Cleveland Williams

Cleveland "Big Cat" Williams (June 6, 1933 – September 3, 1999) was an American heavyweight boxer who fought in the 1950s through the 1970s. A Ring Magazine poll once rated him as one of the finest boxers never to win a title. He made an imposing figure, tall with an impressive athletic broad shouldered build.

Williams turned professional in 1951 and fought many of the best heavyweights of his era. He is best known for the two brutal bouts he had with Sonny Liston. Critics felt the second match was overrated and quickly over. Liston often said Williams was the hardest puncher he ever fought.^{[citation needed]}

During the late 1950s and early 1960s the 6 ft 3 in^[1] Williams was a top-rated heavyweight. His quest to obtain a title fight, however, was consistently derailed. First he was knocked out by Liston on April 15, 1959, after hurting Liston early and breaking Liston's nose.

Williams recovered from the Liston fight to score more wins, but was again stopped by Liston in 2 rounds in their rematch on March 21, 1960. His quest for the title was later stalled when he was held to a draw by Eddie Machen on July 10, 1962, and when he dropped a split decision on March 13, 1963 to Ernie Terrell, a fighter he had previously knocked out in 7 rounds in 1962. During this time frame he defeated Billy Daniels.

Williams had been inactive the entire year of 1965 while recovering from gunshot wounds he suffered at the hands of a police officer arising out of a traffic stop. Boxing reporter Jerry Izenberg adds "...shot for no apparent reason." Williams was shot with a .357 Magnum in the abdomen, barely survived, and suffered permanent kidney damage, a loss of over ten feet of his small intestine, and nerve damage from the bullet which affected his left leg above the knee, causing it to atrophy as a result. Williams didn't however bear the policeman any malice. Some thought he had resisted arrest on suspected drunk driving.

Versus Ali

It was in the above greatly diminished physical condition that Williams fought for the heavyweight championship against a peak Muhammad Ali on November 14, 1966 and was stopped easily in the third round.

Williams retired from boxing after the Ali bout, but later made a comeback. Although able to defeat journeymen fighters, he suffered several knockout losses before retiring for good in 1972. Williams finished his career with a record of 78 wins (58 KOs), 13 losses and 1 draw. George Foreman interviewed post retirement recalled Williams as one of the three best hitters he'd been with, stating they'd sparred when George was a rising boxer.^[2] In 2003, he was ranked 49th in Ring Magazine's list of 100 greatest punchers of all time. It was all in the big famous left hook for Williams. Ring Magazine in the 80's reported he drove a forklift truck later for a while as a job.^{[citation needed]}

In 1999, Cleveland Williams was killed in a hit and run accident.

