Boone Kirkman
Encyclopedia
Daniel Victor "Boone" Kirkman (born February 6, 1945 in Vallejo, California
) is a former amateur and professional
Heavyweight
boxer
. He fought during the same era as George Foreman
, Muhammad Ali
, and Joe Frazier
, which has been credited as being one of the greatest heavyweight eras of all time.
, was stationed there at the time. When his father was discharged
from the Navy, the family moved back to Renton, Washington
, where Kirkman's grandfather initially settled.
From a young age, Kirkman's favorite activities were hunting
, fishing
, and hiking
throughout the state of Washington with his father. He frequently stopped to view plant and animal life, earning him his lifelong nickname of "Boone
".
Growing up in Renton, a working-class community, Kirkman joined a group of 20 teenagers called the "Buds". The group drank and smoked, among other unethical activities. This concerned Kirkman's father, however, the "gang" did not engage in any street crime activities such as drag racing
, robberies, or fighting.
Kirkman was inspired to box by his older brother, Steve, whom he frequently sparred
with for fun. A school friend who noticed his lack of interest in reading suggested the book Somebody Up There Likes Me to him. In a short time, he had finished the book. Shortly thereafter, the book was made into a self-titled film
, to which Kirkman was elated to discover. The duo convinced Kirkman that his future lay in boxing. Kirkman's first training sessions at age 14 involved traveling to a south Seattle gymnasium to work out from his school in Renton, Washington
. The venue was suggested to him by former professional Joey Velez. Kirkman took a year-long hiatus from boxing due to injury, but returned to the gym and won several local Golden Gloves
events afterward, slowly building a reputation.
His popularity exploded in March
1965 when he won the AAU Heavyweight Boxing national title in Toledo, Ohio
. Following the event, he was signed by Seattle-area fight manager Jack Hurley. Kirkman assumed co-ownership of his family's pub; The Melrose Tavern, shortly after his signing. Between bar tending shifts, Kirkman incorporated training, and spent most nights punching a speed bag, entertaining spectators.
His first match, held in Boise
, yielded a win and knockout
over Lou Phillips. Kirkman managed to go undefeated in his first eleven matches, including a win over Eddie Machen
until stepping up in opposition in New York
he faced skilled Doug Jones
in a featured fight held in Seattle. Jones caused a cut over Kirkman's left eye in the first round, but Kirkman managed to keep the veteran at bay with a deluge of heavy punches, eventually knocking Jones to the ropes in Round 7. Thinking he had won the fight, Kirkman prepared for the referee
to raise his hand in victory. However the ring physician
stopped the fight in due to worsening conditions in Kirkman's eye, sparking controversy. Six weeks later, Kirkman would return the favor, winning their rematch, to Jones at the start of a winning streak.
Kirkman won his ensuing ten bouts, and Hurley scheduled a match between Kirkman and George Foreman
at the Madison Square Garden
in downtown New York.
From the start, Kirkman was overmatched by Foreman's superior quickness and power. Foreman pummeled Kirkman with a combination of powerful punches, knocking him to the canvas three times in the first two rounds. The bout ended after 3:40, when Kirkman failed to answer the bell, giving Foreman the win and knockout
.
Following the fight, Kirkman elected to opt out of his contract with Hurley, who died several years later.
s, whereas his knockout average was much higher. One of his more notable victories during this stretch came against Jack O'Halloran
via points. He also encountered his second opponent ranked in the Ring Magazine Top 10
in Jimmy Ellis
, whom he defeated by split decision
.
from Jones. This was Kirkman's first loss in over three and a half years.
Following the loss, Kirkman immediately scheduled several ranked opponents in an attempt to recover his sinking ranking. As a result, Kirkman experienced consecutive losses for the first time in his career after losing to Ken Norton
, on his return to Seattle in June 1974. Norton was known as "the guy that broke Ali's
jaw", doing it the previous year as a 7-1 underdog. The Kirkman-Norton fight was stopped by the referee
when Kirkman failed to answer the bell for the eighth round.
