Saoul Mamby
Encyclopedia
Saoul Paul Mamby was a professional boxer
between 1969 and 2008.
Mamby 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.
junior welterweight
title once, starting his -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 Jesús
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 pl-ay 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 Durán
(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 (63.5 kg) belt Mamby would win from Saengsak's conqueror, Sang-Hyun).
Mamby continued to fight into his 50s, and was forced to retire by the California State athletic commission following his last loss in 2000.
at the Pi-Nee-Waus Community Center of the Nez Perce Tribe, in a card that was subsequently canceled.
Mamby fought several weeks later, weighing 149 pounds (67 kilograms) and lost to a ten round decision to journeyman fighter Anthony Osbourne in the Cayman Islands. This made Mamby one of the oldest boxers ever to appear in an officially sanctioned bout.
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...
between 1969 and 2008.
Personal
Mamby, the child of a mother of Spanish descent and father from Jamaica, converted to Judaism at age 4.Mamby is also a Vietnam veteran
Vietnam veteran
Vietnam veteran is a phrase used to describe someone who served in the armed forces of participating countries during the Vietnam War.The term has been used to describe veterans who were in the armed forces of South Vietnam, the United States armed forces, and countries allied to them, whether or...
.
Mamby became interested in boxing while on vacation in Jamaica
Jamaica
Jamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length, up to in width and 10,990 square kilometres in area. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about south of Cuba, and west of Hispaniola, the island harbouring the nation-states Haiti and the Dominican Republic...
, and compiled an amateur record of 25–5 before turning pro in 1969.
Boxing career
He held the WBCWorld Boxing Council
The World Boxing Council was initially established by 11 countries: the United States, Argentina, United Kingdom, France, Mexico, Philippines, Panama, Chile, Peru, Venezuela and Brazil plus Puerto Rico, met in Mexico City on February 14, 1963, upon invitation of the then President of Mexico, Adolfo...
junior welterweight
Welterweight
Welterweight is a weight class division in combat sports. Originally the term "welterweight" was used only in boxing, but other combat sports like kickboxing, taekwondo and mixed martial arts also began to use it for their own weight division system...
title once, starting his -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
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
and Nigeria
Nigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
, in order to make some of them. He stopped former WBC lightweight champ Esteban De Jesús
Esteban De Jesús
Esteban De Jesús was a Puerto Rican world lightweight champion boxer whose life was full of controversy, problems and scandals. De Jesus, a native of the town of Carolina, Puerto Rico, was a gymmate of Wilfred Benítez and an acquaintance of Benitez's mother, Clara Benítez. He was trained by...
in the 13th round in July 1980 on the Holmes
Larry Holmes
Larry Holmes is a former professional boxer. He grew up in Easton, Pennsylvania, which gave birth to his boxing nickname, The Easton Assassin....
-LeDoux undercard; decisioned Termite Watkins
Maurice Watkins
Maurice Watkins is a former boxer from Houston, Texas. Nicknamed Termite, he was born into a family that was in the insect killing business, and he is a professional fumigator.-Professional Boxing Career:...
over 15 on the Holmes-Ali
Muhammad Ali
Muhammad Ali is an American former professional boxer, philanthropist and social activist...
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
Leon Spinks
Leon Spinks is a former American boxer. He had an overall record of 26 wins, 17 losses and 3 draws as a professional, with 14 knockout wins, and was the former World Boxing Council and World Boxing Association heavyweight champion of the world...
); 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
World Boxing Association
The World Boxing Association is a boxing organization that sanctions official matches, and awards the WBA world championship title at the professional level. It was previously known as the National Boxing Association before changing its name in 1962...
champion Aaron Pryor
Aaron Pryor
Aaron Pryor is a former boxer from Cincinnati, Ohio, and member of the International Boxing Hall of Fame. He is the former world Junior Welterweight champion, and regarded as one of the greatest fighters in the history of the weight class.-Amateur career:Pryor, nicknamed The Hawk, had a record of...
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
Leroy Haley
Leroy Haley , is a former American boxer at Light Welterweight.- Professional career :Known as "Irish", Haley turned pro in 1973 and captured the WBC light welterweight title with a split decision win over Saoul Mamby in 1982. He defended the belt twice before losing it to Bruce Curry by decision...
in June of that year. He would pl-ay 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
Billy Costello
Billy Costello was a professional boxer in the United States.-Early Life:...
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 Durán
Roberto Durán
Roberto Durán Samaniego is a retired professional boxer from Panama, widely regarded as one of the greatest boxers of all time. A versatile brawler in the ring, he was nicknamed "Manos de Piedra" during his career....
(losing by points in a non-title affair in 1976) and Saengsak Muangsurin (losing a 15-round decision in Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
in 1977 in an attempt to win Muangsurin's title, the same WBC 140 lb (63.5 kg) belt Mamby would win from Saengsak's conqueror, Sang-Hyun).
Mamby continued to fight into his 50s, and was forced to retire by the California State athletic commission following his last loss in 2000.
Comeback at 60
At the age of 60, Mamby announced a comeback which was to have taken place in Lapwai, IdahoLapwai, Idaho
Lapwai is a city in Nez Perce County, Idaho, United States. The population was 1,137 at the 2010 census. It is the seat of government of the Nez Perce Indian Reservation.Lapwai is part of the Lewiston, ID-WA Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
at the Pi-Nee-Waus Community Center of the Nez Perce Tribe, in a card that was subsequently canceled.
Mamby fought several weeks later, weighing 149 pounds (67 kilograms) and lost to a ten round decision to journeyman fighter Anthony Osbourne in the Cayman Islands. This made Mamby one of the oldest boxers ever to appear in an officially sanctioned bout.
Professional boxing record
See also
- List of WBC world champions
- List of select Jewish boxers