By Eric Bottjer
JOHNNY CHESHIRE, 77, Scottish featherweight, handed in early 2024. Cheshire represented England within the 1968 Mexico Metropolis Olympics, dropping to American Al Robinson, the eventual silver medalist.
JASMINE CLARKSON, 29, Texas light-weight, died in Might. Clarkson was 4-14 from 2014-2021 – none of her wins had been over fighters with a dropping document. No reason behind demise was given. She left a accomplice and three kids.
KEVIN COOK, 60, Indiana heavyweight, died in October at a New Fortress rehabilitation middle after a prolonged sickness. Cook dinner was 15-3-1 (12 KO’s) from 1994-2000, amassing most of his wins on Fred Berns’ exhibits in Indiana. A one-round KO loss to Brian Nielson in Denmark in 2000 ended his boxing profession.
JOHNNY COOKE, 89, British welterweight, handed in June. Cooke was 52-34-7 (5 KO’s) from 1960-1971, peaking in 1967 when he gained the British welterweight title. Cooke turned professional at age 25, an extraordinary (outdated) age to show professional again then. He had 368 newbie matches, so it was clearly time. Most of his losses had been late in his profession and outdoors of England.
FRANCISCO CORONADO, 77, Nicaraguan featherweight, died in Might. Coronado turned professional in 1967 and was 20-10 (14 KO’s) in a 10-year profession. In 1977 he challenged WBA champion Rafael Ortega in Ortega’s dwelling nation of Panama. Coronado misplaced a 15-round choice by three factors on two playing cards and a single level on the third. He fought twice extra that 12 months – profitable each, earlier than retiring.
ADONIS CRUZ, 54, Nicaraguan bantamweight, died in September at a sister’s dwelling in Guatemala Metropolis. He battled a number of well being points after he retired from boxing in 1999. Cruz, a superb technician who lacked energy, went 31-6-2 (18 KO’s) in an 8-year profession, dropping two world title pictures (to Johnny Tapia in 1996 and Jorge Julio in 1998).
FRANK DAVILA, 80, Massachusetts welterweight, handed in September. Davila, born in Puerto Rico, was an oft-used opponent for up-and-coming names from 1962-1977, tangling with (and dropping to) Eddie Mustafa Muhammad, Davey Hilton, Sugar Ray Seales, Ronnie Harris and Andy Value. He went 10-37-4, however was solely stopped seven occasions. He spent his whole grownup life in Springfield, Massachusetts, incomes a level in bible research and spending time together with his 9 kids.
HARRY DAVIS, 97, Canadian decide and referee, died in March. A former newbie boxer who claimed a 15-5 document, Davis refereed professional fights from 1952-2001 as a result of concentrating on judging, which he did till 2018, retiring at 92. Davis was third man within the ring for the “Foreman vs. 5” fiasco in Toronto, George’s first ring look after his loss to Muhammad Ali. Davis labored three of the 5 3-round bouts, however after Terry Daniels attacked Foreman after Davis stopped his match, one other referee dealt with the ultimate two bouts (which additionally resulted in chaos).
YAWE DAVIS, 61, Ugandan light-heavyweight, died in January. Davis turned professional in 1981 and went 45-11-3 (24 KO’s) in a 21-year profession. Davis moved to Italy as a youth and had a superior newbie profession. He had a checkered begin as a professional, going 5-4-2 earlier than reeling off 20 wins in 21 contests, incomes him a shot on the Commonwealth light-heavyweight championship in opposition to Australian Man Waters in 1990. Davis misplaced by one level on all three scorecards in Water’s dwelling of Sydney. He then gained three straight (together with a KO win over a younger Carl Thompson) earlier than dropping shut choices to Henry Maske (majority) and Frank Tate (cut up). In 1992, Davis challenged for the vacant European light-heavyweight title in Italy in opposition to Crawford Ashley, which resulted in a draw that each fighters disputed. In 1995 Davis gained the Italian title and added a WBC Worldwide title. A 2001 choice loss to Clinton Woods in England in a WBC world eliminator ended Davis’s desires of a world title shot.
ROCCO DeFILIPPIS, 96, Wisconsin bantamweight, died in January. Rocco was 4-3 (2 KO’s) from 1947-1950 (he was a fantastic newbie, profitable the Wisconsin Golden Gloves bantamweight title in 1944). His unremarkable profession had a exceptional second: on Jan. 6, 1948, DeFilippis gained a 4-round choice in Chicago over an 18-year-old Berry Gordy, who based Motown Information one decade later. DeFilippis drove a truck for a pharmaceutical firm for 40 years and ran an newbie boxing membership in Milwaukee.
