It was his alter ago, where 'I am The President,' not of the United States, but maybe the world."

Promoter [[Cedric Kushner]] said Ibeabuchi on two occasions had to be literally dragged onto airplanes before fights because of perceived demonic forces.

Ibeabuchi once wielded a knife during a dinner meeting in New York to discuss a possible three-fight HBO deal. "We were having a fine meal at a nice restaurant," Kushner said, "and mid-course, Ike picked up a big carving knife, slammed it into the table and screamed 'They knew it! They knew it! The belts belong to me! Why don't they just give them back.' That was a peculiar experience," Kushner said. "That wasn't the type of conduct I expected to romance the guy from HBO. (Ibeabuchi) was like a Viking."

While training for the Byrd fight in February 1999, one of Ibeabuchi's sparring partners, [[Ezra Sellers]], cut him during a sparring session.

The cut was on the left eyelid and would take four stitches. Sellers had his gloves and handwraps removed by Jay Wilson, Ibeabuchi's assistant trainer. Afterward, Sellers retrieved his wedding ring from his gym bag and went over to apologize.

Ibeabuchi spotted the ring and accused Sellers of intentionally cutting him. Sellers said Ibeabuchi then kicked him in the right knee.

"As I was falling, I grabbed him and he wound up on top of me, straddling me, and he was punching my head and then he was choking me, and finally they pulled him off me," Sellers said. "I said, 'Your own trainer wrapped my hand,' and that sent him off after (Wilson)."

Sellers left the gym to find a policeman. That's when he realized he couldn't walk and took a cab instead to a hospital. He was told to forget a March 12 boxing date because of torn knee ligaments.

After leaving the hospital, Sellers filed charges. So did Wilson. However, they later dropped the charges.

A former Kushner matchmaker, Bill Benton, was dispatched by the promoter and HBO to check on Ibeabuchi. Benton said the Sellers incident was "just a gym skirmish" and the fight with Byrd went off as planned.

In July 1999, Ibeabuchi was staying at The Mirage Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas when he phoned a local escort service and had a woman sent to his room.

The 21-year-old woman said she was there to strip and nothing else. She claimed he attacked her in the walk-in closet after she demanded to be paid up front.

"He invites her up to his room and begins to get physical with her," said Christopher Lalli, a Clark County chief deputy district attorney. It got loud enough that people in the adjoining room notified hotel security.

"When they enter the room," Lalli said, "a woman, naked from the waist down, is running toward them."

Ibeabuchi barricaded himself in the bathroom, and police discharged pepper spray under the door to coax his surrender.

Ibeabuchi's defense faced the further difficulty of the Clark County DA's reopening of a similar sexual assault allegation from eight months earlier that took place next door to The Mirage, at sister-property Treasure Island Hotel and Casino.

He was released on bail and placed on house arrest—able to train and fight again until his trial—but he was remanded after two more sexual-assault allegations surfaced in Arizona.

"The troubling thing for us was this was not an isolated incident," Lalli said.

Lalli said the case against Ibeabuchi's crimes at The Mirage was solid. There was physical evidence, eyewitness testimony, a pattern of unacceptable behavior.

"It was evidence you don't have nine times out of 10 in these cases when you go to trial," Lalli said.

Ibeabuchi was deemed incompetent to stand trial and was sent to a state facility for the mentally ill. Medical experts concluded he exhibited bipolar disorder, and a judge granted permission to force-medicate him. Eight months later, 2½ years after his arrest, he was ruled cogent enough to plea.

He entered an Alford plea, conceding the prosecution had enough evidence to convict him while not admitting guilt. Had he gone to trial and been found guilty of rape, he could have received 10 years to life in prison. Instead, he got two to 10 years for battery with intent to commit a crime and three to 20 years for attempted sexual assault, to be served consecutively.

Ibeabuchi was paroled on the first charge in 2001 and has been denied parole on the second charge four times. He was denied parole in 2004, 2007, 2009 and 2012. He is not eligible for another hearing until May 2013, at which time he will be 40. Ibeabuchi also faces likely deportation.

"We felt confident he was going to spend a good chunk of time in prison and then get kicked out of the country," Lalli said.

Since his incarceration, Ibeabuchi has earned two college degrees from Western Nevada Community College: an Associate of General Studies and an Associate of Applied Science in General Business.

----

Release pending at age 41. "The President" certainly has plans to resume his career. Interested Promoters may call our Management/Mentor/Trainer Team Bill Hodge/John Wilkinson (860) 515-7680. We plan to change Ike's nick-name ("certainty") from the former to "TRAIN WRECK". If we can possibly bring him ALL THE WAY BACK, then, he will of earned his former nick name back again. We are LOOKING FOR A EXCLUSIVE CONTRACT W/ A PROMOTER,NOW.

==External Links==
[http://www.nydailynews.com/archives/sports/ibeabuchi-boxing-black-eye-article-1.825315 "Ibeabuchi Gives Boxing A Black Eye" by Michael Katz - ''New York Daily News'' - March 5, 1999] 
[http://www.amren.com/news/2004/08/ibeabuchi_close/ "Ibeabuchi Close To Being Unleashed" by Tim Graham - ESPN.com - August 18, 2004] 
[http://fightnews.ru/pirrova_pobeda_ayka_ibeabuchi_ili_kak_tua_pokalechil_prezide "Ike Ibeabuchi and the 'Pseudomonarchia Daemonum'" by Chris Thompson - FightNews.RU - December 19, 2007]

Ike Ibeabuchi

2014-05-19T04:04:42Z

Bill hodge:

[[File:Ike160064011.jpg|left|300px|]]<boxer>005981</boxer>
'''Trainer:''' [[Curtis Cokes]]

==Boxing Career ==
Ike Ibeabuchi planned on joining the Nigerian military before he witnessed [[James (Buster) Douglas]] [[Mike Tyson vs. James (Buster) Douglas|upset]] [[Mike Tyson]] to win the World Heavyweight Championship in 1990. Inspired by the fight, Ibeabuchi decided to become a boxer.

As an amateur, Ibeabuchi twice defeated countryman and eventual 1996 Olympic Bronze Medalist [[Duncan Dokiwari]]. Ibeabuchi emigrated to the Dallas area with his mother in 1993 and won the Dallas and Texas Golden Gloves tournaments in 1994.

As a professional, Ibeabuchi was 20-0 with 15 knockouts. His biggest wins were a [[Ike Ibeabuchi vs. David Tua|twelve-round unanimous decision]] over [[David Tua]] in 1997 and a [[Chris Byrd vs. Ike Ibeabuchi|fifth-round knockout]] of [[Chris Byrd]] in 1999.

==Legal Troubles==
Immediately after the fight with Tua, Ibeabuchi began complaining of a terrible headache. He was taken directly to a hospital and underwent several tests, including an MRI. From what the latest advances in scientific technology could detect, there was nothing at all wrong with him, and he was sent home with a clean bill of health.

After being released from the hospital, Ibeabuchi began to swear that he was being plagued by demons; evil spirits that only he and his mother could see.

A couple of months after the Tua fight, distraught over a perceived snub in the [[WBC]] rankings, Ibeabuchi abducted the 15-year-old son of his former girlfriend and slammed his car into a concrete pillar on Interstate 35 north of Austin, Texas. According to the criminal complaint, the boy suffered "numerous injuries" from the accident "and will never walk normally again." Ibeabuchi was charged with kidnapping and attempted murder, but the courts concluded he was trying to commit suicide, and he was sentenced to 120 days after pleading guilty to false imprisonment. He also paid a $500,000 civil settlement.

"It was a very frustrating case because what he did wasn't as clearly criminal as what I expected him to get involved with down the line," said District Attorney John Bradley, who prosecuted Ibeabuchi. "I fully expected that his contact with the criminal justice system had not ended with our county. We weren't able to get him examined, but it sure seemed to me -- even if he was a heavyweight boxer looking at making millions of dollars -- that he should have been committed to a psychiatric community and treated."

Ibeabuchi developed a new persona based on his nickname, "The President." When he was being churlish or refusing to complete a simple requirement, such as attending a weigh-in, his handlers would appeal to The President's regal nature by convincing him it was the noble thing to do. "There were times when he thought he was really a president," boxing promoter and former HBO Sports executive [[Lou DiBella]] said. "He would get into these mental states where he insisted on people calling him The President. It was his alter ago, where 'I am The President,' not of the United States, but maybe the world."

Promoter [[Cedric Kushner]] said Ibeabuchi on two occasions had to be literally dragged onto airplanes before fights because of perceived demonic forces.

Ibeabuchi once wielded a knife during a dinner meeting in New York to discuss a possible three-fight HBO deal. "We were having a fine meal at a nice restaurant," Kushner said, "and mid-course, Ike picked up a big carving knife, slammed it into the table and screamed 'They knew it! They knew it! The belts belong to me! Why don't they just give them back.' That was a peculiar experience," Kushner said. "That wasn't the type of conduct I expected to romance the guy from HBO. (Ibeabuchi) was like a Viking."

While training for the Byrd fight in February 1999, one of Ibeabuchi's sparring partners, [[Ezra Sellers]], cut him during a sparring session.

The cut was on the left eyelid and would take four stitches. Sellers had his gloves and handwraps removed by Jay Wilson, Ibeabuchi's assistant trainer. Afterward, Sellers retrieved his wedding ring from his gym bag and went over to apologize.

Ibeabuchi spotted the ring and accused Sellers of intentionally cutting him. Sellers said Ibeabuchi then kicked him in the right knee.

"As I was falling, I grabbed him and he wound up on top of me, straddling me, and he was punching my head and then he was choking me, and finally they pulled him off me," Sellers said. "I said, 'Your own trainer wrapped my hand,' and that sent him off after (Wilson)."

Sellers left the gym to find a policeman. That's when he realized he couldn't walk and took a cab instead to a hospital. He was told to forget a March 12 boxing date because of torn knee ligaments.

After leaving the hospital, Sellers filed charges. So did Wilson. However, they later dropped the charges.

A former Kushner matchmaker, Bill Benton, was dispatched by the promoter and HBO to check on Ibeabuchi. Benton said the Sellers incident was "just a gym skirmish" and the fight with Byrd went off as planned.

In July 1999, Ibeabuchi was staying at The Mirage Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas when he phoned a local escort service and had a woman sent to his room.

The 21-year-old woman said she was there to strip and nothing else. She claimed he attacked her in the walk-in closet after she demanded to be paid up front.

"He invites her up to his room and begins to get physical with her," said Christopher Lalli, a Clark County chief deputy district attorney. It got loud enough that people in the adjoining room notified hotel security.

"When they enter the room," Lalli said, "a woman, naked from the waist down, is running toward them."

Ibeabuchi barricaded himself in the bathroom, and police discharged pepper spray under the door to coax his surrender.

Ibeabuchi's defense faced the further difficulty of the Clark County DA's reopening of a similar sexual assault allegation from eight months earlier that took place next door to The Mirage, at sister-property Treasure Island Hotel and Casino.

He was released on bail and placed on house arrest—able to train and fight again until his trial—but he was remanded after two more sexual-assault allegations surfaced in Arizona.

"The troubling thing for us was this was not an isolated incident," Lalli said.

Lalli said the case against Ibeabuchi's crimes at The Mirage was solid. There was physical evidence, eyewitness testimony, a pattern of unacceptable behavior.

"It was evidence you don't have nine times out of 10 in these cases when you go to trial," Lalli said.

Ibeabuchi was deemed incompetent to stand trial and was sent to a state facility for the mentally ill. Medical experts concluded he exhibited bipolar disorder, and a judge granted permission to force-medicate him. Eight months later, 2½ years after his arrest, he was ruled cogent enough to plea.

He entered an Alford plea, conceding the prosecution had enough evidence to convict him while not admitting guilt. Had he gone to trial and been found guilty of rape, he could have received 10 years to life in prison. Instead, he got two to 10 years for battery with intent to commit a crime and three to 20 years for attempted sexual assault, to be served consecutively.

Ibeabuchi was paroled on the first charge in 2001 and has been denied parole on the second charge four times. He was denied parole in 2004, 2007, 2009 and 2012. He is not eligible for another hearing until May 2013, at which time he will be 40. Ibeabuchi also faces likely deportation.

"We felt confident he was going to spend a good chunk of time in prison and then get kicked out of the country," Lalli said.

Since his incarceration, Ibeabuchi has earned two college degrees from Western Nevada Community College: an Associate of General Studies and an Associate of Applied Science in General Business.

----

Release pending at age 41. "The President" certainly has plans to resume his career. Interested Promoters may call our Management/Mentor/Trainer Team Bill Hodge/John Wilkinson (860) 515-7680. We plan to change Ike's nick-name ("certainty") from the former to "TRAIN WRECK". If we can possibly bring him ALL THE BACK, then, he will of earned his former nick name back again. We are LOOKING FOR A EXCLUSIVE CONTRACT W/ A PROMOTER,NOW.

==External Links==
[http://www.nydailynews.com/archives/sports/ibeabuchi-boxing-black-eye-article-1.825315 "Ibeabuchi Gives Boxing A Black Eye" by Michael Katz - ''New York Daily News'' - March 5, 1999] 
[http://www.amren.com/news/2004/08/ibeabuchi_close/ "Ibeabuchi Close To Being Unleashed" by Tim Graham - ESPN.com - August 18, 2004] 
[http://fightnews.ru/pirrova_pobeda_ayka_ibeabuchi_ili_kak_tua_pokalechil_prezide "Ike Ibeabuchi and the 'Pseudomonarchia Daemonum'" by Chris Thompson - FightNews.RU - December 19, 2007]

Fabrice Aurieng

2014-04-10T04:10:47Z

Bill hodge: Created page with "We can act on match vs this boxer for a 1st stage comeback match for our boxer IKE "TRAIN WRECK" IBEABUCHI.... if we can get some play. Bill Hodge 860-515-7680. The former "Pr..."

We can act on match vs this boxer for a 1st stage comeback match for our boxer IKE "TRAIN WRECK" IBEABUCHI.... if we can get some play. Bill Hodge 860-515-7680. The former "President" about to be released from Jail. Pending situation.

Ike Ibeabuchi

2014-03-25T14:54:56Z

Bill hodge:

[[File:Ike160064011.jpg|left|300px|]]<boxer>005981</boxer>
'''Trainer:''' [[Curtis Cokes]]

==Boxing Career ==
Ike Ibeabuchi planned on joining the Nigerian military before he witnessed [[James (Buster) Douglas]] [[Mike Tyson vs. James (Buster) Douglas|upset]] [[Mike Tyson]] to win the World Heavyweight Championship in 1990. Inspired by the fight, Ibeabuchi decided to become a boxer.

As an amateur, Ibeabuchi twice defeated countryman and eventual 1996 Olympic Bronze Medalist [[Duncan Dokiwari]]. Ibeabuchi emigrated to the Dallas area with his mother in 1993 and won the Dallas and Texas Golden Gloves tournaments in 1994.

As a professional, Ibeabuchi was 20-0 with 15 knockouts. His biggest wins were a [[Ike Ibeabuchi vs. David Tua|twelve-round unanimous decision]] over [[David Tua]] in 1997 and a [[Chris Byrd vs. Ike Ibeabuchi|fifth-round knockout]] of [[Chris Byrd]] in 1999.

==Legal Troubles==
Immediately after the fight with Tua, Ibeabuchi began complaining of a terrible headache. He was taken directly to a hospital and underwent several tests, including an MRI. From what the latest advances in scientific technology could detect, there was nothing at all wrong with him, and he was sent home with a clean bill of health.

After being released from the hospital, Ibeabuchi began to swear that he was being plagued by demons; evil spirits that only he and his mother could see.

A couple of months after the Tua fight, distraught over a perceived snub in the [[WBC]] rankings, Ibeabuchi abducted the 15-year-old son of his former girlfriend and slammed his car into a concrete pillar on Interstate 35 north of Austin, Texas. According to the criminal complaint, the boy suffered "numerous injuries" from the accident "and will never walk normally again." Ibeabuchi was charged with kidnapping and attempted murder, but the courts concluded he was trying to commit suicide, and he was sentenced to 120 days after pleading guilty to false imprisonment. He also paid a $500,000 civil settlement.

"It was a very frustrating case because what he did wasn't as clearly criminal as what I expected him to get involved with down the line," said District Attorney John Bradley, who prosecuted Ibeabuchi. "I fully expected that his contact with the criminal justice system had not ended with our county. We weren't able to get him examined, but it sure seemed to me -- even if he was a heavyweight boxer looking at making millions of dollars -- that he should have been committed to a psychiatric community and treated."

Ibeabuchi developed a new persona based on his nickname, "The President." When he was being churlish or refusing to complete a simple requirement, such as attending a weigh-in, his handlers would appeal to The President's regal nature by convincing him it was the noble thing to do. "There were times when he thought he was really a president," boxing promoter and former HBO Sports executive [[Lou DiBella]] said. "He would get into these mental states where he insisted on people calling him The President. It was his alter ago, where 'I am The President,' not of the United States, but maybe the world."

Promoter [[Cedric Kushner]] said Ibeabuchi on two occasions had to be literally dragged onto airplanes before fights because of perceived demonic forces.

Ibeabuchi once wielded a knife during a dinner meeting in New York to discuss a possible three-fight HBO deal. "We were having a fine meal at a nice restaurant," Kushner said, "and mid-course, Ike picked up a big carving knife, slammed it into the table and screamed 'They knew it! They knew it! The belts belong to me! Why don't they just give them back.' That was a peculiar experience," Kushner said. "That wasn't the type of conduct I expected to romance the guy from HBO. (Ibeabuchi) was like a Viking."

While training for the Byrd fight in February 1999, one of Ibeabuchi's sparring partners, [[Ezra Sellers]], cut him during a sparring session.

