Full name Riley Houston McDowell and his record of 164W-104L-25D is nothing to scoff at. He defeated three middleweight (former) champions by decision, these were Ceferino Garcia, Fred Apostoli, and Fritzie Zivic. He fought Zivic three times, losing their first encounter in round 6 by TKO, lost on points in the second, and finally won a 10-round decision in their final fight. He lost twice to Antonio Fernandez by way of an 8-round decision. Another 10-round decision loss to the Coca Kid and Holman Williams, he fought Kid Azteca twice and was Kayo'd in the first bout in round-7, then lost the second by a 10-round decision. There is virtually no information about him online, beyond his birth, death, a few census, an obituary, and general details on his family tree. Can anyone here on the forum lend their knowledge regarding more of Bill's life and his boxing career? Right now I am doing research but am at work so I am limited to what I can accomplish, the obituary, was provided I presume to all newspapers, stated he had 526 professional fights. Dubious and probably pure conjecture, but to put the estimate so high and with the current record of confirmed fights it is plausible he approached that number of 526. There is a story that during a pre-fight press with the Coca Kid, Wild Bill insults him during the radio interview on 6/18/40 but I have not searched to see if there is a recording of the broadcast. The obituary reads "Death came Monday to Riley H (Wild Bill) McDowell, who was one of the busiest fighters boxing ever knew. Over a period of 20 years McDowell, one of the top middleweights of his time, had 526 professional fights. McDowell, 44, died at the M.D. Anderson Cancer and Tumor Institute where he had been for several months. Funeral services will be at Irving, where McDowell." This took a little while to type up and I am very curious about the subject, if you find the thread and don't know of "Wild" Bill McDowell, please give it a bump if it's fallen down into the abyss of dead posts, I think he's a interesting fighter who we could at the least try and collect a little more information regarding his life and feats, beyond countless ancestry trees and one obituary.
1940, at Griffith Stadium on the same card as Louis Kid Cocoa vs Wild Bill McDowell a young featherweight named Billy Banks squared off against Baltimore Joe Sole. Even though this was the first fight of the evening, there was more talk about this fight than the Kid cocoa vs Wild Bill fight. The Banks vs Sole fight was the Districts first ever professional boxing match between a white man and a black man. It was later stated that this is the fight that broke the segregation line.
thank you, very awesome of you for sharing, i've been dying to hear more about this guy and i have to say now im gonna Look at Billy Banks and Joe Sole.
Hello, I don't know what help I can be but I am his Nephew, born in 1957. I was 2 or 3 years at his passing. I would love to have pictures. McDowell family, 7 children, Louis (Which I was named after except Lewis) Ike, Charlie (My Dad), Uncle Bill given name Riley Houston McDowell, GB McDowell an Evangelist, Aunt Tony Beulah McDowell, Grenadine youngest sister passed in her 20s. One picture I wish I could find, It shows my uncle GB climbing through the ropes following a victory fight for my uncle. Caption read, Wild Bill McDowell knocks them out and his preacher brother picks them up. Thanks for your post.
I don't know what help I can be but I am his Nephew, born in 1957. I was 2 or 3 years at his passing. I would love to have pictures. McDowell family, 7 children, Louis (Which I was named after except Lewis) Ike, Charlie (My Dad), Uncle Bill given name Riley Houston McDowell, GB McDowell an Evangelist, Aunt Tony Beulah McDowell, Grenadine youngest sister passed in her 20s. One picture I wish I could find, It shows my uncle GB climbing through the ropes following a victory fight for my uncle. Caption read, Wild Bill McDowell knocks them out and his preacher brother picks them up. Thanks for your post. Lewis McDowell
