https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roy_Harris_(boxer) He died August 8, 2023 at age 90. He beat Willie Besmanoff, Willie Pastrano and Bob Baker. But I remember him best for his spirited effort against Patterson and his unfortunate blowout against Sonny Liston. But there's no shame in losing to prime Patterson and prime Liston. Lots of good fighters would lose to those two.
A native of Cut and Shoot, Texas — which makes me wonder why every town in Texas isn’t named Cut and Shoot — Harris was a very unusual and accomplished guy for a boxer. He won four state Golden Gloves championships and won the Joe Louis Sportsmanship Award at the 1954 National Golden Gloves. @InMemoryofJakeLamotta outlined his boxing career high points pretty well. He made the cover of Sports Illustrated (more from his colorful country upbringing and back story than his ability) before the Patterson fight. He knocked Floyd down (didn’t everyone, haha) but got stopped in 13. While fighting, he also supported himself as an elementary school teacher. He also served in the U.S. Army and in the reserves for a dozen years. He attended Sam Houston State and was an honor student. And after he retired from boxing, he took up law in 1972 and became an attorney and later county clerk. He seems to have been the key person on the legal side in getting Cut and Shoot incorporated to become an actual city rather than just a town with no local government. A credit to his family and the sport. RIP Roy.
Yes, I think I recall reading that. I also understand that he was practising law into his very later years - not sure if he still was until his passing. A life very well lived from what I’ve read.
I didn’t know. Thanks. A few years ago I looked into the topic to see if he was still living and someone said that he was still practicing law well into his eighties. On the surface it would seem he had a very successful and productive life. R.I.P
The Fighting Schoolteacher who challenged Floyd Patterson for the title on August 18 1958 in Los Angeles, California.
No I never heard he had passed The Fighting Cowboy Schoolteacher. They talked a lot about him in Dallas/Ft Worth. I had 0ver 20 odd years there but never found out where Cut and Shoot Texas was though My condolences to his family & friends He certainly lived a great life. R I P Fighting Cowboy