Cleveland Williams boxer

Cleveland Williams boxer
bouts
94
won
80
lost
13
draw
1
Status
inactive
Division
heavyweight
Debut
1951-12-11
Height
6′ 2″/188cm
Reach
80″/203cm
Age
66
Born
1933-06-30
Death
1999-09-11
Nationality
USA

Cleveland "Big Cat" Williams (June 30, 1933 – September 10, 1999) was a 20th-century American heavyweight boxer. A poll in The Ring magazine rated him as one of the finest boxers never to win a title.Born in Griffin, Georgia, Williams started working at a pulpwood mill at the age of 13, and began his professional boxing career in his home state just a year later. He reported winning four of his first six fights, but was barred from competing until he turned 18 after an official learned of his age. Williams turned professional in 1951 and fought many of the best heavyweights of his era. During the late 1950s and early 1960s, the 6 ft 2 in Williams was a top-rated heavyweight. His quest to obtain a title fight, however, was consistently derailed. First he was knocked out by Sonny Liston on April 15, 1959, after hurting Liston early and breaking Liston's nose. Williams recovered from the Liston fight to score more wins, but was again stopped by Liston in two rounds in their rematch on March 21, 1960. His quest for the title was later stalled when he was held to a draw by Eddie Machen on July 10, 1962, and when he dropped a split decision on March 13, 1963 to Ernie Terrell, a fighter he had previously knocked out in seven rounds in 1962. During this time frame, he defeated Billy Daniels.On the evening of November 29, 1964, during the height of the civil unrest of the American Civil Rights Movement, a car driven by Williams was stopped near Houston, Texas, by highway Patrolman Dale Witten, who stated afterwards Williams was speeding. According to the police report Williams resisted arrest, and the officer's .357 magnum revolver went off during an ensuing struggle, hitting Williams in the stomach and lodging in his right hip. Williams had to undergo four operations in the next seven months for colon damage and an injured right kidney. The right kidney had to be removed in June 1965. Doctors could not extract the bullet, which had broken his right hip joint and caused partial paralysis of some of the hip's muscles, he also lost over 10 feet (3.0 m) of his small intestine, and sustained nerve damage which affected his left leg above the knee and caused it to atrophy as a result. Hugh Benbow, his manager, and Sonny Liston, former world champion, visited Cleveland Williams in the hospital. After his partial recovery Williams was fined $50 and briefly jailed after pleading no contest to charges arising from the incident. (Patrolman Witten visited Williams to wish him luck the day before his 1966 fight with Muhammad Ali, with both men saying they had "no hard feelings" toward the other).The injury, surgeries and subsequent convalescence caused Williams to lose over 60 pounds, and over 17 months of his career. He regained his weight and strength by tossing 80-pound bales of hay daily on a cattle ranch till he had regained his fighting weight and physique. On February 8, 1966, Williams received a standing ovation from the Houston crowd as he returned to the ring, and knocked out Ben Black in the first round. Williams competed for the heavyweight championship against Muhammad Ali on November 14, 1966, but was badly outclassed, and was knocked down twice in the third round ending the match. Williams retired from boxing after the 1966 Championship defeat, but later made a comeback. Although able to defeat journeymen fighters, he suffered several knockout losses before retiring permanently in 1972.

