George Chaplin (boxer)

Last updated

George Chaplin (born 1951) is a retired American heavyweight boxer from Baltimore, Maryland.

Contents

George Chaplin
Born
Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.
Statistics
Weight class Heavyweight
Weight(s)215 lb (98 kg)
Height6 ft (183 cm)
Boxing record
Total fights34
Wins23
Wins by KO10
Losses9
Draws2

Early life

Chaplin is a 1968 graduate of Dunbar High School and earned a degree in physical education from Morgan State University. He served four years in the Air Force before focusing on boxing while working as a repairman of air conditioners and refrigerators in Thailand. [1] [2]

He was a regular at Mack Lewis' Broadway gym on Eager Street in Baltimore. During his boxing career, Chaplin worked part time at Lutheran Hospital as an orthopedic technician. [3] [4] Dr. Sussman, chief of orthopedics and member of trainer Mack Lewis' gym, offered the job at the hospital and teamed up with Vince Cala to promote fights to assist with advancing Chaplin's career. [5]

Amateur career

Chaplin was one of ten Maryland boxers to compete in an international match against Canadian boxers in a 1975 tune up to the Olympics. He defeated George Powell to lift the Americans to a victory of 7-3. Proceeds from the fight went to the U.S. Olympic Fund. [6] [7] Later that year, in November, Chaplin and nine other U.S. boxers defeated a Russian team 6-4 at Madison Square Garden. He defeated Leningrad's Serge Plisov by decision despite being knocked down for the first time. [8] [9]

The South Atlantic Association honored Chaplin with the outstanding boxer award February 8, 1976 after two victories in international competition against the Russians. [10] In March, Chaplin headlined a 14-bout amateur boxing card for Olympic hopefuls. [11]

Professional career

Known as an undersized clever, cagey, elusive, slipper and slider, defensive-minded counterpuncher, Chaplin debuted as a professional on July 29, 1976. The fight took place at the Civic Center in his hometown. He knocked out Johnny Blaine in the second round with a right hook to the jaw. [12] [13] [4] [14] Six consecutive victories followed.

Chapel faced Joe Frazier's protege, Mike Koranicki, on September 17, 1977 for a split decision loss followed by a rematch on May 25, 1979 for a win by unanimous decision.

Duane Bobick's career ended in the sixth round of a July 3, 1979 fight on the Steel Pier in Atlantic City, NJ, when Chaplin opened two deep cuts over Bodick's right eye forcing Dr. Stanely Rogers to stop the match. [15] [16] [17] [18] His next two fights were wins by unanimous decision against Larry Alexander and Wendell Bailey for the USA Maryland State Heavyweight Title. [19] [20] [21]

Sports Illustrated ranked Chaplin sixth in its 1980 unofficial ranking of promising heavyweights when he was 29. His ambition was to be known as "the master boxer" of all time. [3]

Chaplin lost a 10-round decision to Gerrie Coetzee at the first boxing card held at the Aloha Stadium in the "Duel in the Sun" billed fight in 1981. It was televised as a CBS Sports Spectacular and had 2,400 fans in attendance. [13] [22]

Greg Page defeated Chaplin twice. First in 1980 by majority decision. It was the first time an opponent had gone the distance with Page. The second time was a split decision loss, in 1981, for the USBA Heavyweight Title broadcast on ABC's Wide World of Sports. Although most fans felt Chaplin was winning the fight, the judges scored it much closer receiving a round of boos when the decision was announced. [23] [21] [24] Chaplin followed this fight taking on Michael Dokes, ranked second by the WBC, for a unanimous loss with scorecards 49-44, 47-43 and 48-43 for Dokes. [25] [26]

In a March 1, 1983 bout, Chaplin scored a seventh-round disqualification win over Earnie Shavers, due to low blows. The following year, Chaplin fought Tom Ruffhouse Fischer for Baltimore trainer Mack Lewis's Mark Mitchell Boxing Benefit, which raised $5000 towards Mitchell's liver transplant. [27]

Chaplin recognized towards the end of his career that many viewed him as a tune up fighter, a non-threatening, non-puncher with a soft touch. [28] Many opponents took for granted his soft-spoken natural timidity. His style lacked an intimidation factor or an instinctual pursuit of finishing blows. [25] At the age of 32, for a $75,000 guarantee, Chaplin challenged Gerry Cooney in a 10-round fight at the Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum, televised live on cable syndication across thirty states. At 215 pounds, Chaplin gave up a seventeen pound and nine-inch reach advantage to his 6-foot-7 opponent. In the second round, Cooney landed a solid left to the midsection, then a left to the chin followed by a flurry of uncontested punches for a technical knockout with 10 seconds left in the round. Wilford Scypion and Murray Sutherland fought on the undercard for the super middleweight title. [4] [29]

His final fight, for a $5000 purse, was a knockout loss to Jesse Ferguson on August 1, 1987 at the Las Vegas Hilton Center. [21] [1]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Larry Holmes</span> American boxer (born 1949)

