Saoul Mamby

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Saoul Mamby (born 1947) was a professional boxer from 1969 to 2000.

Mamby is of Hebrew heritage and is also a Vietnam veteran.

Mamby became interested in boxing while on vacation in Jamaica, and compiled an amateur record of 25-5 before turning pro in 1969.

[edit] Boxing career

He held the WBC junior welterweight title once, starting his 2-1/2-year reign in February 1980 by going to South Korea to stop titlist Kim Sang-Hyun in the 14th round. After that, he made five successful defenses, and had to travel to exotic places, including Indonesia and Nigeria, in order to make some of them. He stopped former WBC lightweight champ Esteban De Jesus in the 13th round in July 1980 on the Holmes-LeDoux undercard; decisioned Termite Watkins over 15 on the Holmes-Ali undercard; won a 15-round nod over Jo Kimpuani on yet another undercard for a Larry Holmes fight (this time it was vs. Leon Spinks); went to Indonesia to decision Thomas Americo; and, in his last bout leaving the ring as champion, decisioned Obisio Nwankpa in Nigeria.

He was to fight WBA champion Aaron Pryor in the summer of 1982 for a unification bout in the junior welterweight division, but instead fought and lost (both match and title) by split-decision to Leroy Haley in June of that year. He would play the role of world title challenger twice more, once in a rematch with Haley in February 1983 (losing a 12-round unanimous nod) and once in a challenge to new champion Billy Costello in November 1984 (dropping another 12-round unanimous decision). In fact, Mamby replaced Haley with five days to go before the Costello bout—Haley backing out due to a claimed hand injury. While Costello's camp was wary of Mamby's ring savvy and crafty veteran status, the fight went ahead anyway. That would be Mamby's last title bout.

Other names Mamby has fought include Roberto Duran (losing by points in a non-title affair in 1976) and Saengsak Muangsurin (losing a 15-round decision in Thailand in 1977 in an attempt to win Muangsurin's title, the same WBC 140-lb. belt Mamby would win from Saengsak's conqueror, Sang-Hyun).

Mamby continued to fight into his 50s, and was retired by the Californina State athletic commission following his last loss in 2000.