10 greatest parent-child boxing duos in the history of the sport.
Hall of Famer Kostya Tszyu and his son Tim are on their way to becoming one of the most-accomplished parent-child duos in boxing history.
In fact, they could end up No. 1 on the list. It all depends on how the unbeaten younger Tszyu does the rest of his career, starting with his U.S debut against Terrell Gausha on Saturday night at The Armory in Minneapolis (Showtime).
The competition actually isn’t particularly stiff even though the modern era of boxing is more than a century old. That’s because only one duo – father-son or father-daughter – can boast that both parent and child were truly great.
Tim Tszyu (20-0, 15 KOs) certainly likes the idea of him and his pop making history together.
“I’m down for that,” he told Boxing Junkie. “That would be a goal for a lifetime if that could be done. I’d be happy.”
Here are the 10 duos against whom the Tszyus are competing (in descending order).
10 greatest parent-child boxing duos in the history of the sport.
Hall of Famer Kostya Tszyu and his son Tim are on their way to becoming one of the most-accomplished parent-child duos in boxing history.
In fact, they could end up No. 1 on the list. It all depends on how the unbeaten younger Tszyu does the rest of his career, starting with his U.S debut against Terrell Gausha on Saturday night at The Armory in Minneapolis (Showtime).
The competition actually isn’t particularly stiff even though the modern era of boxing is more than a century old. That’s because only one duo – father-son or father-daughter – can boast that both parent and child were truly great.
Tim Tszyu (20-0, 15 KOs) certainly likes the idea of him and his pop making history together.
“I’m down for that,” he told Boxing Junkie. “That would be a goal for a lifetime if that could be done. I’d be happy.”
Here are the 10 duos against whom the Tszyus are competing (in descending order).
Pete Rademacher, the 1956 Olympic champion who challenged Floyd Patterson for the heavyweight title in his first pro fight, has died at 91.
Pete Rademacher had a gold medal and a lot of confidence, perhaps too much confidence.
Rademacher, who died at 91 Thursday at the Ohio Veterans Home outside Cleveland, is best known for having the gumption to fight heavyweight champion Floyd Patterson in his very first professional fight on Aug. 22, 1957 at Sick’s Stadium in Seattle.
And it was entirely his creation. The former college football lineman at Washington State talked a group of wealthy businessman into putting up the $250,000 purse that convinced the champion to accept a fight that most observers thought was ludicrous.
The 10-1 underdog shocked everyone by knocking Patterson down in the second round but then things unraveled, as the bold, but overmatched challenger went down seven times and was counted out at 2:57 of Round 6.
Rademacher survived longer than almost everyone had predicted, earning him universal admiration. Referee Tommy Loughran, a Hall of Famer, said afterward that Rademacher had “the heart of a lion.”
And, heck, it was a hell of an experience for him. No other man before or since has challenged for the heavyweight championship in his maiden bout.
“I’ll never have another thrill like I had tonight if I live to be a hundred,” he said afterward.
For his part, Patterson couldn’t have been more gracious. “He has all the qualifications of a future great fighter,” the champion said.
Alas, it didn’t work out that way for Rademacher.
The native of Tieton, Washington won the heavyweight gold medal at the 1956 Olympics in Melbourne, knocking out Russian Lev Mukhim in the final match, but was stopped by Patterson and never really accomplished much as a pro.
He had a few notable victories – George Chuvalo and Bobo Olson being among those he defeated – but he lost to Zora Folley, Brian London, Doug Jones and Archie Moore and never again fought for the heavyweight title.
The Olson fight, in April 1962, was his last.
Rademacher would spend most of his life with his wife of 57 years, Margaret, in Medina, Ohio, near Cleveland. They had three daughters, Susan, Helen and Margo.
A family member told the Medina Gazette that Rademacher had dementia for years and that his brain will be donated for medical research.
The old fighter reportedly took great pride in his gold medal, which he regularly brought to events and shared with admirers. And he always had that special night in Seattle.
Boxing Junkie presents in the special feature the shortest heavyweight champions of all time.
Boxing Junkie recently presented a list of the tallest heavyweight champions of all time, with the 7-foot skyscraper Nikolai Valuev at the top of the angular heap.
