Billy Backus
Billy Backus | |
---|---|
Statistics | |
Real name | Harold William Backus |
Weight(s) | Welterweight |
Nationality | American |
Born | Canastota, New York | March 5, 1943
Stance | Southpaw |
Boxing record | |
Total fights | 73 |
Wins | 48 |
Wins by KO | 22 |
Losses | 20 |
Draws | 5 |
No contests | 0 |
Billy Backus, (born March 5, 1943 in Canastota, New York) is a former World Welterweight Champion professional boxer.[1] In the summer of 2006 Backus retired from his correctional facility job and moved to South Carolina.[2]
Early boxing career[]
Backus, who is the nephew of boxing legend and former world champion Carmen Basilio, started his career by winning only 7 of his first 19 bouts. In 1964, things looked promising when he won four bouts in a row, but then he suffered a three fight losing streak. At this point of his career, he had a record of 8 wins, 7 losses and 3 draws and he retired from boxing. To make things worse, he had lost his last fight, against , on his twenty-second birthday.
Rise to prominence[]
Backus resumed his boxing career in 1966, but probably never in his wildest dreams could he have envisioned what happened next: in his comeback bout, he knocked out in the first round, and that marked his embarcation on a seven-fight winning streak that included avenging an earlier loss to Dick French. That streak was broken by a defeat at the hands of in New Orleans, but soon he started on another winning streak, eight in a row, including two over Pugh. Then, Pugh broke his winning streak once again, beating him in 15 rounds, once again at New Orleans. After splitting two fights with and drawing in four rounds with , Backus embarked on another winning streak, including an eight-round knockout over Ortiz in a rematch.
World Welterweight Title Bout[]
After that last streak, Backus was ranked among the top ten Welterweight challengers of the world at number 10. The year was 1970 and Mexico's José Nápoles had earned the right to make an optional defense of his world title (meaning he could pick any challenger among the top ten to defend against). His management, figuring they'd have an easy fight ahead of them, picked Backus as the challenger for this optional title bout. But Backus landed a punch that opened a cut over Nápoles' eye in round one, causing Nápoles to bleed profusely, and the fight was stopped in round four. Since the cut had been ruled to be caused by a punch, Backus was declared winner by a technical knockout, and he had realized a dream that many fans never thought he would: he had become the world's Welterweight champion. His uncle Basilio, watching from ringside, said: "Billy winning the world title is the best thing ever to happen in my life, even better than me winning the world title."
Billy won two non-title fights, including one over in Paris, and then had a rematch with Nápoles in Los Angeles. This time Nápoles returned the favor, knocking Backus out in the eighth round and regaining his title.
Career decline[]
He finished 1971 with a ten-round decision win over , and went 3–2 in 1972, losing two fifteen-round decisions to world title challenger Hedgemon Lewis. He lost 3 of 4 bouts in 1973, and went on a European tour in 1974, winning 2 and losing 2 in Paris and Berlin. In 1975, he went to Australia and lost by a knockout in five to Rocky Mattioli, and then he came back to the States, where he beat by a knockout in ten. This marked the start of another 9 fight winning streak, which led the WBA to make him their number one challenger. After drawing in twelve rounds with , he had a chance at regaining the world welterweight title when faced against world champion Pipino Cuevas of Mexico, once again in Los Angeles. After losing by a knockout in the first round, Backus then announced his retirement from boxing for good.
Although he isn't a member of the International Boxing Hall Of Fame (unlike his uncle Basilio, who is), in 1990, Ed Brophy and some Canastota businessmen came up with the idea to build the hall of fame in Canastota, to honor Canastota's two native world champions: Basilio and Backus.
In 2010, the award nominated "Title Town USA, Boxing in Upstate New York" by noted historian Mark Allen Baker was published by The History Press in 2010 and supports Canastota, New York as the epicenter of Upstate New York's rich boxing heritage. The book includes chapters on both Carmen Basilio and Billy Backus. The introduction was written by Edward P. Brophy, Executive Director of the International Boxing Hall of Fame .
