Cleveland Williams
Heavyweight
Cleveland Williams
"Big Cat"
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- Birth Name: Contribute
- Birth Place: Contribute
- Born: June 30, 1933
- Died: Contribute
- Age: 90
- Height: Contribute
- Weight: Contribute
- Reach: Contribute
- Stance: Orthodox
- Pro Debut: Contribute
- Nationality: American
- Status: Contribute
- Manager: Contribute
- Promoter: Contribute
- Total Bouts: Contribute
- Total Rounds: Contribute
Cleveland "Big Cat" Williams was a renowned American heavyweight boxer who made his debut in 1951 and continued to dominate the ring for over two decades. In his professional career, he fought a total of 92 fights, out of which he won 78 and lost 13, with one draw. Williams had a remarkable record of 58 knockout victories, which was his forte throughout his career.
Williams was born on June 30, 1933, in Griffin, Georgia, and he began his boxing journey as a teenager. He was an exceptional fighter with sheer power, speed, and agility, which earned him the nickname "Big Cat." Williams gained fame and recognition for his remarkable skills, and his 27-fight win streak brought him to the spotlight.
In his fourth year as a professional boxer, Williams tasted his first defeat against Sylvester Jones on September 24, 1953. However, he didn't let it discourage him, and he continued to fight with zeal and passion to dominate his opponents. Throughout his career, Williams faced some of the most celebrated boxers of his time, including Jim Wiley, Jimmy Walls, Ollie Wilson, Johnny Hayden, Ben Marshall, and Ernie Cab.
Despite his exceptional record, Cleveland Williams never got the chance to fight for a world title until he was 33 years old. On November 14, 1966, he had the biggest fight of his life against Muhammad Ali for the WBC and The Ring titles. Ali was in the prime of his career at the time, and Williams was no match for the Louisville Lip. The match was stopped in the 3rd round, and Williams suffered a TKO defeat.
Ali's victory over Williams was the defining moment of Williams' career, and despite winning every bout that followed his defeat against Ali, he never managed to get another title shot. However, Williams' legacy lives on, and his remarkable power, speed and agility remain the defining characteristics of his fighting style.
Although Williams never won a world boxing title, his remarkable fighting record earned him a place in boxing history, and he was widely regarded as one of the finest boxers never to win a title. His speed, power and agility made him a feared opponent in the ring, and he had an uncanny ability to knock out his opponents with ease.
Cleveland Williams' last professional fight was a non-title rematch against Roberto Davila at 39 years of age, on October 28, 1972. Williams won the fight via a 10 round unanimous decision, finishing his career with an exceptional record of 78-13-1.
Williams was much more than just a boxer. He was an iconic figure who inspired aspiring boxers to rise above their limits and achieve greatness. His legacy reminds us of the importance of hard work, determination, and perseverance in achieving our goals. Although he passed away in 1999, his legacy remains intact, and he continues to inspire people around the world.
In conclusion, Cleveland "Big Cat" Williams was an exceptional heavyweight boxer who dominated the ring for more than two decades. Despite never winning a world title, he had an incredible record that earned him a place in boxing history. His exceptional power, speed, and agility made him a force to be reckoned with, and his legacy remains an inspiration to aspiring boxers around the world. Through his life and career, Williams taught us the importance of hard work, determination, and perseverance in achieving our goals, and his influence will continue to inspire future generations of boxers for years to come.
Cleveland Williams Fight Record
# | Date | Age | Opponent | Result | Via |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
92 | Oct 28, 1972 | 39 | Roberto Davila | Win | UD |
91 | Jul 10, 1972 | 39 | Bob Mashburn | Win | KO9 |
90 | May 11, 1972 | 38 | Terry Daniels | Win | UD |
89 | Nov 17, 1971 | 38 | George Chuvalo | Loss | UD |
88 | Sep 21, 1971 | 38 | Jack O'Halloran | Loss | SD |
87 | Apr 28, 1971 | 37 | Ted Gullick | Win | MD |
86 | Oct 21, 1970 | 37 | Al Lewis | Loss | TKO4 |
85 | May 26, 1970 | 36 | Roberto Davila | Win | UD |
