Dick Tiger
| Dick Tiger | |
|---|---|
 Dick Tiger (left) with Nino Benvenuti in 1969 | |
| Statistics | |
| Real name | Richard Ihetu |
| Weight class | |
| Weight(s) | 175 lb (79 kg) |
| Height | 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m) |
| Reach | 71 in (180 cm) |
| Nationality | Nigerian |
| Born | August 14, 1929 Amaigbo, Colony of Nigeria |
| Died | December 14, 1971 (aged 42) Aba, Nigeria |
| Stance | Orthodox |
| Boxing record | |
| Total fights | 82 |
| Wins | 60 |
| Wins by KO | 27 |
| Losses | 19 |
| Draws | 3 |
Dick Tiger (born Richard Ihetu; August 14, 1929 – December 14, 1971) was a Nigerian-born professional boxer who held the World Middleweight and World Light Heavyweight Championships.[1]
Tiger emigrated to Liverpool, England to pursue his boxing career and later to the United States. Tiger was Igbo and served as a Lieutenant in the Biafran army during the Nigerian Civil War, primarily training soldiers in hand to hand combat.[2]
Tiger was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1991. The Ring magazine named him Fighter of the Year in 1962 and 1965, while the Boxing Writers Association of America (BWAA) named him Fighter of the Year in 1962 and 1966. In 1996, Tiger was voted as one of the Best boxers of the 1960's, The later in 1998, Tiger was put in the book of "Best boxers of the 20th Century". In 2002, Tiger was voted by The Ring magazine as the 31st greatest fighter of the last 80 years.[3]
Professional career[]
Tiger became a two-time undisputed world middleweight champion and helped keep boxing alive during the 1950s boxing industry recession. Tiger won the world middleweight title when he beat Gene Fullmer in 1962 and the light heavyweight title in 1966 when he dethroned José Torres of Puerto Rico.[4][5]
Prior to these accomplishments, however, Tiger seemed condemned to poor management and a resulting lack of exposure. In 1957, using Liverpool as his fighting base, Dick Tiger was fighting on undercards for small purses, when by fortune, facing off against popular favorite Terry Downes at Shoreditch Town Hall, he walked away with a TKO after six heats.[6] New management saw to it certain "errors in his style" were corrected, and in another year, Tiger had taken 17 of 19 fights and won the British Middleweight title. In 1959, handled by the independent Jersey Jones, Tiger came to America, to face adversity in a whole, new way. Jersey Jones, resisting the influences of Madison Square Garden, brokered deals for Tiger by himself, which in the short run, cost them both. In an independent promotion at Edmonton, Alberta, Tiger's Empire belt was lost in a more-than questionable 15 round nod to local challenger Wilf Greaves. The decision as rendered, had first been called a draw; appalled, Jones demanded a recount of the cards, which boomeranged, showing the fight, dominated by Tiger, as a win for Greaves. Tiger, sincere and honorable in his dealings, often found this virtuous approach not reciprocated, particularly in North America.[7]
A. J. Liebling, impressed in witnessing Tiger's 1962[8] performance versus Henry Hank of Detroit, described the fighter's appearance thus, "... a chest like an old-fashioned black office safe, dropping away to a slender waist, big thighs, and slender legs; he boxed classically, his arms tight against his sides at the beginning of a punch, his savagely methodical blows moving in short arcs and straight lines."
