- Dick Tiger
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Dick Tiger Statistics Real name Richard Ihetu Rated at Middleweight Height 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m) Reach 71 in (180 cm) Nationality Nigerian
Born August 14, 1929
Amaigbo, NigeriaDied December 14, 1971 (aged 42) Stance Orthodox Boxing record Total fights 82 Wins 60 Wins by KO 27 Losses 19 Draws 3 Dick Tiger CBE (born Richard Ihetu August 14, 1929 - December 14, 1971) was a boxer from Ubahu village, Amaigbo, Nigeria, who emigrated to Liverpool and later to the United States of America. Tiger was a member of the Igbo ethnic group.[1] Tiger was a talented boxer, commercial venturer, and Biafran rebel.
Contents
Professional career
Dick Tiger was one of the greatest fighters to come out of Africa. He became a two-time undisputed world middleweight titlist and helped keep boxing alive during the 1950s boxing industry recession. Tiger earned an undisputed Light-Heavyweight world championship. In 1962, Tiger won the world middleweight boxing championship.
On May 20, 1965, Tiger floored Rubin "Hurricane" Carter three times and won a unanimous 10-round decision. Tiger took on Gene Fullmer and won the world's Middleweight title by decision in fifteen. Later in a rematch he drew in fifteen and in the rubber match won by knockout in seven rounds.
Tiger was an "in-house fighter" at New York City's Madison Square Garden.
Retirement and death
After retiring from boxing, Tiger worked as a guard at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. One day, he felt a strong pain in his back. Tested by doctors, he was diagnosed with liver cancer. Tiger had been banned by the Nigerian government in his country because of his involvement in the Biafran movement; however, the ban was lifted immediately after news about his condition arrived in Nigeria.
He died of liver cancer on December 14, 1971; he was 42 years old.
Biafran rebel cause
Tiger developed a portfolio of investments before the outbreak of the Nigerian Civil War. Tiger was appointed CBE by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, but he returned his insignia as a protest for what he perceived as a lack of support by Great Britain to the Biafran cause.
Professional boxing record
60 Wins (27 Knockouts), 19 Defeats (2 Knockouts), 3 Draws[2] Res. Record Opponent Type Rd., Time Date Location Notes Loss 60-19-3 Emile Griffith
UD 10 1970-07-15 Madison Square Garden, New York, New York
Win 60-18-3 Andy Kendall
UD 10 1969-11-14 Madison Square Garden, New York, New York
Win 59-18-3 Nino Benvenuti
UD 10 1969-05-26 Madison Square Garden, New York, New York
Win 58-18-3 Frank DePaula
UD 10 1968-10-25 Madison Square Garden, New York, New York
The Ring magazine's "Fight of the Year" (1968) Loss 57-18-3 Bob Foster
KO 4 (15), 2:05 1968-05-24 Madison Square Garden, New York, New York
Lost The Ring, WBC & WBA World Light Heavyweight titles Win 57-17-3 Roger Rouse
TKO 12 (15), 0:12 1967-11-17 Las Vegas Convention Center, Las Vegas, Nevada
Retained The Ring, WBC & WBA World Light Heavyweight titles Win 56-17-3 José Torres
SD 15 1967-05-16 Madison Square Garden, New York, New York
Retained The Ring, WBC & WBA World Light Heavyweight titles Win 55-17-3 Abraham Tomica
TKO 5 (10) 1967-02-05 Mile One Park, Port Harcourt
Win 54-17-3 José Torres
UD 15 1966-12-16 Madison Square Garden, New York, New York
Won The Ring, WBC & WBA World Light Heavyweight titles Loss 53-17-3 Emile Griffith
UD 15 1966-04-25 Madison Square Garden, New York, New York
