Tag: Eder Jofre

Eder Jofre, legendary two-division champion from Brazil, dies at 86

Eder Jofre, the legendary two-division champion from Brazil, has died at 86 in his hometown of Sao Paulo.

Boxing has lost its eldest world champion.

Eder Jofre, the two-time world champion and Hall of Famer from Brazil, has died at 86 in his hometown of Sao Paulo after a long illness, according to multiple reports.

Some regard Jofre (72-2-4, 50 KOs) as the greatest bantamweight of all time. He could box and could stop any opponent in an instant. He was No. 85 on The Ring Magazine’s list of the 100 greatest punchers of all time.

Hall of Fame boxing writer Bert Sugar had Jofre ranked No. 28 on one of his lists of the 100 greatest fighters ever regardless of weight.

“Remember, while most American fans didn’t get a chance to see [Jofre] in action, there was a time in the early-and mid 60s where he was considered the best fighter pound-for pound in the world,” Ed Brophy, executive director of the International Boxing Hall of Fame, told The Ring.

Jofre competed in the 1956 Olympics, reaching the quarterfinals, before turning professional the following year.

He went undefeated in his first 50 fights over an eight-year span, during which he won the bantamweight championship by stopping Eloy Sanchez in six rounds in 1960 and successfully defended seven times.

Then he ran into his nemesis for the first of two times, Hall of Famer Fighting Harada of Japan, who defeated Jofre by a split decision in Nagoya to become the 118-pound king in May 1965. Harada outpointed Jofre a second time a year later.

Jofre “retired” after the second setback and spent more than three years out of boxing. He returned as a featherweight in August 1969, making one of the most successful comebacks of all time.

He won 14 consecutive fights to earn a shot at Jose Legra’s title and defeated the Cuban by a majority decision to become a two-time champion at 37 years old in May 1973.

Jofre fought seven more times – including a fourth-round knockout of Hall of Famer Vicente Saldivar in his only defense – before retiring for good.

Eder Jofre, legendary two-division champion from Brazil, dies at 86

Eder Jofre, the legendary two-division champion from Brazil, has died at 86 in his hometown of Sao Paulo.

Boxing has lost its eldest world champion.

Eder Jofre, the two-time world champion and Hall of Famer from Brazil, has died at 86 in his hometown of Sao Paulo after a long illness, according to multiple reports.

Some regard Jofre (72-2-4, 50 KOs) as the greatest bantamweight of all time. He could box and could stop any opponent in an instant. He was No. 85 on The Ring Magazine’s list of the 100 greatest punchers of all time.

Hall of Fame boxing writer Bert Sugar had Jofre ranked No. 28 on one of his lists of the 100 greatest fighters ever regardless of weight.

“Remember, while most American fans didn’t get a chance to see [Jofre] in action, there was a time in the early-and mid 60s where he was considered the best fighter pound-for pound in the world,” Ed Brophy, executive director of the International Boxing Hall of Fame, told The Ring.

Jofre competed in the 1956 Olympics, reaching the quarterfinals, before turning professional the following year.

He went undefeated in his first 50 fights over an eight-year span, during which he won the bantamweight championship by stopping Eloy Sanchez in six rounds in 1960 and successfully defended seven times.

Then he ran into his nemesis for the first of two times, Hall of Famer Fighting Harada of Japan, who defeated Jofre by a split decision in Nagoya to become the 118-pound king in May 1965. Harada outpointed Jofre a second time a year later.

Jofre “retired” after the second setback and spent more than three years out of boxing. He returned as a featherweight in August 1969, making one of the most successful comebacks of all time.

He won 14 consecutive fights to earn a shot at Jose Legra’s title and defeated the Cuban by a majority decision to become a two-time champion at 37 years old in May 1973.

Jofre fought seven more times – including a fourth-round knockout of Hall of Famer Vicente Saldivar in his only defense – before retiring for good.

Who’s the oldest living boxer in the Hall of Fame?

Who’s the oldest living boxer in the International Boxing Hall of Fame? Hint: It’s wasn’t Tony DeMarco

Boxing lost one of its revered elder statesmen when former welterweight champ Tony DeMarco died at 89 on Oct. 11.

However, DeMarco wasn’t the oldest living boxer in the International Boxing Hall of Fame at the time of his passing. That distinction belongs to women’s pioneer Barbara Buttrick, who turns 92 on Dec. 3.

The next oldest living boxers in the Hall are Eder Jofre and Carlo Ortiz, both of whom are 85.

Buttrick (30-1-1) was in the inaugural class of the Women’s Trailblazer Category, which was instituted last year. She was elected with fellow pioneers Jackie Tonawanda and Marian Trimiar.

The Londoner, all 4-foot-11 and 98 pounds of her, began training at 18 and fought in exhibitions in Europe as part of a traveling boxing troupe, according to the IBHOF. Women’s professional boxing was banned in the U.K. at the time.

“The Mighty Atom of the Ring” was recognized as the world flyweight champion when she and her husband-trainer Len Smith traveled to the United States. She boxed throughout North America, winning the bantamweight title by outpointing Phyillis Kugler in 1957 in the process.

Buttrick trained at the famous 5th Street Gym in Miami and ended up settling in Florida. She retired in 1961 but remained a licensed manager and trainer.

Eder Jofre (7-2-4, 50 KOs) is a former two-division champion in the 1960s and ’70s who is considered one of the greatest boxers of all time. Ortiz (61-7-1, 30 KOs) was a highly respected – and probably underappreciated – lightweight titleholder in the 1960s.

Journalist and author Jerry Izenberg, 91, is the oldest living non-boxer in the Hall. The next oldest is journalist and broadcaster Larry Merchant, who is 90.