Boxing career
Eklund grew up in Lowell along side his half brother Micky along with 7 sisters. He started boxing when 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] Durings his career Dicky’s fame got him got him in trouble with drugs specifically crack, which began to slowly decline his boxing career. Eventually leading to him being arrested and sentenced to prison for 10-15 years. [3]
Training career
After Eklund's fighting career ended, he became the trainer of his half-brother, noted former boxer Micky Ward. 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. [9] Three of Ward's post-retirement fights were voted fight of the year by The Ring . 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. [10] [11]
Eklund now works as a personal trainer and boxing coach in New England. Helping train boxers at Wards boxing gym in Westford. [12] 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. [13]