Professional boxing record

78 Wins (58 knockouts, 20 decisions), 13 Losses (8 knockouts, 5 decisions), 1 Draw
Result	Record	Opponent	Type	Round	Date	Location	Notes
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win	24-25	Roberto Davila	UD	10	28/10/1972	Denver, Colorado
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win	7-4-2	Bob Mashburn	KO	9	10/07/1972	Denver, Colorado	Mashburn knocked out at 0:51 of the ninth round.
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win	28-5-1	Terry Daniels	UD	12	11/05/1972	Dallas Memorial Auditorium, Dallas, Texas	Texas Heavyweight Title.
style="background: #ffdddd; color: black; vertical-align: middle; text-align: center; " class="table-no2" |Loss	63-17-2	George Chuvalo	UD	10	17/11/1971	Astrodome, Houston, Texas	93-98, 94-97, 93-98.
style="background: #ffdddd; color: black; vertical-align: middle; text-align: center; " class="table-no2" |Loss	20-12-2	Jack O'Halloran	SD	10	21/09/1971	Houston, Texas
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win	15-2	Ted Gullick	MD	10	28/04/1971	Cleveland Arena, Cleveland, Ohio	46-46, 47-43, 48-46.
style="background: #ffdddd; color: black; vertical-align: middle; text-align: center; " class="table-no2" |Loss	25-2	Al "Blue" Lewis	TKO	4	21/10/1970	Cobo Arena, Detroit, Michigan
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win	21-18	Roberto Davila	UD	10	26/05/1970	Milwaukee Auditorium, Milwaukee, Wisconsin	98-94, 99-91, 97-94.
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win	11-3	Eddie Brooks	KO	1	14/04/1970	Milwaukee Auditorium, Milwaukee, Wisconsin	Brooks knocked out at 2:49 of the first round.
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win	5-3	Leroy Caldwell	TKO	10	09/12/1969	Orlando, Florida
style="background: #ffdddd; color: black; vertical-align: middle; text-align: center; " class="table-no2" |Loss	20-0	Mac Foster	KO	3	18/11/1969	Sam Houston Coliseum, Houston, Texas
style="background: #ffdddd; color: black; vertical-align: middle; text-align: center; " class="table-no2" |Loss	19-0	Mac Foster	TKO	5	13/09/1969	Selland Arena, Fresno, California	Referee stopped the bout at 1:35 of the fifth round.
style="background: #ffdddd; color: black; vertical-align: middle; text-align: center; " class="table-no2" |Loss	25-1-1	Al "Goulds Terror" Jones	TKO	8	20/05/1969	Miami Beach Convention Hall, Miami Beach, Florida	Referee stopped the bout at 0:11 of the eighth round.
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win	10-9-3	Charley Polite	UD	10	18/03/1969	Sam Houston Coliseum, Houston, Texas
style="background: #ffdddd; color: black; vertical-align: middle; text-align: center; " class="table-no2" |Loss	44-5-1	Bob Cleroux	UD	10	21/11/1968	Montreal Forum, Montreal, Canada	45-47, 44-49, 47-49.
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win	10-3-3	Moses Harrell	TKO	7	07/10/1968	Fort Homer W. Hesterly Armory, Tampa, Florida
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win	6-7	Jean-Claude Roy	UD	10	06/08/1968	Houston, Texas
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win	15-14-2	Leslie Borden	KO	1	25/06/1968	Sam Houston Coliseum, Houston, Texas	Borden knocked out at 2:22 of the first round.
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win	8-12-2	Mike Bruce	KO	1	11/06/1968	Houston, Texas	Bruce knocked out at 2:22 of the first round.
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win	5-7	Roy Crear	KO	1	21/05/1968	Sam Houston Coliseum, Houston, Texas	Crear knocked out at 2:42 of the first round.
style="background: #ffdddd; color: black; vertical-align: middle; text-align: center; " class="table-no2" |Loss	26-0	Muhammad Ali	TKO	3	14/11/1966	Astrodome, Houston, Texas	World Heavyweight Title. Referee stopped the bout at 1:08 of the third round.
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win	26-5	Tod Herring	TKO	3	28/06/1966	Sam Houston Coliseum, Houston, Texas	Referee stopped the bout at 0:25 of the third round.
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win	19-19-2	Sonny "Policeman" Moore	PTS	10	19/04/1966	Houston, Texas
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win	6-4	M.J. Turnbow	UD	10	22/03/1966	Houston, Texas
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win	2-1-1	"Big" Ben Black	KO	1	08/02/1966	Houston, Texas
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win	19-5-1	Billy "The Barber" Daniels	PTS	10	30/09/1964	Houston, Texas
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win	18-5	Sonny Banks	KO	6	21/07/1964	Houston, Texas