In September, Kirkman fought Ron Lyle
, who the following year was beaten controversially by Ali for the WBA and WBC titles. The fight was stopped as a technical knockout due to a cut on Kirkman's cheek.
delivery truck driver, and retired from Boeing in 2010].
Kirkman lives with his wife Teese, a retired nurse. The two have been married since 1988. He has two children, Erik and Nina (from a previous marriage), and two grandchildren.
In his spare time, Kirkman enjoys hiking
and mountaineering
. He has scaled four of the five highest peaks in Washington: Mount Rainier
(8 times), Mount Saint Helens (3 times), Mount Adams
, and Mount Baker
.
Hurley never scheduled a fight with Muhammad Ali, which angered Kirkman, particularly while he was in his prime. This has caused Kirkman to speculate about the possible result of a fight with Ali. Kirkman has also criticized Hurley for being completely uninvolved in his training regimen, and stated that Hurley gave short notice of upcoming fights.
Harry Matthews and Pete Radarmacher, both former boxers who were signed by Hurley, experienced similar scenarios in which they were also placed in fights with highly ranked opponents before they were prepared to do so.
Vallejo, California
Vallejo is the largest city in Solano County, California, United States. The population was 115,942 at the 2010 census. It is located in the San Francisco Bay Area on the northeastern shore of San Pablo Bay...
) is a former amateur and professional
Professional
A professional is a person who is paid to undertake a specialised set of tasks and to complete them for a fee. The traditional professions were doctors, lawyers, clergymen, and commissioned military officers. Today, the term is applied to estate agents, surveyors , environmental scientists,...
Heavyweight
Heavyweight
Heavyweight is a division, or weight class, in boxing. Fighters who weigh over 200 pounds are considered heavyweights by the major professional boxing organizations: the International Boxing Federation, the World Boxing Association, the World Boxing Council, and the World Boxing...
boxer
Boxing
Boxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...
. He fought during the same era as George Foreman
George Foreman
George Edward Foreman is an American two-time former World Heavyweight Boxing Champion, Olympic gold medalist, ordained Baptist minister, author and successful entrepreneur...
, Muhammad Ali
Muhammad Ali
Muhammad Ali is an American former professional boxer, philanthropist and social activist...
, and Joe Frazier
Joe Frazier
Joseph William "Joe" Frazier , also known as Smokin' Joe, was an Olympic and Undisputed World Heavyweight boxing champion, whose professional career lasted from 1965 to 1976, with a one-fight comeback in 1981....
, which has been credited as being one of the greatest heavyweight eras of all time.
Early life
Kirkman was born in Vallejo, California in 1945 to Oehm and Margarite Kirkman. His father, a naval officerNavy
A navy is the branch of a nation's armed forces principally designated for naval and amphibious warfare; namely, lake- or ocean-borne combat operations and related functions...
, was stationed there at the time. When his father was discharged
Military discharge
A military discharge is given when a member of the armed forces is released from their obligation to serve.-United States:Discharge or separation should not be confused with retirement; career U.S...
from the Navy, the family moved back to Renton, Washington
Renton, Washington
Renton is an Eastside edge city in King County, Washington, United States. Situated 11 miles southeast of Seattle, Washington, Renton straddles the southeast shore of Lake Washington. Founded in the 1860s, Renton became a supply town for the Newcastle coal fields...
, where Kirkman's grandfather initially settled.
From a young age, Kirkman's favorite activities were hunting
Hunting
Hunting is the practice of pursuing any living thing, usually wildlife, for food, recreation, or trade. In present-day use, the term refers to lawful hunting, as distinguished from poaching, which is the killing, trapping or capture of the hunted species contrary to applicable law...
, fishing
Fishing
Fishing is the activity of trying to catch wild fish. Fish are normally caught in the wild. Techniques for catching fish include hand gathering, spearing, netting, angling and trapping....
, and hiking
Hiking
Hiking is an outdoor activity which consists of walking in natural environments, often in mountainous or other scenic terrain. People often hike on hiking trails. It is such a popular activity that there are numerous hiking organizations worldwide. The health benefits of different types of hiking...
throughout the state of Washington with his father. He frequently stopped to view plant and animal life, earning him his lifelong nickname of "Boone
Daniel Boone
Daniel Boone was an American pioneer, explorer, and frontiersman whose frontier exploits mad']'e him one of the first folk heroes of the United States. Boone is most famous for his exploration and settlement of what is now the Commonwealth of Kentucky, which was then beyond the western borders of...