Such a description was similarly evoked, albeit in simpler terms, by Tiger's contemporaries. Gene Fullmer: "Tiger was a rough guy....I went to Nigeria to fight him, and, of course, I don't know what happened over there....He beat me. He beat me bad. My mother and father could have been judge and referee, and I couldn't have won a round..."[9] Joey Giardello: "I thank Dick Tiger because Dick Tiger was a man and Dick Tiger gave (a title shot) to me. He didn't have to give it to me. He could have give it to somebody else."[10] An additional comment from Giardello, in the form of a sarcastic bon mot, showed contemporary respect for Tiger as a fellow battler. The pair fought four times in all, the last two of these in swapping the middleweight title. Every fight went the distance, meaning that in terms of time, Dick Tiger and Joey Giardello contended face to face for two and a half hours. Prior to one of these latter encounters, when asked by the press if Giardello, a classic boxer, planned to trade punches with Tiger, Giardello squelched this with, "I wouldn't trade stamps with him."[11]
Numerous accounts of Tiger as both man and fighting man, describe a solid, decent, un-nuanced person. Unsurprisingly, a very Western gimmick, the literal "power of the press", or perhaps of Madison Avenue, appears lost on him. Contender Joey Archer, a scientific middleweight of uncommon speed, launched a small space ad campaign directed at Tiger. The ads, using copy such as "I'm a middleweight, and I've licked every man I ever fought, including you", were employed to create a sensation and perhaps a groundswell toward securing Archer a title fight. Tiger had already signed to fight Emile Griffith, and an Archer ad admonished, "The Middleweight Champion should meet the best middleweight (not a welterweight)." Archer carried his cause to talk shows, even to the New York Daily News, was photographed taunting an angry, caged tiger at the Bronx Zoo. Whether this bombast registered in any negative way, or even impacted Dick Tiger's pride, history never discovered after Emile Griffith won Tiger's middleweight belt from him, making Tiger a non-player in the drama. Joey Archer shifted his attentions and, from 1966, Tiger campaigned as a full light heavyweight.[12]
After decisioning Jose Torres to win title honors, Tiger then defended his crown against Torres and Montanan Roger Rouse, before coming up short against veteran Bob Foster of Albuquerque, New Mexico. The left hook Foster used to dethrone Tiger in an instant, was rated among "The 10 Deadliest Punches of the Last 25 Years" in 1975.[13] The power in the one-punch K.O. made such an impact upon Garden promoters, it was felt that a rematch would do poor business. This attitude forced Tiger to contend for the right to regain his crown, and saw him matched against up-and-comer Frankie DePaula, who was coming off five consecutive knockouts. The fight to qualify against Foster was, for its first four rounds, a war which saw both men go down twice, and was selected by Ring magazine as "Fight of the Year". Though Dick Tiger took the decision, having proved his mettle, ill treatment on the American side seemed to cling, as Frankie DePaula, the man he had defeated, was inexplicably given the chance at Bob Foster.[14]
Retirement and death[]
Dick Tiger traveled from his home of Nigeria to Liverpool, Western England and eventually the United States in the latter parts of his career, making a big contribution to boxing.
After retiring from boxing, Tiger worked as a guard at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. One day, he felt a strong pain in his back. Tested by doctors, he was diagnosed with liver cancer.
He had been banned by the Nigerian government in his country because of his involvement in the Biafran movement; however, the ban was lifted immediately after news about his condition arrived in Nigeria. He died of liver cancer on 14 December 1971 in Aba, Nigeria, at the age of 42 (1929-1971). [15][16]
Professional boxing record[]
| 82 fights | 60 wins | 19 losses |
| By knockout | 27 | 2 |
| By decision | 33 | 17 |
| Draws | 3 | |
| No. | Result | Record | Opponent | Type | Round, time | Date | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 82 | Loss | 60–19–3 |  Emile Griffith
|
UD | 10 | Jul 15, 1970 |  Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York, U.S.
|
|
| 81 | Win | 60–18–3 | Andy Kendall
|
UD | 10 | Nov 14, 1969 | Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York, U.S.
|
|
| 80 | Win | 59–18–3 |  Nino Benvenuti
|
UD | 10 | May 26, 1969 | Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York, U.S.
|
|
| 79 | Win | 58–18–3 | Frank DePaula
|
UD | 10 | Oct 25, 1968 | Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York, U.S.
|
The Ring magazine Fight of the Year |
| 78 | Loss | 57–18–3 | Bob Foster
|
KO | 4 (15), 2:05 | May 24, 1968 | Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York, U.S.
|
Lost WBA, WBC, and The Ring light-heavyweight titles |
| 77 | Win | 57–17–3 | Roger Rouse
|
TKO | 12 (15), 0:12 | Nov 17, 1967 | Las Vegas Convention Center, Winchester, Nevada, U.S.