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win	16-10-3	Tommy Fields	PTS	10	07/04/1964	Houston, Texas
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win	22-7-2	Roger Rischer	KO	3	08/10/1963	Houston, Texas
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win	27-10-2	Kirk Barrow	KO	3	13/08/1963	Houston, Texas
style="background: #ffdddd; color: black; vertical-align: middle; text-align: center; " class="table-no2" |Loss	30-4	Ernie Terrell	SD	10	13/04/1963	Philadelphia Arena, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania	44-46, 46-44, 44-46.
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win	24-19-1	Young Jack Johnson	TKO	10	02/04/1963	Sam Houston Coliseum, Houston, Texas
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win	18-1	Billy "The Barber" Daniels	UD	10	09/03/1963	Miami Beach Convention Hall, Miami Beach, Florida	97-92, 98-93, 98-91.
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win	14-7-2	David E. Bailey	KO	5	23/10/1962	Houston, Texas
Draw	42-4-1	Eddie Machen	PTS	10	10/07/1962	Sam Houston Coliseum, Houston, Texas	96-96, 96-96, 97-94.
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win	20-10	Alonzo Johnson	KO	1	15/05/1962	Houston, Texas
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win	24-3	Ernie Terrell	TKO	7	03/04/1962	Houston, Texas	Referee stopped the bout at 1:43 of the seventh round.
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win	7-15-3	Jim Wyley	KO	1	19/12/1961	Sam Houston Coliseum, Houston, Texas	Wyley knocked out at 0:44 of the first round.
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win	23-8-1	Alex Miteff	TKO	5	16/05/1961	Sam Houston Coliseum, Houston, Texas	Referee stopped the bout at 1:32 of the fifth round.
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win	22-13-2	Wayne Bethea	PTS	10	07/02/1961	Houston, Texas
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win	26-16	Johnny Hayden	KO	2	07/12/1960	Miami Beach Auditorium, Miami Beach, Florida
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win	13-0	"King" George Moore	KO	4	01/11/1960	Houston, Texas
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win	5-4	"Big" Ben Marshall	KO	2	24/10/1960	Dallas Memorial Auditorium, Dallas, Texas	Marshall knocked out at 2:24 of the second round.
style="background: #ffdddd; color: black; vertical-align: middle; text-align: center; " class="table-no2" |Loss	27-1	Sonny Liston	TKO	2	21/03/1960	Sam Houston Coliseum, Houston, Texas	Referee stopped the bout at 2:13 of the second round.
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win	18-1	Curley Lee	KO	10	14/10/1959	Sam Houston Coliseum, Houston, Texas	Lee knocked out at 0:58 of the tenth round.
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win	13-10-1	Ernie Cab	KO	3	26/05/1959	Sam Houston Coliseum, Houston, Texas	Cab knocked out at 1:05 of the third round.
style="background: #ffdddd; color: black; vertical-align: middle; text-align: center; " class="table-no2" |Loss	23-1	Sonny Liston	TKO	3	15/04/1959	Miami Beach Auditorium, Miami Beach, Florida	Referee stopped the bout at 2:13 of the third round.
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win	10-15	Ollie Wilson	KO	3	13/01/1959	Houston, Texas	Wilson knocked out at 1:36 of the third round.
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win	20-6-6	Howie Turner	PTS	10	09/12/1958	Houston, Texas
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win	34-14-2	Frankie Daniels	UD	10	03/06/1958	Houston, Texas
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win	23-6-2	Dick Richardson	DQ	4	25/03/1958	Empress Hall, Earl's Court, Kensington, London
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win	18-12	Gene "Rock" White	TKO	1	04/02/1958	Houston, Texas	Referee stopped the bout at 2:38 of the first round.
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win	31-13-2	Frankie Daniels	UD	10	03/12/1957	Miami Beach Auditorium, Miami Beach, Florida
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win	27-16-1	John Holman	KO	7	15/10/1957	Houston, Texas
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win	21-6-3	Bob Albright	KO	7	17/09/1957	Houston, Texas
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win	2-6-1	Clifford Gray	KO	1	23/07/1957	Houston, Texas
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win	7-2	J.D. Marshall	KO	2	15/07/1957	Tyler, Texas
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win	4-5	Johnny Mason	KO	1	11/06/1957	Houston, Texas
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win	8-5-1	Johnny Hollins	KO	3	06/08/1956	City Coliseum, Austin, Texas