".
Growing up in Renton, a working-class community, Kirkman joined a group of 20 teenagers called the "Buds". The group drank and smoked, among other unethical activities. This concerned Kirkman's father, however, the "gang" did not engage in any street crime activities such as drag racing
Drag racing
Drag racing is a competition in which specially prepared automobiles or motorcycles compete two at a time to be the first to cross a set finish line, from a standing start, in a straight line, over a measured distance, most commonly a ¼-mile straight track....
, robberies, or fighting.
Kirkman was inspired to box by his older brother, Steve, whom he frequently sparred
Sparring
Sparring is a form of training common to many martial arts. Although the precise form varies, it is essentially relatively 'free-form' fighting, with enough rules, customs, or agreements to make injuries unlikely...
with for fun. A school friend who noticed his lack of interest in reading suggested the book Somebody Up There Likes Me to him. In a short time, he had finished the book. Shortly thereafter, the book was made into a self-titled film
Somebody Up There Likes Me (film)
Somebody Up There Likes Me is a 1956 American drama film based on the life of middleweight boxing legend Rocky Graziano. Joseph Ruttenberg was awarded a 1956 Oscar in the category of Best Cinematography . The film also won the Oscar for Best Art Direction Somebody Up There Likes Me is a 1956...
, to which Kirkman was elated to discover. The duo convinced Kirkman that his future lay in boxing. Kirkman's first training sessions at age 14 involved traveling to a south Seattle gymnasium to work out from his school in Renton, Washington
Renton, Washington
Renton is an Eastside edge city in King County, Washington, United States. Situated 11 miles southeast of Seattle, Washington, Renton straddles the southeast shore of Lake Washington. Founded in the 1860s, Renton became a supply town for the Newcastle coal fields...
. The venue was suggested to him by former professional Joey Velez. Kirkman took a year-long hiatus from boxing due to injury, but returned to the gym and won several local Golden Gloves
Golden Gloves
The Golden Gloves is the name given to annual competitions for amateur boxing in the United States. The Golden Gloves is often the term used to refer to the National Golden Gloves competition, but it also can represent several other amateur tournaments, including regional golden gloves...
events afterward, slowly building a reputation.
His popularity exploded in March
March
March is in present time held to be the third month of the year in both the Julian and Gregorian calendars. It is one of the seven months which are 31 days long....
1965 when he won the AAU Heavyweight Boxing national title in Toledo, Ohio
Toledo, Ohio
Toledo is the fourth most populous city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Lucas County. Toledo is in northwest Ohio, on the western end of Lake Erie, and borders the State of Michigan...
. Following the event, he was signed by Seattle-area fight manager Jack Hurley. Kirkman assumed co-ownership of his family's pub; The Melrose Tavern, shortly after his signing. Between bar tending shifts, Kirkman incorporated training, and spent most nights punching a speed bag, entertaining spectators.
Professional career
Boone Kirkman's professional career lasted from 1966 to 1978. He finished with a record of 36—6 with a 59.52 knockout percentage. His peak ranking was seventh.His first match, held in Boise
Boise, Idaho
Boise is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Idaho, as well as the county seat of Ada County. Located on the Boise River, it anchors the Boise City-Nampa metropolitan area and is the largest city between Salt Lake City, Utah and Portland, Oregon.As of the 2010 Census Bureau,...