|
Retained WBA, WBC, and The Ring light-heavyweight titles |
| 76 | Win | 56–17–3 |  José Torres
|
SD | 15 | May 16, 1967 | Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York, U.S.
|
Retained WBA, WBC, and The Ring light-heavyweight titles |
| 75 | Win | 55–17–3 |  Abraham Tomica
|
TKO | 5 (10) | Feb 05, 1967 | Mile One Park, Port Harcourt, Nigeria
|
|
| 74 | Win | 54–17–3 | José Torres
|
UD | 15 | Dec 16, 1966 | Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York, U.S.
|
Won WBA, WBC, and The Ring light-heavyweight titles |
| 73 | Loss | 53–17–3 | Emile Griffith
|
UD | 15 | Apr 25, 1966 | Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York, U.S.
|
Lost WBA, WBC, and The Ring middleweight titles |
| 72 | Win | 53–16–3 |  Peter Mueller
|
KO | 3 (10), 0:57 | Feb 18, 1966 | Westfalenhalle, Dortmund, Germany
|
|
| 71 | Win | 52–16–3 | Joey Giardello
|
UD | 15 | Oct 21, 1965 | Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York, U.S.
|
Won WBA, WBC, and The Ring middleweight titles |
| 70 | Win | 51–16–3 | Rubin Carter
|
UD | 10 | May 20, 1965 | Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York, U.S.
|
|
| 69 | Win | 50–16–3 |  Juan Carlos Rivero
|
TKO | 6 (10) | Mar 12, 1965 | Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York, U.S.
|
|
| 68 | Loss | 49–16–3 | Joey Archer
|
SD | 10 | Oct 16, 1964 | Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York, U.S.
|
|
| 67 | Win | 49–15–3 | Don Fullmer
|
UD | 10 | Sep 11, 1964 | Arena, Cleveland, Ohio, U.S.
|
|
| 66 | Win | 48–15–3 | Jose Monon Gonzalez
|
TKO | 6 (10) | Jul 31, 1964 | Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York, U.S.
|
|
| 65 | Loss | 47–15–3 | Joey Giardello
|
PTS | 15 | Dec 07, 1963 | Convention Hall, Atlantic City, New Jersey, U.S.
|
Lost WBA, WBC, and The Ring middleweight titles |
| 64 | Win | 47–14–3 | Gene Fullmer
|
RTD | 7 (15), 3:00 | Aug 10, 1963 | Liberty Stadium, Ibadan, Nigeria
|
Retained WBA and The Ring middleweight titles; Won inaugural WBC middleweight title |
| 63 | Draw | 46–14–3 | Gene Fullmer
|
PTS | 15 | Feb 23, 1963 | Las Vegas Convention Center, Winchester, Nevada, U.S.
|
Retained NYSAC and WBA middleweight title |
| 62 | Win | 46–14–2 | Gene Fullmer
|
UD | 15 | Oct 23, 1962 | Candlestick Park, San Francisco, California, U.S.
|
Won WBA middleweight title |
| 61 | Win | 45–14–2 | Henry Hank
|
UD | 10 | Mar 31, 1962 | Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York, U.S.
|
|
| 60 | Win | 44–14–2 |  Florentino Fernández
|
TKO | 6 (10) | Jan 20, 1962 | Convention Center, Miami Beach, Florida, U.S.
|
|
| 59 | Win | 43–14–2 | William Pickett
|
UD | 10 | Dec 16, 1961 | Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York, U.S.
|
|
| 58 | Win | 42–14–2 | Hank Casey
|
SD | 10 | May 15, 1961 | Municipal Auditorium, New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S.
|
|
| 57 | Win | 41–14–2 | Ellsworth Webb
|
KO | 6 (10), 2:41 | Apr 15, 1961 | St. Nicholas Arena, New York City, New York, U.S.
|
|
| 56 | Win | 40–14–2 | Gene Armstrong
|
TKO | 9 (10), 1:21 | Feb 18, 1961 | Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York, U.S.
