Famous people who have boxed as professionals
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BoxingFan88
John Bloody Wayne
Atila
Union Cane
TRUSSMAN66
Strongback
Valero's Conscience
Rich1066
seanmichaels
ONETWOFOREVER
Il Gialloblu
Mind the windows Tino.
rodders
azania
Pedro147
bhb001
Pound-for-Pound
rapidringsroad
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The v2 Forum :: Sport :: Boxing
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Famous people who have boxed as professionals
Recently we have had sportsmen trying their hand at becoming professional boxers, Flintoff and Sonny Bill Williams are two that come to mind and a few years back actor Mickey O'Rourke had a few bouts.Going back quite a few years I read that Jack Palance an actor that often played the villain in westerns earned his crust as a professional boxer,fighting Joe Baksi amongst others also the well known western writer Louis Lamour had over twenty professional fights, however I can find no mention of these two on box rec so did they fight under another name or were they just rumours to make their background a little more colourful? Any of you experts out there know anything?
rapidringsroad- Posts : 495
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Re: Famous people who have boxed as professionals
Jack Palance - not really a record to brag about -
http://boxrec.com/list_bouts.php?human_id=041420&cat=boxer
Don't know if it's true but read on a different forum that L'amours fights were not professional.
http://boxrec.com/list_bouts.php?human_id=041420&cat=boxer
Don't know if it's true but read on a different forum that L'amours fights were not professional.
Pound-for-Pound- Posts : 340
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Re: Famous people who have boxed as professionals
Wasn't Bob Hope an amateur boxer and said his nickname was Rembrandt because he spent so much time on the canvas?
bhb001- Posts : 2675
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Re: Famous people who have boxed as professionals
One that I don't think too many people know about is Billy Joel:
http://www.billyjoel.com/photos/the-boxer
Living in Long Island, he was bullied as a child and needed to learn how to protect himself. He then became a good boxer and entered local tournaments. He went undefeated for 22 fights and then lost two. In his 24th fight, he had his nose broken and right then decided he would not box anymore. Instead he decided to become a musician and was even more successful!
http://www.billyjoel.com/photos/the-boxer
Living in Long Island, he was bullied as a child and needed to learn how to protect himself. He then became a good boxer and entered local tournaments. He went undefeated for 22 fights and then lost two. In his 24th fight, he had his nose broken and right then decided he would not box anymore. Instead he decided to become a musician and was even more successful!
Pedro147- Posts : 885
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Re: Famous people who have boxed as professionals
Idi Amin was Uganda hw champ. Retired undefeated.
Mandela was a decent amateur boxer.
Mandela was a decent amateur boxer.
azania- Posts : 19471
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Re: Famous people who have boxed as professionals
Liam Neeson was a good amateur boxer I think but not sure if he ever boxed pro.
rodders- Moderator
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Re: Famous people who have boxed as professionals
azania wrote:Idi Amin was Uganda hw champ. Retired undefeated.
Did he ever lose any fights and then the victor just 'disappeared'?
Ernest Hemingway liked a good fight. I think the reason he was refused entry to the army in WWI was due to poor eyesight stemming from high school boxing. Good friends with Gene Tunney I think although I may have made that up.
Mind the windows Tino.- Beano
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Re: Famous people who have boxed as professionals
Another amateur - Michael Flatley. Won the Chicago Golden Gloves in his youth. Great footwork, one would imagine.
Dunno any who would be an answer to the OP that asked for pros though.
Dunno any who would be an answer to the OP that asked for pros though.
Il Gialloblu- Posts : 1759
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Re: Famous people who have boxed as professionals
Mind the windows Tino. wrote:azania wrote:Idi Amin was Uganda hw champ. Retired undefeated.
Did he ever lose any fights and then the victor just 'disappeared'?
Aye, that sounds suspiciously like Kim Jong-il's golf exploits.
Il Gialloblu- Posts : 1759
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Re: Famous people who have boxed as professionals
Il Gialloblu wrote:
Dunno any who would be an answer to the OP that asked for pros though.