, yielded a win and knockout
Knockout
A knockout is a fight-ending, winning criterion in several full-contact combat sports, such as boxing, kickboxing, Muay Thai, mixed martial arts, Karate and others sports involving striking...
over Lou Phillips. Kirkman managed to go undefeated in his first eleven matches, including a win over Eddie Machen
Eddie Machen
Edward Mills Machen was born in Redding, California, on June 15, 1932. Machen was a convict turned boxer. His 64-bout career began on March 22, 1955, and he went on to win his first 24 bouts....
until stepping up in opposition in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
he faced skilled Doug Jones
Doug Jones
Doug Jones is the name of:* Doug Jones , American film actor* Doug Jones , American heavyweight boxer* Doug Jones , American MLB relief pitcher...
in a featured fight held in Seattle. Jones caused a cut over Kirkman's left eye in the first round, but Kirkman managed to keep the veteran at bay with a deluge of heavy punches, eventually knocking Jones to the ropes in Round 7. Thinking he had won the fight, Kirkman prepared for the referee
Referee (boxing)
The referee in the boxing is the individual charged with enforcing the rules of that sport during a match.-The role of the referee:Referees have the following roles:*Gives instructions to both boxers before the fight...
to raise his hand in victory. However the ring physician
Physician
A physician is a health care provider who practices the profession of medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring human health through the study, diagnosis, and treatment of disease, injury and other physical and mental impairments...
stopped the fight in due to worsening conditions in Kirkman's eye, sparking controversy. Six weeks later, Kirkman would return the favor, winning their rematch, to Jones at the start of a winning streak.
Kirkman won his ensuing ten bouts, and Hurley scheduled a match between Kirkman and George Foreman
George Foreman
George Edward Foreman is an American two-time former World Heavyweight Boxing Champion, Olympic gold medalist, ordained Baptist minister, author and successful entrepreneur...
at the Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden, often abbreviated as MSG and known colloquially as The Garden, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in the New York City borough of Manhattan and located at 8th Avenue, between 31st and 33rd Streets, situated on top of Pennsylvania Station.Opened on February 11, 1968, it is the...
in downtown New York.
Kirkman-Foreman
The Foreman fight was scheduled for November 18, 1970. Foreman was the most heavily favored opponent Kirkman would ever face.From the start, Kirkman was overmatched by Foreman's superior quickness and power. Foreman pummeled Kirkman with a combination of powerful punches, knocking him to the canvas three times in the first two rounds. The bout ended after 3:40, when Kirkman failed to answer the bell, giving Foreman the win and knockout
Knockout
A knockout is a fight-ending, winning criterion in several full-contact combat sports, such as boxing, kickboxing, Muay Thai, mixed martial arts, Karate and others sports involving striking...
.
Following the fight, Kirkman elected to opt out of his contract with Hurley, who died several years later.
Post-Foreman
Following the fight with Foreman, Kirkman won yet another 10 consecutive bouts. Strangely enough, only half were knockoutKnockout
A knockout is a fight-ending, winning criterion in several full-contact combat sports, such as boxing, kickboxing, Muay Thai, mixed martial arts, Karate and others sports involving striking...
s, whereas his knockout average was much higher. One of his more notable victories during this stretch came against Jack O'Halloran
Jack O'Halloran
Jack O'Halloran is an American ex-boxer and actor.-Boxing:O'Halloran was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Fighting as "Irish" Jack O'Halloran out of Boston, Massachusetts, he was a heavyweight boxing contender active from 1966 to 1974...
via points. He also encountered his second opponent ranked in the Ring Magazine Top 10
Ring Magazine pound for pound
The Ring Magazine Pound for Pound is the official list of the current pound for pound professional boxing rankings distributed by The Ring.-Top 10 rankings:-See also:* List of current world boxing champions* List of boxing weight classes...
in Jimmy Ellis
Jimmy Ellis
James Albert "Jimmy" Ellis is a retired boxer from Louisville, Kentucky. He fought in what some consider to be the greatest heavyweight era of all-time, which included Muhammad Ali, Joe Frazier, George Foreman, Jerry Quarry, Floyd Patterson, Oscar Bonavena, Earnie Shavers and George Chuvalo among...
, whom he defeated by split decision
Split decision
A split decision is a winning criterion in several full-contact combat sports, such as boxing, kickboxing, Muay Thai, mixed martial arts and others sports involving striking in which two of the three judges score for the same fighter as the winner, while the third judge scores for the other...
.