Backus had a final record of 48 wins, 20 losses and 5 draws, with 22 wins by knockout.
Professional boxing record[]
74 fights | 49 wins | 20 losses |
---|---|---|
By knockout | 23 | 5 |
By decision | 26 | 15 |
Draws | 5 |
No. | Result | Record | Opponent | Type | Round | Date | Location | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
74 | Loss | 49–20–5 | Pipino Cuevas | TKO | 2 (15) | May 20, 1978 | Forum, Inglewood | For WBA welterweight title |
73 | Draw | 49–19–5 | Everaldo Costa Azevedo | SD | 12 | Nov 19, 1977 | War Memorial Auditorium, Syracuse | |
72 | Win | 49–19–4 | Joe Grier | UD | 10 | Aug 25, 1977 | War Memorial Auditorium, Syracuse | |
71 | Win | 48–19–4 | Rafael Rodriguez | UD | 12 | Jun 3, 1977 | War Memorial Auditorium, Syracuse | |
70 | Win | 47–19–4 | Roy Barrientos | UD | 10 | Apr 8, 1977 | War Memorial Auditorium, Syracuse | |
69 | Win | 46–19–4 | Justice Ortiz | UD | 10 | Jan 27, 1977 | War Memorial Auditorium, Syracuse | |
68 | Win | 45–19–4 | Tony Lopes | TKO | 9 (10) | Nov 20, 1976 | War Memorial Auditorium, Utica | |
67 | Win | 44–19–4 | Pablo Rodriguez | UD | 10 | Sep 11, 1976 | Utica Memorial Auditorium, Utica | |
66 | Win | 43–19–4 | Jose Papo Melendez | UD | 10 | May 28, 1976 | Colonie Coliseum, Latham | |
65 | Win | 42–19–4 | Angel Robinson Garcia | UD | 10 | Apr 3, 1976 | War Memorial Auditorium, Utica | |
64 | Win | 41–19–4 | Pablo Rodriguez | UD | 10 | Jan 24, 1976 | War Memorial Auditorium, Syracuse | |
63 | Win | 40–19–4 | Marc Gervais | KO | 10 (10) | Aug 23, 1975 | Broome County Arena, Binghamton | |
62 | Loss | 39–19–4 | Rocky Mattioli | TKO | 5 (10) | Apr 11, 1975 | Festival Hall, Melbourne | |
61 | Loss | 39–18–4 | Eckhard Dagge | TKO | 3 (10) | Jun 20, 1974 | Germany | |
60 | Win | 39–17–4 | Jacques Kechichian | RTD | 5 (10) | Apr 30, 1974 | Paris | |
59 | Loss | 38–17–4 | Roger Menetrey | PTS | 12 | Mar 18, 1974 | Palais des Sports, Paris | |
58 | Win | 38–16–4 | Roger Zami | TKO | 9 (10) | Jan 21, 1974 | Palais des Sports, Paris | |
57 | Loss | 37–16–4 | Zovek Barajas | TKO | 3 (10) | Dec 6, 1973 | Olympic Auditorium, Los Angeles | |
56 | Win | 37–15–4 | Al Romano | KO | 3 (10) | Aug 4, 1973 | Three Rivers Inn, Syracuse | |
55 | Loss | 36–15–4 | Miguel Barreto | MD | 12 | Aug 4, 1973 | Felt Forum, New York | |
54 | Loss | 36–14–4 | Jack Tillman | UD | 12 | Feb 13, 1973 | Civic Center, Baltimore | For WBA North American welterweight title |
53 | Loss | 36–13–4 | Hedgemon Lewis | UD | 15 | Dec 8, 1972 | War Memorial Auditorium, Utica | For NYSAC welterweight title |
52 | Win | 36–12–4 | Dorman Crawford | TKO | 8 (10) | Sep 23, 1972 | War Memorial Auditorium, Utica | |
51 | Loss | 35–12–4 | Hedgemon Lewis | UD | 15 | Jun 6, 1972 | War Memorial Auditorium, Utica | For vacant NYSAC welterweight title |