The cut was on the left eyelid and would take four stitches. Sellers had his gloves and handwraps removed by Jay Wilson, Ibeabuchi's assistant trainer. Afterward, Sellers retrieved his wedding ring from his gym bag and went over to apologize.

Ibeabuchi spotted the ring and accused Sellers of intentionally cutting him. Sellers said Ibeabuchi then kicked him in the right knee.

"As I was falling, I grabbed him and he wound up on top of me, straddling me, and he was punching my head and then he was choking me, and finally they pulled him off me," Sellers said. "I said, 'Your own trainer wrapped my hand,' and that sent him off after (Wilson)."

Sellers left the gym to find a policeman. That's when he realized he couldn't walk and took a cab instead to a hospital. He was told to forget a March 12 boxing date because of torn knee ligaments.

After leaving the hospital, Sellers filed charges. So did Wilson. However, they later dropped the charges.

A former Kushner matchmaker, Bill Benton, was dispatched by the promoter and HBO to check on Ibeabuchi. Benton said the Sellers incident was "just a gym skirmish" and the fight with Byrd went off as planned.

In July 1999, Ibeabuchi was staying at The Mirage Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas when he phoned a local escort service and had a woman sent to his room.

The 21-year-old woman said she was there to strip and nothing else. She claimed he attacked her in the walk-in closet after she demanded to be paid up front.

"He invites her up to his room and begins to get physical with her," said Christopher Lalli, a Clark County chief deputy district attorney. It got loud enough that people in the adjoining room notified hotel security.

"When they enter the room," Lalli said, "a woman, naked from the waist down, is running toward them."

Ibeabuchi barricaded himself in the bathroom, and police discharged pepper spray under the door to coax his surrender.

Ibeabuchi's defense faced the further difficulty of the Clark County DA's reopening of a similar sexual assault allegation from eight months earlier that took place next door to The Mirage, at sister-property Treasure Island Hotel and Casino.

He was released on bail and placed on house arrest—able to train and fight again until his trial—but he was remanded after two more sexual-assault allegations surfaced in Arizona.

"The troubling thing for us was this was not an isolated incident," Lalli said.

Lalli said the case against Ibeabuchi's crimes at The Mirage was solid. There was physical evidence, eyewitness testimony, a pattern of unacceptable behavior.

"It was evidence you don't have nine times out of 10 in these cases when you go to trial," Lalli said.

Ibeabuchi was deemed incompetent to stand trial and was sent to a state facility for the mentally ill. Medical experts concluded he exhibited bipolar disorder, and a judge granted permission to force-medicate him. Eight months later, 2½ years after his arrest, he was ruled cogent enough to plea.

He entered an Alford plea, conceding the prosecution had enough evidence to convict him while not admitting guilt. Had he gone to trial and been found guilty of rape, he could have received 10 years to life in prison. Instead, he got two to 10 years for battery with intent to commit a crime and three to 20 years for attempted sexual assault, to be served consecutively.

Ibeabuchi was paroled on the first charge in 2001 and has been denied parole on the second charge four times. He was denied parole in 2004, 2007, 2009 and 2012. He is not eligible for another hearing until May 2013, at which time he will be 40. Ibeabuchi also faces likely deportation.

"We felt confident he was going to spend a good chunk of time in prison and then get kicked out of the country," Lalli said.

Since his incarceration, Ibeabuchi has earned two college degrees from Western Nevada Community College: an Associate of General Studies and an Associate of Applied Science in General Business.
*Release pending. @age 41, "The President" certainly has plans to resume his career. Interested Promoters may call our Management/Mentor/TRAINER Team Bill Hodge/ John Wilkinson (860)515-7680.
==External Links==
[http://www.nydailynews.com/archives/sports/ibeabuchi-boxing-black-eye-article-1.825315 "Ibeabuchi Gives Boxing A Black Eye" by Michael Katz - ''New York Daily News'' - March 5, 1999] 
[http://www.ikeibeabuchi.com/biography.php?m=doc&c=58&id=81 "Ibeabuchi Close To Being Unleashed" by Tim Graham - ESPN.com - August 18, 2004] 
[http://fightnews.ru/pirrova_pobeda_ayka_ibeabuchi_ili_kak_tua_pokalechil_prezide "Ike Ibeabuchi and the 'Pseudomonarchia Daemonum'" by Chris Thompson - FightNews.RU - December 19, 2007]

Joe Bugner vs. Chuck Wepner

2014-03-16T17:35:47Z

Bill hodge:

<fight>26534</fight>
[[File:bugwep.jpg|250px|right]]
'''Promoter:''' [[Harry Levine]]
== Notes ==
* [[Joe Bugner]] 26-2 (18 KOs) vs. [[Chuck Wepner]] 20-6-2 (7 KOs)
* At just 20 years of age, Bugner was 11 years younger than Chuck Wepner.
* Prior to the bout, Bugner trained in the United States where he sparred with [[Cassius Clay]], [[Joe Frazier]], [[Sonny Liston]] and [[Jimmy Ellis]]. Following his four round sparring session with Clay, Clay remarked that Joe needed "2 more years and 2 tough fights and then you might have the white heavyweight hope of the world" (per [[Harry Carpenter]] during the broadcast)
* Wepner came into the bout off a brutal stoppage to [[Sonny Liston]] less than three months earlier. The doctor called a halt to that bout as Wepner had multiple cuts to his face and was bleeding heavily.

== Bout Summary ==
Bugner came out and worked confidently behind the jab in the opening round as Wepner came forward and threw mostly wide punches. By the end of the round, the left side of Wepner's face had already begun to show signs of wear from Bugner's jab. In Round 2, Bugner continued to pump his jab into Wepner's face with little defensive resistance. Toward the end of the round he landed a solid combination to the body. Wepner was looking to close the distance and get on the inside but was met with a stiff jab that seemed to temporarily dissuade him. Midway through Round 3 a gash opened above the right eye of Wepner that almost immediately covered the side of his face with blood. Perhaps because of the cut, both fighters turned up their intensity and exchanged power shots for much of the remainder of the round. Following the round, Referee [[Harry Gibbs]] came over to view the cut and decided to call an end to the bout despite arguments from Wepner's corner to at least give him one more round.

John Wilkinson

2014-01-22T02:18:50Z

Bill hodge:

confusion: Referee John Wilkinson and boxer John Wilkinson ARE NOT the same person. Boxer John Wilkinson [Global ID 1855, New Britain,CT] has
amateur record verified 24-15-1 10 Kos and 'halted' 3x; won Army V Corp as Novice in 1976 [4-0, 4 Kos],then took Open with r.1 [0:18]Ko vs veteran Leonard Dunn, Dunn's only career knock-out loss. USAREUR 1/4 F. 1977 Tournament was eliminated against VII Corps Morris Eason. Competed as light welterweight in early days under Services Coach William Robinson. On the German,member of the Bad Kreuznach boxing program under programs Director Helmut Graf;And -TRAINER- Wilfred Reisner. Lost decision vs German Klaus Schreiner in a 1978 duel meet (middle cls); lost split dec. vs Rudiger Held for Rheinland light middleweight title in 1978. Won decision vs Marcos Garcia at Fulda in early 78, repping German side in duel confrontation. Garcia a former New Mexico Golden Gloves champion. Rep BK BoxKlub in a duel meeting at Naestved, Denmark in March 78 losing on injury vs #4 rated nationally Gunnar Frandsen who took match at 'catchweight' stepping up one cls. In States competed in two States (won, 1985); two Western NE Regionals (won at Holyoke, 83); one Central Mass Regional at Lowell (won 1986 tournament) and participated in three NE Golden Gloves. 83 dropped relatively close decision vs defending titlist Bob Christakos; in 85 lost -VERY CLOSE match- vs Ray Daniels, who came to tournament w/ 2-0 record vs #7 nationally rated Stephon Frost (Albany, NY), then in 86 dropped -wide- decision against Robert Perez (Hartford) at NE 1/2 f. Holds wins vs John DeCastro (Ledyard), Vinny Lucas (Lowell), Jim Dowd (1981, at Central Ct. State College).
Established 156 lb competitor in the region. Was the principle founder of CCSU Boxing in 1980 (to 1992).

Tewa Kiram

2014-01-21T18:03:26Z

Bill hodge:

[[File:Teerachai Kratingdaenggym.jpg|300px|thumb|left]]
<boxer>440084</boxer>

Samuel Vargas vs. Manolis Plaitis

2014-01-18T12:44:29Z

Bill hodge:

<fight>1645356</fight>

*'''[[Canadian Boxing Federation]] Welterweight Title''' (Vacant title)
*'''Time:''' 2:49

==Notes==
*Canadian title had been stripped from [[Victor Puiu]] in December 2011.
*During the last minute of the first round, Vargas landed a right hand that stunned Plaitis and sent him to the ropes. Vargas followed up by unleashing a barrage of punches that caused Plaitis to visit the canvas. While the referee started the count, it quickly became apparent that Plaitis would not beat the count, such that the referee waved off the fight.
*Plaitis was down for several minutes before finally being able to regain his corner.

{{start box}}
{{Fight Succession Box|
before=[[Victor Puiu vs. Leonardo Rojas|Puiu vs. Rojas]]|
title=[[Canadian Boxing Federation Welterweight Title Fights|Canadian Welterweight Title Fight]] # 108|
after=Current|
}}
{{end box}}

Fight:84466

2014-01-15T20:03:23Z

Bill hodge: Blanked the page

Fight:612733

2014-01-15T19:59:33Z

Bill hodge: Blanked the page

Fight:576177

2014-01-15T19:54:12Z

Bill hodge: Blanked the page

Fight:418176

2014-01-15T19:50:38Z

Bill hodge: Blanked the page

Carl Williams

2014-01-10T03:56:30Z

Bill hodge:

[[File:Carl Williams .4141.jpg|250px|thumb|left]]
<boxer>001287</boxer>

== New York Golden Gloves Champion ==
'''Carl Williams''' won two New York Golden Gloves Championships. Williams won both the 1980 New York Golden Gloves Sub-Novice Heavyweight Championship and the 1981 Heavyweight Open Championship. Williams stopped(RSC-2} John Kibelka of the New York City Recreation in the finals of the 1980 Sub-Novice Heavyweight Championship and in 1981 Williams stopped(RSC-2} Ronald Turner of the 25th Precinct in the finals to win the Championship. Williams trained at the New York City Recreations O'Connell Center.

*Won the 1981 heavyweight Intercity Golden Gloves over [[Craig Bodzianowski]] at heavyweight.
*Worked as a security guard in downtown Manhattan at Ground Zero after retirement from the ring, and later worked security for Verizon in Queens, New York. He was twice divorced and had three children.

== Death ==
Williams died of esophageal cancer in New York City on April 7, 2013. He was survived by his daughter Carla and son Daniel. Another daughter, 12 year old Nilah, died of leukemia and predeceased him.

{{DEFAULTSORT:Williams, Carl}}
[[Category:New York Daily News Golden Gloves Champions]]
[[Category:Intercity Golden Gloves Champions]]
[[Category:African American Boxers]]
[[Category:2013 Deaths]]

Human:838

2014-01-06T22:25:51Z

Bill hodge: Created page with "This ex-boxer resides in East Hartford, CT., -name on this record incorrect- Milton (Cuda) Leak."

This ex-boxer resides in East Hartford, CT., -name on this record incorrect- Milton (Cuda) Leak.

Tewa Kiram

2013-12-29T00:06:29Z

Bill hodge:

[[File:Teerachai Kratingdaenggym.jpg|300px|thumb|left]]
<boxer>440084</boxer>
John Wilkinson challenges Teerachai [my boxer ID: 1855, New Britain, Connecticut]. Six round with binding contract. If I do not -win- I will pay for the round trip air fare. No "Casino" locations. (860)515-7680 email: Pure_Boxing11044@live.com CAN NOT BE LESS THAN SEVEN WEEKS NOTICE. (12/25/2013 --entry--If Boxrec allows to Stand. Advisor,Bill Hodge)

Tewa Kiram

2013-12-25T15:13:19Z

Bill hodge:

[[File:Teerachai Kratingdaenggym.jpg|300px|thumb|left]]
<boxer>440084</boxer>
John Wilkinson challenges Teerachai. Six round with binding contract. If I do not -win- I will pay for the round trip air fare. No "Casino" locations. (860)515-7680 email: Pure_Boxing11044@live.com CAN NOT BE LESS THAN SEVEN WEEKS NOTICE. (12/25/2013 --entry--If Boxrec allows to Stand. Advisor,Bill Hodge)

John Wilkinson

2013-12-24T19:30:38Z

Bill hodge:

confusion: Referee John Wilkinson and boxer John Wilkinson ARE NOT the same person. Boxer John Wilkinson [Global ID 1855, New Britain,CT] has
amateur record verified 24-15-1 10 Ko's and 'halted' 3x; won Army V Corp as Novice in 1976 [4-0, 4 Ko's],then took Open with r.1 [0:18]Ko vs veteran Leonard Dunn, Dunn's only career knock-out loss. USAREUR 1/4 F. 1977 Tournament was eliminated against VII Corps Morris Eason. Competed as light welterweight in early days under Services Coach William Robinson. On the German,member of the Bad Kreuznach boxing program under programs Director Helmut Graf;And -TRAINER- Wilfred Reisner. Lost decision vs German Klaus Schreiner in a 1978 duel meet (middle cls); lost split dec. vs Rudiger Held for Rheinland light middleweight title in 1978. Won decision vs Marcos Garcia at Fulda in early 78, repping German side in duel confrontation. Garcia a former New Mexico Golden Gloves champion. Rep BK BoxKlub in a duel meeting at Naestved, Denmark in March 78 losing on injury vs #4 rated nationally Gunnar Frandsen who took match at 'catchweight' stepping up one cls. In States competed in two States (won, 1985); two Western NE Regionals (won at Holyoke, 83); one Central Mass Regional at Lowell (won 1986 tournament) and participated in three NE Golden Gloves. 83 dropped relatively close decision vs defending titlist Bob Christakos; in 85 lost -VERY CLOSE match- vs Ray Daniels, who came to tournament w/ 2-0 record vs #7 nationally rated Stephon Frost (Albany, NY), then in 86 dropped -wide- decision against Robert Perez (Hartford) at NE 1/2 f. Holds wins vs John DeCastro (Ledyard), Vinny Lucas (Lowell), Jim Dowd (1981, at Central Ct. State College).
Established 156 lb competitor in the region. Was the principle founder of CCSU Boxing in 1980 (to 1992).

John Wilkinson

2013-12-24T00:00:05Z

Bill hodge:

confusion: Referee John Wilkinson and boxer John Wilkinson ARE NOT the same person. Boxer John Wilkinson [Global ID 1855, New Britain,CT] has
amateur record verified 24-15-1 10 Ko's and 'halted' 3x; won Army V Corp as Novice in 1976 [4-0, 4 Ko's],then took Open with r.1 [0:18]Ko vs veteran Leonard Dunn, Dunn's only career knock-out loss. USAREUR 1/4 F. 1977 Tournament was eliminated against VII Corps Morris Eason. Competed as light welterweight in early days. On the German,member of the Bad Kreuznach boxing program under programs Director Helmut Graf. Lost decision vs German Klaus Schreiner in a 1978 duel meet (middle cls); lost split dec. vs Rudiger Held for Rheinland light middleweight title in 1978. Won decision vs Marcos Garcia at Fulda in early 78, repping German side in duel confrontation. Garcia a former New Mexico Golden Gloves champion. Rep BK BoxKlub in a duel meeting at Naestved, Denmark in March 78 losing on injury vs #4 rated nationally Gunnar Frandsen who took match at 'catchweight' stepping up one cls. In States competed in two States (won, 1985); two Western NE Regionals (won at Holyoke, 83); one Central Mass Regional at Lowell (won 1986 tournament) and participated in three NE Golden Gloves. 83 dropped relatively close decision vs defending titlist Bob Christakos; in 85 lost -VERY CLOSE match- vs Ray Daniels, who came to tournament w/ 2-0 record vs #7 nationally rated Stephon Frost (Albany, NY), then in 86 dropped -wide- decision against Robert Perez (Hartford) at NE 1/2 f. Holds wins vs John DeCastro (Ledyard), Vinny Lucas (Lowell), Jim Dowd (1981, at Central Ct. State College).
Established 156 lb competitor in the region. Was the principle founder of CCSU Boxing in 1980 (to 1992).

John Wilkinson

2013-12-23T23:49:16Z

Bill hodge:

confusion: Referee John Wilkinson and boxer John Wilkinson ARE NOT the same person.
Amateur record verified 24-15-1 10 Ko's and 'halted' 3x.
Amateur record: won Army V Corp as Novice in 1976; then took the Open with 1 r. Ko vs veteran Leonard Dunn, Dunn's only career knock-out loss. USAREUR 1/4 F. 1977 Tournament was eliminated against VII Corps Morris Eason. Competed as light welterweight in early days. On the German did a member of the Bad Kreuznach boxing program under programs Director Helmut Graf. Lost decision vs German Klaus Schreiner (middleweight) in a 1978 duel meet. Lost split dec. vs Rudiger Held for Rheinland light middleweight title in 1978. Won decision vs Marcos Garcia in a Fulda duel meet in early 78; repped German side in duel confrontation. Garcia a former New Mexico Golden Gloves champion. Rep BK BoxKlub in a duel meeting at Naestved, Denmark in March 78 losing on injury vs #4 rated nationally Gunnar Frandsen who took match at 'catchweight' stepping up one cls. In States competed in two States (won, 1985); two Western NE Regionals (won at Holyoke, 83); one Central Mass Regional at Lowell (won 1986 tournament) and participated in three NE Golden Gloves. 83 dropped relatively close match vs defending title holder Bob Christakos; in 85 lost -even closer match- vs Ray Daniels, who came to tournament w/ 2-0 record vs #7 nationally rated Stephon Frost (Albany, NY), then in 86 dropped -wide- decision against Robert Perez (Hartford) at NE 1/2 f. Holds wins vs John DeCastro (Ledyard), Vinny Lucas (Lowell), Jim Dowd (1981, at Central Ct. State College).
Established 156 lb competitor in the region. Was the principle founder of CCSU Boxing in 1980 (to 1992).

