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 Could. Clarkson was 4-14 from 2014-2021 – none of her wins had been over fighters with a dropping report. No reason for demise was given. She left a accomplice and three youngsters.
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’ reveals 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 received the British welterweight title. Cooke turned professional at age 25, an extraordinary (previous) age to show professional again then. He had 368 beginner matches, so it was clearly time. Most of his losses had been late in his profession and out of doors of England.
FRANCISCO CORONADO, 77, Nicaraguan featherweight, died in Could. 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 house nation of Panama. Coronado misplaced a 15-round determination by three factors on two playing cards and a single level on the third. He fought twice extra that yr – profitable each, earlier than retiring.
ADONIS CRUZ, 54, Nicaraguan bantamweight, died in September at a sister’s house in Guatemala Metropolis. He battled a number of well being points after he retired from boxing in 1999. Cruz, a wonderful technician who lacked energy, went 31-6-2 (18 KO’s) in an 8-year profession, dropping two world title photographs (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 total grownup life in Springfield, Massachusetts, incomes a level in bible research and spending time together with his 9 youngsters.
HARRY DAVIS, 97, Canadian choose and referee, died in March. A former beginner boxer who claimed a 15-5 report, 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 beginner 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 house of Sydney. He then received 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 received the Italian title and added a WBC Worldwide title. A 2001 determination loss to Clinton Woods in England in a WBC world eliminator ended Davis’s goals 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 positive beginner, profitable the Wisconsin Golden Gloves bantamweight title in 1944). His unremarkable profession had a exceptional second: on Jan. 6, 1948, DeFilippis received a 4-round determination in Chicago over an 18-year-old Berry Gordy, who based Motown Data one decade later. DeFilippis drove a truck for a pharmaceutical firm for 40 years and ran an beginner 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 total 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 High 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 identified for his function in a 1971 French movie the place he performed a youth boxer in a mining city. Dylbaytis had one comeback combat in 1986, which he misplaced.
VLADIMIR ERESHCHENKO, 61, Russian beginner welterweight, handed in Could. 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 house in Ensanche Bolivar. Espinal, referred to as “Nacho,” was 33-14-4 (25 KOs) from 1969-1981, a report that didn’t mirror the truth that Espinal was certainly one of his nation’s biggest boxers ever. He was a 1968 Olympian – the primary Dominican boxer to combat 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 primary 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 combat in 1976, died in Could. Falu was comparatively inexperienced at age 33 when he drew the Ali-Coopman task 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 beginner, 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 for demise was revealed.
LAVELL FINGER, 55, St. Louis middleweight, died in March in Belleville, Illinois. No reason for 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 beginner, profitable the 1986 Golden Gloves as a light-weight. He certified for the 1988 Olympic trials, however was tossed from the event after testing constructive for cocaine. He turned professional in 1989 together with his twin brother Terrell (who died in 2019), preventing for promoter Butch Lewis. Finger went 20-0 his first 9 years, however by no means had a significant match, mixing totally on membership reveals in 4 and 6-round matches. He misplaced his unbeaten report 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 combat, 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 received 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 – welterweight beginner, later a coach and at last a referee, a profession that started in 1968 and lasted 40 years.
JOHN ROGER FLAVIN, 64, New York cruiserweight opponent, died “all of a sudden” in Could at a hospital in Troy. Flavin educated with Bob Miller and sparred (often) with a younger Mike Tyson. Flavin was 1-9 from 1981-1983. He made his dwelling as a truck driver.
LUCILLE FLETCHER, 88, Philadelphia beginner boxing choose and Mother to Frank ‘The Animal” Fletcher and Frank’s brothers Tony and Troy, handed in Could. 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 beginner boxing in Pennsylvania starting in her early 40s. Lucille was lively as a “block captain” in her West Philadelphia neighborhood, sitting on her porch in the course of the days, greeting fellow neighbors, staff, college students and out-of-towners.
MICHEL FONTAINE, 88, French middleweight, died in March. Fontaine is at present credited with 5 professional fights within the early Nineteen Sixties (all losses), however as his second match went 10 rounds, it’s probably 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 health club at his house 20 years in the past and started working with execs, together with his spouse Kathy managing the fighters he educated (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 aim 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 organize for school, however modified her life course when she started boxing as an beginner in 2001. No reason for demise was revealed, though experiences acknowledged 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 certainly one of six boxers who had constructive drug assessments thrown out (on a technicality) in the course of 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 preventing 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 e-book in 2008, “You Can’t Lose if You Don’t Give up.” 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 combat 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 unique 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 regulation 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 research 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 Nineteen 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 health club in 1995, which nonetheless runs at this time – 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 reputable with out Joe Hand as a member.
