Dennis Milton, the former middleweight title challenger and amateur standout from New York, passed away this morning at the age of 64.
Milton, who had been living in a rehabilitation center for about a year, passed at about 3 a.m., according to John Zervos, a former New York Police Department officer who now runs a non-profit called Friends of the Champ, which has helped Milton and other boxers who were struggling in their post-boxing lives.
Milton, whose pro record was 16-5-1 (5 KOs), had been living in the Forest Houses projects in his home borough of The Bronx, New York up until his health took a turn over the past year.
“All I can tell you about Dennis is he was one of the nicest, kindest men that I ever met on this earth,” said Zervos, whose organization held a benefit for Milton last summer.
“He was one of the few opponents you could really like/strike a real friendship with,” said Michael Olajide, who lost a split decision to Milton in 1989, in a Facebook comment.
Milton first got into boxing at the age of 16, walking into a local recreation center looking to join a karate class, but only found that boxing was in season. “As soon as I saw the action in person for the first time, I fell in love with the sport,” Milton told the Tarrytown Daily News in 1984. “Ever since then, I’ve worked really hard to be the best I can possibly be.”
He won four New York Golden Gloves titles, defeating his close friend and future world champion Iran Barkley in the 165lbs final in 1981. He also defeated other future world champions in national title fights, beating Frank Tate by split decision in the 1982 US Amateur Championships final, and Michael Nunn at the 1983 US National Sports Festival.
Internationally, Milton earned a silver at the 1983 Pan American Games in Venezuela after dropping a 3-2 split decision to Cuba’s Orestes Solano, but missed out on the 1984 Olympic squad after dropping a similar decision in the quarterfinals of the trials.
Milton turned professional in 1985 and won his first five bouts before losing a split decision to future title challenger Ismael Negron. Then managed by Jim Wiley, who managed Milton and other members of what was coined the “Hudson County Express” including Mark Medal, Alphonso Bailey and Robert “Pee Wee” Rucker, Milton took another significant stepback in 1987 when he was stopped after five rounds by Angel Sindo. Now deemed a “stepping stone,” Milton went on the best run of his career in 1989, defeating the 11-1-1 Pedro Rivera, then handing future world champion Gerald McClellan his first pro defeat by majority decision, before closing out the year with decision wins over contenders Robbie Sims and Olajide.
"A lot of people doubted me coming into this fight, but I believed in myself," Milton told the Press of Atlantic City after upsetting Sims on ESPN. "I knew that the only difference between Sims and me was that I was never given the opportunity to show what I can do."
The Olajide fight, which took place in Albany, New York, was the subject of controversy. In the fight, which was untelevised, it was reported by the Associated Press that referee Ken Zimmer was stopping the bout with three seconds remaining in the tenth and final round, with Milton in trouble. The referee claimed that he thought he heard the final bell, and was declared a no-contest by New York commissioner Randy Gordon before the split decision was reinstated two weeks later.
After two more wins in 1990 and 1991, Milton, then the WBC no. 1 contender at 160lbs, earned a shot at the title held by Julian Jackson in Las Vegas, but was knocked out in the first round.
Milton never won another fight, losing by stoppage to Bernard Hopkins the following year, and then once more in 1995 against fellow Bronx fighter Aaron Davis before calling it a career.
Milton was known as “The Magician,” a nickname that was more than just something to fill newspaper copy. Milton was a self-trained magician, and would take the train to Midtown Manhattan to ply his craft for tips, earning up to $80 per day. Some of his greatest hits including making separate strings connect into one, or making a handkerchief disappear into his fist.
“I used to make money off it. Go downtown and they have street magicians, comedians, ventriloquists and people just throw money into the pot,” Milton told the Philadelphia Inquirer in 1983.
“After his [fights], he would put on his tuxedo jacket and the bow tie and would sit outside, whether it would be two fans or 22 fans or 200 fans, he'd sit there and put up a little box and make all kinds of magic acts,” said Zervos.
Milton also had a signature superstition, which was wearing only his right sock. The superstition began in 1981, when he forgot his other sock ahead of the 1981 Empire State Games final, and followed him throughout his career, as he often always with one black sock pulled up to his calf and none on his left foot.
“It’s really just my trademark because in boxing, you make your own luck,” Milton told the Associated Press in 1983.
Milton continued to work in boxing afterwards, training amateurs, leading future pro Arnold Gonzalez to a second place finish in the 2015 New York Golden Gloves.
Zervos adds that, even as Milton began to manifest noticeable signs of dementia last year, his heart was still with other ex-fighters who were going through the same struggle.
“He was basically bedridden at that point and he wanted us to know, 'I'm gonna get better to help other fighters,’” recalls Zervos.
Ryan Songalia is a reporter and editor for BoxingScene.com and has written for ESPN, the New York Daily News, Rappler, The Guardian, Vice and The Ring magazine. He holds a Master’s degree in Journalism from the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism and is a member of the Boxing Writers Association of America. He can be reached at ryansongalia@gmail.com or on Twitter at @ryansongalia.