Mike Oliver

2013-12-16T18:59:21Z

Bill hodge:

[[File:MikeOliver.jpg|250px|thumb|left]]
<boxer>64303</boxer>

* Mike Oliver had over 300 amateur bouts.

== Titles Held ==
*New England Super Bantamweight Title (2009)
* [[IBO]] Super Bantamweight Title (2007)
* [[USBA]] Super Bantamweight Title (2006-07)
**Mike Oliver's -true- Nickname actually is, "machine-gun".

Jack Sharkey

2013-12-15T14:44:33Z

Bill hodge:

[[File:JackSharkey.JPG|left|thumb|300px|]]
[[file:Ibhof-logo.jpg|thumb|right|Class of 1994 Old Timer Category Hall of Fame bio:[http://www.ibhof.com/pages/about/inductees/oldtimer/sharkeyjack.html click]]]
[[File:WBHF Logo.jpg|right|thumb|200px|World Boxing Hall of Fame Inductee]]
<boxer>010616</boxer>
'''Division''': Heavyweight 
'''Trainer''': [[Tony Polazzolo]] 
'''Manager''': [[Johnny Buckley]] 
'''[[:Category:Jack Sharkey Gallery|Jack Sharkey Gallery]]'''

== Biography ==
A fast and well-schooled fighter with no lack of heart and determination, '''Jack Sharkey''' is nonetheless overshadowed by the other heavyweight champions of his era. Sharkey's indefatigable willingness to fight any opponent is best illustrated by his distinction in being the only man to have faced both [[Jack Dempsey]] and [[Joe Louis]] in prizefights. Though he consistently fought the best, Jack did not always win when up against the true upper crust of the division. In fact, his finest performances are perhaps his losses to Dempsey and [[Max Schmeling]]. Outspoken about his own confidence in his abilities and often surly or uncooperative in business, Jack had the talent to back up his ego. He remained a constant presence at or near the top of the heavyweight division for nearly a decade and solidified in his place in boxing lore by becoming heavyweight champion.
===Early Years===
[[file:Sharkey.Jack3.jpg|right|150px|Jack Sharkey]]
Born Joseph Paul Zukauskas, the son of Lithuanian immigrants, Sharkey was born in Binghamton, New York but moved to Boston, Massachusetts as a young man. Sources report little of his early life until, at the outset of the First World War, teenaged Joseph repeatedly tried to enlist in the Navy. Turned down because of his age, he was not able to enlist until after the end of the war. It was during his tenure in the Navy that he first showed interest in boxing. Tall and husky for a man of his generation, Joseph (or ?Big Skee? as he was nicknamed at the time) was encouraged by his friends in the service to box. He quickly established notoriety as the best boxer aboard any vessel on which he served. During his brief returns home to Boston he took part in his first fights for pay, the first taking place on January 24, 1924 against one [[Billy Muldoon]], who was dispatched inside of a round. By the time of his honorable discharge just short of a month later, he had won a second fight and was already earning write ups in the Boston papers. 
Having found himself a manager and now focused entirely on his career as a prizefighter, young Zukauskus decided to adopt a more publicity-friendly stage name. He decided upon Jack Sharkey, combining the names of two of his idols, heavyweight boxing icons [[Jack Dempsey]] and [[Tom Sharkey]]. Jack met with moderate success in his first two years of fighting mainly in the Boston area. Though he did not always win his early bouts, he routinely fought reputable opponents with vast experience advantages over him. As a result, his technique improved quickly, as was displayed in his 1926 New York City debut, fought at no less a venue than [[Madison Square Garden]]. His opponent, [[Eddie Huffman]], was no contender but was still a favorite over the Bostonian. The unknown Sharkey boxed well enough over ten rounds to take the decision and earn notice in fight circles as an up-and-coming heavyweight. Five follow-up wins led to a match with future hall of famer [[Harry Wills]], who was considered at the time to be the fighter all of the top heavyweights made a point to avoid. To the surprise of many, Sharkey clearly outboxed the veteran Wills who retaliated with an illegal backhand blow that got him disqualified in the thirteenth round. It was Wills? first defeat in four years and Jack Sharkey was now a major contender for [[Gene Tunney|Gene Tunney's]] heavyweight championship.
===Dempsey and Schmeling===
To start off 1927, Jack stopped former light heavyweight champ [[Mike McTigue]] in twelve rounds and then Boston rival [[Jim Maloney]] in five. Then it was on to a match with his own idol, former champion Jack Dempsey. The winner was scheduled to meet Tunney for the title. On July 21, 1927 at Yankee Stadium in New York, Sharkey proved too fast and too hungry for the aging and rusty Manassa Mauler. He clearly outboxed Dempsey and was amassing a wide points lead going into the seventh round when, believing himself to have been fowled by a low blow from Dempsey, Jack turned to the referee to complain. At the very moment, Dempsey landed a classic left hook directly to Sharkey's chin. Sharkey, who had dropped his guard when complaining to the referee, immediately fell forward onto the canvas and was counted out while clutching his groin and moaning in agony. Though Dempsey supporters rallied around the technicality that a fighter should protect himself at all times, many who left that night felt that Sharkey had proven himself Dempsey's master, loss or no. 
It was no wonder then that, over the next couple of years, Sharkey continued to be respected as one of the most consistent performers in the division. He held future title challenger [[Tom Heeney]] to a twelve round draw, dropped a decision to highly regarded Johnny Risko, and then rebounded with seven consecutive wins against impressive competition. In 1929 he proved especially successful, beating both [[Young Stribling]] and [[Tommy Loughran]], two future hall of famers who had a combined 296 wins to their credit when Jack fought them. Thus, after Tunney retired, Sharkey was a shoe-in to fight for the vacated world championship. His opponent would be Germany's [[Max Schmeling]], a little-known counter puncher whose record lacked the big names evident on Sharkey's. On June 12, 1930, in his first fight for the title, Jack again exhibited terrific boxing ability and appeared to have control of the fight going into the fourth round. In that round, he landed what appeared to be a low blow on Schmeling, who fell to his knees howling that he had been fouled. When Schmeling's manager broke into the ring, chaos ensued and the panicked referee disqualified Sharkey.
===World Champion===
Still determined to prove himself with the best in the world, Sharkey next took on [[Mickey Walker]], the popular brawler and former two-division champion who was moving up in weight in hopes of winning the heavyweight title. In an admittedly close fight in which Sharkey scored the only knockdown, the judges ruled the fight a draw. Then he moved from having a considerable size advantage against Walker to being at a decided size disadvantage against Italy's [[Primo Carnera]] on October 12, 1931. Carnera stood over six and a half feet tall and weighed two hundred and sixty one pounds, but had none of the technique of a clever boxer like Sharkey. Jack boxed rings around the ?Ambling Alp,? scored a knockdown in the fourth, walked away with a decision after fifteen rounds, and earned himself a second shot at Schmeling. 
Max Schmeling was still the heavyweight champion of the world when the pair fought their rematch at Madison Square Garden on June 21, 1932. This time Sharkey emerged the victor and new champion, winning a fifteen round split decision. But again success came with bitterness. Many in the crowd felt that Schmeling had gotten the better of the action and the Garden echoed with chants of ?robbery.? Plans for a rematch were ruined when Schmeling lost his 1933 fight to big, hard-hitting [[Max Baer]]. So the new champion, supposedly under pressure from mob figures, decided to face Primo Carnera once more on June 29, 1933. Though he again proved Primo's nsuperior in speed and skill, Jack was rendered unconscious by a huge right uppercut directly below his jaw in the sixth round. Afterward, the press surged with accusations about Sharkey taking a dive, though the man himself denied such rumors to his dying day.

===Later Years===
After incurring two more losses before the close of 1933, Sharkey was considered by many to be a shot fighter. He took an entire year off before returning in 1935. In his next four fights, all against mediocre opposition, Sharkey could only manage two wins. He was then placed in the ring as a name opponent for up-and-coming sensation [[Joe Louis]] on August 18, 1936. Floored four times inside of three rounds before suffering a knockout, Jack never fought professionally again. In retirement, he owned a bar, often worked as a referee, and often earned money from various personal appearances. He died on August 17, 1994 at the age of 91, just months after his induction into the [[International Boxing Hall of Fame]].
===Sources===
Fleischer, Nat. [[The Heavyweight Championship]]. 1961. 
Johnston, Alexander. [[Ten and Out]] 1943. 
Roberts, James B. and Alexander G. Skutt. [[The Boxing Register]]. 4th ed.2006.

{{start box}}
{{Succession box|
before=[[Max Schmeling]]|
title=[[World Heavyweight Champion]]|
after=[[Primo Carnera]]|
years=1932 Jun 21 – 1933 Jun 29
}}
{{Succession box|
before=[[Max Schmeling]]|
title=[[NBA World Heavyweight Champion]]|
after=[[Max Baer]]
years=1932 Jun 21 – 1933 Jun 29 '''Vacated''' (Carnera not recognized)
}}
{{Succession box|
before=[[Max Schmeling]] Stripped|
title=[[NYSAC World Heavyweight Champion]]|
after=[[Primo Carnera]]|
years=1932 Jun 21 – 1933 Jun 29
}}
{{end box}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Sharkey, Jack}}
[[Category:Lithuanian American Boxers]]
[[Category:World Heavyweight Champions]]
[[Category:American World Champions]]
[[Category:IBHOF Members]]
[[Category:World Boxing Hall of Fame Members]]
[[Category:The Ring Magazine Champions]]

Jack Sharkey

2013-12-15T14:37:54Z

Bill hodge:

[[File:JackSharkey.JPG|left|thumb|300px|]]
[[file:Ibhof-logo.jpg|thumb|right|Class of 1994 Old Timer Category Hall of Fame bio:[http://www.ibhof.com/pages/about/inductees/oldtimer/sharkeyjack.html click]]]
[[File:WBHF Logo.jpg|right|thumb|200px|World Boxing Hall of Fame Inductee]]
<boxer>010616</boxer>
'''Division''': Heavyweight 
'''Trainer''': [[Tony Polazzolo]] 
'''Manager''': [[Johnny Buckley]] 
'''[[:Category:Jack Sharkey Gallery|Jack Sharkey Gallery]]'''

== Biography ==
A fast and well-schooled fighter with no lack of heart and determination, '''Jack Sharkey''' is nonetheless overshadowed by the other heavyweight champions of his era. Sharkey's indefatigable willingness to fight any opponent is best illustrated by his distinction in being the only man to have faced both [[Jack Dempsey]] and [[Joe Louis]] in prizefights. Though he consistently fought the best, Jack did not always win when up against the true upper crust of the division. In fact, his finest performances are perhaps his losses to Dempsey and [[Max Schmeling]]. Outspoken about his own confidence in his abilities and often surly or uncooperative in business, Jack had the talent to back up his ego. He remained a constant presence at or near the top of the heavyweight division for nearly a decade and solidified in his place in boxing lore by becoming heavyweight champion.
===Early Years===
[[file:Sharkey.Jack3.jpg|right|150px|Jack Sharkey]]
Born Joseph Paul Zukauskas, the son of Lithuanian immigrants, Sharkey was born in Binghamton, New York but moved to Boston, Massachusetts as a young man. Sources report little of his early life until, at the outset of the First World War, teenaged Joseph repeatedly tried to enlist in the Navy. Turned down because of his age, he was not able to enlist until after the end of the war. It was during his tenure in the Navy that he first showed interest in boxing. Tall and husky for a man of his generation, Joseph (or ?Big Skee? as he was nicknamed at the time) was encouraged by his friends in the service to box. He quickly established notoriety as the best boxer aboard any vessel on which he served. During his brief returns home to Boston he took part in his first fights for pay, the first taking place on January 24, 1924 against one [[Billy Muldoon]], who was dispatched inside of a round. By the time of his honorable discharge just short of a month later, he had won a second fight and was already earning write ups in the Boston papers. 
Having found himself a manager and now focused entirely on his career as a prizefighter, young Zukauskus decided to adopt a more publicity-friendly stage name. He decided upon Jack Sharkey, combining the names of two of his idols, heavyweight boxing icons [[Jack Dempsey]] and [[Tom Sharkey]]. Jack met with moderate success in his first two years of fighting mainly in the Boston area. Though he did not always win his early bouts, he routinely fought reputable opponents with vast experience advantages over him. As a result, his technique improved quickly, as was displayed in his 1926 New York City debut, fought at no less a venue than [[Madison Square Garden]]. His opponent, [[Eddie Huffman]], was no contender but was still a favorite over the Bostonian. The unknown Sharkey boxed well enough over ten rounds to take the decision and earn notice in fight circles as an up-and-coming heavyweight. Five follow-up wins led to a match with future hall of famer [[Harry Wills]], who was considered at the time to be the fighter all of the top heavyweights made a point to avoid. To the surprise of many, Sharkey clearly outboxed the veteran Wills who retaliated with an illegal backhand blow that got him disqualified in the thirteenth round. It was Wills? first defeat in four years and Jack Sharkey was now a major contender for [[Gene Tunney|Gene Tunney's]] heavyweight championship.
===Dempsey and Schmeling===
To start off 1927, Jack stopped former light heavyweight champ [[Mike McTigue]] in twelve rounds and then Boston rival [[Jim Maloney]] in five. Then it was on to a match with his own idol, former champion Jack Dempsey. The winner was scheduled to meet Tunney for the title. On July 21, 1927 at Yankee Stadium in New York, Sharkey proved too fast and too hungry for the aging and rusty Manassa Mauler. He clearly outboxed Dempsey and was amassing a wide points lead going into the seventh round when, believing himself to have been fowled by a low blow from Dempsey, Jack turned to the referee to complain. At the very moment, Dempsey landed a classic left hook directly to Sharkey's chin. Sharkey, who had dropped his guard when complaining to the referee, immediately fell forward onto the canvas and was counted out while clutching his groin and moaning in agony. Though Dempsey supporters rallied around the technicality that a fighter should protect himself at all times, many who left that night felt that Sharkey had proven himself Dempsey?s master, loss or no. 
It was no wonder then that, over the next couple of years, Sharkey continued to be respected as one of the most consistent performers in the division. He held future title challenger [[Tom Heeney]] to a twelve round draw, dropped a decision to highly regarded Johnny Risko, and then rebounded with seven consecutive wins against impressive competition. In 1929 he proved especially successful, beating both [[Young Stribling]] and [[Tommy Loughran]], two future hall of famers who had a combined 296 wins to their credit when Jack fought them. Thus, after Tunney retired, Sharkey was a shoe-in to fight for the vacated world championship. His opponent would be Germany's [[Max Schmeling]], a little-known counter puncher whose record lacked the big names evident on Sharkey's. On June 12, 1930, in his first fight for the title, Jack again exhibited terrific boxing ability and appeared to have control of the fight going into the fourth round. In that round, he landed what appeared to be a low blow on Schmeling, who fell to his knees howling that he had been fouled. When Schmeling's manager broke into the ring, chaos ensued and the panicked referee disqualified Sharkey.
===World Champion===
Still determined to prove himself with the best in the world, Sharkey next took on [[Mickey Walker]], the popular brawler and former two-division champion who was moving up in weight in hopes of winning the heavyweight title. In an admittedly close fight in which Sharkey scored the only knockdown, the judges ruled the fight a draw. Then he moved from having a considerable size advantage against Walker to being at a decided size disadvantage against Italy's [[Primo Carnera]] on October 12, 1931. Carnera stood over six and a half feet tall and weighed two hundred and sixty one pounds, but had none of the technique of a clever boxer like Sharkey. Jack boxed rings around the ?Ambling Alp,? scored a knockdown in the fourth, walked away with a decision after fifteen rounds, and earned himself a second shot at Schmeling. 
Max Schmeling was still the heavyweight champion of the world when the pair fought their rematch at Madison Square Garden on June 21, 1932. This time Sharkey emerged the victor and new champion, winning a fifteen round split decision. But again success came with bitterness. Many in the crowd felt that Schmeling had gotten the better of the action and the Garden echoed with chants of ?robbery.? Plans for a rematch were ruined when Schmeling lost his 1933 fight to big, hard-hitting [[Max Baer]]. So the new champion, supposedly under pressure from mob figures, decided to face Primo Carnera once more on June 29, 1933. Though he again proved Primo's nsuperior in speed and skill, Jack was rendered unconscious by a huge right uppercut directly below his jaw in the sixth round. Afterward, the press surged with accusations about Sharkey taking a dive, though the man himself denied such rumors to his dying day.

===Later Years===
After incurring two more losses before the close of 1933, Sharkey was considered by many to be a shot fighter. He took an entire year off before returning in 1935. In his next four fights, all against mediocre opposition, Sharkey could only manage two wins. He was then placed in the ring as a name opponent for up-and-coming sensation [[Joe Louis]] on August 18, 1936. Floored four times inside of three rounds before suffering a knockout, Jack never fought professionally again. In retirement, he owned a bar, often worked as a referee, and often earned money from various personal appearances. He died on August 17, 1994 at the age of 91, just months after his induction into the [[International Boxing Hall of Fame]].
===Sources===
Fleischer, Nat. [[The Heavyweight Championship]]. 1961. 
Johnston, Alexander. [[Ten and Out]] 1943. 
Roberts, James B. and Alexander G. Skutt. [[The Boxing Register]]. 4th ed.2006.

