Sad. I fear that within the next 5-10 years, that entire generation of heavyweight boxers will be deceased. At least he lived a productive life. He excelled in boxing and had a job after the sport working for the louisville park district. Sounds like a good man from what I've heard and read.
Very Sad News Indeed, He was matched tough from very early in his career and climbed to the top of a talent laden mountain, and he remained a true gentleman throughout, Jimmy was a class act inside the ring and Outside the Ring, and will be fondly remembered by those who knew him or watched his ring exploits. my Condolences and best wishes to his Family.
So very, very sad. Good fighter, seemed like a real decent fella too. I was shocked when I read this headline...but it makes you understand that time is moving too fast...for the 50ish year olds amongst us, the heroes of our childhood, like most of our parents, are departing very quickly... RIP, Jimmy Ellis.
Looking at that generation we've lost quite a few of its members. Some of them very recently, while others have been gone quite a while. Among the deceased - Joe Frazier - Ken Norton - Ron Lyle - Jerry Quarry - Jimmy Young - Oscar Bonavena - Jimmy Ellis - Floyd Patterson - Mac Foster - Buster Mathis Among the living - Muhammad Ali - George Foreman - Larry Holmes - Earnie Shavers I may have left off a few names on one list or the other, but that about sums up the big ones. Floyd Patterson probably shouldn't be considered part of that generational grouping, but figured I'd ad him since his career extended into the seventies and he did fight Ali, Quarry, Bonavena and Ellis.