50 | Win | 35–11–4 | Danny McAloon | UD | 12 | Apr 14, 1972 | War Memorial Auditorium, Utica | |
49 | Win | 34–11–4 | Irish Pat Murphy | TKO | 7 (10) | Feb 12, 1972 | War Memorial Auditorium, Utica | |
48 | Win | 33–11–4 | Jose Gabino | UD | 10 | Dec 10, 1971 | War Memorial Auditorium, Utica | |
47 | Loss | 32–11–4 | José Nápoles | TKO | 8 (15) | Jun 4, 1971 | Forum, Inglewood | Lost WBA, WBC, The Ring, and lineal welterweight titles |
46 | Win | 32–10–4 | Robert Gallois | MD | 10 | Mar 15, 1971 | Palais des Sports, Paris | |
45 | Win | 31–10–4 | Bobby Williams | UD | 12 | Jan 23, 1971 | War Memorial Auditorium, Syracuse | |
44 | Win | 30–10–4 | José Nápoles | TKO | 4 (15) | Dec 3, 1970 | War Memorial Auditorium, Syracuse | Won WBA, WBC, The Ring, and lineal welterweight titles |
43 | Win | 29–10–4 | Denny Stiletto | KO | 8 (10) | Oct 3, 1970 | War Memorial Auditorium, Syracuse | |
42 | Win | 28–10–4 | Manuel Gonzalez | UD | 10 | Jul 22, 1970 | War Memorial Auditorium, Syracuse | |
41 | Win | 27–10–4 | Frank Steele | UD | 10 | Jun 15, 1970 | War Memorial Auditorium, Syracuse | |
40 | Win | 26–10–4 | Manuel Burgo | UD | 10 | Mar 24, 1970 | War Memorial Auditorium, Syracuse | |
39 | Win | 25–10–4 | Ricky Ortiz | TKO | 8 (10) | Jan 30, 1970 | War Memorial Auditorium, Syracuse | |
38 | Draw | 24–10–4 | Ricky Ortiz | MD | 10 | Oct 31, 1969 | War Memorial Auditorium, Syracuse | |
37 | Win | 24–10–3 | Jerry Pellegrini | UD | 10 | Sep 19, 1969 | War Memorial Auditorium, Syracuse | |
36 | Loss | 23–10–3 | Jerry Pellegrini | UD | 10 | Jul 21, 1969 | Municipal Auditorium, New Orleans | |
35 | Loss | 23–9–3 | Percy Pugh | UD | 15 | Jun 16, 1969 | Rivergate Exhibition Hall, New Orleans | |
34 | Win | 23–8–3 | Percy Pugh | UD | 12 | Apr 25, 1969 | War Memorial Auditorium, Syracuse | |
33 | Win | 22–8–3 | CL Lewis | TKO | 7 (10) | Mar 17, 1969 | War Memorial Auditorium, Syracuse | |
32 | Win | 21–8–3 | Percy Pugh | SD | 12 | Jan 24, 1969 | War Memorial Auditorium, Syracuse | |
31 | Win | 20–8–3 | Freddie Cobb | TKO | 5 (10) | Dec 14, 1968 | War Memorial Auditorium, Syracuse | |
30 | Win | 19–8–3 | Vince Shomo | TKO | 8 (10) | Nov 16, 1968 | War Memorial Auditorium, Syracuse | |
29 | Win | 18–8–3 | Johnny Brooks | UD | 10 | Oct 7, 1968 | Municipal Auditorium, New Orleans | |
28 | Win | 17–8–3 | Curtis Phillips | TKO | 7 (10) | Sep 14, 1968 | War Memorial Auditorium, Syracuse | |
27 | Win | 16–8–3 | Jerry Pellegrini | SD | 10 | Jul 29, 1968 | Municipal Auditorium, New Orleans | |
26 | Loss | 15–8–3 | Percy Pugh | UD | 10 | Jun 3, 1968 | Municipal Auditorium, New Orleans | |
25 | Win | 15–7–3 | Dick French | TKO | 6 (10) | May 19, 1968 | War Memorial Auditorium, Syracuse | |
