Clyde Gray 'Canadian Mist'

Clyde Gray,,,,,,,Super Fighter and a Super Guy

 

September 22, 1973

Mr. Napoles and Mr. Gray at the 'scales'.

A Saturday morning weigh-in, for a Sarturday afternoon fight.

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Clyde Gray - 'Canadian Mist'

In 1976, the Canadian was working towards a rematch with WBA Champion -
Angel Espada, but the cut-eye he suffered on December 3, 1975 pushed everything
back.

The Canadian Mist returned on April 5, and thru November 14, Clyde scored '5' more
wins, '3' by knockout.

Including a May 10, 1975 - one-punch/right-hand 'knockout' (KO 2) over talented
Arizona Welterweight - David Oropeza (49-10-2).

The wins put the 29 year-old British-Commonwealth and Canadian Welterweight Champion
at 55-4-1 (38 KO's), and as the #3 WBA-ranked Welterweight.

In the meatime,

WBA Champion - Angel Espada got blasted-out by 18 1/2 year-old Pipino Cuevas on July 17, 1976

WBC Champion - John H. Stracey was upset by Californian - Carlos Palomino on June 22, 1976

 

Tuesday - November 23, 1976

Clyde Gray Aiming For World Championship

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Clyde Gray is aiming for his 'third try' at the World Welterweight Championship.

But first, he will be making a 'defense' of his British-Commonwealth Welterweight crown
tonight versus Nigerian - Kevin Odus, at the Halifax Forum where 6000 are expected to attend.

The 29 year-old Three Mile Plains resident with a record of 55-4-1 (38 KO's), was forced by
the British Boxing Board to make a defense of his Championship by the end of December, or risk
being stripped of the crown.

Clyde Gray, who had a scheduled December 7, 1976 bout with World-ranked Pete Ranzany (28-1-0)
in Sacramento, California - will fight Kevin Odus instead, to satisfy the British Boxing Board.

Mr. Gray stated, that Kevin Odus is not ranked in the Top 10 of the British-Commonwealth Welterweights,
and that he was embarrassed to be forced into this bout. Mr. Gray said. 'I'm in the fight game to make money.
The British-Commonwealth Title hasn't brought me much.'

Clyde Gray was to receive 25% of the live gate receipts, which would bring him his largest fight purse for a
British-Commonwealth Championship bout. (Approximately $8000 in U.S. Dollars)

Clyde Gray's opponent, 34 year-old Kevin Odus, a Sargaent in the Nigerian Army. Odus, a 5' 9' southpaw
has been fighting since 1959. Odus who fancies himself as a boxer/puncher - with having both a good right
and good left hand, said that he fought like Muhammad Ali.

The Nigerian claims to have had over 200-bouts, with 150 knockouts. Though records cannot be confirmed,
the Nigerian's Manager said that his fighter had a record of 195-6-3 (150 KO's).

Kevin Odus, 'Records mean nothing, it is what you do in the ring at the time of the fight. I will win.'

 

True Mr. Flea,

When the articles are available to be linked. Unfortunately all articles cannot be linked for transfer.

On Clyde Gray,

His Manager, Irv Ungerman attempted to get WBA Champion - Pipino Cuevas to come to Canada
for early 1977, but there was no response.

Then, Mr. Ungerman got a 'verbal agreement' that the winner of the Carlos Palomino vs. Armando Muniz
WBC Championship bout in January 1977 would fight Clyde Gray next, for a possible April 1977 bout.

Both attempts failed.

 

November 23, 1976

Halifax Forum - Nova Scotia

Toronto's Clyde Gray batters the body of Nigerian - Kevin Odus, enroute to a 'stoppage'
(TKO 5) in defense of his British-Commonwealth Welterweight Championship.

The Canadian (147 lbs.) unleashed a stunning body attack on the 5' 9" 140 lb. Nigerian.
The Champion Gray, took charge late in Round 2, by landing hard body punches that forced
the Nigerian to run. Clyde Gray then chased Odus while landing hard lefts and rights to the
body and head of the Challenger.

Gray then floored Odus 'twice' in Round 2, by smashing him with hard shots to the face,
forcing him to take 'Standing 8-Counts'.

But, Gray came out of the round with a cut over his right eye, when he got caught by 'two'
left hooks from the thin Challenger early in the Round.

Kevin Odus, the Nigerian and West African Welterweight Champion, who came into the ring
with a reputation as a left hook 'knockout specialist', claiming 150 knockouts, bounced his
hard left hand off of Clyde Gray's head several times, but the Canadian Champion continued
to move forward, pressing the action, while out-classing the visiting Challenger in Rounds 3 and 4.

In Round 5, Gray battered Odus to the ropes, where he dropped him with smashing shots to the face.
The Nigerian got up at the '9-Count', but was met with a flurry of lefts and rights, before the Referee
stopped the bout by a TKO 5.

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Drew 101,

I didn't get to those fights yet on Clyde Gray's bio, but I heard they were excellent
bouts.

Another bout,

January 18, 1977 (The Forum, Montreal)

Mr. Gray took on Minnesota rugged tough-guy - Rafael Rodriguez 20-4-1 (7 KO's).

At the time, Rafael was considered dangerous, and a Top 20 Welterweight. And
he had just come off of a 'disputed' 10-Round Decision Loss to Harold Weston in
New York in June 1976.

