Instances of famous people who had great amateur careers

Don't know about how great their amateur careers were, but George Wallace (former Alabama Governor and self-proclaimed candidate for U.S. Presidency), Harry Reid (U.S. Senator from Nevada -- he just died a few days ago), and Nelson Mandela (former President of South Africa) all had boxing experience of varying degrees. At least, I have seen photos of each in serious boxing poses.

 

Liam Neeson was an amateur boxer.
Roy Scheider was an amateur boxer
Toni Iommi the lead guitarist of Black Sabbath was an amateur boxer.

not sure how good their careers were

 

Idi Amin (the dictator) was allegedly a very good boxer at the domestic Ugandan level as a lightheavyweight, but I haven't seen any hard documentation or anything on Boxrec.

He was in the army during British rule, so if he was a boxer, most likely he boxed as an amateur in British / Ugandan colonial army bouts. Online news articles usually repeat the story about his boxing, so at least it passes the bare minimum threshold of getting past a journalist or two.

I find it believable, personally. The British admired good sportsmen, and Amin clearly enjoyed hurting people (as his later career showed.) The guy was 6'4", which is plenty big enough to beat people up in the ring, and rare for a dictator. He was also popular with his British superior officers. Tended to overeat, too, which some ex-boxers do when they don't have to worry about weight classes anymore. It fits.

 

Also Victor McLaglen. Won the Academy Award and fought Jack Johnson.

Bruce Lee boxed briefly as an amateur in Hong Kong, although he didn't exactly set the world on fire.

 

Wallace boxed at the University of Alabama when boxing was a collegiate sport and won an SEC (conference) championship.

 

Ugh I meant lead guitarist and founder of Black Sabbath. I gotta edit that one since I’m a big fan

 

Actor Ryan O’Neil
Famous Brazilian Eduardo Suplicy

 

Billy Joel, believe it or not. Pretty good amateur featherweight.

 

Robert Ryan was a good college boxer.
Jack Palance fought pro.
Bob Hope fought as Packey East.
Ray Winstone had some amateur fights.

 

Well let’s just say Ozzy sounds like he had a reasonable career in boxing behind him.

Johnny Carson boxed in the Navy with a decent record. You can find him playfully sparring Joe Frazier on YouTube - you can see he had some moves.

There’s also a clip of Ryan O’Neal going pretty hard with Joe Frazier in an exhibition- Joe obviously pulling his shots. I can’t think of anyone else better for Joe to have flattened. Ah well.

If we’re opening it up to pro also, Tony Danza wasn’t too bad either.

Jack Palance was supposed to have boxed.

Finally, no formal career but Robert Mitchum cleaned the clock of pro HW and one time Marciano opponent Bernie Reynolds. It wasn’t exactly under MOQ rules with Mitchum admitting to also having given Reynolds the “slipper” when he was down.

Mitch, not only a GREAT actor but real life bad a** also.