Now it’s the little guys’ turn. In this special feature, we give you the shortest men to hold one world heavyweight title or another since John L. Sullivan opened the modern era when he was recognized as champion in the mid-1880s.
Only eight men under 6 feet have won the sport’s greatest prize in 135 years and no one has done it since the 5-11 Roy Jones Jr. beat John Ruiz in 2003.
Note: The heights used for this feature come from BoxRec.com, the official record keeper for professional boxing.
Here is the list (by height, or lack thereof).
NO. 1 TOMMY BURNS
Height: 5-7 Active: 1902-20 Record: 47-4-8 (35 KOs)
Reign(s): 1906-08 Background: What Burns lacked in height he made up for with quickness and pluck. The French-Canadian, whose real name was Noah Brusso, defeated bigger men by moving inside to inflict damage and then getting out quickly to avoid it. That’s how he beat the sub-6-foot, but heavier Marvin Hart to win the heavyweight title by decision in 1906 in Los Angeles. Burns made several defenses and then took his championship belt on a successful world tour, finishing his title run with eight consecutive knockouts. Disaster loomed, though. Following him on much of that tour was Jack Johnson, whose goal was to lure Burns into the ring. Johnson finally convinced Burns to fight him on Dec. 26, 1908 in Sydney. A $30,000 payday for Burns, the most ever earned by a boxer to that point, made it impossible to say no. Police halted Johnson’s slaughter of Burns, who officially lost a decision. He still has the distinction of being the shortest heavyweight champion.
Former NFL receiver Antonio Brown has begun training in boxing for a possible fight against internet personality Logan Paul.
Many former football players have tried to make the transition to boxing. And many have failed.
Is Antonio Brown next on the list?
First of all, Brown has the time now. The All-Pro receiver had an acrimonious departure from the NFL and no one seems to be interested in signing him even though he’s only 31, at least not at the moment.
And he might have a foil if he decides to actually exchange blows in the ring. Logan Paul, the YouTube personality who lost to counterpart KSI in an official fight in November, told TMZ Sports that he and Brown have already begun talks to fight one another.
That makes perfect sense. Paul knows fans would buy into a fight with a former NFL star. And he has an advantage: No one would describe Paul as a skillful boxer but at least he has been training for a while.
That doesn’t seem to be the case with Brown. Check out the video of Brown hitting mitts that DAZN USA posted on its Twitter account. DAZN, which streamed Paul-KSI, presumably would do the same with Paul-Brown.
Brown appears to be fit in the video. And we know he’s quick and athletic. However, it appears he never threw a punch in his life.
Of course, football players-turned-boxers such as Ed “Too Tall” Jones, Mark Gastineau, Alonzo Highsmith and Seth Mitchell fought genuine boxers in their careers. Brown would be fighting another novice.
The best football player-turned-boxer? Probably heavyweight Charlie Powell, who was a remarkable athlete in the 1950s and early ’60s. He played minor-league baseball out of high school and then became the youngest NFL player ever at 19. He lasted five seasons as a defensive end and linebacker.
Powell (25-11-3, 17 KOs) made his pro boxing debut during his NFL career, in 1953. He went on to knock out No. 2-ranked Nino Valdes in 1959 and later fight Muhammad Ali and Floyd Patterson, getting stopped by both. He never fought for the heavyweight title but was capable enough to share the ring with future Hall of Famers.
With a little work, Brown might become capable enough to fight an internet personality.
Will the rematch between Andy Ruiz Jr. and Anthony Joshua join the most-memorable sequels in history? That’s no easy task.
The rematch between Andy Ruiz Jr. and Anthony Joshua on Saturday is as compelling as it gets because of their first fight.
Ruiz, a replacement opponent known as much for his paunch as his ability, pulled off one of the great upsets by putting Joshua down four times and stopping him in Round 7 on June 1 at Madison Square Garden in New York City.
Can Ruiz do it again in Diriyah, Saudi Arabia, the site of the rematch? Or will Joshua have made the necessary adjustments and avenge his career-changing setback?
Of course, we can only imagine whether Ruiz-Joshua II will live up to the original. Some sequels are as good or better than the first fight, some fall short.
Here are 10 heavyweight rematches – or third fights – that remain in our consciousness for reasons unique to each of the fights.