Larry Holmes is an American former professional boxer who competed from 1973 to 2002 and was world heavyweight champion from 1978 until 1985. He is often considered to be one of the greatest heavyweight boxers of all time. He grew up in Easton, Pennsylvania, which led to his boxing nickname of the "Easton Assassin".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gerry Cooney</span> American boxer (born 1956)

Gerald Arthur Cooney is an American former professional boxer who competed from 1977 to 1990. He challenged twice for world heavyweight titles in 1982 and 1987. He is widely regarded as one of the hardest punchers in heavyweight history.He beat Ken Norton and S. T. Gordon and Ron Lyle and Jimmy Young late in their careers. He boasts an impressive 85.7% knockout to win percentage.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ken Norton</span> American boxer (1943–2013)

Kenneth Howard Norton Sr. was an American professional boxer who competed from 1967 to 1981. He was awarded the WBC world heavyweight championship in 1978, after winning a close split decision over Jimmy Young in a title eliminator bout, after which Leon Spinks refused to fight with him.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Teófilo Stevenson</span> Cuban boxer (1952–2012)

Teófilo Stevenson Lawrence was a Cuban engineer and an amateur boxer who competed from 1966 to 1986.

Tony Craig Tucker is an American former professional boxer who competed from 1980 to 1998. He won the IBF heavyweight title in 1987, and was the shortest-reigning world heavyweight champion at just 64 days. In an interview with Barry Tompkins, he referred to himself as the "invisible champion," due to the press and general public largely neglecting him. He is best known for giving Mike Tyson in his prime a relatively close fight, in which he, in the words of Larry Merchant, "rocked Tyson" in the first round. However, Tyson went on to win a unanimous decision. As an amateur, he won the 1979 United States national championships, the 1979 World Cup, and a gold medal at the 1979 Pan American Games, all in the light heavyweight division.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Earnie Shavers</span> American boxer (1944–2022)

Earnie Dee Shaver, best known as Earnie Shavers, was an American professional boxer who competed between 1969 and 1995. A two-time world heavyweight championship challenger, he is known as one of the hardest punchers in heavyweight boxing history. He scored 70 knockout wins, including 23 in the first round, for a 76.7% overall knockout rate.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ron Lyle</span> American boxer (1941–2011)

Ronald David Lyle was an American professional boxer who competed from 1971 to 1980, and in 1995. He challenged unsuccessfully for the world heavyweight championship, losing to Muhammad Ali in 1975. Known for his punching power, crowd-pleasing fighting style, and his courage and determination in the ring, Lyle defeated Buster Mathis, Oscar Bonavena, Jimmy Ellis, Vicente Rondón, Earnie Shavers, Joe Bugner, Gregorio Peralta and Scott LeDoux, but is best known for his fight against George Foreman in 1976, which was voted Fight of the Year by The Ring magazine.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Larry Holmes vs. Gerry Cooney</span> Boxing competition

Larry Holmes vs. Gerry Cooney was a heavyweight boxing match that took place on June 11, 1982, in Las Vegas, Nevada, United States. It was one of the most highly anticipated fights of the early 1980s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Tate (boxer)</span> American boxer

John Tate was an American professional boxer, and held the WBA heavyweight championship from 1979 to 1980. As an amateur he won a bronze medal in the heavyweight division at the 1976 Summer Olympics.

Greg Page was an American professional boxer who competed from 1979 to 2001, and held the WBA heavyweight title from 1984 to 1985. He was also a regular sparring partner for Mike Tyson, famously knocking down the then-undefeated world champion during a 1990 session.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Duane Bobick</span> American boxer

Duane David Bobick is an American former boxer. As an amateur, Bobick won the gold medal at the 1971 Pan American Games and fought at the 1972 Olympics. He then turned professional in 1973 and retired in 1979 with a record of 48 wins and four losses, all by knockout. He scored notable wins over future heavyweight champion Mike Weaver and contenders Chuck Wepner, Scott LeDoux, Randy Neumann and Manuel Ramos. From 1973 to 1977, he compiled a record of 38–0 with 32 knockouts which made him the number 3 contender in the division before he was defeated by number 1 contender Ken Norton.

Omar Sheika is an American former professional boxer and multiple time super middleweight world title challenger. He is of Palestinian descent.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lee Savold</span> American boxer

Lee Savold was an American heavyweight boxer who held the British and European (EBU) version of the World Heavyweight championship between 1950 and 1951 and was a leading contender in the 1940s and early 1950s. During his career he fought storied Heavyweight Champions Joe Louis and Rocky Marciano. Savold was inducted into the Minnesota Boxing Hall of Fame in 2012.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chris Arreola</span> American boxer

Cristobal Arreola is an American professional boxer who has challenged three times for the WBC heavyweight title. He was ranked by BoxRec as the world's No.8 heavyweight at the conclusion of 2007 and as No.7 heavyweight from 2008 to 2010.

