Donald Walheim

Last updated

Donald Waldhelm (born March 17, 1939, in the Gerritsen Beach neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York) was a professional boxer. He competed as a heavyweight and is best known for being George Foreman's first professional opponent. [1]

He also won the light heavyweight Golden Gloves in 1964. He beat James Joyner on the three knockdown rule in amateur boxing.

After his retirement from professional boxing, Waldhelm would go on to train several amateur fighters (typically around Brooklyn and the surrounding area) for local, state, and national competitions, including but not limited to the Golden Gloves.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pete Rademacher</span> American heavyweight boxer (1928–2020)

Thomas Peter Rademacher was an American heavyweight boxer. A gold medalist at the 1956 Olympics, he became the only person to challenge for the world heavyweight championship in his first professional bout when he faced Floyd Patterson in Seattle on August 22, 1957. He compiled a 15-7-1 record over 23 professional bouts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Golden Gloves</span> Annual competitions for amateur boxing

The Golden Gloves Of America is an organization that promotes annual competitions of amateur boxing in the United States, in which winners are awarded a belt and a ring, and the title of national champion. The organization currently owns 30 franchises. Hundreds of administrators, coaches, trainers and counselors participate, involving gyms and programs in local and regional tournaments throughout the United States and in a National Tournament of Champions each year. The Golden Gloves is a term used to refer to the National Golden Gloves competition, but can also represent several other amateur tournaments, including regional and state tournaments, such as the Chicago Golden Gloves, and the New York Golden Gloves, and the Rocky Mountain Golden Gloves.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Michael Bentt</span> American boxer

Michael Bentt is a British-born American film and television actor, and former professional boxer who competed from 1989 to 1994. Of Jamaican heritage, he was born in East Dulwich, London, but raised in the Cambria Heights section of Queens in New York City. Bentt won the WBO heavyweight title from Tommy Morrison in 1993, losing the title in his first defense in 1994 to Herbie Hide.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ed Sanders (boxer)</span> American heavyweight boxer

Hayes Edward "Big Ed" Sanders was an American heavyweight boxer who won an Olympic gold medal in 1952.

Billy Joiner, was an American professional boxer from Cincinnati, U.S.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mark Breland</span> American boxer (born 1963)

Mark Anthony Breland is an American boxing trainer. As an amateur, he was a Gold Medal winner at the 1984 Summer Olympics, with a 110-1 record as an amateur and is regarded among the greatest amateur fighters ever. He competed as a professional from 1984 to 1997, and held the WBA welterweight title twice between 1987 and 1990. He later became an actor with a wide range of movie and television credits, having made his debut in The Lords of Discipline, and also appeared in the music video for The Pointer Sisters' 1985 hit single, "Dare Me."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Amateur boxing</span> Boxing by non-professionals

Amateur boxing is a variant of boxing practiced at the collegiate level, at the Olympic Games, Pan American Games and Commonwealth Games, as well as many associations.

Jeremy Williams is an American former professional boxer and mixed martial artist. He challenged once for the WBO heavyweight title in 1996.

Carl Williams, nicknamed "the Truth", was an American boxer who competed as a professional from 1982 to 1997. He challenged twice for heavyweight world titles; the IBF title against Larry Holmes in 1985; and the undisputed title against Mike Tyson in 1989. At regional level he held the USBA heavyweight title from 1987 to 1991.

Eddie Mustafa Muhammad is an American former professional boxer who held the WBA (WBA) light heavyweight title. He has since worked as a boxing trainer, and as an occasional actor.

Matt Godfrey is a Wampanoag former professional boxer who competed from 2004 to 2012. He challenged for the WBO cruiserweight title in 2010.

The United States National Boxing Championships bestow the title of United States Champion on Olympic boxers for winning the annual national Olympic boxing tournament organized by USA Boxing, which is the national governing body for Olympic boxing and is the United States' member organization of the World Boxing.

Nick Wells is a retired heavyweight boxer. He was selected a member of the All-American AAU boxing team for 1973, and was named the top heavyweight amateur boxer in the nation in 1973 by the National AAU Boxing Committee.

Tor Hamer is an American former professional boxer who competed from 2008 to 2013. As an amateur, he won the 2008 National Golden Gloves at super heavyweight.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Curt McCune</span> American boxer

Curt McCune is an American former amateur boxer, who was a four-time State of Alabama amateur boxing champion, in the light heavyweight and heavyweight divisions and the 1994 International Law Enforcement Games Boxing Champion at 193 lbs. McCune is currently a private coach and trainer for amateur and professional boxers in the Birmingham, Alabama area.

'Iceman' John Scully is a former American boxer. Formerly a world-ranked professional light heavyweight, he is now a boxing trainer who has trained two light heavyweight champions in Chad Dawson and Artur Beterbiev and is an analyst for the ESPN Classic television network. John is also known for his work with disadvantaged former fighters and charity for them as well as organizing events targeting former amateur standout fighters and reconnecting them with the boxing community.

Forrest Ward is a retired amateur heavyweight boxer.

Seamus McDonagh is a retired professional boxer who currently works as an actor, screenwriter and filmmaker.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ernest Mateen</span> American boxer

Ernest Mateen, nicknamed 'M-16', was a United States and IBU Cruiserweight (boxing) champion. He was shot to death by his wife in a case of probable self-defense.

Junior Anthony Wright Jr. is an American professional boxer who challenged for the WBA cruiserweight title in 2016. As an amateur, he was a three-time Chicago Golden Gloves champion and also fought in the National Golden Gloves tournament.

References

  1. Christopher, Paul J.; Smith, Alicia Marie (2006). Greatest Sports Heroes of All Times: North America Edition. Encouragement Press. p. 75. ISBN   978-1-933766-09-6.