Pat O'Grady, a Maverick boxing promoter, formed the World Athletic Association in Oklahoma, after the [ame="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Boxing_Association"]World Boxing Association[/ame] withdrew recognition as world lightweight champion from his son, Sean O'Grady, in July 1981. The first WAA's fight was held on October 31, 1981, when Sean O'Grady was knocked out in 2 rounds by [ame="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrew_Ganigan"]Andrew Ganigan[/ame] for the lightweight title, in [ame="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Little_Rock"]Little Rock[/ame], [ame="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arkansas"]Arkansas[/ame]. The group's first super middleweight champion was [ame="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jerry_Halstead"]Jerry (Wimpy) Halstead[/ame], who knocked [ame="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ron_Brown"]Ron Brown[/ame] out in 6 rounds, on April 3, 1982, in Denver, [ame="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colorado"]Colorado[/ame], for the newly inaugurated WAA title. After one defense, Wimpy soon outgrew the division. (Note: the Halstead-Brown bout was the third in the history of the super middleweight or "junior light heavyweight" division. [ame="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Don_Fullmer"]Don Fullmer[/ame] stopped Joe Hopkins in 6 rounds for the vacant world junior light heavyweight title in Salt Lake City, Utah on April 3, 1967 but never defended it. The title was dormant until [ame="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Billy_Douglas"]Billy Douglas[/ame] knocked out Danny Brewer in 2 rounds in Columbus, Ohio in a bout advertised as being for the "vacant world junior light heavyweight title." Douglas, too, did not defend that championship.) Pat O'Grady's son-in-law, Monte Masters, won the vacant WAA heavyweight title knocking Tony Fulilangi out in 14 rounds, on September 22, 1983, in Phoenix, [ame="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arizona"]Arizona[/ame]. Masters was promptly stripped of his heavyweight title after splitting from Pat's daughter in [ame="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1984"]1984[/ame]. Then, an eliminatory match for the vacant title was scheduled between two just retired boxers Clarence Hill and Eddie (Animal) Lopez. That fight never happened. Sean, who has been inducted into the [ame="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WBHOF"]WBHOF[/ame], briefly held the organization's welterweight title. He halted Jose "Chamizal" Hernandez in 3 rounds on April 3, 1982 to win the title and defended it with a first round knockout over novice Orin Butler two months later. After losing a non-title bout to veteran contender [ame="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pete_Ranzany"]Pete Ranzany[/ame] on October 30, 1982, Sean's title went dormant and he was no longer billed as the WAA champion. Another fighter to hold a WAA title in its early period was San Diego, California's Irving Mitchell. On June 23, 1983, "Sweet Irving" won the initial WAA featherweight title bout with a 15-round decision over California-based Irishman Richie Foster. After winning the USBA title from Refugio Rojas, Mitchell successfully defended the WAA belt by outpointing Ricky Wallace. It was his only defense. He went on to unsuccessfully challenge for the IBF featherweight title in 1985 and the WBA junior lightweight title in 1989. The WAA's last hurrah was in August [ame="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1985"]1985[/ame], when Canadian Michael Olajide won the middleweight title, knocking Sakaria Ve out in 9 rounds, in [ame="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fiji"]Fiji[/ame]. The WAA actually splintered into two separate "WAAs" after a falling out between Pat O'Grady and Champ Thomas. Thomas' Colorado-based version did not last very long and O'Grady's Oklahoma-based group lasted only a few years. A Georgia-based, [ame="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Boxing_Union"]International Boxing Union[/ame]-related group obtained the rights to the World Athletic Association in 1996. Among the fighters the "new" WAA recognized as champions before it too slipped into dormancy were Americans [ame="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rob_Calloway"]Rob Calloway[/ame], [ame="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ray_Domenge"]Ray Domenge[/ame], Jonathan Corn, [ame="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harold_Brazier"]Harold Brazier[/ame], Rob Bleakley, and German [ame="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gene_Pukall"]Gene Pukall[/ame].
Masters being stripped of his "title" for splitting up with O'Grady's daughter is one of my favorite boxing stories. Wasn't he re-instated when they reconnected, or is my memory faulty?
Longhorn 71,,,,,,,,, Excellent job on reporting....:good If I remember correctly, after Sean O'Grady won the WBA Lightweight title over Hilmer Kenty, he was supposed to fight either #1 Rodolfo Gonzalez or #2 Claude Noel. I think old man O'Grady tried to maneuver Sean out of those bouts, and into a more lucrative fight. Then the WBA stripped him of the belt for failing to fight one of those two. Then Rodolfo Gonzalez and Claude Noel fought for the vacant title. Does that sound correct.
Sounds right....those 80's had a bunch of good lightweight fighters. http://boxrec.com/list_bouts.php?human_id=9530&cat=boxer
Longhorn 71,,,,,,,,,,,,,, Thanks for the link. April 1981 Sean O-Grady beats Hilmer Kenty for the WBA Lightweight Title. The fight was televised on CBS-TV. The winner of the bout agrees to fight the #1 WBA contender (Claude Noel) within 150-days (by September 1981). Sean O'Grady upsets *Hilmer Kenty to win the WBA Lightweight Title. May 1981 Claude Noel is enlisted as the #1 WBA Lightweight, and is the mandatory challenger. June 1981 Rodolfo Gonzalez #3 WBA Lightweight fights Andy Ganigan #4 WBA Lightweight. A 10-Round Elimination bout, televised on CBS-TV. Sean O'Grady was a guest commentator for that bout. * Rodolfo Gonzalez wins the decison, and is in line for a future WBA Title fight. September 1981 The WBA strips Sean O'Grady of the Title, when he refuses to fight #1 WBA rated contender, Claude Noel. September 12, 1981 #1 WBA Claude Noel fights #2 WBA Rodolfo Gonzalez for the vacant WBA Lightweight Championship. Claude Noel defeats the undefeated and betting favorite Gonzalez by decision to win the WBA Title September 1981 Pat O'Grady announces the formation of the WAA (World Athletic Association). Sean O'Grady is designated the WAA Lightweight Champion. September 1981 Sean O'Grady announces he will defend his WAA Lightweight Championship on CBS-TV. His scheduled opponent is Howard Davis Jr., another CBS-TV fighter, and a date of September 26, 1981 is set. September 1981 Howard Davis Jr. pulls out of his fight with Sean O'Grady, claimimg an injury. September 26, 1981 Sean O'Grady wins a 10-round decision over un-rated journeyman John Morgan. Morgan fills in as a last-minute replacement for Howard Davis Jr. The bout is a non-title fight, and CBS-TV refuses to telecast the fight. October 1981 The Sean O'Grady vs. Howard Davis Jr. WAA Championship fight is re-scheduled for October 31, and to be televised on CBS-TV. October 1981 1-week before the fight, Howard Davis Jr. again pulls out of his scheduled bout fight with Sean O'Grady. Davis is claiming another injury. October 1981 Enter Andy Ganigan. 'The Hawaiian Punch' is in training, for a scheduled bout with veteran Arturo Leon. The #2 WBA rated Ganigan fills in as a substitute for Howard Davis Jr. The fight for the WAA Title is televised on CBS-TV. Andy Ganigan blasts Champion Sean O'Grady out in 2 rounds, at the Convention Center in Little Rock, Arkansas.
