BLACK SOCIAL HISTORY Tony Tubbs (born February 15, 1958 in Cincinnati, Ohio) is a retired professional heavyweight boxer and former WBA heavyweight champion of the world in the 1980s.
Amateur career
Tubbs compiled an amateur record of 240-13. In 1978, he lost in the quarterfinals of the World Championships to the great Cuban Teofilo Stevenson. The following year, Tubbs won the National AAU title and the World Cup Championships.
In February 1980, the Muhammad Ali Amateur Boxing Club competed against the Joe Frazier Amateur Boxing Club in Houston, Texas. Tubbs, boxing for the Ali team, defeated Marvis Frazier (son of Joe Frazier) by decision, avenging an earlier defeat.
Tubbs also was a sparring partner for Ali. He helped Ali prepare for his rematch with Leon Spinks, which Ali won by a unanimous decision to regain the World Heavyweight Championship.
Early Pro Career
Tubbs, nicknamed TNT, made his professional debut on June 14, 1980, with a first-round knockout of Bruce Scott.
After 11 fights, he fought fellow undefeated prospect Clarence Hill on August 7, 1982 and won by a ten-round unanimous decision. After outpointing slick stylist Jimmy Young (who had defeated George Foreman) on April 10, 1983, he was signed by Don King and began rising quickly up the rankings while appearing on several King undercards.
On March 15, 1985, he faced future WBA Heavyweight Champ James "Bonecrusher" Smith in a WBA title Eliminator. Tubbs won by a unanimous decision, taking his record to 20-0 (15 knockouts).
World Championship Fights
On April 29, 1985, Tubbs challenged Greg Page for the WBA Heavyweight Championship. Page and Tubbs fought seven times as amateurs, with Page winning six of them, but for their one and only meeting as professionals, Tubbs won by a fifteen-round unanimous decision.
On January 17, 1986, Tubbs made his first title defense against former WBC Heavyweight Champion Tim Witherspoon. Tubbs weighed-in at 244 lbs, 15 more than he weighed for the Page fight, and lost the title by a fifteen-round majority decision.
Tubbs and Witherspoon had a rematch scheduled for December 12, 1986, but Tubbs pulled out of the fight. Tubbs claimed that he had an injured shoulder, but promoter Don King accused Tubbs of trying to finagle more money.
On March 21, 1988, Tubbs fought Mike Tyson for the Undisputed World Heavyweight Championship and was knocked out in the second round.
Ex-Champ
On November 21, 1989, Tubbs outpointed top contender Orlin Norris, winning the North American Boxing Federation title. However, Tubbs tested positive for cocaine. Tubbs was stripped of the title and the victory was changed to a "no contest."
On April 20, 1991, a 34 year old Tubbs lost a famously controversial ten-round decision to rising prospect, and future Undisputed World Heavyweight Champion, Riddick Bowe. The general consensus in the media was that Tubbs had rather easily outboxed Bowe.
On August 8, 1992, Tubbs was upset by big punching Lionel Butler in a first-round knockout. Tubbs came back to outpoint future WBA Heavyweight Champion Bruce Seldon and the undefeated Alexander Zolkin, but then suffered another first-round knockout - this one rather dubious looking- to lightly regarded club fighter Jimmy Ellis.
People's Choice Heavyweight Tournament
In December 1993, Tubbs took part in the one-night People's Choice Heavyweight Tournament in Bay Saint Louis, Mississippi. He knocked out Willie Jackson in the first round and won three-round decisions over 1984 Olympic Gold Medalist Tyrell Biggs, Jose Ribalta, and Daniel Dăncuţă to win the tournament. Depending on pay-per-view revenue, he had a chance to win $1 million. He ended up with $170,000.
Late career
From 1994 to 1997, Tubbs went 3-3 with one no-contest. He retired but came back in 2002. He lost two of his first three comeback fights, but then won his next five, including a win over 18-0 Brian Minto. His last fight was a six-round unanimous decision over club fighter Adam Smith on November 4, 2006.
Trouble With The Law
Tubbs has been to prison for cocaine-related crimes and failure to pay child support for some of the 16 children he says he has. On November 30, 2009, Tubbs pleaded guilty to cocaine possession.
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