BOB DUFFY, 74, New York boxing commissioner and longtime president of the New York veteran boxers group Ring 8, handed in January. Duffy was a former Military vet and New York Metropolis police detective and a beloved member of the New York boxing group. He spearheaded many fundraisers for Ring 8 to assist indigent boxers and helped create the New York Boxing Corridor of Fame.
CAMERON DUNKIN, 67, longtime boxing supervisor, died of most cancers on January 2 in Las Vegas after a few years of battling the illness. Dunkin labored with many world champions, however in contrast to some modern-day managers, he had an eye fixed for expertise. He directed Kelly Pavlik’s whole professional profession, and did the identical with Jaron “Boots” Ennis (together with former accomplice Chris Middendorf). Ennis was nonetheless with Cameron on the time of his demise. Whereas Dunkin labored with a number of boxers, his most fruitful ventures had been with Prime Rank. Among the many boxers he labored with at varied occasions of their careers had been Danny Romero, Bones Adams and Tim Bradley.
BERNARD DYLBAYTIS, 71, French light-middleweight, died in January. He was 6-0-1 from 1975-1979, however was greatest recognized for his position in a 1971 French movie the place he performed a youth boxer in a mining city. Dylbaytis had one comeback struggle in 1986, which he misplaced.
VLADIMIR ERESHCHENKO, 61, Russian newbie welterweight, handed in Might. Vladimir fought internationally from 1988-1991, beating Kenny Gould, Patrick Byrd and Pepe Reilly and dropping to Raul Marquez.
IGNACIO ESPINAL, 75, Dominican flyweight, handed away in February at his dwelling in Ensanche Bolivar. Espinal, often called “Nacho,” was 33-14-4 (25 KOs) from 1969-1981, a document that didn’t replicate the truth that Espinal was one in all his nation’s best boxers ever. He was a 1968 Olympian – the primary Dominican boxer to struggle within the Olympics (and, oddly, he by no means competed, as he inexplicably missed the weigh-in). Espinal beat the terrific Betulio Gonzalez as a professional and fought a draw with a major Miguel Canto. In his solely world title shot, Espinal misplaced a call to Canto in 1975.
ISMAEL QUINONES FALU, 81, referee of the Muhammad Ali-Jean Pierre Coopman struggle in 1976, died in Might. Falu was comparatively inexperienced at age 33 when he drew the Ali-Coopman project in his hometown of San Juan, Puerto Rico. He impressed sufficient to proceed one other 45 years, officiating Alfredo Escalera, Wilfred Benitez, Michael Dokes, Miguel Cotto and Wilfredo Gomez amongst others. Falu fought newbie, logging 25 bouts earlier than starting his profession as an official in 1965.
LIONE FATU, 60, coach of a 2024 Samoan Olympic heavyweight boxer, died of a coronary heart assault on the Paris Olympics at his room within the Olympic village. No reason behind demise was revealed.
LAVELL FINGER, 55, St. Louis middleweight, died in March in Belleville, Illinois. No reason behind demise was given and a Go-Fund me web page raised $2,000 to have Finger’s stays shipped again to his hometown of St. Louis for burial. Finger was a category newbie, profitable the 1986 Golden Gloves as a light-weight. He certified for the 1988 Olympic trials, however was tossed from the match after testing optimistic for cocaine. He turned professional in 1989 together with his twin brother Terrell (who died in 2019), combating for promoter Butch Lewis. Finger went 20-0 his first 9 years, however by no means had a significant match, mixing totally on membership exhibits in 4 and 6-round matches. He misplaced his unbeaten document in 1998 by KO to an unknown Ray Collins (18-9). The loss appeared to encourage Finger, who scored high quality wins over Kippy Diggs and Santos Cardona. However after the 2000 Cardona struggle, Finger vanished for six years, returning for 3 extra fights, profitable none.
BOBBY FISHER, 85, Scottish featherweight, died in September of sepsis. Fisher got here from a household of boxers – his brother Billy gained a bronze medal within the 1960 Rome Olympics. Fisher went 21-14-1 (10 KO’s) from 1961-1970, together with a KO win over former (and fading) British Olympic gold medalist Terry Spinks in 1962. Fisher ran a pub after retiring from boxing.
ED FITZGERALD, 93, Massachusetts referee, handed in January “peacefully” surrounded by household. He was a detective and tax examiner exterior the ring, however Fitzgerald was a boxing lifer – an excellent welterweight newbie, later a coach and eventually a referee, a profession that started in 1968 and lasted 40 years.
JOHN ROGER FLAVIN, 64, New York cruiserweight opponent, died “immediately” in Might at a hospital in Troy. Flavin skilled with Bob Miller and sparred (sometimes) with a younger Mike Tyson. Flavin was 1-9 from 1981-1983. He made his residing as a truck driver.