Date Opponent Last Opponents' Results Place Result
1972-10-28 Roberto Davila LWLLWW Coliseum, Denver WIN
Unanimous decision
1972-07-10 Bob Mashburn WLWWWL Mile High Stadium, Denver WIN
KO
1972-05-11 Terry Daniels WWLWWL Memorial Auditorium, Dallas WIN
Unanimous decision
1971-11-17 George Chuvalo LWWWWL Astrodome, Houston LOST
Unanimous decision
1971-09-21 Jack O'Halloran WLLLLW Houston LOST
Split-decision
1971-04-28 Ted Gullick LLWWWW Arena, Cleveland WIN
Majority decision
1970-10-21 Alvin Blue Lewis LWWWWW Cobo Arena, Detroit LOST
Technical knockout
1970-05-26 Roberto Davila LLWLLL Auditorium, Milwaukee WIN
Unanimous decision
1970-04-14 Eddie Brooks WLLWWW Auditorium, Milwaukee WIN
KO
1969-12-09 Leroy Caldwell LWWWWL Orlando Sports Stadium, Orlando WIN
Technical knockout
1969-11-18 Mac Foster WWWWWW Sam Houston Coliseum, Houston LOST
Technical knockout
1969-09-13 Mac Foster WWWWWW Selland Arena, Fresno LOST
Technical knockout
1969-05-20 Al Jones WWWDWW Convention Center, Miami Beach LOST
Technical knockout
1969-03-18 Charley Polite LLWDLW Sam Houston Coliseum, Houston WIN
Unanimous decision
1968-11-21 Bob Cleroux WLWWWW Forum, Montreal LOST
Unanimous decision
1968-10-07 Moses Harrell LWDWWL Fort Homer Hesterly Armory, Tampa WIN
Technical knockout
1968-08-06 Jean-Claude Roy WWWLLL Houston WIN
Unanimous decision
1968-06-25 Leslie Borden LLWLLL Sam Houston Coliseum, Houston WIN
KO
1968-06-11 Mike Bruce LLLLLD Houston WIN
KO
1968-05-21 Roy Crear WWLWLL Sam Houston Coliseum, Houston WIN
KO
1966-11-14 Muhammad Ali WWWWWW Astrodome, Houston LOST
Technical knockout
1966-06-28 Tod Herring WLWWLL Sam Houston Coliseum, Houston WIN
Technical knockout
1966-04-19 Sonny Moore LLWLLW Sam Houston Coliseum, Houston WIN
Unanimous decision
1966-03-22 Mel Turnbow WWWLLL Sam Houston Coliseum, Houston WIN
Unanimous decision
1966-02-08 Ben Black WWDL Sam Houston Coliseum, Houston WIN
KO
1964-09-30 Billy Daniels LLLLDW Houston WIN
Unanimous decision
1964-07-21 Sonny Banks WWWLWW Houston WIN
Technical knockout
1964-04-07 Tommy Fields LWLWWW Houston WIN
Unanimous decision
1963-10-08 Roger Rischer WWWWLW Sam Houston Coliseum, Houston WIN
KO
1963-08-13 Kirk Barrow WWLWLD Sam Houston Coliseum, Houston WIN
KO
1963-04-13 Ernie Terrell WWWWWW Arena, Philadelphia LOST
Split-decision
1963-04-02 Young Jack Johnson LWLWLL Sam Houston Coliseum, Houston WIN
Technical knockout
1963-03-09 Billy Daniels WWWLWW Convention Center, Miami Beach WIN
Unanimous decision
1962-10-23 Dave Bailey LLLWWW Sam Houston Coliseum, Houston WIN
KO
1962-07-10 Eddie Machen LWWWWW Sam Houston Coliseum, Houston DRAW
Points
1962-05-15 Alonzo Johnson LLLWWL Sam Houston Coliseum, Houston WIN
KO
1962-04-03 Ernie Terrell LWWWWW Sam Houston Coliseum, Houston WIN
Technical knockout
1961-12-19 James Wiley LWLLLW Sam Houston Coliseum, Houston WIN
KO
1961-05-16 Alex Miteff WWLLWL Sam Houston Coliseum, Houston WIN
Technical knockout
1961-02-07 Wayne Bethea LLWWLW Houston WIN
Unanimous decision
1960-12-07 Johnny Hayden WWLLWW Auditorium, Miami Beach WIN
KO
1960-11-01 George Moore WWWWWW Houston WIN
KO
1960-10-24 Ben Marshall LLWLWW Memorial Auditorium, Dallas WIN
KO
1960-03-21 Sonny Liston WWWWWW Sam Houston Coliseum, Houston LOST
Technical knockout
1959-10-14 Curley Lee WWWWWW Coliseum, Houston WIN
