Boxing career
Eklund grew up in Lowell along side his half brother Micky along with 7 sisters. He started boxing at the age of 12 in the streets of Lowell. He then began to fight older adults nearly twice his age. [3]
After an amateur boxing career of 200 bouts, winning 194, including 2 New England Golden Glove championships. [4] Eklund turned professional on August 26, 1975. After losing his debut by 6-round decision to Joe DeFayette, Eklund won 10 straight fights; defeating such opponents as Doug Romano, Terry Rondeau, Carlos Garcia, Randy Milton, and Mike Michaud. [5]
He fought professionally as Dick Eklund; "Dicky" was a nickname used by his family and friends. Before his 1978 match with future world boxing champion Sugar Ray Leonard, Eklund's most impressive victory was over undefeated Rufus Miller (6–0–1) in 1976.
Eklund's most notable fight was on July 18, 1978, against Sugar Ray Leonard at the Hynes Memorial Auditorium in Boston, Massachusetts. He went the distance against Leonard, who eventually won the fight by unanimous decision. During the fight, Eklund was knocked down twice. In the ninth round, the fighters got wrapped up and Leonard tripped, which was counted as a trip by the referee. In the film The Fighter , Eklund claims to have knocked down Leonard in their match. While the film acknowledges the slip, a video of the fight shows a punch/push and Leonard falling to the canvas on his back. The official verdict by the referee Tommy Rawson was a slip. In an interview regarding the knockdown, Leonard said, "I slipped." [6]
After his bout with Leonard he then fought Fernando Fernandez for the vacant USA New England welterweight title the bout took place in his hometown of Lowell. Eklund won the title defeating Fernandez on PTS . In his next 8 fights Eklund went on a streak of losing 2, winning 2, losing 2 and winning 2. He then fought Robert Sawyer for the ESPN welterweight title but lost via unanimous decision, then splitting his next 2 fights.
Eklund's fastest victory was a first-round knockout over C.J. Faison in Montreal, Canada on February 10, 1981. [7] According to the 1983 Ring Record Book, Eklund knocked out Canada's Allan Clarke in 9 rounds on August 25, 1981. Clarke's record was listed by the Ring as 21–4–1. On October 25, 1983, Eklund defeated James Lucas to win the USA New England Welterweight Title for a second time. Following a rematch victory over Lucas in 1985, Eklund never fought again.
Eklund's fighting career spanned 10 years from 1975 to 1985, during which he compiled a professional career record of 19 wins, including four by knockout, and 10 losses. [8] During his career Dicky’s fame got him got him in trouble with drugs specifically crack cocaine, which caused his boxing career to slowly decline and eventually leading to his being arrested and sentenced to prison for 10-15 years. [3]
Life after boxing
After Eklund's fighting career ended, he became the trainer of his half-brother, noted former boxer Micky Ward who has credited Eklund as an inspiration for starting his career. [9] Eklund was Ward's full-time trainer for 26 fights, from Ward's professional debut in 1985 until his first retirement in 1991. After Eklund was released from prison in the mid 90s he helped convince Ward to come out of retirement and began to train him again. [10] Three of Ward's post-retirement fights were voted fight of the year by The Ring and he captured the WBU title in 2000. Eklund served as Ward's trainer until his second retirement, after his third fight with Arturo Gatti on June 7, 2003. Ward's biography, written by Bob Halloran and titled Irish Thunder: The Hard Life and Times of Micky Ward, discusses much of Eklund's life and career. Eklund alongside Ward would also help train their nephew Sean Eklund who also went on to become a professional boxer. [11] [12]
On April 1st of 2011 Eklund along with Ward were special guest on the Scott Van pelt show talking about their career’s. That same night they also made a special appearance’s on ESPN’s Friday Night Fights as special guests giving a live studio analysis as well as a special interview. [13] [14]
Eklund now works as a personal trainer and boxing coach in New England. Helping train boxers at Wards boxing gym in Westford. [15] He would also travel the United States with Micky Ward, giving motivational speeches to college students. The two would even do a 3 day tour of the UK in 2012 telling their story’s with all the proceeds going to charity. [16]
Personal life
Paramount Pictures' 2010 drama The Fighter chronicles the rise of Eklund's younger half-brother Micky Ward. Directed by David O. Russell, the film stars Christian Bale as Eklund and Mark Wahlberg as Ward. The movie received critical acclaim. At the 2011 Screen Actors Guild Awards, Eklund made a surprise appearance on stage with Christian Bale as the latter accepted the award for Outstanding Supporting Actor for his portrayal of Eklund. Bale also won a Golden Globe and an Academy Award for his performance. During his Academy Award acceptance speech, he thanked Eklund and Ward, who were in the audience. Eklund and Bale have since remained in contact with each other. [17]
Eklund was also featured on the HBO documentary High on Crack Street: Lost Lives in Lowell which showed his fall from boxing grace because of his addiction to crack cocaine. In the documentary, Eklund was sentenced to a long prison term for crimes he committed to feed his crack addiction. Eklund has reportedly been arrested 66 times but has since cleaned up as he has gotten older he still resides in Lowell. [18]
Eklund was named to Irish America’s top 100 in 2011 along side his brother Micky. [19] The two would also serve as the grand Marshall’s at that year’s international boxing hall of fame parade. [20]
Eklund has two sons Dicky Jr and Tommy along with a daughter, Kerry. Dicky Jr is a former actor, turned boxing trainer in California. [21]
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