style="background: #ffdddd; color: black; vertical-align: middle; text-align: center; " class="table-no2" |Loss	33-16-2	Bob Satterfield	KO	3	22/06/1954	Miami Beach Auditorium, Miami Beach, Florida
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win	8-4	Sylvester Jones	KO	7	08/06/1954	Tampa, Florida
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win	18-28-2	Jimmy Walls	TKO	1	09/03/1954	Tampa, Florida
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win	14-15-5	Claude Rolfe	KO	3	21/10/1953	Charlotte, North Carolina
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win	3-3	Bo Willis	KO	2	20/10/1953	Miami Beach Auditorium, Miami Beach, Florida
style="background: #ffdddd; color: black; vertical-align: middle; text-align: center; " class="table-no2" |Loss	7-3	Sylvester Jones	PTS	4	24/09/1953	Polo Grounds, New York City
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win	8-18-1	Keene Simmons	PTS	10	02/09/1953	Tampa, Florida
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win	46-19	Omelio Agramonte	PTS	10	12/05/1953	Tampa, Florida
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win	11-17-4	Ponce DeLeon Taylor	KO	2	24/03/1953	Tampa, Florida
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win	6-21-2	Terry O'Connor	KO	3	12/03/1953	Minneapolis, Minnesota
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win	11-16-4	Ponce DeLeon Taylor	PTS	8	04/03/1953	Miami Stadium, Miami, Florida
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win	0-2	Abie Gibson	KO	1	13/01/1953	Fort Homer W. Hesterly Armory, Tampa, Florida
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win	1-0	Graveyard Walters	KO	2	08/12/1952	Daytona Beach, Florida
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win	8-12-3	Claude Rolfe	KO	9	25/11/1952	Tampa, Florida
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win	5-0-1	Johnny Hollins	KO	1	03/10/1952	Coliseum Arena, New Orleans, Louisiana	Hollins knocked out at 2:48 of the first round.
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win	5-4-1	J.J. McFadden	KO	6	23/09/1952	Philadelphia Municipal Stadium, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win	16-23-1	Art Henri	TKO	8	16/09/1952	Miami Beach, Florida
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win	1-2	Roosevelt Holmes	KO	1	12/09/1952	Coliseum Arena, New Orleans, Louisiana	Holmes knocked out at 2:10 of the first round.
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win	--	Baby Booze	KO	1	02/09/1952	Tampa, Florida
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win	5-0-1	Candy McDaniels	KO	2	12/08/1952	Miami Beach Auditorium, Miami Beach, Florida
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win	3-1	Sam Harold	KO	4	25/07/1952	Macon, Georgia
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win	0-1	Lee Raymond	TKO	5	22/07/1952	Miami Beach Auditorium, Miami Beach, Florida
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win	--	Jimmy Felton	KO	3	08/07/1952	Miami Beach Auditorium, Miami Beach, Florida
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win	0-1-1	Eddie Lee Williams	KO	1	24/06/1952	Daytona Beach, Florida
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win	--	Harry Turner	KO	1	17/06/1952	Tampa, Florida
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win	--	Paul Favrot	KO	4	10/06/1952	Tampa, Florida
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win	1-2	Ray Brown	KO	3	28/05/1952	Miami Beach Auditorium, Miami Beach, Florida
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win	4-1-1	Johnny Fowler	KO	5	15/04/1952	Tampa, Florida
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win	1-2	Ray Banks	KO	1	28/03/1952	Coliseum Arena, New Orleans, Louisiana	Banks knocked out at 1:35 of the first round.
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win	1-1	Roosevelt Holmes	UD	6	29/02/1952	Coliseum Arena, New Orleans, Louisiana
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win	--	Rudolph Wood	KO	2	26/02/1952	Fort Homer W. Hesterly Armory, Tampa, Florida
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win	1-1	Ray Banks	TKO	1	15/02/1952	Coliseum Arena, New Orleans, Louisiana
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win	1-4-1	Lee Hunt	KO	3	11/12/1951	Tampa, Florida

References

2. ALI's DOZEN, ESPN Home Entertainment/Genius Entertainment, 2007.

External links

Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to: Cleveland Williams

• Professional boxing record for Cleveland Williams from BoxRec