Kronk Fighters "Where are they now?"

Found this while looking up info on Milton McCrory... Where are they now? In the wake of the last summer’s deaths of two former Kronk boxing champions, The Detroit News attempted to find out what happened to each of the 96 fighters and promoter/managers who built Kronk into an international powerhouse in the 1970s ‘80s and ‘90s. The outcomes were dramatically different, The News found, between those who were born in Detroit or moved here permanently, and those who came in from out of town to train at Kronk, then left Detroit. Of the original 61 Kronk stable of boxers, the record shows: Four are wealthy Thomas Hearns – wealthy, promoter Hilmer Kenty – executive of Metro Detroit construction firm Jimmy Paul – Owns Detroit HUD properties Emanuel Steward – wealthy trainer/promoter/TV announcer 35 are working Leeonzer Barber – Detroit, still boxing Bernie Boldon – works in Detroit Oba Carr – still boxing Rob Clemens – hospital worker Lanny Edmonds – working in Detroit Jim Ferrari – insurance agent Ali Haakim – Detroit schools public safety officer Billy Hearns – Kronk trainer John Hearns – Las Vegas casino host Rick Jester – Detroit, master plumber James Johnson Jr. – after boxing was employed by Detroit Police Department Joe Johnson – Detroit businessman Lionel Johnson – Detroit truck driver Darnell Knox – working in Detroit Arthel Lawhorn – Detroit postal employee Joe Manley (a.k.a. Bilal Ajani Sekou) – Consumer’s Power employee. Milton McCrory – employed at Chrysler Corp. tech center Roderick Moore – truck driver Michael Moorer – making comeback as boxer Danny Paul – works in Detroit hospital Aaron “The Hawk“ Pryor – minister, Cincinnati, beat drug problem Farris “Killer” Purify – boxing trainer Jerry Reese – Detroiter, job unknown Kenny Ringo – working in Washington, D.C. Darnell Seals – plant foreman Hurley Snead – Detroit, training to fight James Steward – the original Kronk; Emanuel’s brother, auto plant worker Bret Summers – fireman Frank Tate – in Texas, recently retired from ring Benny Ray Trusel – Detroit construction worker Rodney Trusel – Northwest Airlines supervisor in Houston Robert Tyus – Detroit transit policeman Keith Vining – Steelworker in Monroe, trains young boxers Eric Williams – in Atlanta, training boxers Andrey Wynn – Los Angeles policeman Four suffered setbacks Dwaine Bonds – While bodyguard for a Motown star, turned to drugs. Career ended. Now recovered. David Braxton – Lost title after positive drug test, but stopped using, now working in construction. Gerald McClellan – Blind and paralyzed from brain damage in fight, living with sister in Illinois. Tony Tucker – became drug abuser, but made recovery. Eight went to prison Nathanial “Gator” Akbar – sentenced 10 to 20 years for arson in 1984; denied parole 5 times so far; next parole hearing June 2002. Darrell Chambers – sentenced to life for drug conspiracy in 1994; has appeals pending; in prison at Terre Haute, Ind. Alvin Hayes – sentenced to 5-to-20 in 1987 for armed robbery, released, committed three more armed robberies, sentenced in 1994 to three terms of 612 to 40 years. At Detroit’s Ryan Correctional Facility, possibly until December 2040. John Johnson – retail fraud, served less than two years, released in 1999. William “Caveman” Lee – went to prison three times for bank robberies, the last time July 2000, when he began a 7-to-15-year federal sentence; first parole date December 2006. William “Stanley” Longstreet – sentenced for drug conspiracy with Chambers in 1994, released August 1997. Rickey Womack – armed robberies, assault, did 15 years in prison, paroled last fall. John Yopp, promoter – sentenced to 30 years in 1994 for drug conspiracy, later reduced to 15 years; in Milan federal penitentiary. 10 have died Wilson Bell – murdered, 1989 Collier Bishop – killed in car-jacking incident, 1994 Johnny Compo – died in a car crash at 42 last October Leslie “Lemonade“ Gardner – Drug overdose in 1983, age 26 J.L. Ivey – Murdered by drug dealer, 1990, age 26 DuJuan Johnson – murdered, age 28, over $200 debt, 1984 Bernard “Superbad” Mays – died of alcoholism at 33, 1994 Steve McCrory – dead, age 36, undisclosed illness, 2000 Duane Thomas – shot and killed at 39 in drug dispute, 2000 Darius “Dollbaby” Wilson – shot to death, age unknown, early 1980s Mark Breland, Mickey Goodwin, and Lennox Lewis Other fighters who trained at Kronk Another 35 fighters came to Kronk from the suburbs, other states and other countries to be trained by Steward, and left. None is dead or in jail. 13 are well-off: Dennis Andries – runs physical fitness progam in England. Jesse Benavides – runs home for elderly in Tex. Mark Breland – actor, dog trainer, wealthy Julio Cesar Chavez – retired in Mex., wealthy Oscar DeLaHoya – still fighting Jeff Fenech – TV commentator, Australia Naseem “Prince” Hamed – current featherweight champ Jemal Hinton – retired undefeated for religious reasons, in Washington, D.C. Evander Holyfield – Atlanta, restaurateur, still fighting Ole Klemetson – still fighting Lennox Lewis – current world heavyweight champion Welcome N’Cita – manager, Capetown, South Africa Graciano Rocchigiani – still fighting 22 are working Doug “Big Bird” Ahonen – engineer in Calumet, Mich. Davey Lee Armstrong – civil engineer Jackie Beard – boxing trainer Donald Bowers – youth boxing trainer Orlando “Gaby” Canizales – youth counselor, Tex. Johnny de la Rosa – youth counselor Fadi Faraj – still fighting, Dearborn Floyd Favors – Wash., D.C., policeman Frank Goodwin – engineer Mickey Goodwin – trains fighters at Dearborn Sports Lindell Holmes – opened barbershop Biff Humphries – cement contractor Danny Humphries – now Steward’s insurance agent John David Jackson – still boxing, Calif. Lee Lamphere – foreman of tree company Mike McCallum – trainer, Las Vegas John Mooney – school teacher Eddie Mustafa Muhammad – trainer, Las Vegas John O’Neil – teacher, Garden City Todd Riggs – union official Tarick Salmaci – still fighting, Dearborn Leon Spinks – former world heavyweight champion, went broke, but working again. Source: Detroit News research