Kallie Knoetze is a retired South African heavyweight boxer and actor.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mariusz Wach</span> Polish boxer

Mariusz Wach is a Polish professional boxer. He challenged once for the unified WBA (Super), IBF, WBO, and IBO heavyweight titles against Wladimir Klitschko in 2012.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Larry Gains</span> Canadian boxer

Lawrence Samuel "Larry" Gains was a Black Canadian heavyweight boxer who was champion of Canada and the British Empire. One of the top heavyweights of his era, he was denied the opportunity to become World Champion due to the bar on black boxers competing for the title.

Richard Smith was a British light heavyweight and heavyweight boxer who was British light heavyweight champion between 1914 and 1916 and again in 1918. He fought under the name Dick Smith.

The Michael Dokes vs. Mike Weaver or, alternately, Mike Weaver vs. Michael Dokes, boxing fights were a pair of fights that occurred in 1982 and 1983 and were for the World Boxing Association's world Heavyweight title. Both fights were considered controversial due to a separate set of situations. They are both among the most widely spoken about heavyweight boxing contests of the 1980s.

References

  1. 1 2 "The Baltimore Sun 01 Aug 1987, page 22". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 2024-02-03.
  2. ↑ "The Courier-Journal 29 Mar 1980, page Page 9". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 2024-02-03.
  3. 1 2 Nack, William. "THE FUTURE IS SOON". Sports Illustrated Vault | SI.com. Retrieved 2024-02-02.
  4. 1 2 3 "Cooney won't take Chaplin lightly". The Tampa Tribue. 7 Dec 1984. p. 59. Retrieved 2024-02-02– via Newspapers.com.
  5. ↑ Goldstein, Alan (18 Mar 1979). "Chaplin's gym friendship with Sussman lands him hospital job, ring promoter". The Baltimore Sun. p. 41. Retrieved 2024-02-03– via Newspapers.com.
  6. ↑ Goldstein, Alan (14 Jul 1975). "Maryland boxers face Canadian team tonight". The Baltimore Sun. p. 24. Retrieved 2024-02-03– via Newspapers.com.
  7. ↑ "The Baltimore Sun 15 Jul 1975, page 34". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 2024-02-03.
  8. ↑ "The Courier 16 Nov 1975, page 51". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 2024-02-03.
  9. ↑ Goldstein, Alan (16 Nov 1975). "Another Day". The Baltimore Sun. p. 43. Retrieved Feb 2, 2024– via Newspapers.com.
  10. ↑ "The Baltimore Sun 18 Jan 1976, page 26". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 2024-02-03.
  11. ↑ "The Baltimore Sun 04 Mar 1976, page 42". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 2024-02-03.
  12. ↑ "George Chaplin". Boxrec.com. Retrieved Feb 2, 2024.
  13. 1 2 Pickard, Bob (16 Mar 1981). "Coetzee, Andy Prove Points". Honolulu Star-Bulletin. p. 27. Retrieved 2024-02-02– via Newspapers.com.
  14. ↑ "The Baltimore Sun 30 Jul 1976, page 34". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 2024-02-03.
  15. ↑ Nistler, Mike (8 Sep 1997). "Bobick fights for redemption". St. Cloud Times. p. 5. Retrieved 2024-02-03– via Newspapers.com.
  16. ↑ "Star Tribune 10 May 1987, page Page 214". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 2024-02-03.
  17. ↑ "The Leader-Post 04 Jul 1979, page 15". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 2024-02-03.
  18. ↑ "The Daily Journal 28 Jun 1979, page 24". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 2024-02-03.
  19. ↑ "The Baltimore Sun 23 Sep 1979, page 37". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 2024-02-03.
  20. ↑ "The Baltimore Sun 19 Sep 1979, page 37". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 2024-02-03.
  21. 1 2 3 "• George Chaplin boxer •". boxerlist.com. Retrieved 2024-02-02.
  22. ↑ "The fight that failed". Honolulu Star-Bulletin. 17 Apr 1991. p. 12. Retrieved 2024-02-03– via Newspapers.com.
  23. ↑ "Bristol Herald Courier 22 Aug 1981, page 19". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 2024-02-03.
  24. ↑ "Philadelphia Daily News 24 Aug 1981, page Page 62". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 2024-02-03.
  25. 1 2 "The Akron Beacon Journal 07 Nov 1981, page Page 19". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 2024-02-03.
  26. ↑ "Morning Sentinel 06 Nov 1981, page 19". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 2024-02-03.
  27. ↑ "The Baltimore Sun 02 Aug 1987, page 279". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 2024-02-03.
  28. ↑ "The Herald Statesman 30 Oct 1984, page 19". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 2024-02-03.
  29. ↑ "Courier-Post 09 Dec 1984, page Page 61". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 2024-02-03.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.