Gerald McClellan

Gerald Allen McClellan (born October 23, 1967) is an American former professional boxer who competed from 1988 to 1995. He is a two-time middleweight world champion, having held WBO title from 1991 to 1992, and the WBC title from 1993 to 1995. McClellan was forced to retire from boxing after a severe brain injury suffered during his final fight in 1995, a loss to WBC super middleweight champion Nigel Benn.

Known for his formidable punching power, The Ring magazine rated McClellan at number 27 on their list of "100 Greatest Punchers".^[1] In 2007, McClellan was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame.

Professional career

Middleweight

McClellan turned professional in 1988. Trained by hall of fame trainer Emanuel Steward, he captured the vacant WBO middleweight title by knocking out John Mugabi in one round in 1991, and the WBC middleweight title by knocking out Julian Jackson in five rounds in May 1993. He defended the WBC title three times, all first round stoppages, including a rematch with Jackson.

Benn vs McClellan

McClellan moved up in weight to challenge WBC super middleweight champion Nigel Benn in London on February 25, 1995. The fight was watched by an estimated 17 million people on television and 10,300 paying spectators.^[2]

In a savage bout, McClellan knocked Benn out of the ring in round one and scored another knockdown in round eight, but each time Benn was able to work his way back into the fight and kept landing hard power punches to the challenger. Referee Alfred Azaro was also roundly criticized for his officiating mistakes, which included impeding the challenger's progress when McClellan was trying to finish off the champion. McClellan was noticeably blinking repeatedly early in round ten, during which, after receiving a single hard blow from Benn, he voluntarily went down, taking a knee.^[3] McClellan took the mandatory eight count and the fight was resumed, but he did not throw another punch and moments later he dropped to his knee for a second time and allowed Alzaro to count him out. The fight over, McClellan immediately stood and walked to his corner under his own power. He sat on the canvas leaning against the ring apron, but while being attended to by ring physicians he slumped onto his back and lost consciousness. McClellan was strapped to a stretcher and rushed to the hospital.

Aftermath

McClellan had emergency surgery to remove a blood clot from his brain. He spent eleven days in a coma and he was found to have suffered extensive brain damage. He lost his eyesight, the ability to walk unassisted and was reported as being 80 percent deaf. Sports Illustrated ran an article about the fight and its outcome one week after the fight. McClellan's family flew to be by his side, and later he was flown back to his home country. He has recently recovered some ability to walk, being helped by a cane, but he has not recovered his eyesight. In addition to being blind, his short-term memory was also profoundly affected. His three sisters, particularly Lisa McClellan, are responsible for his care. In a 2011 documentary broadcast by ITV (who originally screened the fight live in the UK), Lisa stated that Gerald is in fact not deaf, but that he has trouble with comprehension when spoken to.

Tarick Salmaci, a Kronk Gym fighter claimed later in an interview that he sparred with McClellan some time before the Benn fight, and after being hit with a jab, McClellan started to blink hard and the session had to be stopped. McClellan initially claimed that he was thumbed but later admitted in the locker room that he was in fact seriously hurt. Salmaci said that he it found strange that a fighter with McClellan's chin, wearing a headgear is being hurt by a jab, and that when he noticed McClellan blinking during the Benn fight the same way, he was immediately aware that he was in serious trouble.^[4]

Fundraising

McClellan has been the honoree at numerous banquets and award ceremonies, and fellow boxing world champion Roy Jones Jr., often pointed out as a rival middleweight champion during 1993–94 (indeed, McClellan actually beat Jones as an amateur), set up a foundation to help McClellan.

Nigel Benn himself has also helped to raise funds for McClellan's treatment, and the two men would meet again for the first time since their bout at a fundraiser held in London on February 24, 2007. Several items were auctioned off at the event and a total of £200,000 was raised.^[5] In December 2011, McClellan's family announced they were putting McClellan's world title belts up for auction to pay for his continuing round-the-clock care, adapt his house for his changing medical needs and avoid having to place him in a nursing home. Told by his sister Lisa about what she needed to do to maintain his quality of life and keep him at home, McClellan, who remains 80% deaf, was surprisingly able to hear and understand his sister and gave his approval. Gerald told his sister, "Sister, just do what you've gotta do."^[6]

In May 2012, the World Boxing Council publicly appealed for donations to a trust fund set up in McClellan's name in order to help his sisters maintain his 24-hour care.^[7] In July 2012, McClellan took a turn for the worse, and underwent surgery to remove his colon.^[8] Former world light middleweight champion Terry Norris, whose Final Fight Foundation acts to protect boxers, made an appeal for the Gerald McClellan Trust, noting, "McClellan's organs are starting to shut down because of his brain injury."^[9] Ring 10, a nonprofit organization that helps impoverished former fighters, provides McClellan with a monthly food credit and raises funds to assist in payment of other necessities.^[10]

Dog fighting controversy

According to an article in The Observer, McClellan participated in dog fighting.^[11][12] McClellan's trainer and family admitted that McClellan was involved with fighting pitbulls, and on one occasion had used tape to bind the jaws of a Labrador shut before allowing his pet pitbull "Deuce" to kill it.^[13]

