Boxers Who Died Young

[Eff Pandas]

Vinny Letizia
https://boxrec.com/en/proboxer/16800

Chicago prospect who was 21yrs, 16-0-1 with 14KOs & was only 3.5yrs into his pro career with some recent higher profile wins over US Olympian Jackie Beard & former title holder Harry Arroyo when he was hit by a car while on his motorcycle & killed.

Omar Henry
https://boxrec.com/en/proboxer/460508

12-0-1 (9) prospect who died a week before his 26th birthday to cancer. Still early in his pro career but was a high level amateur out of Texas who made a bit of a name for himself sparing Floyd.

Randie Carver
https://boxrec.com/en/proboxer/16751

24yrs, 23-1-1 (14). Died due to injuries sustained in a NABF title fight to Kabary Salem. Golden Gloves champion who had a endorsement deal with Ringside Products for years.

"Big" Ed Sanders
https://boxrec.com/en/proboxer/34909

1952 US Olympic Gold medalist by beating future HW champion Ingemar Johansson. 24yrs, 6-2-1 (3). Died following injuries in a New England HW title fight. Interesting career. Had 3 gimme fights than thrown in with a 19-1 guy. Dropped a decision. Bested him in a rematch 4mos later. Then drew with another guy who was 18-4 in his 7th fight. Rematched him 3wks later & got the W. Was dead within 2mos of that fight. Whole pro career lasted a mere 9mos.

[CubanGuyNYC]

Here is one. He was scheduled to fight Trinidad after a 4 fight win streak with all those fights on TV and leading up to the title fight. He prided himself on robbing drug dealers and that is the what he died by. He was an exciting fighter who was murdered.....he was found face first down in a swamp due to blunt trauma: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Hughes_(boxer)

Some story. Died at 29.

Here is the Wikipedia entry (the above link doesn’t provide info):

James Melvin Hughes (October 20, 1965, Mobile, Alabama – July 25, 1995) was an American professional boxer in the welterweight division.

Known as "Jesse James" and "The Outlaw", Hughes turned professional in 1987 and is perhaps best known for his appearances on the USA Tuesday Night Fights series. During his career he suffered defeats to Maurice Blocker, Vincent Pettway, and James McGirt among others. In 1994 and 1995 he went on a win streak and captured the USBA welterweight championship belt and he appeared headed towards a big payday, but his final bout was to be against Nick Rupa in late 1995.

Hughes body was found face down in a swamp near his home shortly after his fight with Rupa. The autopsy revealed that Hughes had received a blunt trauma to the head, but not one that would have resulted in his death. There were no knife wounds, no cut marks, no holes in his body, there were no powder burns on his body. The autopsy report also states that trace amounts of ******* were found in Hughes’ liver, but again, not enough to have killed him or caused him serious harm. His cause of death could not be determined, although he had water in his lungs.

[CubanGuyNYC]

Vinny Letizia
https://boxrec.com/en/proboxer/16800

Chicago prospect who was 21yrs, 16-0-1 with 14KOs & was only 3.5yrs into his pro career with some recent higher profile wins over US Olympian Jackie Beard & former title holder Harry Arroyo when he was hit by a car while on his motorcycle & killed.

Omar Henry
https://boxrec.com/en/proboxer/460508

12-0-1 (9) prospect who died a week before his 26th birthday to cancer. Still early in his pro career but was a high level amateur out of Texas who made a bit of a name for himself sparing Floyd.

Randie Carver
https://boxrec.com/en/proboxer/16751

24yrs, 23-1-1 (14). Died due to injuries sustained in a NABF title fight to Kabary Salem. Golden Gloves champion who had a endorsement deal with Ringside Products for years.

"Big" Ed Sanders
https://boxrec.com/en/proboxer/34909

1952 US Olympic Gold medalist by beating future HW champion Ingemar Johansson. 24yrs, 6-2-1 (3). Died following injuries in a New England HW title fight. Interesting career. Had 3 gimme fights than thrown in with a 19-1 guy. Dropped a decision. Bested him in a rematch 4mos later. Then drew with another guy who was 18-4 in his 7th fight. Rematched him 3wks later & got the W. Was dead within 2mos of that fight. Whole pro career lasted a mere 9mos.

Wow, man. Good contributions. The last one was especially interesting, although all are sad.

[Eff Pandas]

For the OP or others interested in ring deaths this is the best resource of collected info I've ever found.

The Manuel Velazquez Boxing Fatality Collection

https://ejmas.com/jcs/velazquez/

That 2nd pdf link goes year by year up til 2011 & covers sparring deaths as well as ring deaths in the amateurs & pros.

[richardt]

Some story. Died at 29.

Here is the Wikipedia entry (the above link doesn’t provide info):

James Melvin Hughes (October 20, 1965, Mobile, Alabama – July 25, 1995) was an American professional boxer in the welterweight division.

Known as "Jesse James" and "The Outlaw", Hughes turned professional in 1987 and is perhaps best known for his appearances on the USA Tuesday Night Fights series. During his career he suffered defeats to Maurice Blocker, Vincent Pettway, and James McGirt among others. In 1994 and 1995 he went on a win streak and captured the USBA welterweight championship belt and he appeared headed towards a big payday, but his final bout was to be against Nick Rupa in late 1995.

Hughes body was found face down in a swamp near his home shortly after his fight with Rupa. The autopsy revealed that Hughes had received a blunt trauma to the head, but not one that would have resulted in his death. There were no knife wounds, no cut marks, no holes in his body, there were no powder burns on his body. The autopsy report also states that trace amounts of ******* were found in Hughes’ liver, but again, not enough to have killed him or caused him serious harm. His cause of death could not be determined, although he had water in his lungs.

Here is the shocking story in full: http://www.doghouseboxing.com/Newman...51005Part1.htm

[CubanGuyNYC]

For the OP or others interested in ring deaths this is the best resource of collected info I've ever found.

The Manuel Velazquez Boxing Fatality Collection

https://ejmas.com/jcs/velazquez/

That 2nd pdf link goes year by year up til 2011 & covers sparring deaths as well as ring deaths in the amateurs & pros.

This is something. Lots of data. Thanks.

[CubanGuyNYC]

Here is the shocking story in full: http://www.doghouseboxing.com/Newman...51005Part1.htm

This is some story, dude. Thank you.

[Eff Pandas]

Looking over that ring deaths list I'm reminded of a few things I've forgotten.

Anthony Jones, Kronk fighter & long time contender, also died in the ring.

Emiliano Valdez killed a guy 2wks before his fight with Teddy Reid while sparring. He received severe injuries himself in the Reid fight that kept him in a coma for 2yrs before passing.

And Sugar Ramos killed a 2nd person in the ring, Jose Blanco, earlier in his career well before the Davey Moore death.

[TBear]

James Shuler and Davey Moore(jrm). Outside the ring in tragic accidents.

[Eff Pandas]

Here is the shocking story in full: http://www.doghouseboxing.com/Newman...51005Part1.htm

I remember that guy & reading this before. Crazy sh^t.

Wasn't there some Russian guy who fought on TV a few times in the 90s who came up missing & his body was found later in a ravine or something all chopped up?

Edit.

Yes this cat.

https://www.nytimes.com/1999/03/30/nyregion/investigators-unearth-bones-that-may-be-remains-of-missing-russian-boxer.html