|
|
| 55 | Win | 39–14–2 |  Wilf Greaves
|
TKO | 9 (15), 1:20 | Nov 30, 1960 | Edmonton Gardens, Edmonton, Canada
|
Won Commonwealth middleweight title |
| 54 | Loss | 38–14–2 | Wilf Greaves
|
SD | 15 | Jun 22, 1960 | Edmonton Gardens, Edmonton, Canada
|
Lost Commonwealth middleweight title |
| 53 | Win | 38–13–2 | Víctor Zalazar
|
MD | 10 | Apr 01, 1960 | Arena, Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.
|
|
| 52 | Win | 37–13–2 | Gene Armstrong
|
UD | 10 | Feb 24, 1960 | Chicago Stadium, Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
|
|
| 51 | Win | 36–13–2 | Holly Mims
|
MD | 10 | Dec 30, 1959 | Chicago Stadium, Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
|
|
| 50 | Loss | 35–13–2 | Joey Giardello
|
UD | 10 | Nov 04, 1959 | Arena, Cleveland, Ohio, U.S.
|
|
| 49 | Win | 35–12–2 | Joey Giardello
|
UD | 10 | Sep 30, 1959 | Chicago Stadium, Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
|
|
| 48 | Win | 34–12–2 | Gene Armstrong
|
PTS | 10 | Sep 02, 1959 | Convention Hall, Camden, New Jersey, U.S.
|
|
| 47 | Loss | 33–12–2 | Rory Calhoun
|
SD | 10 | Jul 17, 1959 | War Memorial Auditorium, Syracuse, New York, U.S.
|
|
| 46 | Draw | 33–11–2 | Rory Calhoun
|
PTS | 10 | Jun 05, 1959 | Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York, U.S.
|
|
| 45 | Win | 33–11–1 | Randy Sandy
|
PTS | 10 | May 12, 1959 |  Empire Pool, Wembley, England
|
|
| 44 | Loss | 32–11–1 | Randy Sandy
|
PTS | 10 | March 19, 1959 | The Stadium, Liverpool, England
|
|
| 43 | Win | 32–10–1 |  Yolande Pompey
|
PTS | 10 | Oct 14, 1958 | Empire Pool, London, England
|
|
| 42 | Loss | 31–10–1 | Ellsworth Webb
|
PTS | 10 | Jun 24, 1958 | Earls Court Empress Hall, London, England
|
|
| 41 | Win | 31–9–1 |  Billy Ellaway
|
KO | 2 (8) | May 01, 1958 | The Stadium, Liverpool, England
|
|
| 40 | Win | 30–9–1 | Pat McAteer
|
KO | 9 (15) | Mar 27, 1958 | The Stadium, Liverpool, England
|
Won Commonwealth middleweight title |
| 39 | Win | 29–9–1 | Johnny Read
|
KO | 6 (8) | Feb 25, 1958 | Harringay Arena, London, England
|
|
| 38 | Win | 28–9–1 | Jimmy Lynas
|
KO | 7 (8) | Feb 03, 1958 | King's Hall, Manchester, England
|
|
| 37 | Win | 27–9–1 |  Jean Ruellet
|
PTS | 8 | Jan 13, 1958 | City Hall, Hull, England
|
|
| 36 | Win | 26–9–1 |  Paddy Delargy
|
KO | 6 (10) | Nov 28, 1957 | Embassy Sportsdrome, Birmingham, England
|
|
| 35 | Draw | 25–9–1 | Pat McAteer
|
PTS | 10 | Nov 11, 1957 | Sophia Gardens Pavilion, Cardiff, Wales
|
|
| 34 | Win | 25–9 | Jean Claude Poisson
|
PTS | 10 | Oct 21, 1957 | Sophia Gardens Pavilion, Cardiff, Wales
|
|
| 33 | Win | 24–9 |  Phil Edwards
|
PTS | 10 | Sep 09, 1957 | Sophia Gardens Pavilion, Cardiff, Wales
|
|
| 32 | Win | 23–9 | Alan Dean
|
PTS | 8 | Jun 25, 1957 | The Stadium, Liverpool, England
|
|
| 31 | Loss | 22–9 |  Willie Armstrong
|
PTS | 8 | Jul 15, 1957 | Engineer's Club, Hartlepool, England
|
|
| 30 | Win | 22–8 | Marius Dori