Upset by Memphis Al Jones and Afterwards
On April 9, 1974, Kirkman fought Memphis Al Jones in what Kirkman considered a "tune-up fight". The fight was stopped abruptly when Kirkman, having knocked Jones down four times in the first two rounds, was knocked unconscious by a right hookHook (boxing)
A hook is a punch in boxing. It is performed by turning the core muscles and back, thereby swinging the arm, which is bent at an angle near or at 90 degrees, in a horizontal arc into the opponent...
from Jones. This was Kirkman's first loss in over three and a half years.
Following the loss, Kirkman immediately scheduled several ranked opponents in an attempt to recover his sinking ranking. As a result, Kirkman experienced consecutive losses for the first time in his career after losing to Ken Norton
Ken Norton
Kenneth Howard Norton Sr. is a former heavyweight boxer. He is best known for his 12-round victory over a peak Muhammad Ali where he famously broke Ali's jaw, on March 31, 1973, becoming only the second man to defeat Ali as a professional .He and Ali...
, on his return to Seattle in June 1974. Norton was known as "the guy that broke Ali's
Muhammad Ali
Muhammad Ali is an American former professional boxer, philanthropist and social activist...
jaw", doing it the previous year as a 7-1 underdog. The Kirkman-Norton fight was stopped by the referee
Referee technical decision
A referee technical decision is a term used in boxing when a fight ends because a fighter refuses to continue ....
when Kirkman failed to answer the bell for the eighth round.
In September, Kirkman fought Ron Lyle
Ron Lyle
Ron Lyle was an American professional boxer in the heavyweight division. He is considered to have been one of the best contenders of his era. He was a crowd-pleasing power puncher.-Early life:...
, who the following year was beaten controversially by Ali for the WBA and WBC titles. The fight was stopped as a technical knockout due to a cut on Kirkman's cheek.
Professional boxing record
| 36 Wins (24 knockouts, 12 decisions), 6 Losses (3 knockouts, 2 decisions), 0 Draws | |||||||
| Result | Record | Opponent | Type | Date | Location | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Win | 36-6 |  |
TKO | Seattle, Washington Seattle, Washington Seattle is the county seat of King County, Washington. With 608,660 residents as of the 2010 Census, Seattle is the largest city in the Northwestern United States. The Seattle metropolitan area of about 3.4 million inhabitants is the 15th largest metropolitan area in the country... |
|||
| Win | 35-6 |  |
PTS | Seattle, Washington Seattle, Washington Seattle is the county seat of King County, Washington. With 608,660 residents as of the 2010 Census, Seattle is the largest city in the Northwestern United States. The Seattle metropolitan area of about 3.4 million inhabitants is the 15th largest metropolitan area in the country... |
|||
| Win | 34-6 | |
TKO | Seattle, Washington Seattle, Washington Seattle is the county seat of King County, Washington. With 608,660 residents as of the 2010 Census, Seattle is the largest city in the Northwestern United States. The Seattle metropolitan area of about 3.4 million inhabitants is the 15th largest metropolitan area in the country... |
|||
| Win | 33-6 | |
UD | Seattle, Washington Seattle, Washington Seattle is the county seat of King County, Washington. With 608,660 residents as of the 2010 Census, Seattle is the largest city in the Northwestern United States. The Seattle metropolitan area of about 3.4 million inhabitants is the 15th largest metropolitan area in the country... |
|||
| Loss | 32-6 | |
UD | Las Vegas, Nevada Las Vegas, Nevada Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous... |
|||
| Loss | 32-5 | |
TKO | Seattle, Washington Seattle, Washington Seattle is the county seat of King County, Washington. With 608,660 residents as of the 2010 Census, Seattle is the largest city in the Northwestern United States. The Seattle metropolitan area of about 3.4 million inhabitants is the 15th largest metropolitan area in the country... |
|||
| Loss | 32-4 | |
RTD | Seattle, Washington Seattle, Washington Seattle is the county seat of King County, Washington. With 608,660 residents as of the 2010 Census, Seattle is the largest city in the Northwestern United States. The Seattle metropolitan area of about 3.4 million inhabitants is the 15th largest metropolitan area in the country... |
|||
| Loss | 32-3 | |
KO | Dallas, Texas Dallas, Texas Dallas is the third-largest city in Texas and the ninth-largest in the United States. The Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex is the largest metropolitan area in the South and fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States... |