Lost The Ring, WBC & WBA World Middleweight titles Win 53-16-3 Peter Mueller
KO 3 (10), 0:57 1966-02-18 Westfalenhalle, Dortmund, Nordrhein-Westfalen
Win 52-16-3 Joey Giardello
UD 15 1965-10-21 Madison Square Garden, New York, New York
Won The Ring, WBC & WBA World Middleweight titles Win 51-16-3 Rubin Carter
UD 10 1965-05-20 Madison Square Garden, New York, New York
Win 50-16-3 Juan Carlos Rivero
TKO 6 (10) 1965-03-12 Madison Square Garden, New York, New York
Loss 49-16-3 Joey Archer
SD 10 1964-10-16 Madison Square Garden, New York, New York
Win 49-15-3 Don Fullmer
UD 10 1964-09-11 Cleveland Arena, Cleveland, Ohio
Win 48-15-3 Jose Monon Gonzalez
TKO 6 (10) 1964-07-31 Madison Square Garden, New York, New York
Loss 47-15-3 Joey Giardello
PTS 15 1963-12-07 Atlantic City Convention Hall, Atlantic City, New Jersey
Lost The Ring, WBC & WBA World Middleweight titles Win 47-14-3 Gene Fullmer
RTD 7 (15), 3:00 1963-08-10 Liberty Stadium, Ibadan
Retained WBA & Won vacant The Ring, WBC World Middleweight titles Draw 46-14-3 Gene Fullmer
PTS 15 1963-02-23 Las Vegas Convention Center, Las Vegas, Nevada
Retained WBA World Middleweight title Win 46-14-2 Gene Fullmer
UD 15 1962-10-23 Candlestick Park, California, California
Won vacant WBA World Middleweight titles Win 45-14-2 Henry Hank
UD 10 1962-03-31 Madison Square Garden, New York, New York
Win 44-14-2 Florentino Fernández
TKO 6 (10) 1962-01-20 Miami Beach, Florida
Win 43-14-2 William Pickett
UD 10 1961-12-16 Madison Square Garden, New York, New York
Win 42-14-2 Hank Casey
SD 10 1961-05-15 New Orleans, Louisiana
Win 41-14-2 Spider Webb
KO 6 (10), 2:41 1961-04-15 St. Nicholas Arena, New York, New York
Win 40-14-2 Gene Armstrong
TKO 9 (10), 1:21 1961-02-18 Madison Square Garden, New York, New York
Win 39-14-2 Wilf Greaves
TKO 9 (15), 1:20 1960-11-30 Edmonton Gardens, Edmonton, Alberta
Won Commonwealth (British Empire) Middleweight title Loss 38-14-2 Wilf Greaves
SD 15 1960-06-22 Edmonton Gardens, Edmonton, Alberta
Lost Commonwealth (British Empire) Middleweight title Win 38-13-2 Víctor Zalazar
MD 10 1960-04-01 Boston Arena, Boston, Massachusetts
Win 37-13-2 Gene Armstrong
UD 10 1960-02-24 Chicago Stadium, Chicago, Illinois
Win 36-13-2 Holly Mims
MD 10 1959-12-30 Chicago Stadium, Chicago, Illinois
Loss 35-13-2 Joey Giardello
UD 10 1959-11-04 Cleveland Arena, Cleveland, Ohio
Win 35-12-2 Joey Giardello
UD 10 1959-09-30 Chicago Stadium, Chicago, Illinois
Win 34-12-2 Gene Armstrong
PTS 10 1959-09-02 Convention Hall, Camden, New Jersey
Loss 33-12-2 Rory Calhoun
SD 10 1959-07-17 War Memorial Auditorium, Syracuse, New York
Draw 33-12-2 Rory Calhoun
PTS 10 1959-06-05 Madison Square Garden, New York, New York
Win 33-12-1 Randy Sandy
PTS 10 1959-05-12 Empire Pool, Wembley, London
Loss 32-11-1 Randy Sandy
PTS 10 1959-05-12 Liverpool Stadium, Liverpool, Merseyside
Win 32-10-1 Yolande Pompey
PTS 10 1958-10-14 Empire Pool, Wembley, London
Loss 31-10-1 Spider Webb
PTS 10 1958-06-24 Empress Hall, Earl's Court, Kensington, London
Win 31-9-1 Billy Ellaway
KO 2 (8) 1958-05-01 Liverpool Stadium, Liverpool, Merseyside
Win 30-9-1 Pat McAteer
KO 9 (15) 1958-03-27 Liverpool Stadium, Liverpool, Merseyside
Won Commonwealth (British Empire) Middleweight title Win 29-9-1 Johnny Read
KO 6 (8) 1958-03-27 Harringay Arena, Harringay, London
Win 28-9-1 Jimmy Lynas
KO 7 (8) 1958-02-03 King's Hall, Belle Vue, Manchester
Win 27-9-1 Jean Ruellet
PTS 8 1958-01-13 City Hall, Hull, Yorkshire
Win 26-9-1 Paddy Delargy