|
TKO | 7 (8) | Jun 04, 1957 | Harringay Arena, London, England
|
|
| 29 | Win | 21–8 | Terry Downes
|
TKO | 5 (8) | May 14, 1957 | Town Hall, London, England
|
|
| 28 | Win | 20–8 | Johnny Read
|
TKO | 2 (8) | Apr 29, 1957 | National Sporting Club, London, England
|
|
| 27 | Win | 19–8 | Alan Dean
|
PTS | 8 | Nov 09, 1956 | Tower Circus, Blackpool, England
|
|
| 26 | Loss | 18–8 | Alan Dean
|
PTS | 6 | Oct 18, 1956 | The Stadium, Liverpool, England
|
|
| 25 | Win | 18–7 | Jimmy Lynas
|
PTS | 8 | Jul 02, 1956 | Tower Circus, Blackpool, England
|
|
| 24 | Win | 17–7 | Wally Scott
|
TKO | 4 (8) | May 28, 1956 | Engineer's Club, Hartlepool, England
|
|
| 23 | Win | 16–7 | Alan Dean
|
PTS | 8 | May 10, 1956 | The Stadium, Liverpool, England
|
|
| 22 | Win | 15–7 | Dennis Rowley
|
KO | 1 (8) | May 03, 1956 | The Stadium, Liverpool, England
|
|
| 21 | Loss | 14–7 | George Roe
|
PTS | 8 | Mar 22, 1956 | The Stadium, Liverpool, England
|
|
| 20 | Loss | 14–6 | Jimmy Lynas
|
PTS | 8 | Mar 01, 1956 | Tower Circus, Blackpool, England
|
|
| 19 | Loss | 14–5 | Gerry McNally
|
PTS | 8 | Jan 27, 1956 | Tower Circus, Blackpool, England
|
|
| 18 | Loss | 14–4 | Alan Dean
|
PTS | 6 | Dec 08, 1955 | The Stadium, Liverpool, England
|
|
| 17 | Win | 14–3 | Bolaji Johnson
|
PTS | 8 | Aug 31, 1955 | Glover Memorial Hall, Lagos, Nigeria
|
|
| 16 | Win | 13–3 | John Ama
|
KO | 2 | May 01, 1955 | Lagos, Nigeria
|
|
| 15 | Win | 12–3 | Raheem Fagbemi
|
PTS | 8 | Jan 31, 1955 | Glover Memorial Hall, Lagos, Nigeria
|
|
| 14 | Win | 11–3 | Koko Kid
|
KO | 6 | Jan 01, 1955 | Amaigbo, Nigeria
|
|
| 13 | Win | 10–3 | Peter Okptra
|
KO | 8 | Nov 01, 1954 | Lagos, Nigeria
|
|
| 12 | Win | 9–3 | Super Human Power
|
PTS | 8 | Jul 18, 1954 | Rex Cinema Hall, Aba, Nigeria
|
|
| 11 | Win | 8–3 | Mighty Joe
|
PTS | 6 | Jun 12, 1954 | Rex Cinema Hall, Aba, Nigeria
|
|
| 10 | Win | 7–3 | Robert Nwanne
|
KO | 2 | Feb 01, 1954 | Lagos, Nigeria
|
|
| 9 | Loss | 6–3 | Tommy West
|
PTS | 6 | Jan 29, 1954 | Glover Memorial Hall, Lagos, Nigeria
|
|
| 8 | Loss | 6–2 | Tommy West
|
RTD | 7 | May 20, 1953 | African Tennis Club, Lagos, Nigeria
|
|
| 7 | Win | 6–1 | Simon Eme
|
PTS | 8 | Feb 01, 1953 | Lagos, Nigeria
|
|
| 6 | Win | 5–1 | Blackie Power
|
PTS | 6 | Jan 30, 1953 | Glover Memorial Hall, Lagos, Nigeria
|
|
| 5 | Win | 4–1 | Lion Ring
|
TKO | 6 | Jan 01, 1953 | Lagos
|
|
| 4 | Loss | 3–1 | Tommy West
|
PTS | 10 | Dec 13, 1952 | Rex Cinema Hall, Lagos, Nigeria
|
|
| 3 | Win | 3–0 | Easy Dynamite
|
KO | 1 | Oct 01, 1952 | Port Harcourt, Nigeria
|
|
| 2 | Win | 2–0 | Koko Kid
|
PTS | 8 | Sep 01, 1952 | , Nigeria
|
|
| 1 | Win | 1–0 | Simon Eme
|
KO | 2 | Jan 01, 1952 | Aba, Nigeria
|
Fiction[]
- A fictional August 29, 1963 Madison Square Garden bout in which a heavily favored Dick Tiger loses to Tom "The Hammer" Case of Dallas, Texas comes near the end of Stephen King's time-travel novel, 11/22/63.
