name | Tony Tucker |
---|---|
nickname | TNT |
Realname | Tony Craig Tucker |
nationality | American |
weight | Heavyweight |
Height | |
Reach | 81 in (2.06 m) |
birth date | December 27, 1958 |
birth place | Grand Rapids, Michigan |
home | Grand Rapids, MI |
style | Orthodox |
total | 66 |
wins | 59 |
ko | 48 |
losses | 7 |
dq | 0 |
draws | 0 |
no contests | 1 |
Medaltemplates | }} |
Tony Craig Tucker (born December 27, 1958) is a retired professional heavyweight boxer. Tucker fought professionally from 1980 to 1998. Nicknamed "TNT," he won a gold medal at the 1979 Pan American Games, and was briefly a world heavyweight champion as a professional.
Tucker's progress in the professional ranks was slow. He was injury prone, and he changed managers and trainers several times. Eventually his father Bob Tucker performed both roles. After enjoying a high profile upon his professional debut, Tucker spent the majority of the 80s boxing in off-TV bouts. In addition, he injured his knee in a bout against Danny Sutton, which caused him to miss a little over a year.
In June 1984, he scored a win by knocking out Eddie "The Animal" Lopez in 9 rounds on the undercard of the Tommy Hearns-Roberto Duran fight. It was the first time Lopez had ever been knocked down. In September 1984 he followed it up by outpointing Jimmy Young .
In September 1986, Tucker finally landed a big fight, against 242 lb James "Broad-Axe" Broad, for the USBA belt and a world title eliminator. Tucker won by unanimous decision.
Reigning IBF champion (and generally recognized world champion) Michael Spinks elected not to fight Tucker, in favor of a big money fight with Gerry Cooney. He was stripped of his belt, and in April 1987 Tucker stopped James "Buster" Douglas in 10 rounds for the vacant title. (Douglas would later knockout Mike Tyson).
As part of HBO's unification series, Tucker was obliged to face WBC and WBA heavyweight champion Mike Tyson immediately in the tournament final. 64 days after winning his title, in August 1987 Tucker was outpointed by Tyson and lost his belt. Tucker broke his right hand in the 4th round, and boxed the rest of the bout without it. Tucker earned the distinction of claiming the shortest reign of any heavyweight champion in history - 2 months and 2 days. Meanwhile, Tyson was getting bigger and bigger on the world stage and with his win over Tucker, became the first heavyweight to hold all three recognized world title belts; WBC, WBA, and IBF.
By 1993 Tucker had run his record up to 49-1 and in May of that year he challenged Lennox Lewis for the WBC world heavyweight title. Lewis won a 12 round unamious decision, knocking down Tucker twice. It was the first time in 34 year old Tucker's career he had been off his feet.
In 1995 George Foreman refused to defend his WBA world heavyweight title against Tucker, choosing to fight German Axel Schulz. Tucker and Bruce Seldon fought for the vacant WBA belt in April 1995. Seldon won by TKO after 7 rounds when doctors stopped the fight due to Tucker's eye closing shut. The fight had been even on the scorecards and Seldon had been hurt twice, leading Tucker to demand a rematch.
Tucker lost his shot at a rematch when later that year he was outpointed by newly signed Don King heavyweight, British/Nigerian boxer Henry Akinwande, who boxed a long range fight and grabbed repeatedly in order to last with Tucker.
In 1996 he was outpointed by old rival Orlin Norris. He scored two low-key wins in California, and in 1997 travelled to the U.K. to challenge Herbie Hide for the vacant WBO title. Tucker was dropped three times in the second round and stopped.
In 1998 Tucker challenged John Ruiz for his NABF belt. Despite a big 6th round where he had Ruiz in trouble, Tucker was eventually stopped in the 11th.
He came back in May to knock out journeyman Billy Wright in 1 round, but later had his licence revoked due to medical concerns about Tucker's vision.
Category:1958 births Category:Living people Category:African American boxers Category:American boxers Category:Heavyweight boxers Category:Winners of the United States Championship for amateur boxers Category:People from Grand Rapids, Michigan Category:International Boxing Federation Champions
de:Tony Tucker fr:Tony Tucker ja:トニー・タッカー no:Tony Tucker ru:Таккер, ТониThis text is licensed under the Creative Commons CC-BY-SA License. This text was originally published on Wikipedia and was developed by the Wikipedia community.
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