I really need to learn to read. I didn't realise the OP was asking for pros.
Quade Cooper. Part-time Aussie flyhalf, part-time burglar, full-time helmet and now the owner of a 1-0-0 (1) professional boxing record.
Mind the windows Tino.- Beano
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Re: Famous people who have boxed as professionals
James Joyce was also a keen boxing fan and used to box when he was in Trinity College. Although not boxed professionally I must add.
Pedro147- Posts : 885
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Re: Famous people who have boxed as professionals
Mind the windows Tino. wrote:azania wrote:Idi Amin was Uganda hw champ. Retired undefeated.
Did he ever lose any fights and then the victor just 'disappeared'?
Ernest Hemingway liked a good fight. I think the reason he was refused entry to the army in WWI was due to poor eyesight stemming from high school boxing. Good friends with Gene Tunney I think although I may have made that up.
He never lost. He won most by KO and had the best defense in history. No-one could lay a glove on him for some reason.
azania- Posts : 19471
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Re: Famous people who have boxed as professionals
Burt Lancaster was either a boxer or street fighter before making it big as an actor.
Oliver Martinez Halle Berry's other half used to box, I think in the amatures.
Frank Sinatra never boxed but his father was a pro fighter
Oliver Martinez Halle Berry's other half used to box, I think in the amatures.
Frank Sinatra never boxed but his father was a pro fighter
ONETWOFOREVER- Posts : 5510
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Re: Famous people who have boxed as professionals
azania wrote:
He never lost. He won most by KO and had the best defense in history. No-one could lay a glove on him for some reason.
The Ugandan Willie Pep.
Mind the windows Tino.- Beano
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Re: Famous people who have boxed as professionals
Mind the windows Tino. wrote:Il Gialloblu wrote:
Dunno any who would be an answer to the OP that asked for pros though.
I really need to learn to read. I didn't realise the OP was asking for pros.
Quade Cooper. Part-time Aussie flyhalf, part-time burglar, full-time helmet and now the owner of a 1-0-0 (1) professional boxing record.
Quality player on his day. Apprently close to SBW. Have you seen highlights of SBW playing in Japan? It is like a normal bloke gatecrashing a midgets kick around. Embarrassing.
seanmichaels- seanmichaels
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Re: Famous people who have boxed as professionals
I do enjoy michaels' turn of phrase.
Il Gialloblu- Posts : 1759
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Re: Famous people who have boxed as professionals
Not famous as such but all three kray brothers boxed as pros. Ronnie was a wild slugger, Charlie boxed in the navy and then had a few bouts and reggie had from memory a perfect record and was touted as a potential star
Rich1066- Posts : 55
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Re: Famous people who have boxed as professionals
The amazing Freddie Flintoff!
Valero's Conscience- Posts : 2096
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Re: Famous people who have boxed as professionals
Tex Cobb was more famous for his movies than his boxing ability.
Strongback- Posts : 6529
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Re: Famous people who have boxed as professionals
Dorian Yates boxed didn't he??
TRUSSMAN66- Posts : 40685
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Re: Famous people who have boxed as professionals
Don't know if anyone remembers the boxing movie Streets of Gold. Wesley Snipes played the lead. He had some good moves and is a decent martial artist. Didn't help him though when he was caught fornicating with Tyson's girlfriend.
Strongback- Posts : 6529
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Re: Famous people who have boxed as professionals
TRUSSMAN66 wrote:Dorian Yates boxed didn't he??
Could have I don't know.
Franco Columbu was always the boxing bodybuilder. He claims to have been a Sardinian amateur champion. In Pumping Iron he is shown doing boxing training in Sardinia.