TV[]
- Appeared as a guest on an episode of the American television series What's My Line? (June 16, 1963). The panel correctly guessed his occupation.[citation needed]
See also[]
- List of middleweight boxing champions
- List of light-heavyweight boxing champions
References[]
- ^ "The Lineal Boxing World Champions". The Cyber Boxing Zone Encyclopedia. Retrieved November 6, 2016.
- ^ Rogak, Larry (2005). You Don't Know Dick!: An Onomastic Reference Compendium. iUniverse. p. 80. ISBN 0-595-35433-5.
- ^ Andrew Eisele. "Ring Magazine's 80 Best Fighters of the Last 80 Years". About.com Sports.
- ^ "The Lineal Middleweight Champions". The Cyber Boxing Zone Encyclopedia.
- ^ "The Lineal Light Heavyweight Champions". The Cyber Boxing Zone Encyclopedia. Retrieved November 6, 2016.
- ^ Carpenter, Harry (1975). Boxing: A Pictorial History. Chicago, IL: Henry Regnery Company. p. 123. ISBN 0-8092-8349-2.
- ^ Sugar, Bert (1984). The 100 Greatest Boxers of All Time. New York, NY: Bonanza Books. pp. 138–139. ISBN 0-517-67246-4.
- ^ Liebling, A.J. (1990). A Neutral Corner. San Francisco, CA: North Point Press. pp. 191–192. ISBN 0-86547-450-8.
- ^ Heller, Peter (1973). In This Corner! (Dell PB original ed.). New York, NY: Simon and Schuster, Inc. pp. 353–354.
- ^ Heller, Peter (1973). In This Corner! (Dell PB original ed.). New York, NY: Simon and Schuster, Inc. p. 403.
- ^ Liebman, Glenn (1996). Boxing Shorts. Chicago, IL: Contemporary Books, Inc. p. 176. ISBN 0-8092-3216-2.
- ^ Dundee, Angelo (2008). My View From The Corner. New York, NY: McGraw Hill. pp. 85–86. ISBN 978-0-07-147739-0.
- ^ staff writer, no by-line. "The 10 Deadliest Punches of the Last Quarter Century!". Big Book of Boxing (July, 1975): 25, 54.
- ^ Collins, Nigel (1990). Boxing Babylon. New York, NY: Carol Publishing Group. p. 78. ISBN 0-8065-1183-4.
- ^ Dick Tiger dies of liver cancer, google.com; accessed November 6, 2016.
- ^ Anderson, Dave (16 December 1971). "Dick tiger 42, Nigerian boxer who won world titles dead". The New York Times.
Further reading[]
- Makinde, Adeyinka (2005). Dick Tiger: The Life and Times of a Boxing Immortal. Tarentum, PA: Word Association Publishers. ISBN 1-59571-042-6.
External links[]
 |
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Dick Tiger. |
- Boxing record for Dick Tiger from BoxRec
- Emeagwali, Philip, "DICK TIGER: Photo Essay"
| show Authority control  |
|---|
- 1929 births
- 1971 deaths
- Middleweight boxers
- Light-heavyweight boxers
- World middleweight boxing champions
- World light-heavyweight boxing champions
- World Boxing Association champions
- World Boxing Council champions
- The Ring champions
- International Boxing Hall of Fame inductees
- Deaths from liver cancer
- Sportspeople from Imo State
- Igbo sportspeople
- Nigerian male boxers