[8.5] CARLOS de LEON 61-52(32)-8-1: Revolvy online article -
Carlos de Leon, also known as Sugar de Leon (born May 3, 1959) is a Puerto Rican former boxer who made history by becoming the first Cruiserweight to win the world title twice. Subsequently, he kept breaking his own record for the most times as Cruiserweight champion by regaining it twice more.
De León, a native of Trujillo Alto, Puerton Rico, first won a world title when faced with WBC world champion Marvin Camel on November 25, 1980, at the undercard of Sugar Ray Leonard and Robert Duran’s second fight in New Orleans. De León outpointed Camel over 15 rounds. After he knocked out Camel in 8 in a rematch, countryman Ossie Ocasio won the WBA world title, becoming the second pair of Puerto Ricans to share world titles in the same division at the same time, after Alfredo Escalera and Samuel Serrano had achieved the feat in the 1970s at Junior Lightweight. De León lost his title in a shocking upset to former Gerry Cooney victim ST Gordon by a knockout in Round 2 at Cleaveland in 1982, and won a comeback fight versus former world Heavyweight champion Leon Spinks by a knockout in round six in 1983.
After that, he and Gordon boxed a rematch in Las Vegas, and De León dropped Gordon once in the first round and once in the twelfth, en route to a unanimous decision win in a history-making bout: De León had now become the first boxer to win the world Cruiserweight title twice.
He defended his title against Yaqui Lopez by a knockout in four at San Jose, California, and with decisions over Anthony Davis, Jose Maria Flores Burlon, and Bashiru Ali. The Davis and Burlon bouts took place in Las Vegas and the fight with Ali was in Oakland, California. De León next lost his title in Las Vegas to Alfonzo Ratliff by a decision. Ratliff was in turn beaten by Bernard Benton, who defended against De León on March 22, 1986, once again in Las Vegas.
De León joined the likes of Sugar Ray Robinson and Muhammad Ali in becoming one of the few boxers ever to win one division’s World Championsip at least three times, defeating Benton by decision. He made a couple of defenses in Italy and then in 1988, lost his titles in a unification bout with WBA world champion Evander Holyfield, by TKO in the eighth round, also in Las Vegas. But Holyfield soon left the division to pursue the world Heavyweight championship, and De León was left with an open door to break his own record and win the title for a record fourth time. He went to London, where he beat the WBC’s number 2 challenger, Sammy Reeson, by a knockout in the Ninth round, breaking his own record and crowning himself world Cruiserweight champion once again. This time, he held on to the title for two years, until losing it to Massimiliano Duran in Italy by an 11-round disqualification.
During the 1990s, De León ran afoul of the law a number of times, once while he was carrying a rifle. Today, he concentrates on helping the career of his son Carlos de León junior. Revolvy online article
v Evander Holyfield 9 April 1988 WBA WBC IBF Cruiserweight Paradise Nevada ***** [r1] … They come out wailing away … A left scores by Evander Holyfield … Holyfield is hunting patiently … Right now it’s an even round … Crisp left by Evander Holyfield … [r2] … A different Holyfield in the second round … landing with rights and lefts … A right by Holyfield … Holyfield with a flurry … De Leon is in trouble … De Leon fighting back … [r3] … Beautiful body shots by Holyfield … Left hook by Holyfield … Tripling up with the left … [r4] … A flurry … Combination by Holyfield … again slipping through … A blueprint for a beating … Here comes a right … [r5] … He [De Leon] will not run … [r6] … A crisp right [Holyfield], another right and a left … some very hard shots … another barrage by Holyfield … [r7] … Holyfield is the fighter of the year … A powerful shot by Holyfield … Now the lefts … Now the right … combination by Holyfield … Mills Lane steps in. US fight commentary
[8.5] DAVID HAYE 32-28(26)-4 [Cruiserweight & Heavyweight]: The Times online -
It was 2001 when many people got their first sight of David Haye, as he became the first England boxer to make a world amateur final, losing to Odlanier Solis in Belfast. The next year he was favourite for gold at the Commonwealth Games in Manchester, but pulled out with an arm injury after one bout. It was one of many injuries that would come to shape his career.
Now, seven years past the age when he pledged to retire, Haye is still chasing a dream. This weekend he has his rematch with Tony Bellew, which, depending on who you believe, is either a step towards challenging for the world heavyweight title or a way of boosting his retirement pot. The Times online article Ron Lewis 1st May 2018, ‘David Haye attempts to make people believe in him again’
[8.5] DWIGHT MUHAMMAD QAWI 53-41(25)-11-1 [Light Heavyweight & Cruiserweight]: IBHOF online -
Born Dwight Braxton on January 5 1953 in Baltimore Maryland. He began sharpening his boxing skills during a stink in Rahway State Prison and upon his release in March 1978 he began training at Joe Frazier’s Gym in Philadelphia where he engages in heated sparring sessions with tough Philadelphians including Bennie Briscoe.