{{start box}}
{{Succession box|
before=[[Max Schmeling]]|
title=[[World Heavyweight Champion]]|
after=[[Primo Carnera]]|
years=1932 Jun 21 – 1933 Jun 29
}}
{{Succession box|
before=[[Max Schmeling]]|
title=[[NBA World Heavyweight Champion]]|
after=[[Max Baer]]
years=1932 Jun 21 – 1933 Jun 29 '''Vacated''' (Carnera not recognized)
}}
{{Succession box|
before=[[Max Schmeling]] Stripped|
title=[[NYSAC World Heavyweight Champion]]|
after=[[Primo Carnera]]|
years=1932 Jun 21 – 1933 Jun 29
}}
{{end box}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Sharkey, Jack}}
[[Category:Lithuanian American Boxers]]
[[Category:World Heavyweight Champions]]
[[Category:American World Champions]]
[[Category:IBHOF Members]]
[[Category:World Boxing Hall of Fame Members]]
[[Category:The Ring Magazine Champions]]

Jack Sharkey

2013-12-15T14:23:00Z

Bill hodge:

[[File:JackSharkey.JPG|left|thumb|300px|]]
[[file:Ibhof-logo.jpg|thumb|right|Class of 1994 Old Timer Category Hall of Fame bio:[http://www.ibhof.com/pages/about/inductees/oldtimer/sharkeyjack.html click]]]
[[File:WBHF Logo.jpg|right|thumb|200px|World Boxing Hall of Fame Inductee]]
<boxer>010616</boxer>
'''Division''': Heavyweight 
'''Trainer''': [[Tony Polazzolo]] 
'''Manager''': [[Johnny Buckley]] 
'''[[:Category:Jack Sharkey Gallery|Jack Sharkey Gallery]]'''

== Biography ==
A fast and well-schooled fighter with no lack of heart and determination, '''Jack Sharkey''' is nonetheless overshadowed by the other heavyweight champions of his era. Sharkey's indefatigable willingness to fight any opponent is best illustrated by his distinction in being the only man to have faced both [[Jack Dempsey]] and [[Joe Louis]] in prizefights. Though he consistently fought the best, Jack did not always win when up against the true upper crust of the division. In fact, his finest performances are perhaps his losses to Dempsey and [[Max Schmeling]]. Outspoken about his own confidence in his abilities and often surly or uncooperative in business, Jack had the talent to back up his ego. He remained a constant presence at or near the top of the heavyweight division for nearly a decade and solidified in his place in boxing lore by becoming heavyweight champion.
===Early Years===
[[file:Sharkey.Jack3.jpg|right|150px|Jack Sharkey]]
Born Joseph Paul Zukauskas, the son of Lithuanian immigrants, Sharkey was born in Binghamton, New York but moved to Boston, Massachusetts as a young man. Sources report little of his early life until, at the outset of the First World War, teenaged Joseph repeatedly tried to enlist in the Navy. Turned down because of his age, he was not able to enlist until after the end of the war. It was during his tenure in the Navy that he first showed interest in boxing. Tall and husky for a man of his generation, Joseph (or ?Big Skee? as he was nicknamed at the time) was encouraged by his friends in the service to box. He quickly established notoriety as the best boxer aboard any vessel on which he served. During his brief returns home to Boston he took part in his first fights for pay, the first taking place on January 24, 1924 against one [[Billy Muldoon]], who was dispatched inside of a round. By the time of his honorable discharge just short of a month later, he had won a second fight and was already earning write ups in the Boston papers. 
Having found himself a manager and now focused entirely on his career as a prizefighter, young Zukauskus decided to adopt a more publicity-friendly stage name. He decided upon Jack Sharkey, combining the names of two of his idols, heavyweight boxing icons [[Jack Dempsey]] and [[Tom Sharkey]]. Jack met with moderate success in his first two years of fighting mainly in the Boston area. Though he did not always win his early bouts, he routinely fought reputable opponents with vast experience advantages over him. As a result, his technique improved quickly, as was displayed in his 1926 New York City debut, fought at no less a venue than [[Madison Square Garden]]. His opponent, [[Eddie Huffman]], was no contender but was still a favorite over the Bostonian. The unknown Sharkey boxed well enough over ten rounds to take the decision and earn notice in fight circles as an up-and-coming heavyweight. Five follow-up wins led to a match with future hall of famer [[Harry Wills]], who was considered at the time to be the fighter all of the top heavyweights made a point to avoid. To the surprise of many, Sharkey clearly outboxed the veteran Wills who retaliated with an illegal backhand blow that got him disqualified in the thirteenth round. It was Wills? first defeat in four years and Jack Sharkey was now a major contender for [[Gene Tunney|Gene Tunney's]] heavyweight championship.
===Dempsey and Schmeling===
To start off 1927, Jack stopped former light heavyweight champ [[Mike McTigue]] in twelve rounds and then Boston rival [[Jim Maloney]] in five. Then it was on to a match with his own idol, former champion Jack Dempsey. The winner was scheduled to meet Tunney for the title. On July 21, 1927 at Yankee Stadium in New York, Sharkey proved too fast and too hungry for the aging and rusty Manassa Mauler. He clearly outboxed Dempsey and was amassing a wide points lead going into the seventh round when, believing himself to have been fowled by a low blow from Dempsey, Jack turned to the referee to complain. At the very moment, Dempsey landed a classic left hook directly to Sharkey?s chin. Sharkey, who had dropped his guard when complaining to the referee, immediately fell forward onto the canvas and was counted out while clutching his groin and moaning in agony. Though Dempsey supporters rallied around the technicality that a fighter should protect himself at all times, many who left that night felt that Sharkey had proven himself Dempsey?s master, loss or no. 
It was no wonder then that, over the next couple of years, Sharkey continued to be respected as one of the most consistent performers in the division. He held future title challenger [[Tom Heeney]] to a twelve round draw, dropped a decision to highly regarded Johnny Risko, and then rebounded with seven consecutive wins against impressive competition. In 1929 he proved especially successful, beating both [[Young Stribling]] and [[Tommy Loughran]], two future hall of famers who had a combined 296 wins to their credit when Jack fought them. Thus, after Tunney retired, Sharkey was a shoe-in to fight for the vacated world championship. His opponent would be Germany's [[Max Schmeling]], a little-known counter puncher whose record lacked the big names evident on Sharkey's. On June 12, 1930, in his first fight for the title, Jack again exhibited terrific boxing ability and appeared to have control of the fight going into the fourth round. In that round, he landed what appeared to be a low blow on Schmeling, who fell to his knees howling that he had been fouled. When Schmeling's manager broke into the ring, chaos ensued and the panicked referee disqualified Sharkey.
===World Champion===
Still determined to prove himself with the best in the world, Sharkey next took on [[Mickey Walker]], the popular brawler and former two-division champion who was moving up in weight in hopes of winning the heavyweight title. In an admittedly close fight in which Sharkey scored the only knockdown, the judges ruled the fight a draw. Then he moved from having a considerable size advantage against Walker to being at a decided size disadvantage against Italy?s [[Primo Carnera]] on October 12, 1931. Carnera stood over six and a half feet tall and weighed two hundred and sixty one pounds, but had none of the technique of a clever boxer like Sharkey. Jack boxed rings around the ?Ambling Alp,? scored a knockdown in the fourth, walked away with a decision after fifteen rounds, and earned himself a second shot at Schmeling. 
Max Schmeling was still the heavyweight champion of the world when the pair fought their rematch at Madison Square Garden on June 21, 1932. This time Sharkey emerged the victor and new champion, winning a fifteen round split decision. But again success came with bitterness. Many in the crowd felt that Schmeling had gotten the better of the action and the Garden echoed with chants of ?robbery.? Plans for a rematch were ruined when Schmeling lost his 1933 fight to big, hard-hitting [[Max Baer]]. So the new champion, supposedly under pressure from mob figures, decided to face Primo Carnera once more on June 29, 1933. Though he again proved Primo's nsuperior in speed and skill, Jack was rendered unconscious by a huge right uppercut directly below his jaw in the sixth round. Afterward, the press surged with accusations about Sharkey taking a dive, though the man himself denied such rumors to his dying day.

===Later Years===
After incurring two more losses before the close of 1933, Sharkey was considered by many to be a shot fighter. He took an entire year off before returning in 1935. In his next four fights, all against mediocre opposition, Sharkey could only manage two wins. He was then placed in the ring as a name opponent for up-and-coming sensation [[Joe Louis]] on August 18, 1936. Floored four times inside of three rounds before suffering a knockout, Jack never fought professionally again. In retirement, he owned a bar, often worked as a referee, and often earned money from various personal appearances. He died on August 17, 1994 at the age of 91, just months after his induction into the [[International Boxing Hall of Fame]].
===Sources===
Fleischer, Nat. [[The Heavyweight Championship]]. 1961. 
Johnston, Alexander. [[Ten and Out]] 1943. 
Roberts, James B. and Alexander G. Skutt. [[The Boxing Register]]. 4th ed.2006.

{{start box}}
{{Succession box|
before=[[Max Schmeling]]|
title=[[World Heavyweight Champion]]|
after=[[Primo Carnera]]|
years=1932 Jun 21 – 1933 Jun 29
}}
{{Succession box|
before=[[Max Schmeling]]|
title=[[NBA World Heavyweight Champion]]|
after=[[Max Baer]]
years=1932 Jun 21 – 1933 Jun 29 '''Vacated''' (Carnera not recognized)
}}
{{Succession box|
before=[[Max Schmeling]] Stripped|
title=[[NYSAC World Heavyweight Champion]]|
after=[[Primo Carnera]]|
years=1932 Jun 21 – 1933 Jun 29
}}
{{end box}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Sharkey, Jack}}
[[Category:Lithuanian American Boxers]]
[[Category:World Heavyweight Champions]]
[[Category:American World Champions]]
[[Category:IBHOF Members]]
[[Category:World Boxing Hall of Fame Members]]
[[Category:The Ring Magazine Champions]]

Jack Sharkey

2013-12-15T14:16:00Z

Bill hodge:

[[File:JackSharkey.JPG|left|thumb|300px|]]
[[file:Ibhof-logo.jpg|thumb|right|Class of 1994 Old Timer Category Hall of Fame bio:[http://www.ibhof.com/pages/about/inductees/oldtimer/sharkeyjack.html click]]]
[[File:WBHF Logo.jpg|right|thumb|200px|World Boxing Hall of Fame Inductee]]
<boxer>010616</boxer>
'''Division''': Heavyweight 
'''Trainer''': [[Tony Polazzolo]] 
'''Manager''': [[Johnny Buckley]] 
'''[[:Category:Jack Sharkey Gallery|Jack Sharkey Gallery]]'''

== Biography ==
A fast and well-schooled fighter with no lack of heart and determination, '''Jack Sharkey''' is nonetheless overshadowed by the other heavyweight champions of his era. Sharkey's indefatigable willingness to fight any opponent is best illustrated by his distinction in being the only man to have faced both [[Jack Dempsey]] and [[Joe Louis]] in prizefights. Though he consistently fought the best, Jack did not always win when up against the true upper crust of the division. In fact, his finest performances are perhaps his losses to Dempsey and [[Max Schmeling]]. Outspoken about his own confidence in his abilities and often surly or uncooperative in business, Jack had the talent to back up his ego. He remained a constant presence at or near the top of the heavyweight division for nearly a decade and solidified in his place in boxing lore by becoming heavyweight champion.
===Early Years===
[[file:Sharkey.Jack3.jpg|right|150px|Jack Sharkey]]
Born Joseph Paul Zukauskas, the son of Lithuanian immigrants, Sharkey was born in Binghamton, New York but moved to Boston, Massachusetts as a young man. Sources report little of his early life until, at the outset of the First World War, teenaged Joseph repeatedly tried to enlist in the Navy. Turned down because of his age, he was not able to enlist until after the end of the war. It was during his tenure in the Navy that he first showed interest in boxing. Tall and husky for a man of his generation, Joseph (or ?Big Skee? as he was nicknamed at the time) was encouraged by his friends in the service to box. He quickly established notoriety as the best boxer aboard any vessel on which he served. During his brief returns home to Boston he took part in his first fights for pay, the first taking place on January 24, 1924 against one [[Billy Muldoon]], who was dispatched inside of a round. By the time of his honorable discharge just short of a month later, he had won a second fight and was already earning write ups in the Boston papers. 
Having found himself a manager and now focused entirely on his career as a prizefighter, young Zukauskus decided to adopt a more publicity-friendly stage name. He decided upon Jack Sharkey, combining the names of two of his idols, heavyweight boxing icons [[Jack Dempsey]] and [[Tom Sharkey]]. Jack met with moderate success in his first two years of fighting mainly in the Boston area. Though he did not always win his early bouts, he routinely fought reputable opponents with vast experience advantages over him. As a result, his technique improved quickly, as was displayed in his 1926 New York City debut, fought at no less a venue than [[Madison Square Garden]]. His opponent, [[Eddie Huffman]], was no contender but was still a favorite over the Bostonian. The unknown Sharkey boxed well enough over ten rounds to take the decision and earn notice in fight circles as an up-and-coming heavyweight. Five follow-up wins led to a match with future hall of famer [[Harry Wills]], who was considered at the time to be the fighter all of the top heavyweights made a point to avoid. To the surprise of many, Sharkey clearly outboxed the veteran Wills who retaliated with an illegal backhand blow that got him disqualified in the thirteenth round. It was Wills? first defeat in four years and Jack Sharkey was now a major contender for [[Gene Tunney|Gene Tunney's]] heavyweight championship.
===Dempsey and Schmeling===
To start off 1927, Jack stopped former light heavyweight champ [[Mike McTigue]] in twelve rounds and then Boston rival [[Jim Maloney]] in five. Then it was on to a match with his own idol, former champion Jack Dempsey. The winner was scheduled to meet Tunney for the title. On July 21, 1927 at Yankee Stadium in New York, Sharkey proved too fast and too hungry for the aging and rusty Manassa Mauler. He clearly outboxed Dempsey and was amassing a wide points lead going into the seventh round when, believing himself to have been fowled by a low blow from Dempsey, Jack turned to the referee to complain. At the very moment, Dempsey landed a classic left hook directly to Sharkey?s chin. Sharkey, who had dropped his guard when complaining to the referee, immediately fell forward onto the canvas and was counted out while clutching his groin and moaning in agony. Though Dempsey supporters rallied around the technicality that a fighter should protect himself at all times, many who left that night felt that Sharkey had proven himself Dempsey?s master, loss or no. 
It was no wonder then that, over the next couple of years, Sharkey continued to be respected as one of the most consistent performers in the division. He held future title challenger [[Tom Heeney]] to a twelve round draw, dropped a decision to highly regarded Johnny Risko, and then rebounded with seven consecutive wins against impressive competition. In 1929 he proved especially successful, beating both [[Young Stribling]] and [[Tommy Loughran]], two future hall of famers who had a combined 296 wins to their credit when Jack fought them. Thus, after Tunney retired, Sharkey was a shoe-in to fight for the vacated world championship. His opponent would be Germany's [[Max Schmeling]], a little-known counter puncher whose record lacked the big names evident on Sharkey's. On June 12, 1930, in his first fight for the title, Jack again exhibited terrific boxing ability and appeared to have control of the fight going into the fourth round. In that round, he landed what appeared to be a low blow on Schmeling, who fell to his knees howling that he had been fouled. When Schmeling's manager broke into the ring, chaos ensued and the panicked referee disqualified Sharkey.
===World Champion===
Still determined to prove himself with the best in the world, Sharkey next took on [[Mickey Walker]], the popular brawler and former two-division champion who was moving up in weight in hopes of winning the heavyweight title. In an admittedly close fight in which Sharkey scored the only knockdown, the judges ruled the fight a draw. Then he moved from having a considerable size advantage against Walker to being at a decided size disadvantage against Italy?s [[Primo Carnera]] on October 12, 1931. Carnera stood over six and a half feet tall and weighed two hundred and sixty one pounds, but had none of the technique of a clever boxer like Sharkey. Jack boxed rings around the ?Ambling Alp,? scored a knockdown in the fourth, walked away with a decision after fifteen rounds, and earned himself a second shot at Schmeling. 
Max Schmeling was still the heavyweight champion of the world when the pair fought their rematch at Madison Square Garden on June 21, 1932. This time Sharkey emerged the victor and new champion, winning a fifteen round split decision. But again success came with bitterness. Many in the crowd felt that Schmeling had gotten the better of the action and the Garden echoed with chants of ?robbery.? Plans for a rematch were ruined when Schmeling lost his 1933 fight to big, hard-hitting [[Max Baer]]. So the new champion, supposedly under pressure from mob figures, decided to face Primo Carnera once more on June 29, 1933. Though he again proved Primo's nsuperior in speed and skill, Jack was rendered unconscious by a huge right uppercut directly below his jaw in the sixth round. Afterward, the press surged with accusations about Sharkey taking a dive, though the man himself denied such rumors to his dying day.

===Later Years===
After incurring two more losses before the close of 1933, Sharkey was considered by many to be a shot fighter. He took an entire year off before returning in 1935. In his next four fights, all against mediocre opposition, Sharkey could only manage two wins. He was then placed in the ring as a name opponent for up-and-coming sensation [[Joe Louis]] on August 18, 1936. Floored four times inside of three rounds before suffering a knockout, Jack never fought professionally again. In retirement, he owned a bar, often worked as a referee, and often earned money from various personal appearances. He died on August 17, 1994 at the age of 91, just months after his induction into the [[International Boxing Hall of Fame]].
===Sources===
Fleischer, Nat. [[The Heavyweight Championship]]. 1961. 
Johnston, Alexander. [[Ten and Out]] 1943. 
Roberts, James B. and Alexander G. Skutt. [[The Boxing Register]]. 4th ed.2006.