|||
| Win | 32-2 |  |
TKO | Reno, Nevada Reno, Nevada Reno is the county seat of Washoe County, Nevada, United States. The city has a population of about 220,500 and is the most populous Nevada city outside of the Las Vegas metropolitan area... |
|||
| Win | 31-2 | |
SD | Seattle, Washington Seattle, Washington Seattle is the county seat of King County, Washington. With 608,660 residents as of the 2010 Census, Seattle is the largest city in the Northwestern United States. The Seattle metropolitan area of about 3.4 million inhabitants is the 15th largest metropolitan area in the country... |
|||
| Win | 30-2 | |
PTS | Seattle, Washington Seattle, Washington Seattle is the county seat of King County, Washington. With 608,660 residents as of the 2010 Census, Seattle is the largest city in the Northwestern United States. The Seattle metropolitan area of about 3.4 million inhabitants is the 15th largest metropolitan area in the country... |
|||
| Win | 29-2 | |
PTS | Denver, Colorado Denver, Colorado The City and County of Denver is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Denver is a consolidated city-county, located in the South Platte River Valley on the western edge of the High Plains just east of the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains... |
|||
| Win | 28-2 | |
KO | Stockton, California Stockton, California Stockton, California, the seat of San Joaquin County, is the fourth-largest city in the Central Valley of the U.S. state of California. With a population of 291,707 at the 2010 census, Stockton ranks as this state's 13th largest city... |
|||
| Win | 27-2 | |
PTS | Seattle, Washington Seattle, Washington Seattle is the county seat of King County, Washington. With 608,660 residents as of the 2010 Census, Seattle is the largest city in the Northwestern United States. The Seattle metropolitan area of about 3.4 million inhabitants is the 15th largest metropolitan area in the country... |
|||
| Win | 26-2 | |
PTS | Stockton, California Stockton, California Stockton, California, the seat of San Joaquin County, is the fourth-largest city in the Central Valley of the U.S. state of California. With a population of 291,707 at the 2010 census, Stockton ranks as this state's 13th largest city... |
|||
| Win | 25-2 | |
KO | Seattle, Washington Seattle, Washington Seattle is the county seat of King County, Washington. With 608,660 residents as of the 2010 Census, Seattle is the largest city in the Northwestern United States. The Seattle metropolitan area of about 3.4 million inhabitants is the 15th largest metropolitan area in the country... |
|||
| Win | 24-2 | |
TKO | Seattle, Washington Seattle, Washington Seattle is the county seat of King County, Washington. With 608,660 residents as of the 2010 Census, Seattle is the largest city in the Northwestern United States. The Seattle metropolitan area of about 3.4 million inhabitants is the 15th largest metropolitan area in the country... |
|||
| Win | 23-2 | |
TKO | Seattle, Washington Seattle, Washington Seattle is the county seat of King County, Washington. With 608,660 residents as of the 2010 Census, Seattle is the largest city in the Northwestern United States. The Seattle metropolitan area of about 3.4 million inhabitants is the 15th largest metropolitan area in the country... |
|||
| Loss | 22-2 | |
TKO | Madison Square Garden Madison Square Garden Madison Square Garden, often abbreviated as MSG and known colloquially as The Garden, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in the New York City borough of Manhattan and located at 8th Avenue, between 31st and 33rd Streets, situated on top of Pennsylvania Station.Opened on February 11, 1968, it is the... , New York, New York |
|||
| Win | 22-1 | |
KO | Seattle, Washington Seattle, Washington Seattle is the county seat of King County, Washington. With 608,660 residents as of the 2010 Census, Seattle is the largest city in the Northwestern United States. The Seattle metropolitan area of about 3.4 million inhabitants is the 15th largest metropolitan area in the country... |
|||
| Win | 21-1 | |
TKO | Seattle, Washington Seattle, Washington Seattle is the county seat of King County, Washington. With 608,660 residents as of the 2010 Census, Seattle is the largest city in the Northwestern United States. The Seattle metropolitan area of about 3.4 million inhabitants is the 15th largest metropolitan area in the country... |
|||
| Win | 20-1 | |
KO | St. Paul, Minnesota |
|||
| Win | 19-1 | |