Professional boxing record

No.	Result	Record	Opponent	Type	Round, time	Date	Location	Notes
34	Loss	31–3	Nigel Benn	KO	10 (12), 1:46	Feb 25, 1995	London Arena, London, England	For WBC super middleweight title
33	Win	31–2	Julian Jackson	KO	1 (12), 1:23	May 7, 1994	MGM Grand Garden Arena, Paradise, Nevada, U.S.	Retained WBC middleweight title
32	Win	30–2	Gilbert Baptist	TKO	1 (12), 1:37	Mar 4, 1994	MGM Grand Garden Arena, Paradise, Nevada, U.S.	Retained WBC middleweight title
31	Win	29–2	Jay Bell	KO	1 (12), 0:20	Aug 6, 1993	Coliseo Rubén Rodríguez, Bayamón, Puerto Rico	Retained WBC middleweight title
30	Win	28–2	Julian Jackson	TKO	5 (12), 2:09	May 8, 1993	Thomas & Mack Center, Paradise, Nevada, U.S.	Won WBC middleweight title
29	Win	27–2	Tyrone Moore	TKO	2 (10)	Feb 20, 1993	Estadio Azteca, Mexico City, Mexico
28	Win	26–2	Steve Harvey	TKO	1 (8), 1:51	Nov 7, 1992	Caesars Tahoe, Stateline, Nevada, U.S.
27	Win	25–2	Carl Sullivan	TKO	1 (10), 0:45	May 15, 1992	Etess Arena, Atlantic City, New Jersey, U.S.
26	Win	24–2	Lester Yarbrough	TKO	1 (10), 2:02	Feb 24, 1992	The Palace, Auburn Hills, Michigan, U.S.
25	Win	23–2	John Mugabi	TKO	1 (12), 2:51	Nov 20, 1991	Royal Albert Hall, London, England	Won vacant WBO middleweight title
24	Win	22–2	Sammy Brooks	TKO	1 (8), 2:07	Aug 13, 1991	The Palace, Auburn Hills, Michigan, U.S.
23	Win	21–2	Ivory Teague	TKO	3 (10)	Jul 27, 1991	Scope, Norfolk, Virginia, U.S.
22	Win	20–2	Ken Hulsey	KO	1 (10)	Mar 1, 1991	Pioneer Hall, Duluth, Minnesota, U.S.
21	Win	19–2	Danny Mitchell	KO	1 (10), 2:37	Dec 15, 1990	Civic Arena, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S.
20	Win	18–2	José Carlos da Silva	TKO	3 (8)	Nov 14, 1990	Phoenix, Arizona, U.S.
19	Win	17–2	Charles Hollis	PTS	8	Sep 14, 1990	Beloit, Wisconsin, U.S.
18	Win	16–2	Sanderline Williams	UD	8	Aug 21, 1990	The Palace, Auburn Hills, Michigan, U.S.
17	Win	15–2	James Fernandez	TKO	2 (8)	Jun 12, 1990	Metairie, Louisiana, U.S.
16	Win	14–2	Brinatty Maquilon	TKO	3 (8), 1:42	Apr 26, 1990	Resorts International Casino, Atlantic City, New Jersey, U.S.
15	Win	13–2	Ron Martin	TKO	1 (8)	Mar 10, 1990	Bristol, Tennessee, U.S.
14	Win	12–2	James Williamson	KO	1 (8), 1:55	Jan 20, 1990	The Palace, Auburn Hills, Michigan, U.S.
13	Win	11–2	Rick Caldwell	KO	1 (8)	Dec 14, 1989	Civic Center, Saginaw, Michigan, U.S.
12	Loss	10–2	Ralph Ward	UD	8	Sep 21, 1989	Atlantic City, New Jersey, U.S.
11	Loss	10–1	Dennis Milton	PTS	6	Jun 24, 1989	Convention Hall, Atlantic City, New Jersey, U.S.
10	Win	10–0	Terrence Wright	TKO	1 (8), 2:00	Apr 14, 1989	Auditorium, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, U.S.
9	Win	9–0	Tyrone McKnight	TKO	2 (8)	Feb 19, 1989	High School Gym, Monessen, Pennsylvania, U.S.
8	Win	8–0	Anthony Jackson	KO	1 (6), 1:30	Feb 10, 1989	Cedar Creek Ice & Expo Center, Wausau, Wisconsin, U.S.
7	Win	7–0	Joe Goodman	KO	2 (6)	Feb 4, 1989	Biloxi, Mississippi, U.S.
6	Win	6–0	Jerome Kelly	TKO	1 (6), 1:52	Dec 3, 1988	Brook Park, Ohio, U.S.
5	Win	5–0	John Gordon	TKO	2 (6), 1:45	Nov 25, 1988	The Palace, Auburn Hills, Michigan, U.S.
4	Win	4–0	Roberto Abondo	TKO	1 (4), 0:36	Nov 22, 1988	Bally's Las Vegas, Paradise, Nevada, U.S.
3	Win	3–0	Danny Lowry	TKO	1 (6), 2:00	Nov 3, 1988	Showboat Hotel and Casino, Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S.
2	Win	2–0	Bill Davis	TKO	1 (4)	Sep 15, 1988	La Fontaine Bleue, Glen Burnie, Maryland, U.S.
1	Win	1–0	Roy Hundley	KO	1 (4)	Aug 12, 1988	The Eagles Club, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, U.S.	Professional debut

References

External links

• The Gerald McClellan Trust
• Professional boxing record for Gerald McClellan from BoxRec