{{start box}}
{{Succession box|
before=[[Max Schmeling]]|
title=[[World Heavyweight Champion]]|
after=[[Primo Carnera]]|
years=1932 Jun 21 – 1933 Jun 29
}}
{{Succession box|
before=[[Max Schmeling]]|
title=[[NBA World Heavyweight Champion]]|
after=[[Max Baer]]|
years=1932 Jun 21 – 1933 Jun 29 '''Vacated''' (Carnera not recognized)
}}
{{Succession box|
before=[[Max Schmeling]] Stripped|
title=[[NYSAC World Heavyweight Champion]]|
after=[[Primo Carnera]]|
years=1932 Jun 21 – 1933 Jun 29
}}
{{end box}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Sharkey, Jack}}
[[Category:Lithuanian American Boxers]]
[[Category:World Heavyweight Champions]]
[[Category:American World Champions]]
[[Category:IBHOF Members]]
[[Category:World Boxing Hall of Fame Members]]
[[Category:The Ring Magazine Champions]]

Jack Sharkey

2013-12-15T14:08:37Z

Bill hodge:

[[File:JackSharkey.JPG|left|thumb|300px|]]
[[file:Ibhof-logo.jpg|thumb|right|Class of 1994 Old Timer Category Hall of Fame bio:[http://www.ibhof.com/pages/about/inductees/oldtimer/sharkeyjack.html click]]]
[[File:WBHF Logo.jpg|right|thumb|200px|World Boxing Hall of Fame Inductee]]
<boxer>010616</boxer>
'''Division''': Heavyweight 
'''Trainer''': [[Tony Polazzolo]] 
'''Manager''': [[Johnny Buckley]] 
'''[[:Category:Jack Sharkey Gallery|Jack Sharkey Gallery]]'''

== Biography ==
A fast and well-schooled fighter with no lack of heart and determination, '''Jack Sharkey''' is nonetheless overshadowed by the other heavyweight champions of his era. Sharkey's indefatigable willingness to fight any opponent is best illustrated by his distinction in being the only man to have faced both [[Jack Dempsey]] and [[Joe Louis]] in prizefights. Though he consistently fought the best, Jack did not always win when up against the true upper crust of the division. In fact, his finest performances are perhaps his losses to Dempsey and [[Max Schmeling]]. Outspoken about his own confidence in his abilities and often surly or uncooperative in business, Jack had the talent to back up his ego. He remained a constant presence at or near the top of the heavyweight division for nearly a decade and solidified in his place in boxing lore by becoming heavyweight champion.
===Early Years===
[[file:Sharkey.Jack3.jpg|right|150px|Jack Sharkey]]
Born Joseph Paul Zukauskas, the son of Lithuanian immigrants, Sharkey was born in Binghamton, New York but moved to Boston, Massachusetts as a young man. Sources report little of his early life until, at the outset of the First World War, teenaged Joseph repeatedly tried to enlist in the Navy. Turned down because of his age, he was not able to enlist until after the end of the war. It was during his tenure in the Navy that he first showed interest in boxing. Tall and husky for a man of his generation, Joseph (or ?Big Skee? as he was nicknamed at the time) was encouraged by his friends in the service to box. He quickly established notoriety as the best boxer aboard any vessel on which he served. During his brief returns home to Boston he took part in his first fights for pay, the first taking place on January 24, 1924 against one [[Billy Muldoon]], who was dispatched inside of a round. By the time of his honorable discharge just short of a month later, he had won a second fight and was already earning write ups in the Boston papers. 
Having found himself a manager and now focused entirely on his career as a prizefighter, young Zukauskus decided to adopt a more publicity-friendly stage name. He decided upon Jack Sharkey, combining the names of two of his idols, heavyweight boxing icons [[Jack Dempsey]] and [[Tom Sharkey]]. Jack met with moderate success in his first two years of fighting mainly in the Boston area. Though he did not always win his early bouts, he routinely fought reputable opponents with vast experience advantages over him. As a result, his technique improved quickly, as was displayed in his 1926 New York City debut, fought at no less a venue than [[Madison Square Garden]]. His opponent, [[Eddie Huffman]], was no contender but was still a favorite over the Bostonian. The unknown Sharkey boxed well enough over ten rounds to take the decision and earn notice in fight circles as an up-and-coming heavyweight. Five follow-up wins led to a match with future hall of famer [[Harry Wills]], who was considered at the time to be the fighter all of the top heavyweights made a point to avoid. To the surprise of many, Sharkey clearly outboxed the veteran Wills who retaliated with an illegal backhand blow that got him disqualified in the thirteenth round. It was Wills? first defeat in four years and Jack Sharkey was now a major contender for [[Gene Tunney|Gene Tunney's]] heavyweight championship.
===Dempsey and Schmeling===
To start off 1927, Jack stopped former light heavyweight champ [[Mike McTigue]] in twelve rounds and then Boston rival [[Jim Maloney]] in five. Then it was on to a match with his own idol, former champion Jack Dempsey. The winner was scheduled to meet Tunney for the title. On July 21, 1927 at Yankee Stadium in New York, Sharkey proved too fast and too hungry for the aging and rusty Manassa Mauler. He clearly outboxed Dempsey and was amassing a wide points lead going into the seventh round when, believing himself to have been fowled by a low blow from Dempsey, Jack turned to the referee to complain. At the very moment, Dempsey landed a classic left hook directly to Sharkey?s chin. Sharkey, who had dropped his guard when complaining to the referee, immediately fell forward onto the canvas and was counted out while clutching his groin and moaning in agony. Though Dempsey supporters rallied around the technicality that a fighter should protect himself at all times, many who left that night felt that Sharkey had proven himself Dempsey?s master, loss or no. 
It was no wonder then that, over the next couple of years, Sharkey continued to be respected as one of the most consistent performers in the division. He held future title challenger [[Tom Heeney]] to a twelve round draw, dropped a decision to highly regarded Johnny Risko, and then rebounded with seven consecutive wins against impressive competition. In 1929 he proved especially successful, beating both [[Young Stribling]] and [[Tommy Loughran]], two future hall of famers who had a combined 296 wins to their credit when Jack fought them. Thus, after Tunney retired, Sharkey was a shoe-in to fight for the vacated world championship. His opponent would be Germany's [[Max Schmeling]], a little-known counter puncher whose record lacked the big names evident on Sharkey's. On June 12, 1930, in his first fight for the title, Jack again exhibited terrific boxing ability and appeared to have control of the fight going into the fourth round. In that round, he landed what appeared to be a low blow on Schmeling, who fell to his knees howling that he had been fouled. When Schmeling's manager broke into the ring, chaos ensued and the panicked referee disqualified Sharkey.
===World Champion===
Still determined to prove himself in the best in the world, Sharkey next took on [[Mickey Walker]], the popular brawler and former two-division champion who was moving up in weight in hopes of winning the heavyweight title. In an admittedly close fight in which Sharkey scored the only knockdown, the judges ruled the fight a draw. Then he moved from having a considerable size advantage against Walker to being at a decided size disadvantage against Italy?s [[Primo Carnera]] on October 12, 1931. Carnera stood over six and a half feet tall and weighed two hundred and sixty one pounds, but had none of the technique of a clever boxer like Sharkey. Jack boxed rings around the ?Ambling Alp,? scored a knockdown in the fourth, walked away with a decision after fifteen rounds, and earned himself a second shot at Schmeling. 
Max Schmeling was still the heavyweight champion of the world when the pair fought their rematch at Madison Square Garden on June 21, 1932. This time Sharkey emerged the victor and new champion, winning a fifteen round split decision. But again success came with bitterness. Many in the crowd felt that Schmeling had gotten the better of the action and the Garden echoed with chants of ?robbery.? Plans for a rematch were ruined when Schmeling lost his 1933 fight to big, hard-hitting [[Max Baer]]. So the new champion, supposedly under pressure from mob figures, decided to face Primo Carnera once more on June 29, 1933. Though he again proved Primo's nsuperior in speed and skill, Jack was rendered unconscious by a huge right uppercut directly below his jaw in the sixth round. Afterward, the press surged with accusations about Sharkey taking a dive, though the man himself denied such rumors to his dying day.

===Later Years===
After incurring two more losses before the close of 1933, Sharkey was considered by many to be a shot fighter. He took an entire year off before returning in 1935. In his next four fights, all against mediocre opposition, Sharkey could only manage two wins. He was then placed in the ring as a name opponent for up-and-coming sensation [[Joe Louis]] on August 18, 1936. Floored four times inside of three rounds before suffering a knockout, Jack never fought professionally again. In retirement, he owned a bar, often worked as a referee, and often earned money from various personal appearances. He died on August 17, 1994 at the age of 91, just months after his induction into the [[International Boxing Hall of Fame]].
===Sources===
Fleischer, Nat. [[The Heavyweight Championship]]. 1961. 
Johnston, Alexander. [[Ten and Out]] 1943. 
Roberts, James B. and Alexander G. Skutt. [[The Boxing Register]]. 4th ed.2006.

{{start box}}
{{Succession box|
before=[[Max Schmeling]]|
title=[[World Heavyweight Champion]]|
after=[[Primo Carnera]]|
years=1932 Jun 21 – 1933 Jun 29
}}
{{Succession box|
before=[[Max Schmeling]]|
title=[[NBA World Heavyweight Champion]]|
after=[[Max Baer]]|
years=1932 Jun 21 – 1933 Jun 29 '''Vacated''' (Carnera not recognized)
}}
{{Succession box|
before=[[Max Schmeling]] Stripped|
title=[[NYSAC World Heavyweight Champion]]|
after=[[Primo Carnera]]|
years=1932 Jun 21 – 1933 Jun 29
}}
{{end box}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Sharkey, Jack}}
[[Category:Lithuanian American Boxers]]
[[Category:World Heavyweight Champions]]
[[Category:American World Champions]]
[[Category:IBHOF Members]]
[[Category:World Boxing Hall of Fame Members]]
[[Category:The Ring Magazine Champions]]

Jack Sharkey

2013-12-15T14:06:53Z

Bill hodge:

[[File:JackSharkey.JPG|left|thumb|300px|]]
[[file:Ibhof-logo.jpg|thumb|right|Class of 1994 Old Timer Category Hall of Fame bio:[http://www.ibhof.com/pages/about/inductees/oldtimer/sharkeyjack.html click]]]
[[File:WBHF Logo.jpg|right|thumb|200px|World Boxing Hall of Fame Inductee]]
<boxer>010616</boxer>
'''Division''': Heavyweight 
'''Trainer''': [[Tony Polazzolo]] 
'''Manager''': [[Johnny Buckley]] 
'''[[:Category:Jack Sharkey Gallery|Jack Sharkey Gallery]]'''

== Biography ==
A fast and well-schooled fighter with no lack of heart and determination, '''Jack Sharkey''' is nonetheless overshadowed by the other heavyweight champions of his era. Sharkey's indefatigable willingness to fight any opponent is best illustrated by his distinction in being the only man to have faced both [[Jack Dempsey]] and [[Joe Louis]] in prizefights. Though he consistently fought the best, Jack did not always win when up against the true upper crust of the division. In fact, his finest performances are perhaps his losses to Dempsey and [[Max Schmeling]]. Outspoken about his own confidence in his abilities and often surly or uncooperative in business, Jack had the talent to back up his ego. He remained a constant presence at or near the top of the heavyweight division for nearly a decade and solidified in his place in boxing lore by becoming heavyweight champion.
===Early Years===
[[file:Sharkey.Jack3.jpg|right|150px|Jack Sharkey]]
Born Joseph Paul Zukauskas, the son of Lithuanian immigrants, Sharkey was born in Binghamton, New York but moved to Boston, Massachusetts as a young man. Sources report little of his early life until, at the outset of the First World War, teenaged Joseph repeatedly tried to enlist in the Navy. Turned down because of his age, he was not able to enlist until after the end of the war. It was during his tenure in the Navy that he first showed interest in boxing. Tall and husky for a man of his generation, Joseph (or ?Big Skee? as he was nicknamed at the time) was encouraged by his friends in the service to box. He quickly established notoriety as the best boxer aboard any vessel on which he served. During his brief returns home to Boston he took part in his first fights for pay, the first taking place on January 24, 1924 against one [[Billy Muldoon]], who was dispatched inside of a round. By the time of his honorable discharge just short of a month later, he had won a second fight and was already earning write ups in the Boston papers. 
Having found himself a manager and now focused entirely on his career as a prizefighter, young Zukauskus decided to adopt a more publicity-friendly stage name. He decided upon Jack Sharkey, combining the names of two of his idols, heavyweight boxing icons [[Jack Dempsey]] and [[Tom Sharkey]]. Jack met with moderate success in his first two years of fighting mainly in the Boston area. Though he did not always win his early bouts, he routinely fought reputable opponents with vast experience advantages over him. As a result, his technique improved quickly, as was displayed in his 1926 New York City debut, fought at no less a venue than [[Madison Square Garden]]. His opponent, [[Eddie Huffman]], was no contender but was still a favorite over the Bostonian. The unknown Sharkey boxed well enough over ten rounds to take the decision and earn notice in fight circles as an up-and-coming heavyweight. Five follow-up wins led to a match with future hall of famer [[Harry Wills]], who was considered at the time to be the fighter all of the top heavyweights made a point to avoid. To the surprise of many, Sharkey clearly outboxed the veteran Wills who retaliated with an illegal backhand blow that got him disqualified in the thirteenth round. It was Wills? first defeat in four years and Jack Sharkey was now a major contender for [[Gene Tunney|Gene Tunney?s]] heavyweight championship.
===Dempsey and Schmeling===
To start off 1927, Jack stopped former light heavyweight champ [[Mike McTigue]] in twelve rounds and then Boston rival [[Jim Maloney]] in five. Then it was on to a match with his own idol, former champion Jack Dempsey. The winner was scheduled to meet Tunney for the title. On July 21, 1927 at Yankee Stadium in New York, Sharkey proved too fast and too hungry for the aging and rusty Manassa Mauler. He clearly outboxed Dempsey and was amassing a wide points lead going into the seventh round when, believing himself to have been fowled by a low blow from Dempsey, Jack turned to the referee to complain. At the very moment, Dempsey landed a classic left hook directly to Sharkey?s chin. Sharkey, who had dropped his guard when complaining to the referee, immediately fell forward onto the canvas and was counted out while clutching his groin and moaning in agony. Though Dempsey supporters rallied around the technicality that a fighter should protect himself at all times, many who left that night felt that Sharkey had proven himself Dempsey?s master, loss or no. 
It was no wonder then that, over the next couple of years, Sharkey continued to be respected as one of the most consistent performers in the division. He held future title challenger [[Tom Heeney]] to a twelve round draw, dropped a decision to highly regarded Johnny Risko, and then rebounded with seven consecutive wins against impressive competition. In 1929 he proved especially successful, beating both [[Young Stribling]] and [[Tommy Loughran]], two future hall of famers who had a combined 296 wins to their credit when Jack fought them. Thus, after Tunney retired, Sharkey was a shoe-in to fight for the vacated world championship. His opponent would be Germany's [[Max Schmeling]], a little-known counter puncher whose record lacked the big names evident on Sharkey's. On June 12, 1930, in his first fight for the title, Jack again exhibited terrific boxing ability and appeared to have control of the fight going into the fourth round. In that round, he landed what appeared to be a low blow on Schmeling, who fell to his knees howling that he had been fouled. When Schmeling's manager broke into the ring, chaos ensued and the panicked referee disqualified Sharkey.
===World Champion===
Still determined to prove himself in the best in the world, Sharkey next took on [[Mickey Walker]], the popular brawler and former two-division champion who was moving up in weight in hopes of winning the heavyweight title. In an admittedly close fight in which Sharkey scored the only knockdown, the judges ruled the fight a draw. Then he moved from having a considerable size advantage against Walker to being at a decided size disadvantage against Italy?s [[Primo Carnera]] on October 12, 1931. Carnera stood over six and a half feet tall and weighed two hundred and sixty one pounds, but had none of the technique of a clever boxer like Sharkey. Jack boxed rings around the ?Ambling Alp,? scored a knockdown in the fourth, walked away with a decision after fifteen rounds, and earned himself a second shot at Schmeling. 
Max Schmeling was still the heavyweight champion of the world when the pair fought their rematch at Madison Square Garden on June 21, 1932. This time Sharkey emerged the victor and new champion, winning a fifteen round split decision. But again success came with bitterness. Many in the crowd felt that Schmeling had gotten the better of the action and the Garden echoed with chants of ?robbery.? Plans for a rematch were ruined when Schmeling lost his 1933 fight to big, hard-hitting [[Max Baer]]. So the new champion, supposedly under pressure from mob figures, decided to face Primo Carnera once more on June 29, 1933. Though he again proved Primo's nsuperior in speed and skill, Jack was rendered unconscious by a huge right uppercut directly below his jaw in the sixth round. Afterward, the press surged with accusations about Sharkey taking a dive, though the man himself denied such rumors to his dying day.

===Later Years===
After incurring two more losses before the close of 1933, Sharkey was considered by many to be a shot fighter. He took an entire year off before returning in 1935. In his next four fights, all against mediocre opposition, Sharkey could only manage two wins. He was then placed in the ring as a name opponent for up-and-coming sensation [[Joe Louis]] on August 18, 1936. Floored four times inside of three rounds before suffering a knockout, Jack never fought professionally again. In retirement, he owned a bar, often worked as a referee, and often earned money from various personal appearances. He died on August 17, 1994 at the age of 91, just months after his induction into the [[International Boxing Hall of Fame]].
===Sources===
Fleischer, Nat. [[The Heavyweight Championship]]. 1961. 
Johnston, Alexander. [[Ten and Out]] 1943. 
Roberts, James B. and Alexander G. Skutt. [[The Boxing Register]]. 4th ed.2006.