KO
1959-05-26 Ernie Cab WLWWLL Coliseum, Houston WIN
KO
1959-04-15 Sonny Liston WWWWWW Auditorium, Miami Beach LOST
Technical knockout
1959-01-13 Ollie Wilson WWLLLL Houston WIN
KO
1958-12-09 Howie Turner LWLLDL Houston WIN
Points
1958-06-03 Frankie Daniels WWLWWW Houston WIN
Unanimous decision
1958-03-25 Dick Richardson WDWLLW Earls Court Empress Hall, Kensington WIN
1958-02-04 Gene White LLWLLL Houston WIN
Technical knockout
1957-12-03 Frankie Daniels LDLWWW Auditorium, Miami Beach WIN
Unanimous decision
1957-10-15 John Holman LLLWLL Houston WIN
KO
1957-09-17 Bob Albright WLLLWL Houston WIN
KO
1957-07-23 Clifford Gray WDLLLL Sam Houston Coliseum, Houston WIN
KO
1957-07-15 J.D. Marshall WWWLWW Tyler WIN
KO
1957-06-11 Johnny Mason LLLWWL Sam Houston Coliseum, Houston WIN
KO
1956-08-06 Johnny Hollins LLLWWL City Coliseum, Austin WIN
Technical knockout
1954-06-22 Bob Satterfield WWWLWL Auditorium, Miami Beach LOST
KO
1954-06-08 Sylvester Jones LWWWWL Fort Homer Hesterly Armory, Tampa WIN
KO
1954-03-09 Jimmy Walls WWWWWL Municipal Auditorium, Tampa WIN
Technical knockout
1953-11-10 Jack Walsh debut Fort Homer Hesterly Armory, Tampa WIN
KO
1953-10-20 Bo Willis LLLWWW Auditorium, Miami Beach WIN
KO
1953-10-01 Claude Rolfe WLDLWW Charlotte WIN
KO
1953-09-24 Sylvester Jones WWLWWW Polo Grounds, New York LOST
Points
1953-09-01 Keene Simmons LLLLLL Fort Homer Hesterly Armory, Tampa WIN
Unanimous decision
1953-05-12 Omelio Agramonte WLWLLW Fort Homer Hesterly Armory, Tampa WIN
Unanimous decision
1953-03-31 Bob Garner LLDLLL Fort Homer Hesterly Armory, Tampa WIN
KO
1953-03-24 Ponce de Leon LLDLLL Fort Homer Hesterly Armory, Tampa WIN
KO
1953-03-12 Terry O'Connor WLLLWL Auditorium, Minneapolis WIN
Technical knockout
1953-03-04 Ponce de Leon WLLDLL Miami Stadium, Miami WIN
Points
1953-01-13 Abie Gibson LL Fort Homer Hesterly Armory, Tampa WIN
KO
1952-12-08 Graveyard Walters W Daytona Beach WIN
KO
1952-11-25 Claude Rolfe LLDLLL Municipal Auditorium, Tampa WIN
KO
1952-10-03 Johnny Hollins WWDWWW Coliseum Arena, New Orleans WIN
KO
1952-09-23 Joe McFadden LLWWDL Municipal Stadium, Philadelphia WIN
Technical knockout
1952-09-16 Art Henri LWLLWW Auditorium, Miami Beach WIN
Technical knockout
1952-09-12 Roosevelt Holmes LWL Coliseum Arena, New Orleans WIN
KO
1952-09-02 Baby Booze debut Fort Homer Hesterly Armory, Tampa WIN
KO
1952-08-12 Candy McDaniels DWWWWW Auditorium, Miami Beach WIN
KO
1952-07-25 Sam Harold WWLW City Auditorium, Macon WIN
KO
1952-07-22 Lee Raymond L Auditorium, Miami Beach WIN
Technical knockout
1952-07-08 Jimmy Felton debut Auditorium, Miami Beach WIN
KO
1952-06-24 Eddie Joe Williams D Daytona Beach WIN
KO
1952-06-17 Harry Turner debut Municipal Auditorium, Tampa WIN
KO
1952-06-10 Paul Favorite L Fort Homer Hesterly Armory, Tampa WIN
KO
1952-05-28 Ray Brown LLW Auditorium, Miami Beach WIN
KO
1952-04-15 Johnny Fowler WWDWWW Fort Homer Hesterly Armory, Tampa WIN
KO
1952-03-28 Ray Banks LWL Coliseum Arena, New Orleans WIN
KO
1952-02-29 Roosevelt Holmes LW Coliseum Arena, New Orleans WIN
Unanimous decision
1952-02-26 Rudolph Wood debut Fort Homer Hesterly Armory, Tampa WIN
KO
1952-02-15 Ray Banks LW Coliseum Arena, New Orleans WIN
Technical knockout
1951-12-11 Lee Hunt DLWLLL Fort Homer Hesterly Armory, Tampa WIN
KO