BOXING: Tragic Stories

Benny Leonard?

Died in the ring of a heart attack whilst whilst being the referee

 

then came back after like 15 years in the slammer,won a few bouts and then killed himself...only about 40 i think

 

BZ

add in Johnny Caldwell and Vernon Forrest

 

i don't think its benny lynch either.the wee man wasn't bald for a kick-off

 

pancho villa

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In May, 1922, Villa received an invitation from famed boxing promoter Tex Rickard to fight in the United States. He accepted the invitation, and sailed to America together with Churchill and Paquito Villa. He immediately won his first overseas fight against Abe Goldstein in Jersey City on June 7, 1922. He then fought and defeated Frankie Genaro on August 22, 1922. By this time, Villa had caught the attention of boxing aficionados, and he was slated to fight against the American flyweight champion Johnny Buff on September 15, 1922.
Villa defeated Buff in an upset, knocking out the champion in the 11th round to win the American flyweight championship. At this point, Villa had been in the American phase of his career for only 4 months. Villa lost the title early the following year to Genaro, who defeated the Filipino on points in a widely criticized decision. The unpopularity of Villa's defeat on points proved fateful. Jimmy Wilde, the Welsh-born boxer and former world flyweight champion had decided to end his recent retirement and seek the then vacant world flyweight championship in a fight to be staged in America. While Genaro, the US champion, seemed as the logical choice to fight Wilde, Villa's growing popularity soon convinced promoters that the Filipino would prove as the better draw.
Villa did not disappoint. On June 18, 1923, at the Polo Grounds in New York, Villa was cheered on to victory over Wilde by over 20,000 fans screaming "Viva Villa!" The win came by way of a knockout in the 7th round caused by a crashing right to Wilde's jaw. Villa was described as relentless, pummeling Wilde with both hands, and causing the Welshman to also drop in the fourth and fifth rounds. Wilde never fought again.


Death


Villa returned to the United States to prepare for his next match, a non-title fight against Jimmy McLarnin scheduled for July 4, 1925, at Ewing Field in Oakland. Days leading to the fight, Villa's face became swollen due to an ulcerated tooth. According to contemporary newspaper accounts, on the morning of the fight, Villa went to a dentist to have the tooth extracted. Despite the pain and swelling, Villa insisted on going ahead with fight with McLarnin. Villa ended up spending most of the fight using one hand to protect his afflicted face. Given these circumstances, Villa naturally lost, though he managed to stay the distance. It was Villa's last fight.
Two or three days after the McLarnin fight, Villa had three more teeth extracted after an infection was discovered. Against his dentist's prescription of bed rest, Villa spent the next few days carousing with friends. Villa's condition worsened thereafter, and by July 13, 1925, he had to be rushed to the hospital. It was then discovered that the infection had spread to Villa's throat, resulting in Ludwig's angina. Villa was rushed into surgery, but he lapsed into a coma while on the table, and died the following day, July 14, 1925, 17 days before he became 24 years old.
Villa's remains were returned to Manila, and in August 1925, Villa was buried at Manila North Cemetery. He was survived by his wife, Gliceria.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pancho_Villa_(boxer)

 

Ray Mancini after his fight with Duk Koo Kim. It was tragic for both them, as Kim was killed in the fight and Mancini was horribly traumitized.

Also heard his mother, and ref of the fight commited suicide shortly after...

 

Brian you got a link to it

 

I agree a great tragedy

 

Kirkland Laing.

Beat Duran and reportedly a very nice guy. Didnt fight for a year however as he lived the high life and ultimately never fulfilled his talent.

Now he lives as a tramp.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oY_1iNtpb1E

 

famously injured - mcclellan , watson
a little less famously injured - steve collins , joe mesi , edwin valero
died - robert wangila

traffic accidents - sanchez , william lawrence stribling , corralles
other accidents - marciano
weird ocasions - norbert ekassi , sergei kobozev
murders - forrest , gatti , liston
i believe that there is a good chance that arguello was murderred also.
diseases - ezzard charles (ALS) , steve little (cancer)
- but about diseases - i think that all of you believe that everyone will die sometime . so , too many could be mentioned here.

i believe that part of such traffic accidents has a connection to brain-damage sufferred in the ring.

 

Recently a lot of sad storys came to Mind...Gatti,Forest,Arguello, 3 nice guys...very sad....Billy Collins another sad story....Al"Bummy " Davis was killed trying to help a friend and his brother Willie" Big Gangy"Davidoff got 35 years for triple homicide and his other brother Harry"Little Gangy" Davidoff became the head of the teamsters in NY but later got 10 yrs. Chuvalo story is horrible...also Davey Hilton the way he raped his 3 daughters, his wife was Arturo Gatti's sister. That was another misfortunately boxing family. Stanley Ketchel got caught with his pants down in another mans house...for the last time, he got wacked