{{start box}}
{{Succession box|
before=[[Max Schmeling]]|
title=[[World Heavyweight Champion]]|
after=[[Primo Carnera]]|
years=1932 Jun 21 – 1933 Jun 29
}}
{{Succession box|
before=[[Max Schmeling]]|
title=[[NBA World Heavyweight Champion]]|
after=[[Max Baer]]|
years=1932 Jun 21 – 1933 Jun 29 '''Vacated''' (Carnera not recognized)
}}
{{Succession box|
before=[[Max Schmeling]] Stripped|
title=[[NYSAC World Heavyweight Champion]]|
after=[[Primo Carnera]]|
years=1932 Jun 21 – 1933 Jun 29
}}
{{end box}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Sharkey, Jack}}
[[Category:Lithuanian American Boxers]]
[[Category:World Heavyweight Champions]]
[[Category:American World Champions]]
[[Category:IBHOF Members]]
[[Category:World Boxing Hall of Fame Members]]
[[Category:The Ring Magazine Champions]]

Jack Sharkey

2013-12-15T14:03:26Z

Bill hodge:

[[File:JackSharkey.JPG|left|thumb|300px|]]
[[file:Ibhof-logo.jpg|thumb|right|Class of 1994 Old Timer Category Hall of Fame bio:[http://www.ibhof.com/pages/about/inductees/oldtimer/sharkeyjack.html click]]]
[[File:WBHF Logo.jpg|right|thumb|200px|World Boxing Hall of Fame Inductee]]
<boxer>010616</boxer>
'''Division''': Heavyweight 
'''Trainer''': [[Tony Polazzolo]] 
'''Manager''': [[Johnny Buckley]] 
'''[[:Category:Jack Sharkey Gallery|Jack Sharkey Gallery]]'''

== Biography ==
A fast and well-schooled fighter with no lack of heart and determination, '''Jack Sharkey''' is nonetheless overshadowed by the other heavyweight champions of his era. Sharkey's indefatigable willingness to fight any opponent is best illustrated by his distinction in being the only man to have faced both [[Jack Dempsey]] and [[Joe Louis]] in prizefights. Though he consistently fought the best, Jack did not always win when up against the true upper crust of the division. In fact, his finest performances are perhaps his losses to Dempsey and [[Max Schmeling]]. Outspoken about his own confidence in his abilities and often surly or uncooperative in business, Jack had the talent to back up his ego. He remained a constant presence at or near the top of the heavyweight division for nearly a decade and solidified in his place in boxing lore by becoming heavyweight champion.
===Early Years===
[[file:Sharkey.Jack3.jpg|right|150px|Jack Sharkey]]
Born Joseph Paul Zukauskas, the son of Lithuanian immigrants, Sharkey was born in Binghamton, New York but moved to Boston, Massachusetts as a young man. Sources report little of his early life until, at the outset of the First World War, teenaged Joseph repeatedly tried to enlist in the Navy. Turned down because of his age, he was not able to enlist until after the end of the war. It was during his tenure in the Navy that he first showed interest in boxing. Tall and husky for a man of his generation, Joseph (or ?Big Skee? as he was nicknamed at the time) was encouraged by his friends in the service to box. He quickly established notoriety as the best boxer aboard any vessel on which he served. During his brief returns home to Boston he took part in his first fights for pay, the first taking place on January 24, 1924 against one [[Billy Muldoon]], who was dispatched inside of a round. By the time of his honorable discharge just short of a month later, he had won a second fight and was already earning write ups in the Boston papers. 
Having found himself a manager and now focused entirely on his career as a prizefighter, young Zukauskus decided to adopt a more publicity-friendly stage name. He decided upon Jack Sharkey, combining the names of two of his idols, heavyweight boxing icons [[Jack Dempsey]] and [[Tom Sharkey]]. Jack met with moderate success in his first two years of fighting mainly in the Boston area. Though he did not always win his early bouts, he routinely fought reputable opponents with vast experience advantages over him. As a result, his technique improved quickly, as was displayed in his 1926 New York City debut, fought at no less a venue than [[Madison Square Garden]]. His opponent, [[Eddie Huffman]], was no contender but was still a favorite over the Bostonian. The unknown Sharkey boxed well enough over ten rounds to take the decision and earn notice in fight circles as an up-and-coming heavyweight. Five follow-up wins led to a match with future hall of famer [[Harry Wills]], who was considered at the time to be the fighter all of the top heavyweights made a point to avoid. To the surprise of many, Sharkey clearly outboxed the veteran Wills who retaliated with an illegal backhand blow that got him disqualified in the thirteenth round. It was Wills? first defeat in four years and Jack Sharkey was now a major contender for [[Gene Tunney|Gene Tunney?s]] heavyweight championship.
===Dempsey and Schmeling===
To start off 1927, Jack stopped former light heavyweight champ [[Mike McTigue]] in twelve rounds and then Boston rival [[Jim Maloney]] in five. Then it was on to a match with his own idol, former champion Jack Dempsey. The winner was scheduled to meet Tunney for the title. On July 21, 1927 at Yankee Stadium in New York, Sharkey proved too fast and too hungry for the aging and rusty Manassa Mauler. He clearly outboxed Dempsey and was amassing a wide points lead going into the seventh round when, believing himself to have been fowled by a low blow from Dempsey, Jack turned to the referee to complain. At the very moment, Dempsey landed a classic left hook directly to Sharkey?s chin. Sharkey, who had dropped his guard when complaining to the referee, immediately fell forward onto the canvas and was counted out while clutching his groin and moaning in agony. Though Dempsey supporters rallied around the technicality that a fighter should protect himself at all times, many who left that night felt that Sharkey had proven himself Dempsey?s master, loss or no. 
It was no wonder then that, over the next couple of years, Sharkey continued to be respected as one of the most consistent performers in the division. He held future title challenger [[Tom Heeney]] to a twelve round draw, dropped a decision to highly regarded Johnny Risko, and then rebounded with seven consecutive wins against impressive competition. In 1929 he proved especially successful, beating both [[Young Stribling]] and [[Tommy Loughran]], two future hall of famers who had a combined 296 wins to their credit when Jack fought them. Thus, after Tunney retired, Sharkey was a shoe-in to fight for the vacated world championship. His opponent would be Germany's [[Max Schmeling]], a little-known counter puncher whose record lacked the big names evident on Sharkey?s. On June 12, 1930, in his first fight for the title, Jack again exhibited terrific boxing ability and appeared to have control of the fight going into the fourth round. In that round, he landed what appeared to be a low blow on Schmeling, who fell to his knees howling that he had been fouled. When Schmeling?s manager broke into the ring, chaos ensued and the panicked referee disqualified Sharkey.
===World Champion===
Still determined to prove himself in the best in the world, Sharkey next took on [[Mickey Walker]], the popular brawler and former two-division champion who was moving up in weight in hopes of winning the heavyweight title. In an admittedly close fight in which Sharkey scored the only knockdown, the judges ruled the fight a draw. Then he moved from having a considerable size advantage against Walker to being at a decided size disadvantage against Italy?s [[Primo Carnera]] on October 12, 1931. Carnera stood over six and a half feet tall and weighed two hundred and sixty one pounds, but had none of the technique of a clever boxer like Sharkey. Jack boxed rings around the ?Ambling Alp,? scored a knockdown in the fourth, walked away with a decision after fifteen rounds, and earned himself a second shot at Schmeling. 
Max Schmeling was still the heavyweight champion of the world when the pair fought their rematch at Madison Square Garden on June 21, 1932. This time Sharkey emerged the victor and new champion, winning a fifteen round split decision. But again success came with bitterness. Many in the crowd felt that Schmeling had gotten the better of the action and the Garden echoed with chants of ?robbery.? Plans for a rematch were ruined when Schmeling lost his 1933 fight to big, hard-hitting [[Max Baer]]. So the new champion, supposedly under pressure from mob figures, decided to face Primo Carnera once more on June 29, 1933. Though he again proved Primo's nsuperior in speed and skill, Jack was rendered unconscious by a huge right uppercut directly below his jaw in the sixth round. Afterward, the press surged with accusations about Sharkey taking a dive, though the man himself denied such rumors to his dying day.

===Later Years===
After incurring two more losses before the close of 1933, Sharkey was considered by many to be a shot fighter. He took an entire year off before returning in 1935. In his next four fights, all against mediocre opposition, Sharkey could only manage two wins. He was then placed in the ring as a name opponent for up-and-coming sensation [[Joe Louis]] on August 18, 1936. Floored four times inside of three rounds before suffering a knockout, Jack never fought professionally again. In retirement, he owned a bar, often worked as a referee, and often earned money from various personal appearances. He died on August 17, 1994 at the age of 91, just months after his induction into the [[International Boxing Hall of Fame]].
===Sources===
Fleischer, Nat. [[The Heavyweight Championship]]. 1961. 
Johnston, Alexander. [[Ten and Out]] 1943. 
Roberts, James B. and Alexander G. Skutt. [[The Boxing Register]]. 4th ed.2006.

{{start box}}
{{Succession box|
before=[[Max Schmeling]]|
title=[[World Heavyweight Champion]]|
after=[[Primo Carnera]]|
years=1932 Jun 21 – 1933 Jun 29
}}
{{Succession box|
before=[[Max Schmeling]]|
title=[[NBA World Heavyweight Champion]]|
after=[[Max Baer]]|
years=1932 Jun 21 – 1933 Jun 29 '''Vacated''' (Carnera not recognized)
}}
{{Succession box|
before=[[Max Schmeling]] Stripped|
title=[[NYSAC World Heavyweight Champion]]|
after=[[Primo Carnera]]|
years=1932 Jun 21 – 1933 Jun 29
}}
{{end box}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Sharkey, Jack}}
[[Category:Lithuanian American Boxers]]
[[Category:World Heavyweight Champions]]
[[Category:American World Champions]]
[[Category:IBHOF Members]]
[[Category:World Boxing Hall of Fame Members]]
[[Category:The Ring Magazine Champions]]

Vinny Pazienza vs. Gilbert Dele

2013-12-13T12:07:03Z

Bill hodge:

<fight>5543</fight>
*'''[[World Boxing Association]] Super Welterweight Title''' 
*'''Time:''' 2:10 
*'''Weights:''' 154 lbs (each)
Duva Productions

Fight:576177

2013-12-13T11:57:09Z

Bill hodge:

Savannah originally matched up against Julio Torres, Wilkinson against Brian Barbosa. Matches switched up on day of production. Savannah a 1991 Nationals Golden Gloves middleweight champion.

Roberto Perez

2013-12-09T01:11:25Z

Bill hodge: Created page with "Perez, as a NEW ENGLAND Golden Gloves champion 156 lb. Cls. famously took a decision win against Mike Moorer at the 1986 National championships before losing against Terry Chr..."

Perez, as a NEW ENGLAND Golden Gloves champion 156 lb. Cls. famously took a decision win against Mike Moorer at the 1986 National championships before losing against Terry Christenson in his next bout following Moorer. Was 16-0 in Rings in Puerto Rico, amateur before moving to Connecticut when, John Scully (Windsor) gave him his 1ST loss. Also took wins from Tony Daley, and Nick Mejia but lost a second time against John Scully.

Fight:1324033

2013-12-03T02:48:44Z

Bill hodge:

March 22, 1953 Boston Sunday Globe Sports, article by Herb Ralby calls the time for this fight at 2:38. Goulart was knocked down three times. 4430 fans attended. Referee Manning stepped in. T. K. O.

Fight:1324033

2013-12-03T02:44:57Z

Bill hodge: Created page with "March 22, 1953 Boston Sunday Globe Sports, article by Herb Ralby calls the time for this fight at 2:38. Goulart was knocked down three times. 4430 fans attended."

March 22, 1953 Boston Sunday Globe Sports, article by Herb Ralby calls the time for this fight at 2:38. Goulart was knocked down three times. 4430 fans attended.

Max Baer

2013-11-03T22:16:45Z

Bill hodge:

[[file:Baer.Max3.jpg|left|thumb|350px|]]
[[file:Ibhof-logo.jpg|thumb|right|Class of 1995 Old Timer Category Hall of Fame bio:[http://www.ibhof.com/pages/about/inductees/oldtimer/baer.html click]]]
[[File:WBHF Logo.jpg|right|thumb|200px|World Boxing Hall of Fame Inductee]]
<boxer>012077</boxer>
'''Division''': Heavyweight 
'''Manager''': [[Ancil Hoffman]] 
'''Trainer''': [[Bob McAllister]] (circa 1931) 
'''[[:Category:Max Baer Gallery|Max Baer Gallery]]'''

==Career Overview==
Fun-loving, entertaining, hard-hitting, and charismatic, '''Max Baer''' was the fighter most responsible for maintaining the public's interest in the heavyweight division during early years of the Great Depression. Realizing that character and image were as important to creating boxing spectacles as was fighting prowess, Baer was a character unlike any other for his time. He substituted his contagious smile and clown-like ring antics for his lack of true boxing technique. Combined with his literally lethal punching power, Baer's personality made him perhaps the most popular boxer in the era between the retirement of [[Jack Dempsey]] and the rise of [[Joe Louis]]. Unfortunately, because of his uncomplimentary portrayal in the film [[Cinderella Man (Film)|"Cinderella Man"]]. Baer is wrongly perceived by many as an arrogant, bloodthirsty brat. Those who knew him describe a happy-go-lucky man, always looking for the lighter side of a brutal sport. It was precisely this perspective and behavior that made him so likable for those suffering the miseries of Depression era.
===Early Years===
Born in Omaha, Nebraska on February 11, 1909, Baer moved to Livermore, California with his family as a child. He often worked in his father's cattle slaughterhouse, a job he later claimed was responsible for his well-muscled frame, broad shoulders, and feared right hand punch (an article in the January, 1939 edition of The Family Circle Magazine reported that Baer also took the Charles Atlas exercise course.) By the age of eighteen he was already six feet tall and weighed 190 pounds. Encouraged by friends to train as a boxer, he set up his own gym on his father's ranch and set to building up his punching power. He eventually moved to Oakland in pursuit of finding a manager, taking a job at a local factory to support himself. There he met the factory owner's son, J. Hamilton Lorimer, who became his first manager. With Lorimer backing him, Max fought his first professional match in Stockton, California on May 16, 1929, knocking out the otherwise forgotten [[Chief Caribou]] in two rounds. He fought sixteen more times before the close of the year, losing just once, disqualified for picking up and throwing an opponent to the floor. He was again disqualified in his first match of 1930, this time for "stalling." He went on to win his next seven fights, however, six by knockout, securing a match with his most talented opponent yet, [[Human:13706|Les Kennedy]], one of the best fighters in California. Still raw and unschooled, Max was unable to solve the puzzle of Kennedy's professional, experienced style and lost a ten round decision. 
Despite the loss, Baer's aggressive style and knockout punch continued to make him a big draw on the West Coast. Thus he was still able to garner another major fight, against [[Frankie Campbell]], who had recently defeated Kennedy. On August 25, 1930, Max dominated his fight with Campbell, repeatedly raking him across the ropes until the referee stopped the slaughter in the fifth. By the time Baer relented, Campbell was completely unconscious and doctors failed to revive him after hours of trying. The death of the promising Campbell created an outrage among anti-boxing forces, prompting the California Commission to suspend the referee and several others involved. Though Max himself was not suspended, he was badly shaken by the tragedy and did not fight for another four months, his longest period of inactivity yet. In his next match, he lost a ten round decision to clever Ernie Schaaf. 
Though Baer had himself considered retirement after Frankie Campbell's death, that fight made headlines that had many people clamoring to witness the fabled punching power of the young Californian. Thus he was given a match against his first internationally known opponent, [[Tom Heeney]], a New Zealand fighter who had once done battle with [[Gene Tunney]] for the heavyweight title. Heeney was by this time well beyond his prime, however, and Baer had an easy time annihilating him inside of three rounds. This led to a fight with [[Tommy Loughran]], the lightning-quick future hall of famer and former light heavyweight champion of the world. The February 6, 1931 proved to be one of the most important bouts of Max's career. Though Loughran's talent and experience combined to give Baer a humiliating boxing lesson and take a ten round unanimous decision, he took the time to give Baer some pointers after the fight. Tommy told Max that he would go a long way if he would learn to quit looping his punches and straighten them out to provide a quicker route to the target. Meanwhile, Jack Dempsey, the former heavyweight champion who refereed the bout between Loughran and Baer, took notice of the youngster from California. He and Max became great friends and would remain so for the rest of their lives. Dempsey often acted as a mentor to Max and even promoted several of his fights.