With only one month of training under his belt and ho amateur fights the 5’ 7” powerhouse turned pro in April 1978. At age 25 he wasted little time and soon met and defeated quality opponents. He defeated former light heavyweight king Mike Rossman and James Scott (in a bout held in Rahway) in only his 16th and 17th pro fights. In his next bout December 19 1981 the relentless Braxton stopped Hall of Famer Matthew Saad Muhammad via 10th round TKO to win the WBC light heavyweight belt. In the rematch held in Philadelphia eight months later, he again stopped Saad and successful title defences over Jerry Martin and Eddie Davis led to a unification bout with DBA champ and Hall of Famer Michael Spinks. Spinks outpointed him over 15 rounds; however Qawi was undeterred as he moved up in weight to next capture the WBA cruiserweight title from Piet Corus on July 27 1985. After a title defence over Leon Spinks he defended against Evander Holyfield on July 12 1986 with Holyfield winning the 15-round split decision in an action-packed thriller.
He continued to ply his trade until retiring from the sport in 1988. Behind an aggressive, crouching ring style, the intimidating Qawi logged a 41-11-1 (25 KOs) ring record. IBHOF online article
v Evander Holyfield 5th December 1987 WBA Junior- Heavyweight Atlanta ***** [r1] … Holyfield devastating right now, just out-speeding the champion … Qawi is a good defensive fighter … Evander is getting through … It’s off to a great start … [2] … He taking some licks from Holyfield … Evander has to defend himself … [3] … Holyfield a couple of big punches … Holyfield is going for it … Boy, their exchanging so many punches … Qawi the thick neck, built like a tree-trunk … [r4] … He [Holyfield] is very very tired … Good body shot by Qawi … Holyfield stumbled … That combo has worked well for Holyfield … [r5] … This bout has been fought at a tremendous pace … Right and left combo to Holyfield … [r6] … The rounds have got closer and closer … Here’s Holyfield … and came back and landed punches of his own … This one is moving along at a great pace … [r7] … Another low blow [Qawi] … Those combinations not getting in, simply hitting the gloves of Qawi … Another right uppercut from Qawi … [r8] … Qawi has been a bulldog throughout … Good combination from Evander … Nose to nose … He has Evander hurt … Just a gruelling battle of attrition … Good body shots by Qawi … [r9] … It’s a tough fight to score … Holyfield still bouncing … [r10] … Using the jab, using the movement … That one from Holyfield got in with authority … Qawi has a tremendous heart … [r11] … Holyfield with a vicious combination of punches … Qawi will rally … Scoring combination from Evander … [r12] … Tee-off on Qawi … A tremendous learning experience … A powerful right [Holyfield] … He took a good stiff jab … [r13] … Teeing off on the head of Qawi … Evander’s just outbusying him … Good combinations through to the chin of Qawi … [r14] … They’re loving it in Atlanta … Dwight is just not throwing … Still the pursuit unrelenting … Both men showing unbelievable courage and determination … [r15] … Another left coming in from Qawi … Qawi landed a good left hook there … 144-140 141-143 147-138. ABC US fight commentary
Evander Holyfield II 5th December 1987 WBA & IBF Cruiserweight Atlantic City [r1] … Good counter-punch by Holyfield … He’s boxing a bit more cleverly … The first fight over 2,300 punches combined … [p2] He’s bringing the fight to Holyfield … Holyfield 100% business … Holyfield pressing the attack … again on the attack … [r3] … Welcome to the second war … Holyfield triggers off … A solid right by Holyfield … Qawi comes back … and then Holyfield finishes with a flurry … [r4] … The pace has been wild … Holyfield to the body and the head … Qawi is down! Good sharp hook … Down again … It’s all over. US fight commentary
[8.5] MAX SCHMELING 70-56(40)-10-4 [Heavyweight 173-207 lbs]: Al Bernstein -
He helped Jews escape Nazi Germany. In addition to the people he hid. Al Bernstein, boxing journalist
60) Joe Louis KO12: Max Schmeling - Geoffrey Simpson - Beckley Post-Herald - Chris Mead
I see something. Max Schmeling, televised interview
Looking back, I’m almost happy I lost that fight. Just imagine if I would have come back to Germany with a victory. I had nothing to do with the Nazis, but they would have given me a medal. After the war I might have been considered a war criminal. Max Schmeling
It is the title [Schmeling] wants on behalf of himself and the German nation. If successful he promises to defend the championship in the United States next September, but my guess is that he will take the next boat back to Germany. That’s what the Americans are scared of. Geoffrey Simpson, Daily Mail
Everybody fears that Max will take his title back to Germany – in case he wins it. Nobody with a sense of fairness wants to see the next heavyweight championship fight staged in the land bossed by Hitler. Beckley Post-Herald editorial
Bill Henry of the Los Angeles Times described the fight as a ‘pugilistic drama starring Joe Louis as the hero and Max Schmeling as villain’. Chris Mead, ‘In Three Rounds, Chappie’
American hostility towards Germany and Schmeling increased when the US government indicted 18 American citizens four days before the fight, accusing them of spying on America for the Nazis. ibid.
Der Ansgriff, another Nazi paper, accused the United States of baiting of the worst sort of stupid attacks on Schmeling and said the Americans were making ‘a racial question and political affair’ of the fight. ibid.
Schmeling himself understood what was happening. Certainly he neither wanted nor deserved the role as representative of Nazism. ibid.
After the Second World War Schmeling took great pains to bring about a reconciliation with Louis. The way the press played the two boxers off against each other clearly bothered Schmeling. ibid.
The two boxers nodded to each other, not speaking. Schmeling weighed 13 stone 11 pounds, Louis at 14 stone 2 and a half pounds. ibid.