Fighter Biographies ...

JORGE AHUMADA (1968-1976)
Status: Light heavyweight
Record: 42 wins, 8 losses, 2 draws; 22 KOs
Ahumada was good enough to fight a draw with possibly the best light-heavyweight ever, Bob Foster. He fought Victor Galindez four times, defeating him once. He also went 15 rounds with rugged John Conteh for the title, but he lost the decision. Ahumada would be a tough opponent for anyone because of his ability to deliver a damaging blow and take a punch so well. His biggest drawback was his lack of defense.

EZZARD CHARLES (1940-1959)
Status: Heavyweight champion from 1949-1951
Record: 96 wins, 17 losses, 1 draw; 58 KOs
"The Cincinnati Cobra"
Charles is considered by many to be one of the greatest light heavyweights of all time. He was a terrific boxer who landed punches with pinpoint accuracy; a hard puncher who could take as well as give. He had speed, agility, fast hands, and excellent footwork; possessed a masterful jab, and was a superb counter puncher. Charles fought all-time light heavyweight king Archie Moore three times, winning all three; and Joey Maxim, another light-heavy title holder five times, winning all five. He may have fought his greatest fight in a losing effort when he went 15 grueling rounds against Rocky Marciano in one of the all-time great fights.

VICTOR GALINDEZ (1969-1980)
Status: Light heavyweight champion, 1974-1978
Record: 55 wins, 9 losses, 4 draws; 34 KOs
“The Animal”
Galindez was an all-action, merciless, courageous and super-fit fighter. A bull in the ring, he captured both the Argentine and South American light heavyweight titles in 1972. Along the way, he beat tough Argentine fighters like Juan Aguilar and Jorge Ahumada. In 1974, he TKO’d Len Hutchins in 13 rounds to win the vacant WBA light heavyweight title. He defended his title 10 times over formidable foes Pierre Fourie, Ahumada, Richie Kates and Eddie Gregory. Galindez lost the crown to Mike Rossman in 1978, but regained it the following year, before losing the title to Marvin Johnson. Galindez was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2002.

HARRY GREB (1913-1925)
Status: Light heavyweight champion, 1922-1923; Middleweight Champion, 1923-1926
Record: 108 wins, 9 losses, 3 draws; 49 KOs
"The Pittsburgh Windmill"
Greb, like Gene Tunney, made his mark in another division—in Greb’s case, the middleweights, but he could more than hold his own in the light heavyweight bracket. As a matter of fact, Greb was the American light heavyweight champion for a period of time. Greb decisioned the great Tommy Loughran in 1923 in a delightful matchup of brawler vs. slugger. Greb had a highly aggressive, very fast, swarming style of fighting and buried his opponents under a blizzard of punches. He was elusive and durable, with very good footwork. His ultimate weakness may have been his lack of knockout power.

HENRY MASKE (1990-2007)
Status: IBF Light heavyweight champion (1993-1996)
Record: 31 wins, 1 loss; 11 KOs
"Gentleman"
Maske was a five-time boxing champion of East Germany. After turning pro, he defeated Charles Williams on points in March 1993 to win the IBF light heavyweight title and defended it 10 times before losing it on a split decision to Virgil Hill in November 1996, and retired shortly after. He returned to the ring in 2007 and avenged his only defeat, beating Hill on points, after which he officially ended his career. Maske’s unmistakable fighting style and his personality made him one of the leading figures of the reunited Germany and boxing a top German sports event for many years. Maske was a clever boxer with quick hands and feet.

HARRY MATTHEWS (1937-1956)
Status: Contender (1951)
Record: 90 wins, 7 losses, 6 draws; 61 KOs
"Kid Matthews"
Matthews was a good boxer and a dangerous puncher who fought an ambitious schedule of fighters. Got his big chance against Rocky Marciano at Yankee Stadium in 1952. He had a great first round, but according to legend he started to look around the stadium and started thinking he really didn’t belong there and was promptly knocked out in Round 2. He still racked up many impressive victories including 61 knockouts in his career.

ARCHIE MOORE (1936-1965)
Status: Light heavyweight champion, 1952-1962. Possibly the best light heavyweight of all time.
Record: 194 wins, 26 losses, 8 draws; 141 KOs
"The Old Mongoose"
Archie Moore is a legend. Held light heavyweight title for 10 years, after waiting 16 years for a title shot. The oldest man in ring history to hold the light heavyweight crown. When Moore said the other champions were avoiding him, you have to believe him! Moore was one of the cleverest boxer/punchers to grace the ring. He fought for 29 years and depending on who you believe (Moore or his mother), was still fighting at the age of either 49 or 52! Won four of his last five fights! Moore twice fought for the heavyweight title--against Marciano and Floyd Patterson--when well past his prime and lost both.

JOHNNY PERSOL (1960-1969)
Status: Noncontender
Record: 22 wins, 5 losses, 1 draw; 7 KOs
"Pep"
Johnny Persol was a light-hitting fighter, master boxer and lightning-fast combination puncher, whose speed, footwork and jabs had a ballet-like quality to them. He boxed his way into the top 10 for a short time and then settled into a niche more to his ability level -- that of a trial horse. Persol was a good, minor fighter, whose career was cut short in 1969 because of eye problems.

MICHAEL SPINKS (1977-1988)
Status: Light heavyweight champion, 1983-1985; heavyweight champion, 1985-1988
Record: 31 wins, 1 loss; 21 KOs
Ranked among the 10 greatest light heavyweights of all time. Spinks defeated Eddie Mustafa Muhammad to win the WBA light heavyweight title in July 1981and two years later defeated WBC titleholder Dwight Muhammad Qawi to become the undisputed light heavyweight champion. Became the first reigning light heavyweight champion to win the World Heavyweight Championship when he decisioned Larry Holmes in September 1985. Spinks suffered his only loss at the hands of heavyweight Mike Tyson in 1988 and retired soon after. Spinks main weapon was a lethal right hand, dubbed “The Spinks Jinx.”

DICK TIGER (1952-1971)
Status: Middleweight champion from 1962-63 and again from 1965-66. Considered one of the top 15 middleweights.
Record: 61 wins, 17 losses, 3 draws; 26 KOs
An even better middleweight than a light-heavy according to some people. Won the crown from Gene Fullmer and defended successfully against Fullmer twice. Lost the crown to Joey Giardello and had to wait two full years before getting a chance to regain it by decisioning the clever Giardello. Tiger lost the middleweight crown again, this time to Emile Griffith, the same year he took the light heavyweight crown away from Jose Torres. An amazing fighter. At age 40 he defeated tough Nino Benvenuti who was only 31 at the time.

FABRICE TIOZZO (1988-2006)
Status: Light heavyweight champion, 1995-1997 and 2004-2006; cruiserweight champion, 1997-2000
Record: 48 wins, 2 losses; 32 KOs
An underrated boxer-puncher, whose resume lacks many quality opponents. Decisioned a 38-year-old Mike McCallum to win the light heavyweight title in June 1995. Tiozzo moved up in weight and won the cruiserweight title by defeating Nate Miller in 1997, but lost it on a first-round TKO to Virgil Hill in 2000. Tiozzo returned to the light heavyweight division where he captured his third world title with a 12-round split decision over Silvio Branco. He retired in 2006 while still WBA light heavyweight champion.

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