24 | Win | 14–7–3 | Danny Andrews | UD | 10 | Apr 6, 1968 | War Memorial Auditorium, Syracuse | |
23 | Win | 13–7–3 | Juan Ramos | UD | 10 | Feb 10, 1968 | War Memorial Auditorium, Syracuse | |
22 | Win | 12–7–3 | Gene Herrick | TKO | 6 (10) | Nov 30, 1967 | Portland | |
21 | Win | 11–7–3 | Curtis Phillips | TKO | 6 (10) | Nov 24, 1967 | War Memorial Auditorium, Syracuse | |
20 | Win | 10–7–3 | Ernie Robbins | KO | 3 (6) | Oct 23, 1967 | Mechanics Hall, Worcester | |
19 | Win | 9–7–3 | Tod Purtell | KO | 1 (?) | Oct 16, 1967 | Worcester | |
18 | Loss | 8–7–3 | Rudy Richardson | UD | 8 | May 5, 1965 | War Memorial Auditorium, Syracuse | |
17 | Loss | 8–6–3 | Billy Anderson | PTS | 10 | Oct 30, 1964 | War Memorial Auditorium, Syracuse | |
16 | Loss | 8–5–3 | Genaro Soto | PTS | 6 | Jul 17, 1964 | Madison Square Garden, New York | |
15 | Win | 8–4–3 | Colin Fraser | UD | 10 | May 19, 1964 | War Memorial Auditorium, Utica | |
14 | Win | 7–4–3 | Lew Anderson | TKO | 5 (8) | Apr 18, 1964 | War Memorial Auditorium, Syracuse | |
13 | Win | 6–4–3 | Dave Hilton | KO | 7 (8) | Feb 29, 1964 | War Memorial Auditorium, Syracuse | |
12 | Win | 5–4–3 | Colin Fraser | RTD | 5 (8) | Feb 1, 1964 | War Memorial Auditorium, Syracuse | |
11 | Loss | 4–4–3 | Billy Anderson | UD | 8 | Dec 19, 1963 | Mechanics Hall, Worcester | |
10 | Loss | 4–3–3 | Fernand Chretien | UD | 10 | Aug 2, 1963 | Saint Anthony's Club, New Castle (Shawtown) | |
9 | Loss | 4–2–3 | Dick French | UD | 8 | Feb 28, 1963 | Mechanics Hall, Worcester | |
8 | Draw | 4–1–3 | Marcel Bizien | PTS | 8 | Jan 23, 1963 | Plaza Ballroom, Paterson | |
7 | Draw | 4–1–2 | Mike Cortez | PTS | 4 | Dec 22, 1962 | Madison Square Garden, New York | |
6 | Loss | 4–1–1 | Luis Aponte Ortiz | PTS | 4 | Nov 24, 1962 | Gladiators' Arena, Totowa | |
5 | Win | 4–0–1 | Barney Barnez | PTS | 4 | Jun 22, 1962 | Totowa | |
4 | Win | 3–0–1 | Steve Gessler | PTS | 6 | Jun 6, 1962 | Saint-Jerome | |
3 | Draw | 2–0–1 | Sugar Lawson | PTS | 4 | Apr 27, 1962 | Gladiators' Arena, Totowa | |
2 | Win | 2–0 | Randy Sanders | PTS | 4 | Mar 9, 1962 | Gladiators' Arena, Totowa | |
1 | Win | 1–0 | Ike Anthony | TKO | 2 (4) | Sep 16, 1961 | War Memorial Auditorium, Syracuse |
See also[]
- List of welterweight boxing champions
- List of WBC world champions
- List of WBA world champions
- List of undisputed boxing champions
References[]
- ^ "The Lineal Welterweight Champs". Cyber Boxing Zone. Archived from the original on 2009-06-15. Retrieved 2016-10-29.
- ^ "Canastota's last champ pulls up stakes." October 15, 2005. The Post-Standard (Syracuse, NY)
External links[]
- 1943 births
- Living people
- Welterweight boxers
- World boxing champions
- People from Canastota, New York
- American male boxers