Mr. Gray (just 2-months shy of age 30), boxed like a smart veteran in the bout, and took
control in Round 3 with his steady body attack. Clyde put an exclamation point on the bout,
when he floored Rafael in the 9th Round with a right hand, and won a 10-Round Unanimous Decision.

A few days later, Irv Ungerman tried in vain to get Carlos Palomino to come to Toronto
to defend his WBC Championship versus Clyde in March 1977.

But Carlos got banged around pretty good by Armando Muniz on January 21, 1977 -
and required a longer rest period.

 

February 27, 1977 (Toronto)

'Clyde Gray Stops Al Romano In Canada'

Top-Ranked Welterweight Challenger Clyde Gray scored a (TKO 6)
over Massachusett's 'club-fighter' 27 year-old Al Romano.

The 153 lb. American with a record of (61-27-1) took it to the 30 year-old
150 lb. veteran Canadian during the first '2-Rounds', including sending Gray
into the ropes with a hard left hook to the chin a right hand to the body in Round 2.

But, Clyde Gray started landing hard punches in Round 3, and split-open
a cut over Romano's left eye with a vicious right upper-cut.

In Round 4, while Romano was trying to protect his damaged eye, Gray
switched to a body attack, and dropped the American for a '7-Count'
with a hard left hook to the ribs.

In Round 5, Clyde Gray pounded Romano at will, by sending hard left jabs
through Romano's guard, and busting up his eye, causing blood to flow freely,
impairing his vision.

In between rounds, Romano's handlers could not stop the flow of blood,
and asked the Referee to stop the bout.

Gray improved his record to 58-4-1 (40 KO's), and used this bout as
preperation for his March 22nd versus Ray Guerrero Chavez in defense
of his Canadian Welterweight Championship.

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Tueaday Night - March 22, 1977

The Forum- Montreal

'Ray Guerrero Chavez Finds Winning Formula For Clyde Gray'

Ray Guerrero Chavez, a Venezuelan now living in Montreal 'upset' Clyde Gray to capture
the Canadian Welterweight Championship.

Clyde Gray who was well on his way to a Decision win suffered a bad gash over his right eye
and on his right cheekbone, causing the Ringside Physician to call a halt to the bout after the
10th Round, awarding Chavez a TKO 11 victory.

The 30 year-old 5' 8" Gray, took control of the bout from the opening bell and kept the 30 year-old
5' 7" boxer-puncher Chavez backing up over the first 3-Rounds. Chavez was able to hold his ground
in Rounds 4, 5 and 6 - though neither fighter had a big edge in those rounds.

Gray had a good Round 7, when he rocked Chavez with a straight right, and then landed several hard
body punches on a stationary Chavez.

But, Chavez was able to come up with a 'winning formula' in Rounds 8 and 9, as he was able to land
slashing left hands to the right side of Gray's face. And when inside and close, Chavez ripped in
short right hands to the face of Gray.

Clyde Gray came out those '2-Rounds' with bad cut over his right eye, and a bad gash on his right
cheekbone. Though those at ringside never saw a punch open up the cuts.

In desperation, Gray charged out in Round 10, and tried for the knockout blow, and landed several good
punches on a defensive Chavez, but he could not put the tricky Venezuelan down.

At the end of 10-Rounds, Clyde Gray was ahead 5-2-3 on the scorecards, but the bout had to be stopped,
as the cuts were too deep.

Ray Guerrero Chavez improves to 30-5-2 (16 KO's), and wins the Canadian Welterweight Championship.
Chavez has now gone unbeaten in his last '10-bouts'.

Clyde Gray drops to 58-5-1, and this loss may affect his '3rd-chance' at a Welterweight Championship.
Clyde Gray had won '9-straight' bouts upon entering this fight.

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The Fight Nobody Wanted

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The Fight Nobody Wanted

Originally, Irv Ungerman, the fight manager for Clyde Gray attempted to get the fight set for Toronto, in early-July 1977.

But, the Canadian Boxing Board would not permit the bout to held there, as in their by-laws they would not allow a
fighter under the age of 20 to compete in a 15-Round bout.

Hence, the 19 1/2 year-old WBA Champion - Jose 'Pipino' Cuevas could not defend his Championship in Canada.

Next up, The Olympic in Los Angeles. But the promoters were hesitant to put up a guarantee for each fighter's purse,
as they were worried about a poor turn-out, and had no backing from a National Television Network.

Then, Jeff Tempkin, of MagnaVerde Promotions was able to come up with an alternative, but the fighters would have to
accept smaller fight purse's.

On July 20, 1977 - it was announced that the bout was re-scheduled for Saturday Night - August 6th.

An expected crowd of 7000 was forecast for the 10,000 seat capacity Olympic.

The pre-fight publicity billed it as 'The Young vs. The Experienced', a young Champion versus an experienced Challenger.

Irv Ungerman, who shielded his fighter Clyde Gray from interviews, said his 30 year-old fighter was far more experienced than
the 19 1/2 year-old Champion, and that his fighter had fought the better calibre of opponents.

Lupe Sanchez and his fighter Pipino Cuevas remained quiet, and made no predictions, other than that Clyde Gray would be
the toughest opponent that they had ever faced, and they were prepared to go 15-Rounds.

To help stir up some local excitement, #3 Ranked Welterweight Armando Muniz was put on the card, to face Jose Palacios,
the former Mexican Welterweight Champion. Palacios was also a stable-mate of the Champion Pipino Cuevas. Armando Muniz
was guarantee'd a WBA Championship fight with the winner of the Cuevas-Gray bout, if he defeated Palacios.

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