The Boxing History Blog

Simon Brown Born in Clarendon, Jamaica as Ceseford Brown on 15th August 1963, Simon Brown compiled an amateur record of 63-2. He turned professional at Atlantic City's Tropicana Hotel and Casino against Ricky Williams in February 1982, winning a four-round decision.  He fought predominantly in Atlantic City, compiling a record of 21-0 (15 KO's) when he challenged USBA welterweight champion Marlon Starling on 22nd November 1985 at the Sands Casino Hotel in Atlantic City. Starling was vastly experienced and a few classes above the faded veterans and club fighters Brown had been facing as a pro. Starling had a record of 97-13 in the amateurs and reached the 1977 AAU welterweight semi-final, losing to Mike McCallum. In 1975 and '79 he lost both New England Golden Gloves welterweight finals to Robbie Sims. He turned pro in July 1979 and amassed an unbeaten run of 25-0 before losing his USBA welterweight title to NABF counterpart, Donald Curry by a split decision in October 1982....

'Terrible' Terry Norris Terry Norris was born on 17th June 1967 in Lubbock, Texas. He had to leave his hometown as he was involved in a brawl during a baseball game, where he was stabbed by a masked assailant in a night club and shot at. "If I'd stayed, I'd probably be in a pine box." He left for the KO Corral boxing ranch in California, run by Joe Sayatovich, so he could be with his elder brother Orlin. Terry was the more gifted boxer of the two as he oozed natural talent. Where Orlin was cursed as being too small for a heavyweight and too big for the cruiserweight division.  Terry Norris turned professional on 02nd August 1986 against Jose Luis Cordova, who was also making his debut. He went 12-0 before losing a ten round unanimous decision to Derrick Kelly. He bounced back against Edward Neblett, but lost his discipline in November 1987 and got disqualified for hitting opponent Joe Walker, whilst he was down. Eight wins later he l...

Julian Jackson Plagued throughout his career with eye problems, some said that he needed a white stick, but tell that to the forty-nine opponents he knocked cold in the light-middle and middleweight ranks. Jackson had an amateur record of 15-2 and turned professional on 02nd February 1981, winning a four-round points decision against fellow debutant Inocencio Carmona. The father of six from St. Thomas in the Virgin Islands dedicated his life to God after losing a WBA light-middleweight contest to the Jamaican Mike McCallum, in 1986. Both men were undefeated, the champion was 26-0 (23 KOs), whilst Jackson's resume stood at 29-0 (27 stoppages). After McCallum tasted Jackson's power in the first round, the champion ended matters in the second round. Jackson, an assuming and modest man came back from this setback and took the WBA light-middleweight crown from the South Korean In-Chul Baek in the third round in Las Vegas on 21st November 1987. He defe...

  Early Life & Career Born on 12th July 1962, Chavez was one of ten children. He claimed that "I started fighting before I was one minute old." On 05th February 1980, aged 17 he made his professional debut against Andres Felix winning by a sixth-round knockout. There are sources that suggest Chavez actually lost an early fight due to a disqualification, but this hasn't been confirmed. As records stand he was 43-0 when he challenged fellow Mexican Mario Martinez for the vacant WBC super-featherweight crown on 13th September 1984. Explosive short hooks and body punches helped him on the way to an eighth-round victory. Over a period of three years, Chavez made nine successful defences including such names as Roger Mayweather, Francisco Tomas Da Cruz and Juan Laporte. He also had a few non-title fights against some obscure opponents like Roberto Collins Lindo who had a record of 1-15-0. On 21st November 1987 Chavez moved up to the lightweight division and cha...