Whatever happened to Heavyweight Larry Donald?
By Robert Brizel, Head Real Combat Media Boxing Correspondent
There were several name heavyweights of recent memory who reached success in the ring and the ratings, but never won a world title or realized their full championship potential. Some names which come to mind first and foremost are Larry Donald, Kirk Johnson, Ray Austin, Calvin Brock and Gerald Nobles. Of these four, Larry Donald is the name which shines brightest.
Whatever happened to Larry Donald?
A native of Cincinnati, Ohio, Larry Ali Donald won the National Golden Gloves at Super Heavyweight in 1989 and 1990, won the National AAU Amateur tournament at super Heavyweight in 1991, and represented the United States at the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona, Spain, at Super Heavyweight.
Donald turned pro on January 3, 1993 with a second round stoppage at Craig Brinson at the Hollywood Paladium in Hollywood, California. Donald won his first 16 consecutive pro bouts and the World Boxing Council Continental Americas title, before losing a 12 round decision to future world heavyweight champion Riddick Bowe at Caesar’s Palace in Las Vegas, and fighting to a technical draw with David Dixon At Casino Magic in Bay Saint Louis in four rounds due to getting cut by an accidental head butt.
Donald then went undefeated in his next 22 bouts, then lost a WBC eliminator over 12 rounds to Kirk Johnson, and got stopped in the tenth round by future world champion Vitali Klitschko. Donald went unbeaten in his next four bouts, including winning a 12 round decision over for world champion Evander Holyfield, and earning a 12 round draw with Ray Austin.
After losing a 12 round majority decision in a WBA eliminator to future world champion Nicolai Valuev in 2005, and losing a ten round decision to Alexander Povetkin in 2007 in which the pro-Russian judges gave the Russian heavyweight prospect and future world champion Povetkin every round, Donald retired at age 40 with a record of 42-5-3 with 24 knockouts. A highly touted amateur who never realized his full potential to become the world’s heavyweight champion, though still had a solid career.
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