Terry Norris
Encyclopedia
Terry Wayne Norris is a retired American boxer
and a three-time world champion in the light middleweight
division. Originally from Lubbock, Texas
, he fought out of San Diego.
in Norris's first title fight. He beat future champion Steve Little
for the NABF junior middleweight title in December, 1988, and defended once against Buster Drayton. His two losses were by unanimous decision to Derrick Kelley and a disqualification to Joe Walker when Norris hit Walker when Walker was down.
Norris challenged Julian Jackson
for the WBA
junior middleweight
belt in July 1989. Norris seemed to win the first round, but a big second-round right cross from the champion knocked Norris out. Norris made it to his feet before the count but was deemed unfit to continue by referee Joe Cortez
.
, Norris traveled to Tampa, Florida
, in March 1990 to challenge John Mugabi
for the WBC
junior middleweight title. Norris wasted no time in stopping the champion, flooring him twice in the first round - the second time for the full count - and thus starting what would be the first of three reigns as champion.
After defending his belt against Rene Jacquot
, Norris faced the legendary Sugar Ray Leonard
in Madison Square Garden
in February 1991. Norris easily beat the faded Sugar Ray via a 12-round unanimous verdict. His next defense, a June victory over another former welterweight kingpin - Donald Curry
- further cemented Norris' place in the history of the 154-lb. division as Norris wore down his foe and knocked him out in the eighth.
Other prominent foes in that first reign included the tough future titlist Jorge Castro
and two welterweight champions, Meldrick Taylor
(then the WBA champion), and Maurice Blocker
(who held the IBF
version at the time of his challenge).
, former WBC and IBF welterweight titlist, knocked out Norris in four rounds to win the title and halt Norris' defense streak at ten. Ring magazine
named this fight as their "Upset of the Year" for 1993. In their rematch, Norris then regained the title by unanimous verdict over Brown in May 1994.
His second reign proved short when he lost the title by disqualification to Luis Santana
in November, 1994. The decision to disqualify Norris was controversial. Norris hit Santana in the back of the head and Santana went down, claiming he was unable to continue. Some at ringside, however, felt that Santana refused to get up in order to gain the disqualification win. Because of the controversial nature of the match, a rematch was ordered. Norris also lost the April, 1995, rematch by disqualification, this time for hitting Santana after the bell had sounded to end the round. In their third fight in August of that year, Norris knocked out Santana to regain his title.
Norris then won a 12-round unanimous decision over hated San Diego rival Paul Vaden
in December 1995 to add Vaden's IBF title to his WBC version, and made defenses against Vincent Pettway
(former IBF champion), Nick Rupa, and Alex Rios, before being stripped of the IBF title by that sanctioning body in 1997. Keith Mullings
then ended Norris's championship career by way of ninth-round knockout in December 1997.
defeated him by twelve-round decision in a middleweight bout and then WBA
junior middleweight champion Laurent Boudouani
ended his boxing career with a ninth round knockout.
Norris was elected to the International Boxing Hall of Fame
in 2005.
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...
and a three-time world champion in the light middleweight
Light middleweight
Light Middleweight , is a weight division in professional boxing, above 147 pounds and up to 154 pounds ....
division. Originally from Lubbock, Texas
Lubbock, Texas
Lubbock is a city in and the county seat of Lubbock County, Texas, United States. The city is located in the northwestern part of the state, a region known historically as the Llano Estacado, and the home of Texas Tech University and Lubbock Christian University...
, he fought out of San Diego.
Early boxing career
A star baseball player during his high school years, Norris bypassed a career on the diamond for one in the ring, amassing a stellar 291-4 amateur record. Displaying a stunning combination of hand and foot speed as well as the ability to throw dizzying combos, Norris' athletic ability was an uncanny attribute in the ring. After turning pro Norris compiled a record of twenty one wins and two losses before challenging Julian JacksonJulian Jackson
Julian Jackson is a retired professional boxer and former three-time world champion in the light middleweight and middleweight divisions...
in Norris's first title fight. He beat future champion Steve Little
Steve Little
Steve Little was an American boxer at super middleweight. He fought out of Reading, Pennsylvania.- Amateur career :...
for the NABF junior middleweight title in December, 1988, and defended once against Buster Drayton. His two losses were by unanimous decision to Derrick Kelley and a disqualification to Joe Walker when Norris hit Walker when Walker was down.
