Nigerian professional boxer. World Middleweight,and Light Heavy Weight Champion during the 1960's.
STATISTICS
Real Name |
Richard Iherigbo Ihetu |
Rated At |
Middleweight, Light Heavyweight |
Nationality |
Nigerian |
Birth Date |
August 14, 1929 |
Death Date |
December 14, 1971(aged 42) |
Stance |
Orthodox |
Boxing Record
Total fights |
81 |
Wins |
60 |
Wins by KO |
28 |
Losses |
19 |
Total fights |
81 |
Draws |
3 |
1952-1955
In Nigeria:
Challenger |
Result |
Simon Eme |
KO 2 |
Easy Dynamite |
KO 1 |
Mighty Joe |
W 8 |
Lion Ring |
KO 6 |
Simon Eme |
W 8 |
Koko Kid |
W 8 |
Black Power |
W 8 |
Tommy West |
W 10 |
Bolaji John-son |
W 8 |
Robert Nwanne |
KO 2 |
Tommy West (Nigerian middlewieght title) |
W 12 |
Roy Fargbemy |
W 8 |
Peter Okptra |
KO 8 |
Koko Kid |
KO 6 |
Super Human Power |
W 8 |
John Ama |
KO 2 |
In England:
Dec.8.1955 |
Alan |
Liverpool |
L6 |
1956
DATE |
CHALLENGER |
PLACE |
RESULT |
Jan.27 |
Gerry Mcnally |
Blackpool |
L 8 |
Mar.2 |
Jimmy Lynas |
Blackpool |
L 8 |
Mar.22 |
George Roe |
Liverpool |
L 8 |
May 3 |
Dennis Rowley |
Liverpool |
KO 1 |
May 10 |
Alan Dean |
Liverpool |
W 8 |
May 28 |
Wally Sott,W. |
Hartlepool |
KO 4 |
July 2 |
Jimmy Lynas,W. |
Hartlepool |
W 8 |
Oct. 18 |
Alan Dean |
Liverpool |
L 6 |
Nov. 9 |
Alan Dean |
Blackpool |
W 8 |
1957
DATE |
CHALLENGER |
PLACE |
RESULT |
Apr. 29 |
Johnny Read |
London |
KO 2 |
May 14 |
Terry Downes |
London |
KO 5 |
June 4 |
Marius Dori |
London |
KO 7 |
July 15 |
Willie Armstrong |
Hartlepool |
L 8 |
July 25 |
Alan Dean |
Liverpool |
W 8 |
1958
DATE |
CHALLENGER |
PLACE |
RESULT |
Jan. 13 |
Jean Ruellet |
Hull |
W 8 |
Feb. 3 |
Jimmy Lynas |
Manchester |
KO 7 |
Feb. 25 |
Jonny Read |
London |
KO 6 |
Mar. 27 |
Pat McAteer |
Liverpool |
KO 9 |
(British Empire Middleweight Title)
May 1 |
Billy Ellaway |
Liverpool |
KO 2 |
June 24 |
Spider Webb |
London |
L 10 |
Oct. 14 |
Yolande Prompey |
London |
W 10 |
1959
DATE |
CHALLENGER |
PLACE |
RESULT |
Mar. 19 |
Randy Sunday |
Liverpool |
L 10 |
Mary 12 |
Randy Sunday |
London |
W 10 |
IN THE USA:
June 5 |
Rory Calhoun |
New York |
D 10 |
July 17 |
Rory Calhoun |
Sycracuse |
L 10 |
Sept. 30 |
Joey Giardello |
Chicago |
W 10 |
Nov. 4 |
Joey Giardello |
Cleveland |
L 10 |
Dec. 30 |
Holly Mims |
Chicago |
W 10 |
1960
DATE |
CHALLENGER |
PLACE |
RESULT |
Feb. 24 |
Gene Armstrong |
Chicago |
W 10 |
Apr. 1 |
Victor Zalazar |
Boston |
W 10 |
June 22 |
Wilf Greaves |
Edmonton |
L 15 |
(Lost British Empire Middleweight Title)
Nov. 30 |
Wilf Greaves |
Edmonton |
KO 9 |
(Regained British Empire Middlewieght Title)
1961
DATE |
CHALLENGER |
PLACE |
RESULT |
Feb. 18 |
Gene Armstrong |
New York |
KO 9 |
Apr. 15 |
Spider Webb |
New York |
KO6 |
May 15 |
Hank Casey |
New Orleans |
W 10 |
Dec. 16 |
Bill Pickett |
New York |
W 10 |
1962
DATE |
CHALLENGER |
PLACE |
RESULT |
Jan. 20 |
Florentino Fernandez |
Miami Beach |
KO 6 |
Mar. 31 |
Henry Hank |
New York |
W 10 |
Oct. 23 |
Gene Fullmer |
San Francisco |
W 15 |
(Won WBA Middleweight Title)
Nov. 9 - Recognized by New York, European
Boxing Union and British Board of
Boxing Control as World Champion.