LUCILLE FLETCHER, 88, Philadelphia newbie boxing decide and Mother to Frank ‘The Animal” Fletcher and Frank’s brothers Tony and Troy, handed in Might. Fletcher was a presence at her son’s fights, loudly extorting them from ringside, changing into well-known when Frank had matches on nationwide TV. Fletcher judged newbie boxing in Pennsylvania starting in her early 40s. Lucille was energetic as a “block captain” in her West Philadelphia neighborhood, sitting on her porch throughout the days, greeting fellow neighbors, employees, college students and out-of-towners.
MICHEL FONTAINE, 88, French middleweight, died in March. Fontaine is at the moment credited with 5 professional fights within the early Nineteen Sixties (all losses), however as his second match went 10 rounds, it’s possible he had extra fights.
DICK FRENCH, 84, Rhode Island welterweight, handed in August. French was 42-22-3 (17 KO’s) from 1962-1970, the spotlight being a win over future welterweight champion Billy Backus in 1963. French fought out of Windfall and stayed there after retiring, working as a transport clerk.
MAX GARCIA, 73, California coach, handed in October in his native Salinas. Garcia constructed a fitness center at his dwelling 20 years in the past and commenced working with professionals, together with his spouse Kathy managing the fighters he skilled (together with contenders Jose Celaya and Ruben Villa). Garcia served within the military and was a trainer earlier than chasing his dream of coaching a world boxing champion. Though that objective was not realized, his spouse Kathy famous, “Max WAS the world champion.”
ALEISA GRAF, 43, German feminine boxing pioneer, handed in March. Graf, born in Belarus, turned professional in 2004 and fought till 2019, going 16-7 (8 KO’s) and profitable WBF and WIBF titles at super-flyweight. Promoted by Universum Boxing, Graf was a coaching accomplice for the better-known Regina Halmich. Graf had moved to Germany in 1999 to arrange for school, however modified her life path when she started boxing as an newbie in 2001. No reason behind demise was revealed, though studies said Graf’s demise was “surprising.”
CONSTANTIN GRUIESCU,79, Romanian Olympian, died in July. Gruiescu, a flyweight, was eradicated within the third spherical of each the 1972 and 1976 Olympics (American Leo Randolph did the trick in 1976). In 1971, Gruiescu was one in all six boxers who had optimistic drug exams thrown out (on a technicality) throughout the European championships. The Montreal Olympics was Gruiescu’s final go-around. Romania was a part of the Soviet Jap European union, none of these nations allowed athletes to go professional.
DOYLE HALL, 91, Oregon featherweight, died in April. Corridor had six professional fights (going 3-3) from 1953-1954, the spotlight of which was combating on a Bobo Olson undercard at San Francisco’s Winterland Area. Corridor held varied jobs, together with wrestling, rodeo (as a clown) and nation music singer. He printed a ebook in 2008, “You Can’t Lose if You Don’t Stop.” He was most profitable as a designer of veneer instruments.
UBAYD HAIDER, 35, Fiji jr. light-weight, died in November, 15 days after struggling a mind harm in a 10-round struggle in Naji, Fiji. Haider (born Nathaniel Singh) was stopped within the ninth spherical of this match and underwent mind surgical procedure hours after the loss. Haider got here from a boxing household. He started coaching together with his father at age 6 and his brother Sebastian is a professional cruiserweight (Sebastian fought on the identical invoice that resulted in Ubayd’s demise). Haider is survived by his spouse of 5 years and their two younger sons.
JOE HAND, 87, pioneer of boxing broadcast distribution, died in August of COVID. Hand, a former Philadelphia policemen, was an authentic member of Cloverlay, the administration group shaped to fund Joe Frazier’s early profession. Hand was a lifelong Philly man, following his Dad right into a legislation enforcement profession. Whereas a detective, Hand invested $500 for a minor share of Cloverlay (appears a small quantity, however this was 1967 – Joe needed to borrow the cash). Frazier and Hand grew shut and Joe was a fast examine of the boxing enterprise. He began his firm – Joe Hand Promotions – within the basement of his rowhouse. He dived into the burgeoning expertise of the early Seventies that allowed worldwide broadcast of fight sports activities. Hand’s enterprise now distributes boxing, MMA, golf and soccer – for those who watch a boxing occasion at a bar, it’s distributed by Hand’s firm. Hand opened a boxing fitness center in 1995, which nonetheless runs right now – it’s a part of his firm’s 25,000 square-foot workplace within the Philadelphia suburb of Feasterville. No boxing corridor of fame is respectable with out Joe Hand as a member.