===Contender & Champion===
Though Max lost his next two big name fights, against contenders, [[Johnny Risko]] and [[Paolino Uzcudun]], he showed more patience in the ring and better boxing technique, proving that he was listening to the advice given him by Loughran and Dempsey. The hard work paid dividends as Max won ten consecutive fights within an ten month period. Included among the wins were rematches with Risko, Kennedy, and Heeney, as well as two decisions over contender [[King Levinsky]]. By the Summer of 1932, Max was finally a legitimate contender for the heavyweight championship of the world. On August 31, 1932, he fought a rematch with slick boxing [[Ernie Schaaf]]. Though he fell slightly behind on points in the early going, Baer had paced himself for a long fight and turned slugger in the ninth. For two rounds he belted Ernie around the ring and, with two seconds to go in the fight, landed a devastating right that put his opponent flat on his face, completely unconscious. Because the bell rang before the referee could complete his count, Baer was robbed of the official knockout, but he did walk away with the ten round decision. When Schaaf suffered mortal injuries early in his fight with [[Primo Carnera]] just months later, many speculated that it was the leftover effects of his fight with Baer that truly did the fatal damage. 
After knocking out veteran contender [[Tuffy Griffiths]] in seven rounds, Baer was matched with former world champion [[Max Schmeling]]. A skilled boxer with a solid right hand punch, Schmeling was considered the outstanding contender for Jack Sharkey's heavyweight crown at the time. The German Schmeling had recently become a controversial figure in boxing because of his association with Nazi leader Adolf Hitler, who was despised by many Americans because of the Nazi persecution of Jews. Baer, though he was not raised Jewish, had Jewish blood in his family. Thus, mainly for publicity purposes, he sported the Star of David on his boxing trunks for the fight with Schmeling. This act made him immensely popular with the America's Jewish population and he would keep the symbol on his trunks for the remainder of his career. On June 8, 1933, Baer fought the fight of his life. At the fight's opening, he charged out aggressively and took immediate control of the fight. Lucky to survive Baer's early onslaught, Schmeling used his superior boxing technique and employing a strong body assault to gain a slight lead on the score cards in the middle rounds. In the ninth round, though, Baer seemed to get a second wind and lashed out once more. He stunned Schmeling into desperately defending himself, taking the round clearly. The tenth featured more of the same until Baer landed a huge right hand that sent Schmeling careening into the ropes. Another right moments later dropped the former champion. Barely able to rise at the count of nine, Schmeling was essentially finished. He could do little else but attempt to block Baer's storm of bombs. When more punishment sent the German fumbling once more against the ropes and a hard rabbit punch from Baer cracked the disorient Schmeling on the back of the head, referee Arthur Donovan stopped the fight. 
Now there was no dispute that Max Baer was the leading heavyweight contender. Shortly after the Schmeling fight, world champion [[Jack Sharkey]] lost his title by knockout to Italy's gigantic Primo Carnera. Carnera's great size made him a freak show sensation, but Max Baer was likely the most famous active fighter in the world at the time. Both he and Primo appeared together in the film [[The Prizefighter and the Lady]], with Max playing the lead role opposite love interest Myrna Loy. The climax of the film was a fictional showdown between Baer and Carnera, the fight most fight fans were desperately calling for in real life.
The fight finally took place on June 14, 1934, at Madison Square Garden. At the weigh-in before the bout, Max's zany behavior puzzled the champion but certainly satisfied the newspaper writers. He plucked hairs from Primo's well-muscled chest, musing as he did so, "He loves me; he loves me not." The he reached out and tickled Carnera, goofily shouting, "Boo, you big palooka!" Carnera could only manage a perplexed smile. The scales confirmed what everybody already knew: Baer would be at a rare size disadvantage, giving up more than fifty pounds in weight and at least three inches in height to the hulk from Italy. Because of his advantages, Carnera was the betting favorite. 
Uncharacteristically, Baer came out cautiously in the first round, keeping his distance as Primo tried to chase him down. When a wild right hand caught the champion flush, the tables seemed to instantly turn. Carnera crashed to the floor and appeared desperately groggy when he rose. Sensing a first round knockout imminent, Baer pressed forward for the first time, putting together a ruthless series of punches that sent Primo down twice more. Carnera showed tremendous heart in surviving the round, but was clearly unaware of his surroundings when the bell rang and he wandered into the wrong corner. Exhausted by his futile efforts to put the giant away, Baer tried desperately to finish the still groggy champion off in the second, but to no avail. The pair ended up clinching and wrestling for the next several rounds, with both men frequently tripping and falling to the canvas. During one of these tumbles, Baer got laughs from the crowd by looking over at Carnera and joking, "Last one up's a sissy!" Eventually Carnera, having steadied himself, began to use his size and reach against the challenger. The Italian was never known as a quality boxer, but, against the crude and exhausted challenger, he had had enough skills to gain a lead on the score cards as the fight entered the tenth round. Toward the end of that round a roundhouse right from Baer turned the tide once again, sending Primo fumbling across the ring. A follow-up fusillade of blows sent the champion down. The brave but battered Carnera made it to his feet just in time to hear the bell clang to signal the conclusion of the round. The minute rest did little to revive Carnera's senses. He came out for the eleventh, but proved to be little more than a gigantic target, going down twice more before the referee stopped the contest. Including the wrestling falls in the middle of the fight, Primo hit the deck eleven times in eleven rounds. Max Baer was the new world's champion. 
Max was a popular champion, charismatic and exciting to watch in the ring. As mentioned before, his clowning antics in and out of the ring were a breath of fresh air for fight fans suffering the tumultuous struggles of the Great Depression. But Max's carefree personality reflected an increasingly carefree lifestyle. Baer neglected serious training after winning the title. While he gave several popular boxing exhibitions, he stayed away from professional boxing for the period of a year and dissipated his talent. In the meantime, an unlikely contender by the name of [[Jim Braddock]] established himself as a credible challenger for Max's laurels. A down-and-out part-time fighter who also worked on the New Jersey docks, Braddock was thought to be washed up when he won three consecutive fights against some of the biggest names in the division, the press dubbing him the "Cinderella Man" because of his rags-to-riches story. When leading contender Max Schmeling's ties to the Nazis left promoters afraid to schedule the German a rematch with Baer, organizers instead picked up Braddock as an easy mark for Baer's first title defense.

===Braddock & Louis Fights===
On June 13, 1935, at Madison Square Garden, the heavily favored champion faced Braddock. Overconfident and under-trained, Baer found himself having an unexpected tough time against his smaller opponent. Braddock, meanwhile, fought the fight of his life. The challenger used constant movement and a stiff left jab to keep Max unsettled. Baer tried to throw his haymaker right hand, but Braddock knew to look out for it and the champion usually missed by a long distance. Unable to compete with Braddock's conditioning and technical precision, Baer could do little else but gasp for breath and make faces at his opponent. The champion fouled on occasion and, when warned by the referee, made theatrical gestures of apology to the crowd and Braddock. The result was a unanimous decision for Braddock in one of the great upsets in ring history. Baer, claiming injured hands, asked for a rematch, which he was never given. 
In interviews after the Braddock fight, Max admitted that he had failed to train properly for the fight and that he knew he needed to regain his focus on his boxing career. He promised fans to discipline himself better for his next scheduled match, against an undefeated sensation from Detroit by the name of [[Joe Louis]]. At this early stage of his career, Louis had beaten some credible opponents, including former champion Carnera, but had yet to face a fighter as dangerous as Baer. 88,150 people paid $1,000,832, the largest gate in nearly a decade and a considerable achievement in the midst of the Depression to see the two power punchers clash at Yankee Stadium on September 24, 1935. Going into this bout, Baer was hampered by hand injuries. Jeremy Schaap discussed in his book, ''[[Cinderella Man: James Braddock, Max Baer, and the Greatest Upset in Boxing History]],'' that Baer was having trouble with pain in his hands, which forced him to take an injection before the fight. However, the fight was delayed by a thunderstorm and the novocain started to wear off before the bout started. Though both men threw bombs as expected, Louis' punches were shorter, faster, and more accurate. If Baer kept his promise to train diligently for this fight, he never showed it. His punches were looping and amateurish and at no point did Louis show the effects of Baer's fabled power. Both men traded punches for three rounds, Joe clearly getting the better of the action. In the fourth round, looking exhausted and resigned to defeat after taking a hurricane of punishment from Louis, Baer dropped voluntarily to his knees. It was the first time Max had gone down in forty-eight professional fights. He rose to fight on, but was quickly flattened to the floor by a left-right combination. Though Max made it up to his knee, he could not rise in time and suffered his first knockout defeat. "I could have struggled up once more," he told reporters after the fight, "but when I get executed, people are going to have to pay more than twenty-five dollars a seat to watch it." He subsequently announced his retirement from boxing.

===Comeback & Later Years===
As is the case with many fighters, Baer's initial retirement did not last long. He was back in less than a year (weighing in at an all-time high of 226 pounds), winning a six round decision against overmatched [[Tony Souza]]. The Souza fight was the first in a series of eighteen bouts fought inside of three months, as Max toured the U.S. fighting local boys from Salt Lake City, Boise, San Antonio, Tulsa, Vancouver, Twin Falls, and other cities. A six-round exhibition match against Soldier Eddie Franks on September 3 1936 in Provo Utah ended in a 3-round knockout for Baer. On September 21, 1936, he fought another six round exhibition, this time against Andy Kid Miller, described in ''The Sheldon Mail''
Newspaper dispatch (quoted portions of story) from THE SHELDON MAIL (Sheldon, Iowa) SEPTEMBER 23, 1936 (by Earl Jinkinson) ....Max Baer, the clowning ex-heavyweight champion amused the large crowd by playfully toying with [[Andy Miller]] of Sioux City....As was expected the Sioux City lad was no match for the "Livermore Larruper"....someone asked him to hit Miller and Max replied "do you want me to committ murder?"....The bout was more of a clowning exhibition on the part of Max but the bout was well received by the large crowd. It seems to this correspondant that even after the Louis beating, which Max explained was due to his injured hands, and one look at his hands at this date is sufficient evidence to prove his contention, that Max is still a first class heavyweight contender....

On April 15, 1937 he faced his first ranked contender since the shellacking at the hands of Louis. His opponent was England's heavyweight champion, [[Tommy Farr]], who defeated the former world champion over twelve rounds. It was Max's first loss in twenty-three outings. Less than a year later he avenged the loss, flooring Tommy two times en route to a fifteen round decision, followed by a first round knockout of Ohio's [[Hank Hankinson]]. 
On June 1, 1939, Baer, having regained his status as one of the leading fighters in the division, fought up-and-comer [[Lou Nova]] at Yankee Stadium before 16,778 fans. In an exciting battle, Max suffered horrible facial swellings and cuts that forced the referee to stop the fight in the eleventh round. Though many subsequently wrote Baer off as finally finished as a world class fighter, he strung off four consecutive knockout wins inside of year, including a seventh round stoppage of hard-hitting contender [[Tony Galento]]. Thus he was given a second chance against Nova. On April 4, 1941, Max briefly showed shades of his old fighting prowess when flooring Nova with a right hand in the fourth round. As the fight went on, however, Nova took increasing control. After Baer went down twice in the eighth round, the referee stopped the fight. Max never fought professionally again. 
During World War II, the still popular Maxcap Max served as a physical conditioning instructor for the Air Force. Later he starred in a popular nightclub act with former light heavyweight champ [[Maxie Rosenbloom]]. Sometimes working as a referee in boxing and wrestling matches, he also enjoyed a movie acting career. He died of a heart attack on November 21, 1959 at age 50. In 1995 he won posthumous induction into the [[International Boxing Hall of Fame]]. Max's son, Max, Jr., became a popular television actor in the role of Jethro on The Beverly Hillbillies show. His younger brother, [[Buddy Baer]], was a ranked heavyweight contender during the late 1930s and 1940s.

==Factoids==
*Brother of fellow boxer [[Buddy Baer]]
*Father of [http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0046319/ Max Baer, Jr.]: "Jethro Bodine" of the television series "The Beverly Hillbillies"
*Max Baer was an actor in his own right
*His title bout with challenger [[Jim Braddock]] was the climax to the 2005 motion picture [[Cinderella Man (Film)|"Cinderella Man"]]
*According to an "Oddities of the Ring" article, as reported in the January 3, 1931 ''Bellingham Evening News'' (Bellingham, WA, USA), Baer had fought 110 rounds and scored 110 knockdowns.
*Died of a heart attack
*The 1998 Holiday Issue of ''Ring'' ranked Max Baer # 20 in ''"The 50 Greatest Heavyweights of All Time."''
*In ''Ring Magazine's 100 Greatest Punchers'' (published in 2003) Max Baer is ranked # 22.
*Max Baer was inducted into the ''World Boxing Hall of Fame'' in 1984 and the ''International Boxing Hall of Fame'' in 1995. Also in 2010 Baer was inducted into the [[International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame]]

== External Links ==
*[http://www.maxbaer.org/ Unofficial website]
*[http://www.maxbaerboxer.com/ Max Baer: Fighter Who Fought The Cinderella Man]
*Baer's motion picture [http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0046368/ credits]
*[http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=1248 Gravesite]
*[http://www.wbhf.org/inductees.html World Boxing Hall of Fame Inductees]
*''Fisticuffs'' film: [http://www.archive.org/details/TommyLoughranVsLeoLomski]
*[http://www.cyberboxingzone.com/boxing/baer.htm Max Baer's page at the Cyber Boxing Zone]

===Sources===
Bak, Richard. [[Joe Louis: The Great Black Hope]]. 1998. 
Fleischer, Nat. [[The Heavyweight Championship]]. 1961. 
Hague, Jim. [[Braddock: The Rise of the Cinderella Man]]. 2005. 
Johnston, Alexander. [[Ten and Out]]. 1943. 
Schaap, Jeremy. [[Cinderella Man: James Braddock, Max Baer, and the Greatest Upset in Boxing History]]. 2005 
Roberts, James B. and Alexander G. Skutt. [[The Boxing Register]]. 4th ed. 2006.

{{start box}}
{{Succession box|
before=[[Primo Carnera]]|
title=[[World Heavyweight Champion]] [[NYSAC World Heavyweight Champion]]|
after=[[Jim Braddock]]|
years=1934 Jun 14 – 1935 Jun 13
}}
{{Succession box|
before=[[Jack Sharkey]] Vacated Carnera not recognized|
title=[[NBA World Heavyweight Champion]]|
after=[[Jim Braddock]]|
years=1934 Jun 14 – 1935 Jun 13
}}
{{end box}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Baer, Max}}
[[Category:World Heavyweight Champions]]
[[Category:American World Champions]]
[[Category:IBHOF Members]]
[[Category:World Boxing Hall of Fame Members]]
[[Category: Actors]]
[[Category:The Ring Magazine Champions]]

Max Baer

2013-11-03T22:11:55Z

Bill hodge:

[[file:Baer.Max3.jpg|left|thumb|350px|]]
[[file:Ibhof-logo.jpg|thumb|right|Class of 1995 Old Timer Category Hall of Fame bio:[http://www.ibhof.com/pages/about/inductees/oldtimer/baer.html click]]]
[[File:WBHF Logo.jpg|right|thumb|200px|World Boxing Hall of Fame Inductee]]
<boxer>012077</boxer>
'''Division''': Heavyweight 
'''Manager''': [[Ancil Hoffman]] 
'''Trainer''': [[Bob McAllister]] (circa 1931) 
'''[[:Category:Max Baer Gallery|Max Baer Gallery]]'''

==Career Overview==
Fun-loving, entertaining, hard-hitting, and charismatic, '''Max Baer''' was the fighter most responsible for maintaining the public's interest in the heavyweight division during early years of the Great Depression. Realizing that character and image were as important to creating boxing spectacles as was fighting prowess, Baer was a character unlike any other for his time. He substituted his contagious smile and clown-like ring antics for his lack of true boxing technique. Combined with his literally lethal punching power, Baer's personality made him perhaps the most popular boxer in the era between the retirement of [[Jack Dempsey]] and the rise of [[Joe Louis]]. Unfortunately, because of his uncomplimentary portrayal in the film [[Cinderella Man (Film)|"Cinderella Man"]]. Baer is wrongly perceived by many as an arrogant, bloodthirsty brat. Those who knew him describe a happy-go-lucky man, always looking for the lighter side of a brutal sport. It was precisely this perspective and behavior that made him so likable for those suffering the miseries of Depression era.
===Early Years===
Born in Omaha, Nebraska on February 11, 1909, Baer moved to Livermore, California with his family as a child. He often worked in his father's cattle slaughterhouse, a job he later claimed was responsible for his well-muscled frame, broad shoulders, and feared right hand punch (an article in the January, 1939 edition of The Family Circle Magazine reported that Baer also took the Charles Atlas exercise course.) By the age of eighteen he was already six feet tall and weighed 190 pounds. Encouraged by friends to train as a boxer, he set up his own gym on his father's ranch and set to building up his punching power. He eventually moved to Oakland in pursuit of finding a manager, taking a job at a local factory to support himself. There he met the factory owner's son, J. Hamilton Lorimer, who became his first manager. With Lorimer backing him, Max fought his first professional match in Stockton, California on May 16, 1929, knocking out the otherwise forgotten [[Chief Caribou]] in two rounds. He fought sixteen more times before the close of the year, losing just once, disqualified for picking up and throwing an opponent to the floor. He was again disqualified in his first match of 1930, this time for "stalling." He went on to win his next seven fights, however, six by knockout, securing a match with his most talented opponent yet, [[Human:13706|Les Kennedy]], one of the best fighters in California. Still raw and unschooled, Max was unable to solve the puzzle of Kennedy's professional, experienced style and lost a ten round decision. 
Despite the loss, Baer's aggressive style and knockout punch continued to make him a big draw on the West Coast. Thus he was still able to garner another major fight, against [[Frankie Campbell]], who had recently defeated Kennedy. On August 25, 1930, Max dominated his fight with Campbell, repeatedly raking him across the ropes until the referee stopped the slaughter in the fifth. By the time Baer relented, Campbell was completely unconscious and doctors failed to revive him after hours of trying. The death of the promising Campbell created an outrage among anti-boxing forces, prompting the California Commission to suspend the referee and several others involved. Though Max himself was not suspended, he was badly shaken by the tragedy and did not fight for another four months, his longest period of inactivity yet. In his next match, he lost a ten round decision to clever Ernie Schaaf. 
Though Baer had himself considered retirement after Frankie Campbell's death, that fight made headlines that had many people clamoring to witness the fabled punching power of the young Californian. Thus he was given a match against his first internationally known opponent, [[Tom Heeney]], a New Zealand fighter who had once done battle with [[Gene Tunney]] for the heavyweight title. Heeney was by this time well beyond his prime, however, and Baer had an easy time annihilating him inside of three rounds. This led to a fight with [[Tommy Loughran]], the lightning-quick future hall of famer and former light heavyweight champion of the world. The February 6, 1931 proved to be one of the most important bouts of Max's career. Though Loughran's talent and experience combined to give Baer a humiliating boxing lesson and take a ten round unanimous decision, he took the time to give Baer some pointers after the fight. Tommy told Max that he would go a long way if he would learn to quit looping his punches and straighten them out to provide a quicker route to the target. Meanwhile, Jack Dempsey, the former heavyweight champion who refereed the bout between Loughran and Baer, took notice of the youngster from California. He and Max became great friends and would remain so for the rest of their lives. Dempsey often acted as a mentor to Max and even promoted several of his fights.