Norris challenged Julian Jackson
Julian Jackson
Julian Jackson is a retired professional boxer and former three-time world champion in the light middleweight and middleweight divisions...
for the 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...
junior middleweight
Middleweight
Middleweight is a division, or weight class, in boxing. Early boxing history is less than exact, but the middleweight designation seems to have begun in the 1840s. In the bare-knuckle era, the first middleweight championship fight was between Tom Chandler and Dooney Harris in 1897...
belt in July 1989. Norris seemed to win the first round, but a big second-round right cross from the champion knocked Norris out. Norris made it to his feet before the count but was deemed unfit to continue by referee Joe Cortez
Joe Cortez
Joe Cortez is a Puerto Rican boxing referee who has worked many important world title bouts.-Biography:Cortez moved to Puerto Rico during his childhood. Living there, he became fluent in Spanish. Cortez had a good amateur boxing career, winning various Golden Gloves tournaments from 1960 to 1962...
.
First championship reign
After winning three comeback fights, including a victory over former welterweight champion Jorge VacaJorge Vaca
Jorge Vaca Jorge Vaca Jorge Vaca (born December 14, 1959 in Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico, was a professional boxer in the welterweight (147lb) division.Vaca turned pro in 1978 and captured the WBC Welterweight Title by beating Lloyd Honeyghan via 8th round technical decision in 1987, but lost the...
, Norris traveled to Tampa, Florida
Tampa, Florida
Tampa is a city in the U.S. state of Florida. It serves as the county seat for Hillsborough County. Tampa is located on the west coast of Florida. The population of Tampa in 2010 was 335,709....
, in March 1990 to challenge John Mugabi
John Mugabi
John "The Beast" Mugabi is a former boxer and world Jr. Middleweight champion. A world traveller, Mugabi was a part of an early 1980s Jr...
for the WBC
World 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 middleweight title. Norris wasted no time in stopping the champion, flooring him twice in the first round - the second time for the full count - and thus starting what would be the first of three reigns as champion.
After defending his belt against Rene Jacquot
Rene Jacquot
Rene Jacquot is a former professional boxer and world title holder.-Professional career:Jacquot turned professional in 1983 and captured the WBC Light Middleweight Title in 1989 with an upset win over Donald Curry. He lost the belt in his first defence to John Mugabi, via TKO in the first round...
, Norris faced the legendary Sugar Ray Leonard
Sugar Ray Leonard
Sugar Ray Leonard is an American retired professional boxer and occasional actor. He was named Ray Charles Leonard, after his mother's favorite singer, Ray Charles...
in 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 February 1991. Norris easily beat the faded Sugar Ray via a 12-round unanimous verdict. His next defense, a June victory over another former welterweight kingpin - Donald Curry
Donald Curry
Donald Curry is a retired boxer from Fort Worth, Texas, United States. Nicknamed the "Lone Star Cobra," Curry was the Undisputed World Welterweight Champion and the WBC Super Welterweight Champion.-Amateur career:...
- further cemented Norris' place in the history of the 154-lb. division as Norris wore down his foe and knocked him out in the eighth.
Other prominent foes in that first reign included the tough future titlist Jorge Castro
Jorge Castro (boxer)
Jorge Fernando "Locomotora" Castro , is an Argentine boxer and former middleweight champion of the world, who is best known for his second defense of the title against John David Jackson in 1994....
and two welterweight champions, Meldrick Taylor
Meldrick Taylor
Meldrick Taylor is a former Olympic gold medalist and world boxing champion in two weight classes.-Amateur career:...
(then the WBA champion), and Maurice Blocker
Maurice Blocker
Maurice Blocker was a professional boxer in the welterweight division.Blocker turned pro in 1982 and lost his first title shot in 1987 to Lloyd Honeyghan. In 1990 he captured the Lineal and WBC Welterweight Titles from Marlon Starling, but lost them in his next fight to Simon Brown...
(who held the IBF
International Boxing Federation
The International Boxing Federation or IBF is one of four major organizations recognized by IBHOF which sanction world championship boxing bouts, alongside the WBA, WBC and WBO.- History :...
version at the time of his challenge).
Losing and regaining title
In a shocking upset in December, 1993, Simon BrownSimon Brown (boxer)
Simon Brown is a former professional boxer. Known as "Mantequilla", a name given to him by his famous trainer Jose 'Pepe' Correa, Brown was an welterweight fighter who held titles at multiple weight classes and at one point was considered one of the best pound for pound fighters in boxing.Brown...