Strongback- Posts : 6529
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Re: Famous people who have boxed as professionals
http://boxrec.com/list_bouts.php?human_id=307717&cat=boxer
Union Cane- Moderator
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Re: Famous people who have boxed as professionals
Union, I'm going to need more information here. Who is Harold Webb?
bhb001- Posts : 2675
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Re: Famous people who have boxed as professionals
Harold "Harry" Webb - must be Cliff Richard
Guest- Guest
Re: Famous people who have boxed as professionals
Isn't he the slaphead premier league ref?
seanmichaels- seanmichaels
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Re: Famous people who have boxed as professionals
According to Mickey Duff, both Reggie and Ronnie were useless boxers who had to be carefully matched.Rich1066 wrote:Not famous as such but all three kray brothers boxed as pros. Ronnie was a wild slugger, Charlie boxed in the navy and then had a few bouts and reggie had from memory a perfect record and was touted as a potential star
The dad of James Ear Jones, Robert Earl Jones was also an actor who boxed. Not sure if he turned pro though.
Atila- Posts : 1711
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Re: Famous people who have boxed as professionals
seanmichaels wrote:Isn't he the slaphead premier league ref?
That's Howard Webb you boobie.
Mind the windows Tino.- Beano
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Location : Your knuckles whiten on the wheel. The last thing that Julius will feel, your final flight can't be delayed. No earth just sky it's so serene, your pink fat lips let go a scream. You fry and melt, I love the scene.
Re: Famous people who have boxed as professionals
DAVE667 wrote:Harold "Harry" Webb - must be Cliff Richard
Can't be. The fights were from the 30's. Cliff is not quite that old!!
bhb001- Posts : 2675
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Re: Famous people who have boxed as professionals
This definitely doesn't count but it's one of my favourite witticisms ever so here it is anyway:
"Words fail Norman once again." - Gore Vidal after Norman Mailer tried to punch him.
Apparently De Niro won a couple of pro bouts in preparation for Raging Bull.
"Words fail Norman once again." - Gore Vidal after Norman Mailer tried to punch him.
Apparently De Niro won a couple of pro bouts in preparation for Raging Bull.
John Bloody Wayne- Posts : 4460
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Re: Famous people who have boxed as professionals
Mickey Rourke
BoxingFan88- Posts : 3759
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Re: Famous people who have boxed as professionals
Strongback wrote:Don't know if anyone remembers the boxing movie Streets of Gold. Wesley Snipes played the lead. He had some good moves and is a decent martial artist. Didn't help him though when he was caught fornicating with Tyson's girlfriend.
Snipes began training in martial arts when he was 12 years old. He has a 5th degree black belt in Shotokan karate and a 2nd degree black belt in Hapkido. He has also trained in Capoeira[1] under Mestre Jelon Vieira and in a number of other disciplines including kung fu at the USA Shaolin Temple[11] and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu.
TopHat24/7- Posts : 17008
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Re: Famous people who have boxed as professionals
Thanks for that Pound, I know now why Jack Palance took up acting.
rapidringsroad- Posts : 495
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Re: Famous people who have boxed as professionals
To be fair to palance, baksi was useful, and he did allegedly have a run of victories prior to that, that boxrec doesn't have. Like I say, allegedly, and it probably helped his tough guy persona.
Did lose a shoot out to Alan Ladd in Shane though.
Did lose a shoot out to Alan Ladd in Shane though.
milkyboy- Posts : 7762
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Re: Famous people who have boxed as professionals
Surprised no mention of David haye. Future Hollywood superstar and part time boxer.
milkyboy- Posts : 7762
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Re: Famous people who have boxed as professionals
Believe Motown Records founder Berry Gordy had a few fights in his youth.
Rowley- Admin
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Re: Famous people who have boxed as professionals
Lennox Lewis, star of movies like Johnny Was and Ocean's 11, was an alright amateur apparently, also undisputed heavyweight champion of the world before he decided he preferred acting.
John Bloody Wayne- Posts : 4460
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Re: Famous people who have boxed as professionals
brian blessed was a champion amatuer fighter, not sure if he ever boxed pro though.
can also remember a charity boxing match, ricky gervais vs somebody else quite famous.
also curtis woodhouse came from sheffield united and is doing okay
can also remember a charity boxing match, ricky gervais vs somebody else quite famous.
also curtis woodhouse came from sheffield united and is doing okay
eddyfightfan- Posts : 2925
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