Detroit’s Hedgemon Lewis, Golden Gloves and World Welterweight Champion, Dies at 74
By Robert Brizel, Head Real Combat Media Boxing Correspondent
Greensboro, Alabama (April 2, 2020)– Detroit Michigan’s Hedgemon Lewis is a member of the California Boxing Hall of Fame as a fighter and trainer. The 1963 Detroit Diamond Belt amateur champion, National AAU champion in 1965, National Lightweight Golden Gloves champion in 1964, and National AAU Golden Gloves champion in 1966, who won the New York State Athletic Commission’s version of the NYSAC World Welterweight championship by 15 round decision over Billy Backus in 1972, died in Greensboro, Alabama, of an undisclosed illness on March 31, 2020, at the age of 74.
Lewis fought professionally between 1966 and 1976, compiled a pro record of 53-7-2 with 26 knockouts. Lewis fought Jose Napoles for the World Welterweight Championship in 1971 and 1974, losing both times. In his final bout, Lewis lost to World Welterweight champion John Stracey, then retired at age 30.
Lewis later became a noted boxing trainer and cornerman with Eddie Futch and Freddie Roach, and a successful real estate agent in Los Angeles, California. Lewis was in the Futch training camp of the late Smokin’ Joe Frazier during the preparations for the 1975 ‘Thrilla in Manilla’ world heavyweight championship in the Philippines between Frazier and the late Muhammad Al
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