===Contender & Champion===
Though Max lost his next two big name fights, against contenders, [[Johnny Risko]] and [[Paolino Uzcudun]], he showed more patience in the ring and better boxing technique, proving that he was listening to the advice given him by Loughran and Dempsey. The hard work paid dividends as Max won ten consecutive fights within an ten month period. Included among the wins were rematches with Risko, Kennedy, and Heeney, as well as two decisions over contender [[King Levinsky]]. By the Summer of 1932, Max was finally a legitimate contender for the heavyweight championship of the world. On August 31, 1932, he fought a rematch with slick boxing [[Ernie Schaaf]]. Though he fell slightly behind on points in the early going, Baer had paced himself for a long fight and turned slugger in the ninth. For two rounds he belted Ernie around the ring and, with two seconds to go in the fight, landed a devastating right that put his opponent flat on his face, completely unconscious. Because the bell rang before the referee could complete his count, Baer was robbed of the official knockout, but he did walk away with the ten round decision. When Schaaf suffered mortal injuries early in his fight with [[Primo Carnera]] just months later, many speculated that it was the leftover effects of his fight with Baer that truly did the fatal damage. 
After knocking out veteran contender [[Tuffy Griffiths]] in seven rounds, Baer was matched with former world champion [[Max Schmeling]]. A skilled boxer with a solid right hand punch, Schmeling was considered the outstanding contender for Jack Sharkey's heavyweight crown at the time. The German Schmeling had recently become a controversial figure in boxing because of his association with Nazi leader Adolf Hitler, who was despised by many Americans because of the Nazi persecution of Jews. Baer, though he was not raised Jewish, had Jewish blood in his family. Thus, mainly for publicity purposes, he sported the Star of David on his boxing trunks for the fight with Schmeling. This act made him immensely popular with the America's Jewish population and he would keep the symbol on his trunks for the remainder of his career. On June 8, 1933, Baer fought the fight of his life. At the fight's opening, he charged out aggressively and took immediate control of the fight. Lucky to survive Baer's early onslaught, Schmeling used his superior boxing technique and employing a strong body assault to gain a slight lead on the score cards in the middle rounds. In the ninth round, though, Baer seemed to get a second wind and lashed out once more. He stunned Schmeling into desperately defending himself, taking the round clearly. The tenth featured more of the same until Baer landed a huge right hand that sent Schmeling careening into the ropes. Another right moments later dropped the former champion. Barely able to rise at the count of nine, Schmeling was essentially finished. He could do little else but attempt to block Baer's storm of bombs. When more punishment sent the German fumbling once more against the ropes and a hard rabbit punch from Baer cracked the disorient Schmeling on the back of the head, referee Arthur Donovan stopped the fight. 
Now there was no dispute that Max Baer was the leading heavyweight contender. Shortly after the Schmeling fight, world champion [[Jack Sharkey]] lost his title by knockout to Italy's gigantic Primo Carnera. Carnera's great size made him a freak show sensation, but Max Baer was likely the most famous active fighter in the world at the time. Both he and Primo appeared together in the film [[The Prizefighter and the Lady]], with Max playing the lead role opposite love interest Myrna Loy. The climax of the film was a fictional showdown between Baer and Carnera, the fight most fight fans were desperately calling for in real life.
The fight finally took place on June 14, 1934, at Madison Square Garden. At the weigh-in before the bout, Max's zany behavior puzzled the champion but certainly satisfied the newspaper writers. He plucked hairs from Primo's well-muscled chest, musing as he did so, "He loves me; he loves me not." The he reached out and tickled Carnera, goofily shouting, "Boo, you big palooka!" Carnera could only manage a perplexed smile. The scales confirmed what everybody already knew: Baer would be at a rare size disadvantage, giving up more than fifty pounds in weight and at least three inches in height to the hulk from Italy. Because of his advantages, Carnera was the betting favorite. 
Uncharacteristically, Baer came out cautiously in the first round, keeping his distance as Primo tried to chase him down. When a wild right hand caught the champion flush, the tables seemed to instantly turn. Carnera crashed to the floor and appeared desperately groggy when he rose. Sensing a first round knockout imminent, Baer pressed forward for the first time, putting together a ruthless series of punches that sent Primo down twice more. Carnera showed tremendous heart in surviving the round, but was clearly unaware of his surroundings when the bell rang and he wandered into the wrong corner. Exhausted by his futile efforts to put the giant away, Baer tried desperately to finish the still groggy champion off in the second, but to no avail. The pair ended up clinching and wrestling for the next several rounds, with both men frequently tripping and falling to the canvas. During one of these tumbles, Baer got laughs from the crowd by looking over at Carnera and joking, "Last one up's a sissy!" Eventually Carnera, having steadied himself, began to use his size and reach against the challenger. The Italian was never known as a quality boxer, but, against the crude and exhausted challenger, he had had enough skills to gain a lead on the score cards as the fight entered the tenth round. Toward the end of that round a roundhouse right from Baer turned the tide once again, sending Primo fumbling across the ring. A follow-up fusillade of blows sent the champion down. The brave but battered Carnera made it to his feet just in time to hear the bell clang to signal the conclusion of the round. The minute rest did little to revive Carnera's senses. He came out for the eleventh, but proved to be little more than a gigantic target, going down twice more before the referee stopped the contest. Including the wrestling falls in the middle of the fight, Primo hit the deck eleven times in eleven rounds. Max Baer was the new world's champion. 
Max was a popular champion, charismatic and exciting to watch in the ring. As mentioned before, his clowning antics in and out of the ring were a breath of fresh air for fight fans suffering the tumultuous struggles of the Great Depression. But Max's carefree personality reflected an increasingly carefree lifestyle. Baer neglected serious training after winning the title. While he gave several popular boxing exhibitions, he stayed away from professional boxing for the period of a year and dissipated his talent. In the meantime, an unlikely contender by the name of [[Jim Braddock]] established himself as a credible challenger for Max's laurels. A down-and-out part-time fighter who also worked on the New Jersey docks, Braddock was thought to be washed up when he won three consecutive fights against some of the biggest names in the division, the press dubbing him the "Cinderella Man" because of his rags-to-riches story. When leading contender Max Schmeling's ties to the Nazis left promoters afraid to schedule the German a rematch with Baer, organizers instead picked up Braddock as an easy mark for the Baer's first title defense.

===Braddock & Louis Fights===
On June 13, 1935, at Madison Square Garden, the heavily favored champion faced Braddock. Overconfident and under-trained, Baer found himself having an unexpected tough time against his smaller opponent. Braddock, meanwhile, fought the fight of his life. The challenger used constant movement and a stiff left jab to keep Max unsettled. Baer tried to throw his haymaker right hand, but Braddock knew to look out for it and the champion usually missed by a long distance. Unable to compete with Braddock's conditioning and technical precision, Baer could do little else but gasp for breath and make faces at his opponent. The champion fouled on occasion and, when warned by the referee, made theatrical gestures of apology to the crowd and Braddock. The result was a unanimous decision for Braddock in one of the great upsets in ring history. Baer, claiming injured hands, asked for a rematch, which he was never given. 
In interviews after the Braddock fight, Max admitted that he had failed to train properly for the fight and that he knew he needed to regain his focus on his boxing career. He promised fans to discipline himself better for his next scheduled match, against an undefeated sensation from Detroit by the name of [[Joe Louis]]. At this early stage of his career, Louis had beaten some credible opponents, including former champion Carnera, but had yet to face a fighter as dangerous as Baer. 88,150 people paid $1,000,832, the largest gate in nearly a decade and a considerable achievement in the midst of the Depression to see the two power punchers clash at Yankee Stadium on September 24, 1935. Going into this bout, Baer was hampered by hand injuries. Jeremy Schaap discussed in his book, ''[[Cinderella Man: James Braddock, Max Baer, and the Greatest Upset in Boxing History]],'' that Baer was having trouble with pain in his hands, which forced him to take an injection before the fight. However, the fight was delayed by a thunderstorm and the novocain started to wear off before the bout started. Though both men threw bombs as expected, Louis' punches were shorter, faster, and more accurate. If Baer kept his promise to train diligently for this fight, he never showed it. His punches were looping and amateurish and at no point did Louis show the effects of Baer's fabled power. Both men traded punches for three rounds, Joe clearly getting the better of the action. In the fourth round, looking exhausted and resigned to defeat after taking a hurricane of punishment from Louis, Baer dropped voluntarily to his knees. It was the first time Max had gone down in forty-eight professional fights. He rose to fight on, but was quickly flattened to the floor by a left-right combination. Though Max made it up to his knee, he could not rise in time and suffered his first knockout defeat. "I could have struggled up once more," he told reporters after the fight, "but when I get executed, people are going to have to pay more than twenty-five dollars a seat to watch it." He subsequently announced his retirement from boxing.

===Comeback & Later Years===
As is the case with many fighters, Baer's initial retirement did not last long. He was back in less than a year (weighing in at an all-time high of 226 pounds), winning a six round decision against overmatched [[Tony Souza]]. The Souza fight was the first in a series of eighteen bouts fought inside of three months, as Max toured the U.S. fighting local boys from Salt Lake City, Boise, San Antonio, Tulsa, Vancouver, Twin Falls, and other cities. A six-round exhibition match against Soldier Eddie Franks on September 3 1936 in Provo Utah ended in a 3-round knockout for Baer. On September 21, 1936, he fought another six round exhibition, this time against Andy Kid Miller, described in ''The Sheldon Mail''
Newspaper dispatch (quoted portions of story) from THE SHELDON MAIL (Sheldon, Iowa) SEPTEMBER 23, 1936 (by Earl Jinkinson) ....Max Baer, the clowning ex-heavyweight champion amused the large crowd by playfully toying with [[Andy Miller]] of Sioux City....As was expected the Sioux City lad was no match for the "Livermore Larruper"....someone asked him to hit Miller and Max replied "do you want me to committ murder?"....The bout was more of a clowning exhibition on the part of Max but the bout was well received by the large crowd. It seems to this correspondant that even after the Louis beating, which Max explained was due to his injured hands, and one look at his hands at this date is sufficient evidence to prove his contention, that Max is still a first class heavyweight contender....

On April 15, 1937 he faced his first ranked contender since the shellacking at the hands of Louis. His opponent was England's heavyweight champion, [[Tommy Farr]], who defeated the former world champion over twelve rounds. It was Max's first loss in twenty-three outings. Less than a year later he avenged the loss, flooring Tommy two times en route to a fifteen round decision, followed by a first round knockout of Ohio's [[Hank Hankinson]]. 
On June 1, 1939, Baer, having regained his status as one of the leading fighters in the division, fought up-and-comer [[Lou Nova]] at Yankee Stadium before 16,778 fans. In an exciting battle, Max suffered horrible facial swellings and cuts that forced the referee to stop the fight in the eleventh round. Though many subsequently wrote Baer off as finally finished as a world class fighter, he strung off four consecutive knockout wins inside of year, including a seventh round stoppage of hard-hitting contender [[Tony Galento]]. Thus he was given a second chance against Nova. On April 4, 1941, Max briefly showed shades of his old fighting prowess when flooring Nova with a right hand in the fourth round. As the fight went on, however, Nova took increasing control. After Baer went down twice in the eighth round, the referee stopped the fight. Max never fought professionally again. 
During World War II, the still popular Maxcap Max served as a physical conditioning instructor for the Air Force. Later he starred in a popular nightclub act with former light heavyweight champ [[Maxie Rosenbloom]]. Sometimes working as a referee in boxing and wrestling matches, he also enjoyed a movie acting career. He died of a heart attack on November 21, 1959 at age 50. In 1995 he won posthumous induction into the [[International Boxing Hall of Fame]]. Max's son, Max, Jr., became a popular television actor in the role of Jethro on The Beverly Hillbillies show. His younger brother, [[Buddy Baer]], was a ranked heavyweight contender during the late 1930s and 1940s.

==Factoids==
*Brother of fellow boxer [[Buddy Baer]]
*Father of [http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0046319/ Max Baer, Jr.]: "Jethro Bodine" of the television series "The Beverly Hillbillies"
*Max Baer was an actor in his own right
*His title bout with challenger [[Jim Braddock]] was the climax to the 2005 motion picture [[Cinderella Man (Film)|"Cinderella Man"]]
*According to an "Oddities of the Ring" article, as reported in the January 3, 1931 ''Bellingham Evening News'' (Bellingham, WA, USA), Baer had fought 110 rounds and scored 110 knockdowns.
*Died of a heart attack
*The 1998 Holiday Issue of ''Ring'' ranked Max Baer # 20 in ''"The 50 Greatest Heavyweights of All Time."''
*In ''Ring Magazine's 100 Greatest Punchers'' (published in 2003) Max Baer is ranked # 22.
*Max Baer was inducted into the ''World Boxing Hall of Fame'' in 1984 and the ''International Boxing Hall of Fame'' in 1995. Also in 2010 Baer was inducted into the [[International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame]]

== External Links ==
*[http://www.maxbaer.org/ Unofficial website]
*[http://www.maxbaerboxer.com/ Max Baer: Fighter Who Fought The Cinderella Man]
*Baer's motion picture [http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0046368/ credits]
*[http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=1248 Gravesite]
*[http://www.wbhf.org/inductees.html World Boxing Hall of Fame Inductees]
*''Fisticuffs'' film: [http://www.archive.org/details/TommyLoughranVsLeoLomski]
*[http://www.cyberboxingzone.com/boxing/baer.htm Max Baer's page at the Cyber Boxing Zone]

===Sources===
Bak, Richard. [[Joe Louis: The Great Black Hope]]. 1998. 
Fleischer, Nat. [[The Heavyweight Championship]]. 1961. 
Hague, Jim. [[Braddock: The Rise of the Cinderella Man]]. 2005. 
Johnston, Alexander. [[Ten and Out]]. 1943. 
Schaap, Jeremy. [[Cinderella Man: James Braddock, Max Baer, and the Greatest Upset in Boxing History]]. 2005 
Roberts, James B. and Alexander G. Skutt. [[The Boxing Register]]. 4th ed. 2006.

{{start box}}
{{Succession box|
before=[[Primo Carnera]]|
title=[[World Heavyweight Champion]] [[NYSAC World Heavyweight Champion]]|
after=[[Jim Braddock]]|
years=1934 Jun 14 – 1935 Jun 13
}}
{{Succession box|
before=[[Jack Sharkey]] Vacated Carnera not recognized|
title=[[NBA World Heavyweight Champion]]|
after=[[Jim Braddock]]|
years=1934 Jun 14 – 1935 Jun 13
}}
{{end box}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Baer, Max}}
[[Category:World Heavyweight Champions]]
[[Category:American World Champions]]
[[Category:IBHOF Members]]
[[Category:World Boxing Hall of Fame Members]]
[[Category: Actors]]
[[Category:The Ring Magazine Champions]]

Human:35677

2013-10-31T22:33:23Z

Bill hodge: Created page with "Juan Cruz these days is trainer at San Juan Center/Dressler Arena [Atty. Jeffrey Dressler,] Boxing of Hartford, CT."

Juan Cruz these days is trainer at San Juan Center/Dressler Arena [Atty. Jeffrey Dressler,] Boxing of Hartford, CT.

Fight:200184

2013-10-24T22:46:58Z

Bill hodge:

Atty F. Mac Buckley/ Irish Knights Promotions at Hartford Civic Center Assembly Hall

Fight:1517316

2013-10-20T08:20:25Z

Bill hodge:

<fight>1517316</fight>

Oliver, throwing multiple combinations, appeared to win nearly every round against Pastrana, who kept trying to spin his opponent away in clinches. Both fighters continued fighting after the bell of round 4. Pastrana, fighting dirty, lost a point in round 6 for hitting off the break. Pastrana lost another point in round 7 for throwing Oliver to the canvas, then twisting Oliver's arm and trying to injure him. Having lost the fight on points, Pastrana then tackled Oliver to the canvas to hurt him, prompting a disqualification win for Mike Oliver by referee Michael Ortega at 0:43 of round 8.

Human:474677

2013-10-20T07:27:23Z

Bill hodge:

Known as -Ray Daniels- when he won New England Light middleweight cls. championship (same time line when New York boxers were being banned from entry), 1985. Won "Outstanding Boxer" Award that year. Held double wins vs Stephon Frost, rated Nationally 8th in Light middle amateur division at-the-time.

Fight:13344

2013-10-20T07:00:31Z

Bill hodge: Created page with "Nielsen, winning handily, appeared to suddenly tire and nearly quit several times before finally the referee was forced to close the show."

Nielsen, winning handily, appeared to suddenly tire and nearly quit several times before finally the referee was forced to close the show.

Fight:4149

2013-10-18T15:40:30Z

Bill hodge: Created page with "In conversation at the San Juan boxing facility in DT Hartford, Connecticut on the afternoon of Oct. 11, 2013 Perez claimed that the knockdown of Brewer in this fight happened..."

In conversation at the San Juan boxing facility in DT Hartford, Connecticut on the afternoon of Oct. 11, 2013 Perez claimed that the knockdown of Brewer in this fight happened in r. Two.

Human:5824

2013-10-18T15:30:20Z

Bill hodge: Created page with "Claims an amateur boxing record, in California. Askia currently resides in Coventry, CT. and is ahead of a amateur program from downtown center New Britain, CT."

Claims an amateur boxing record, in California. Askia currently resides in Coventry, CT. and is ahead of a amateur program from downtown center New Britain, CT.

Fight:265689

2013-10-12T01:39:38Z

Bill hodge:

<fight>265689</fight>
Poirier returns after 15 years as a heavyweight.