, former WBC and IBF welterweight titlist, knocked out Norris in four rounds to win the title and halt Norris' defense streak at ten. Ring magazine
The Ring (magazine)
The Ring is an American boxing magazine that was first published in 1922 as a boxing and wrestling magazine. As the sporting legitimacy of professional wrestling came more into question, The Ring shifted to becoming exclusively a boxing oriented publication...
named this fight as their "Upset of the Year" for 1993. In their rematch, Norris then regained the title by unanimous verdict over Brown in May 1994.
His second reign proved short when he lost the title by disqualification to Luis Santana
Luis Santana
Luis Santana , was a professional boxer in the super welterweight division.Santana turned pro in 1981 and challenged Simon Brown for the IBF Welterweight Titlein 1989, but lost a unanimous decision....
in November, 1994. The decision to disqualify Norris was controversial. Norris hit Santana in the back of the head and Santana went down, claiming he was unable to continue. Some at ringside, however, felt that Santana refused to get up in order to gain the disqualification win. Because of the controversial nature of the match, a rematch was ordered. Norris also lost the April, 1995, rematch by disqualification, this time for hitting Santana after the bell had sounded to end the round. In their third fight in August of that year, Norris knocked out Santana to regain his title.
Norris then won a 12-round unanimous decision over hated San Diego rival Paul Vaden
Paul Vaden
Paul "The Ultimate" Vaden is a retired professional boxer. Vaden held the IBF light middleweight championship from August 12, 1995 to December 16, 1995...
in December 1995 to add Vaden's IBF title to his WBC version, and made defenses against Vincent Pettway
Vincent Pettway
Vincent Pettway Vincent Pettway Vincent Pettway (born November 9, 1965 in Baltimore, MD, was a professional boxer in the super welterweight (154lb) division.- Professional career :...
(former IBF champion), Nick Rupa, and Alex Rios, before being stripped of the IBF title by that sanctioning body in 1997. Keith Mullings
Keith Mullings
Keith Mullings , was a professional boxer in the super welterweight division.Mullings turned pro in 1993 and challenged Raúl Márquez for the IBF Light Middleweight Title in 1997, but lost a split decision. Later that year, Mullings shocked the world with a 9th round TKO over WBC Light Middleweight...
then ended Norris's championship career by way of ninth-round knockout in December 1997.
Post-championship career
Norris fought twice more after losing his title. Dana RosenblattDana Rosenblatt
"Dangerous" Dana Rosenblatt was a left-handed professional boxer who held a variety of minor boxing titles.Rosenblatt began practicing martial arts at age 13 and earned a black belt in Tang Soo Do when he was 16...
defeated him by twelve-round decision in a middleweight bout and then 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...
junior middleweight champion Laurent Boudouani
Laurent Boudouani
Laurent Boudouani is retired professional boxer. He is a former WBA world light middleweight champion and a welterweight silver medal winner at the 1988 Olympics.-Olympic results:*1st round bye...
ended his boxing career with a ninth round knockout.
Norris was elected to the International Boxing Hall of Fame
International Boxing Hall of Fame
The modern International Boxing Hall of Fame is located in Canastota, New York, United States, within driving distance from the Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in Cooperstown and the National Soccer Hall of Fame in Oneonta...
in 2005.
Additional information
- Once entertaining scholarships to several schools, Norris quit baseball after a brawl on the field. "We were playing another team one day", Norris recalled, "and there were some racial comments made toward me. I was a little thrown off by it. I rushed the guy who said them, and their whole team jumped on me. I put three guys in the hospital, which was the bad thing of it. People said things like, 'Maybe this guy's a troublemaker,' so a lot of my scholarships fell through.
- He settled a lawsuit out of court with Don King for a sum of $7.5 million in 2005.
- Brother of Former IBF Cruiserweight Champion Orlin NorrisOrlin NorrisOrlin Levance Norris, born October 4, 1965 in Lubbock, TX, is an American boxer who held the WBA cruiserweight title and fought in several noteworthy boxing matches in the 1980s and 1990s...
. - The speech of Terry Norris was noticeably slurred even in his early thirties and quite startling to anyone who remembered him from just a few years earlier. After his last defeat, the Nevada athletic commission turned him down for a new license, basing its decision on his impaired speech, which was indicative of brain damage.
- Norris was known to spar 12 rounds every other day in preparation for fights. Some speculate that this intense training routine is a factor which may have ultimately led to his early expiration as a fighter.
- In preparation for his fight against John "The Beast" Mugabi, his strength trainer put Terry on a regimented weight training program. He went on to KO Mugabi and win the W.B.C. Super Welterweight championship. He continued his strength training for the duration of his career.
- A source close to the Norris camp is quoted as saying "The best boxing I ever watched live was sparring between the Norris brothers."