KO 6 (10) 1957-11-28 Embassy Sportsdrome, Birmingham, West Midlands
Draw 25-9-1 Pat McAteer
PTS 10 1957-11-11 Maindy Stadium, Cardiff
Win 25-9 Jean Claude Poisson
PTS 10 1957-10-21 Maindy Stadium, Cardiff
Win 24-9 Phil Edwards
PTS 10 1957-09-09 Maindy Stadium, Cardiff
Win 23-9 Alan Dean
PTS 8 1957-07-25 Liverpool Stadium, Liverpool, Merseyside
Loss 22-9 Willie Armstrong
PTS 8 1957-07-15 Engineer's Club, West Hartlepool, County Durham
Win 22-8 Marius Dori
TKO 7 (8) 1957-06-04 Harringay Arena, Harringay, London
Win 21-8 Terry Downes
TKO 5 (8) 1957-05-14 Town Hall, Shoreditch, London
Win 20-8 Johnny Read
TKO 2 (8) 1957-04-29 National Sporting Club, Piccadilly, London
Win 19-8 Alan Dean
PTS 8 1956-11-09 Tower Circus, Blackpool, Lancashire
Loss 18-8 Alan Dean
PTS 6 1956-10-18 Liverpool Stadium, Blackpool, Lancashire
Win 18-7 Jimmy Lynas
PTS 8 1956-07-02 Tower Circus, Blackpool, Lancashire
Win 17-7 Wally Scott
TKO 4 (8) 1956-05-28 Engineer's Club, West Hartlepool, County Durham
Win 16-7 Alan Dean
PTS 8 1956-05-10 Liverpool Stadium, Blackpool, Lancashire
Win 15-7 Dennis Rowley
KO 1 (8) 1956-05-03 Liverpool Stadium, Blackpool, Lancashire
Loss 14-7 George Roe
PTS 8 1956-03-22 Liverpool Stadium, Blackpool, Lancashire
Loss 14-6 Jimmy Lynas
PTS 8 1956-03-01 Tower Circus, Blackpool, Lancashire
Loss 14-5 Gerry McNally
PTS 8 1956-01-27 Tower Circus, Blackpool, Lancashire
Loss 14-4 Alan Dean
PTS 6 1955-12-08 Liverpool Stadium, Blackpool, Lancashire
TV
- Appeared as a guest on an episode of the American television series What's My Line?. The panel correctly guessed his occupation.
See also
- List of WBC world champions
- Ring Magazine's list of the 80 Best Fighters of the Last 80 Years
References
- ^ Rogak, Larry (2005). You Don't Know Dick!: An Onomastic Reference Compendium. iUniverse. p. 80. ISBN 0-595-35433-5. http://books.google.com/books?id=2El5T0q86GcC&pg=PA80.
- ^ Dick Tiger's Professional Boxing Record. BoxRec.com. Retrieved on 2011-10-22.
Further reading
- Makinde, Adeyinka (2005). Dick Tiger: The Life and Times of a Boxing Immortal. Tarentum, PA: Word Association Publishers. ISBN 1595710426.
External links
- Professional boxing record for Dick Tiger from BoxRec
- Emeagwali, Philip, "DICK TIGER: Photo Essay"
- Makinde, Adeyinka, DICK TIGER WEBPAGES
- YOUNG DICK TIGER, Nephew of Dick Tiger TIGER BOXING GYM in Los Angeles
Achievements Preceded by
Gene FullmerWBA Middleweight Champion
23 Oct 1962–7 Dec 1963Succeeded by
Joey GiardelloPreceded by
Paul Pender
RetiredWBC Middleweight Champion
7 May 1963–7 Dec 1963Vacant Title last held byGene FullmerUndisputed Middleweight Champion
7 May 1963–7 Dec 1963Preceded by
Joey GiardelloWorld Middleweight Champion
21 Oct 1965–25 Apr 1966Succeeded by
Emile GriffithPreceded by
José TorresWorld Light Heavyweight Champion
16 Dec 1966–24 May 1968Succeeded by
Bob FosterAwards Preceded by
Joe BrownRing Magazine Fighter of the Year
1962Succeeded by
Cassius ClayPreceded by
Emile GriffithRing Magazine Fighter of the Year
1965Succeeded by
Joe Frazier (1967)Preceded by
Gene FullmerBWAA Fighter of the Year
1962Succeeded by
Emile GriffithPreceded by
Muhammad AliBWAA Fighter of the Year
1966Succeeded by
Carlos OrtizCategories:- 1929 births
- 1971 deaths
- Nigerian boxers
- Middleweight boxers
- Light-heavyweight boxers
- Commanders of the Order of the British Empire
- World boxing champions
- International Boxing Hall of Fame inductees
- People from Imo State
- Igbo boxers
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