84 | Apr 14, 1970 | 36 | Eddie Brooks | Win | KO1 |
83 | Dec 9, 1969 | 36 | Leroy Caldwell | Win | TKO10 |
82 | Nov 18, 1969 | 36 | Mac Foster | Loss | KO3 |
81 | Sep 13, 1969 | 36 | Mac Foster | Loss | TKO5 |
80 | May 20, 1969 | 35 | Al Jones | Loss | TKO8 |
79 | Mar 18, 1969 | 35 | Charley Polite | Win | UD |
78 | Nov 21, 1968 | 35 | Bob Cleroux | Loss | UD |
77 | Oct 7, 1968 | 35 | Moses Harrell | Win | TKO7 |
76 | Aug 6, 1968 | 35 | Jean-Claude Roy | Win | UD |
75 | Jun 25, 1968 | 34 | Leslie Borden | Win | KO1 |
74 | Jun 11, 1968 | 34 | Mike Bruce | Win | KO1 |
73 | May 21, 1968 | 34 | Roy Crear | Win | KO1 |
72 | Nov 14, 1966 | 33 | Muhammad Ali | Loss | TKO3 |
71 | Jun 28, 1966 | 32 | Tod Herring | Win | TKO3 |
70 | Apr 19, 1966 | 32 | Sonny Moore | Win | PTS |
69 | Mar 22, 1966 | 32 | M.J. Turnbow | Win | UD |
68 | Feb 8, 1966 | 32 | Ben Black | Win | KO1 |
67 | Sep 30, 1964 | 31 | Billy Daniels | Win | PTS |
66 | Jul 21, 1964 | 31 | Sonny Banks | Win | KO6 |
65 | Apr 7, 1964 | 30 | Tommy Fields | Win | PTS |
64 | Oct 8, 1963 | 30 | Roger Rischer | Win | KO3 |
63 | Aug 13, 1963 | 30 | Kirk Barrow | Win | KO3 |
62 | Apr 13, 1963 | 29 | Ernie Terrell | Loss | SD |
61 | Apr 2, 1963 | 29 | Young Jack Johnson | Win | TKO10 |
60 | Mar 9, 1963 | 29 | Billy Daniels | Win | UD |
59 | Oct 23, 1962 | 29 | David E. Bailey | Win | KO5 |
58 | Jul 10, 1962 | 29 | Eddie Machen | Draw | MD |
57 | May 15, 1962 | 28 | Alonzo Johnson | Win | KO1 |
56 | Apr 3, 1962 | 28 | Ernie Terrell | Win | TKO7 |
55 | Dec 19, 1961 | 28 | Jim Wyley | Win | KO1 |
54 | May 16, 1961 | 27 | Alex Miteff | Win | TKO5 |
53 | Feb 7, 1961 | 27 | Wayne Bethea | Win | PTS |
52 | Dec 7, 1960 | 27 | Johnny Hayden | Win | KO2 |
51 | Nov 1, 1960 | 27 | George Moore | Win | KO4 |
50 | Oct 24, 1960 | 27 | Ben Marshall | Win | KO2 |
49 | Mar 21, 1960 | 26 | Sonny Liston | Loss | TKO2 |
48 | Oct 14, 1959 | 26 | Curley Lee | Win | KO10 |
47 | May 26, 1959 | 25 | Ernie Cab | Win | KO3 |
46 | Apr 15, 1959 | 25 | Sonny Liston | Loss | TKO3 |
45 | Jan 13, 1959 | 25 | Ollie Wilson | Win | KO3 |
44 | Dec 9, 1958 | 25 | Howie Turner | Win | PTS |
43 | Jun 3, 1958 | 24 | Frankie Daniels | Win | UD |
42 | Mar 25, 1958 | 24 | Dick Richardson | Win | DQ |
41 | Feb 4, 1958 | 24 | Gene White | Win | TKO1 |
40 | Dec 3, 1957 | 24 | Frankie Daniels | Win | UD |
39 | Oct 15, 1957 | 24 | John Holman | Win | KO7 |
38 | Sep 17, 1957 | 24 | Bob Albright | Win | KO7 |
37 | Jul 23, 1957 | 24 | Clifford Gray | Win | KO1 |
36 | Jul 15, 1957 | 24 | J.D. Marshall | Win | KO2 |
35 | Jun 11, 1957 | 23 | Johnny Mason | Win | KO1 |
34 | Aug 6, 1956 | 23 | Johnny Hollins | Win | KO3 |
33 | Jun 22, 1954 | 20 | Bob Satterfield | Loss | KO3 |
32 | Jun 8, 1954 | 20 | Sylvester Jones | Win | KO7 |
31 | Mar 9, 1954 | 20 | Jimmy Walls | Win | TKO1 |
30 | Oct 21, 1953 | 20 | Claude Rolfe | Win | KO3 |
29 | Oct 20, 1953 | 20 | Bo Willis | Win | KO2 |
28 | Sep 24, 1953 | 20 | Sylvester Jones | Loss | PTS |
27 | Sep 2, 1953 | 20 | Keene Simmons | Win | PTS |
26 | May 12, 1953 | 19 | Omelio Agramonte | Win | PTS |
25 | Mar 24, 1953 | 19 | Ponce DeLeon Taylor | Win | KO2 |
24 | Mar 12, 1953 | 19 | Terry O'Connor | Win | KO3 |
23 | Mar 4, 1953 | 19 | Ponce DeLeon Taylor | Win | PTS |
22 | Jan 13, 1953 | 19 | Abie Gibson | Win | KO1 |
21 | Dec 8, 1952 | 19 | Graveyard Walters | Win | KO2 |
20 | Nov 25, 1952 | 19 | Claude Rolfe | Win | KO9 |
19 | Oct 3, 1952 | 19 | Johnny Hollins | Win | KO1 |
18 | Sep 23, 1952 | 19 | J.J. McFadden | Win | KO6 |
17 | Sep 16, 1952 | 19 | Art Henri | Win | TKO8 |
16 | Sep 12, 1952 | 19 | Roosevelt Holmes | Win | KO1 |
15 | Sep 2, 1952 | 19 | Baby Booze | Win | KO1 |
14 | Aug 12, 1952 | 19 | Candy McDaniels | Win | KO2 |
13 | Jul 25, 1952 | 19 | Sam Harold | Win | KO4 |
12 | Jul 22, 1952 | 19 | Lee Raymond | Win | TKO5 |
11 | Jul 8, 1952 | 19 | Jimmy Felton | Win | KO3 |
10 | Jun 24, 1952 | 18 | Eddie Lee Williams | Win | KO1 |
9 | Jun 17, 1952 | 18 | Harry Turner | Win | KO1 |
8 | Jun 10, 1952 | 18 | Paul Favrot | Win | KO4 |
7 | May 28, 1952 | 18 | Ray Brown | Win | KO3 |
6 | Apr 15, 1952 | 18 | Johnny Fowler | Win | KO5 |
5 | Mar 28, 1952 | 18 | Ray Banks | Win | KO1 |
4 | Feb 29, 1952 | 18 | Roosevelt Holmes | Win | UD |
3 | Feb 26, 1952 | 18 | Rudolph Wood | Win | KO2 |
2 | Feb 15, 1952 | 18 | Ray Banks | Win | TKO1 |
1 | Dec 11, 1951 | 18 | Lee Hunt | Win | KO3 |