KO | Seattle, Washington Seattle, Washington Seattle is the county seat of King County, Washington. With 608,660 residents as of the 2010 Census, Seattle is the largest city in the Northwestern United States. The Seattle metropolitan area of about 3.4 million inhabitants is the 15th largest metropolitan area in the country... |
|||
| Win | 18-1 | |
UD | Seattle, Washington Seattle, Washington Seattle is the county seat of King County, Washington. With 608,660 residents as of the 2010 Census, Seattle is the largest city in the Northwestern United States. The Seattle metropolitan area of about 3.4 million inhabitants is the 15th largest metropolitan area in the country... |
|||
| Win | 17-1 | |
TKO | Spokane, Washington Spokane, Washington Spokane is a city located in the Northwestern United States in the state of Washington. It is the largest city of Spokane County of which it is also the county seat, and the metropolitan center of the Inland Northwest region... |
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| Win | 16-1 | |
KO | St. Louis, Missouri St. Louis, Missouri St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St... |
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| Win | 15-1 | |
KO | St. Louis, Missouri St. Louis, Missouri St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St... |
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| Win | 14-1 | |
KO | Spokane, Washington Spokane, Washington Spokane is a city located in the Northwestern United States in the state of Washington. It is the largest city of Spokane County of which it is also the county seat, and the metropolitan center of the Inland Northwest region... |
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| Win | 13-1 | |
TKO | Portland Oregon |
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| Win | 12-1 | |
TKO | Seattle, Washington Seattle, Washington Seattle is the county seat of King County, Washington. With 608,660 residents as of the 2010 Census, Seattle is the largest city in the Northwestern United States. The Seattle metropolitan area of about 3.4 million inhabitants is the 15th largest metropolitan area in the country... |
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| Loss | 11-1 | |
TKO | Seattle, Washington Seattle, Washington Seattle is the county seat of King County, Washington. With 608,660 residents as of the 2010 Census, Seattle is the largest city in the Northwestern United States. The Seattle metropolitan area of about 3.4 million inhabitants is the 15th largest metropolitan area in the country... |
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| Win | 11-0 | |
TKO | Seattle, Washington Seattle, Washington Seattle is the county seat of King County, Washington. With 608,660 residents as of the 2010 Census, Seattle is the largest city in the Northwestern United States. The Seattle metropolitan area of about 3.4 million inhabitants is the 15th largest metropolitan area in the country... |
|||
| Win | 10-0 |  |
TKO | Spokane, Washington Spokane, Washington Spokane is a city located in the Northwestern United States in the state of Washington. It is the largest city of Spokane County of which it is also the county seat, and the metropolitan center of the Inland Northwest region... |
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| Win | 9-0 | |
UD | Portland, Oregon Portland, Oregon Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States... |
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| Win | 8-0 | |
TKO | Spokane, Washington Spokane, Washington Spokane is a city located in the Northwestern United States in the state of Washington. It is the largest city of Spokane County of which it is also the county seat, and the metropolitan center of the Inland Northwest region... |
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| Win | 7-0 | |
KO | Seattle, Washington Seattle, Washington Seattle is the county seat of King County, Washington. With 608,660 residents as of the 2010 Census, Seattle is the largest city in the Northwestern United States. The Seattle metropolitan area of about 3.4 million inhabitants is the 15th largest metropolitan area in the country... |
|||
| Win | 6-0 | |
PTS | Boise, Idaho Boise, Idaho Boise is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Idaho, as well as the county seat of Ada County. Located on the Boise River, it anchors the Boise City-Nampa metropolitan area and is the largest city between Salt Lake City, Utah and Portland, Oregon.As of the 2010 Census Bureau,... |
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| Win | 5-0 | |
UD | Boise, Idaho Boise, Idaho Boise is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Idaho, as well as the county seat of Ada County. Located on the Boise River, it anchors the Boise City-Nampa metropolitan area and is the largest city between Salt Lake City, Utah and Portland, Oregon.As of the 2010 Census Bureau,... |
