Former WBA World Heavyweight Champion Jimmy Ellis Dies at 74
By Robert Brizel, Head RCM Boxing Correspondent
New York, NY (May 8th, 2014)–Jimmy Ellis, who rose up in Louisville, Kentucky in the shadow of his amateur boxing friend Cassius Clay (later Muhammad Ali), and won the World Boxing Association version of the World Heavyweight title after Ali was stripped for avoided the United States military draft for religious reasons, died of Alzheimer’s Disease and dementia in Louisville on May 6, 2014.
While not the dynamic personality Ali was, Ellis managed to compile a 40-12-1 professional record, with 24 knockouts, between 1961 and 1975. Ellis beat 12 fighters with winning records in a row in the highlight of his career between 1965 and 1968. Big names Ellis beat included George Chuvalo, Floyd Patterson, Oscar Bonavena, Jerry Quarry. Billy Daniels and Leotis Martin. However, Ellis lost to Muhammad Ali, Joe Frazier (twice), Joe Bugner, Earnie Shavers, Rubin Carter, Holly Mims, Henry Hank. Don Fullmer, George Benton, Boone Kirkman and Ron Lyle.
Ellis had not fought in 17 months when Joe Frazier stopped him in four rounds at Madison Square Garden in February 1970 in a WBA, WBC and NYSAC World Heavyweight title unification match. Ellis finished his career with a first round knockout of Carl Harris in Orlando, Florida in 1975. His boxing career ended in 1975, when a sparring partner poked him in the left eye and partially blinded him.
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