1963
DATE |
CHALLENGER |
PLACE |
RESULT |
Feb. 23 |
Gene Fullmer |
Las Vegas |
D 15 |
(Retained W.B.A Middleweight Title)
May 7 |
With Paul Pender's Retirement Dick Tiger Was given world-wide recognition as champin. |
Aug. 10 |
Gene Fullmer |
Innadan, Nigeria |
KO 7 |
(World Middleweight Title)
Dec. 7 |
Joey Giardello |
Atlantic City |
L 15 |
(Lost World Middlewieght Title)
1964
DATE |
CHALLENGER |
PLACE |
RESULT |
July 31 |
Joe Gonzalez |
New York |
KO 6 |
Sept. 11 |
Don Fullmer |
Cleverland |
W 10 |
Oct. 16 |
Joey Archer |
New York |
W 10 |
1965
Mar. 12 |
Rocky Rivero |
New York City |
KO 6 |
May 20 |
Rubin Carter |
New York City |
W 10 |
Oct. 21 |
Joey Giadello |
New York City |
W 15 |
(Regained World Middleweight Title)
1966
DATE |
CHALLENGER |
PLACE |
RESULT |
Feb. 18 |
Peter Muller |
Dortmund, Germany |
KO 3 |
Apr. 25 |
Emile Griffith |
New York |
L 15 |
Dec. 16 |
Jose Torres |
New York |
W 15 |
1967
DATE |
CHALLENGER |
PLACE |
RESULT |
Feb. 5 |
Abraham Tomica |
Port Harcourt Nigeria |
TKO 5 |
May 16 |
Jose Torres |
New York |
W 15 |
-WBC Light Heavyweight Title
-WBA Light Heavyweight Title
Nov. 17 |
Roger Rose |
LasVegas |
TK 12 |
-WBC Light Heavyweight Title
-WBA Light Heavyweight Title
1968
DATE |
CHALLENGER |
PLACE |
RESULT |
May 24 |
Bod Foster |
New York |
LKO 4 |
-WBC Light Heavyweight Title
-WBA Light Heavyweight Title
Oct. 25 |
Frankie DePaula |
New York |
W 10 |
(1968 Fight of the Year - Ring Magazine)
1969
DATE |
CHALLENGER |
PLACE |
RESULT |
May 26 |
Nino Benvenuti |
New York |
W 10 |
Nov. 14 |
Andy Kendall |
New York |
W 10 |
July 15 |
Emile Griggith |
New York |
L 10 |
RING MAGAZINE BOXING RECORD USA
ACCOLADES
- Nigerian Middleweight Champion. 1955.
- British common wealth champion. 1958, 27th MARCH.
- Appointed Commander of the British Order(CBB), by Qeen Elizabeth II of Great Britain.
- World Middleweight Boxing Champion 1962, Oct. 23rd .
- The EWARD J. NEILL TROPHY MEMORIAL FOR OUTSTANDING SERVICE TO Boxing in 1962 and 1968. By Boxing Writers' Association of New York.
- SPORT LODGE B'NAI BRITH TWELFTH ANNUAL AWARD 1963, for high principles and achievement in sports.
- World Light Heavyweight Boxing Champion 1966, Dec 16th.
- GENTLMAN JIM AWARD 1968, OCT.18TH SCHAETER CIRCLE OF SPORTS.
- NATIONAL SPORTS AWARD (NIGERIA) POSTHUMOUSLY 1987.
- Rated the 50th best Boxer of all time dating back 1980. The first and only African so named.
- 31st best Boxer in the last 80 years. The first and only African so named.
- The only boxer to win Ring Magazine Fighter of the Year Award, twice, in the 1960's decade.He won this distinguished award in 1962 and 1965.
- Single-handedly built a Secondary School in an under-served rural community.
- Inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1991.