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| Win | 4-0 | |
TKO | Los Angeles, California Los Angeles, California Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California... |
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| Win | 3-0 | |
TKO | Boise, Idaho Boise, Idaho Boise is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Idaho, as well as the county seat of Ada County. Located on the Boise River, it anchors the Boise City-Nampa metropolitan area and is the largest city between Salt Lake City, Utah and Portland, Oregon.As of the 2010 Census Bureau,... |
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| Win | 2-0 | |
KO | Boise, Idaho Boise, Idaho Boise is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Idaho, as well as the county seat of Ada County. Located on the Boise River, it anchors the Boise City-Nampa metropolitan area and is the largest city between Salt Lake City, Utah and Portland, Oregon.As of the 2010 Census Bureau,... |
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| Win | 1-0 | |
KO | Boise, Idaho Boise, Idaho Boise is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Idaho, as well as the county seat of Ada County. Located on the Boise River, it anchors the Boise City-Nampa metropolitan area and is the largest city between Salt Lake City, Utah and Portland, Oregon.As of the 2010 Census Bureau,... |
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Post career
After retiring from boxing at age 33, Kirkman became a BoeingBoeing
The Boeing Company is an American multinational aerospace and defense corporation, founded in 1916 by William E. Boeing in Seattle, Washington. Boeing has expanded over the years, merging with McDonnell Douglas in 1997. Boeing Corporate headquarters has been in Chicago, Illinois since 2001...
delivery truck driver, and retired from Boeing in 2010].
Kirkman lives with his wife Teese, a retired nurse. The two have been married since 1988. He has two children, Erik and Nina (from a previous marriage), and two grandchildren.
In his spare time, Kirkman enjoys hiking
Hiking
Hiking is an outdoor activity which consists of walking in natural environments, often in mountainous or other scenic terrain. People often hike on hiking trails. It is such a popular activity that there are numerous hiking organizations worldwide. The health benefits of different types of hiking...
and mountaineering
Mountaineering
Mountaineering or mountain climbing is the sport, hobby or profession of hiking, skiing, and climbing mountains. While mountaineering began as attempts to reach the highest point of unclimbed mountains it has branched into specialisations that address different aspects of the mountain and consists...
. He has scaled four of the five highest peaks in Washington: Mount Rainier
Mount Rainier
Mount Rainier is a massive stratovolcano located southeast of Seattle in the state of Washington, United States. It is the most topographically prominent mountain in the contiguous United States and the Cascade Volcanic Arc, with a summit elevation of . Mt. Rainier is considered one of the most...
(8 times), Mount Saint Helens (3 times), Mount Adams
Mount Adams (Washington)
Mount Adams is a potentially activestratovolcano in the Cascade Range and the second-highest mountain in the U.S. state of Washington.Adams is a member of the Cascade Volcanic Arc, and is one of the arc's largest volcanoes,...
, and Mount Baker
Mount Baker
Mount Baker , also known as Koma Kulshan or simply Kulshan, is an active glaciated andesitic stratovolcano in the Cascade Volcanic Arc and the North Cascades of Washington State in the United States. It is the second-most active volcano in the range after Mount Saint Helens...
.
Relationship with Jack Hurley
In interviews, Kirkman has said he and Jack Hurley never got along during their partnership. While Hurley was a good presenter, Kirkman felt he was never given the chance to prepare for the Foreman fight, as all of his previous opponents were not nearly as highly ranked. This led to Kirkman releasing Hurley.Hurley never scheduled a fight with Muhammad Ali, which angered Kirkman, particularly while he was in his prime. This has caused Kirkman to speculate about the possible result of a fight with Ali. Kirkman has also criticized Hurley for being completely uninvolved in his training regimen, and stated that Hurley gave short notice of upcoming fights.
Harry Matthews and Pete Radarmacher, both former boxers who were signed by Hurley, experienced similar scenarios in which they were also placed in fights with highly ranked opponents before they were prepared to do so.