Ricky Womack boxeur

Ricky Womack (May 7, 1961 in Detroit, Michigan – January 19, 2002 at St. John Oakland Hospital, Madison Heights, Michigan) was a professional boxer from the United States. Known primarily for his amateur career, during which he already earned his nickname "Wonderful," coming to attention of Howard Cosell, who predicted his bright future as a most likely U.S. Olympic Team light heavyweight for the 1984 Olympics, and a successful professional career afterwards, but both predictions proved unfulfilled, as Womack lost the Olympic qualifiers to Evander Holyfield, and his up-and-coming professional career crumbled after a criminal conviction.Womack had a physically abusive father, and neglecting mother. Eventually social services took Ricky along with his seven brothers and sisters away from his mother to a foster care. He started boxing at the age of thirteen with the Kronk Gym, being trained by Emanuel Steward. But troubled childhood deeply affected his personality, he became a staunch kleptomaniac and had frequent brushes with the law enforcement authorities. At that time his teammate, another Kronk's young talent Mark Breland came under Womack's destructive influence. Womack's criminal habits eventually led him to a long term prison sentence.Womack had a remarkable amateur career, defeating future legend Evander Holyfield several times (one by walkover,) with two of the losses being avenged by Evander at the Olympic Box-offs, and cutting Ricky's way to the 1984 Summer Olympics.Womack jumped into heavyweight already in 1982, winning the AAU Nationals, and proving he's comfortable in that weight class, but he soon came back into light heavyweight, reportedly to prove to his long-lasting nemesis, Holyfield, that he was the better man. As Holyfield later recalled:— I fought Ricky Womack six times. Ricky Womack was current amateur heavyweight and light heavyweight champion, and he whooped the Cuban, knocked out the Russian, and he was the one that supposed to make the Olympic team. And just so happened I fought him when he was ranked number one as a heavyweight, but he came down to light heavy because he wanted to prove to somebody from Georgia that ain't nobody from Georgia can whoop him. So that mean that he had to fight me. When he came back fought me, I beat him four times, and before he beat me twice, but I beat him four.— Did you guys ever become friends after that?