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By Lyle Fitzsimmons - Many people might not remember.
Though the 1976 Summer Olympics highlight reels are crammed with footage of all-time great Ray Leonard and future heavyweight champs Leon and Michael Spinks, it was a lanky native of Glen Cove, N.Y. who actually made the biggest in-ring impact in Montreal.
That man was Howard Davis Jr.
Then just 20 years old and already a two-time national AAU champion, Davis reeled off five straight points victories to capture both the gold medal in the 132-pound weight class and the Val Barker Trophy as the most outstanding boxer of the games.
The wins north of the border closed a 120-5 amateur career that had also included defeats of Thomas Hearns and Aaron Pryor, and launched Davis on a path that looked likely to include world championship recognition alongside his celebrated U.S. teammates. [Click Here To Read More]
Though the 1976 Summer Olympics highlight reels are crammed with footage of all-time great Ray Leonard and future heavyweight champs Leon and Michael Spinks, it was a lanky native of Glen Cove, N.Y. who actually made the biggest in-ring impact in Montreal.
That man was Howard Davis Jr.
Then just 20 years old and already a two-time national AAU champion, Davis reeled off five straight points victories to capture both the gold medal in the 132-pound weight class and the Val Barker Trophy as the most outstanding boxer of the games.
The wins north of the border closed a 120-5 amateur career that had also included defeats of Thomas Hearns and Aaron Pryor, and launched Davis on a path that looked likely to include world championship recognition alongside his celebrated U.S. teammates. [Click Here To Read More]
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