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ST. LOUIS, Missouri:
Many boxing fans talk about New York, Detroit, Philly and Los Angeles as "the places to be" for boxers. Maybe so. They were all producing some great talent, that's undeniable. But I will tell you this: Very few cities or towns in this country can match the amateur boxing talent that came through the greater St. Louis, Missouri programs in the 1980's. I can't even think of ALL the good boxers that came from those programs under Myrl Taylor and the other coaches from in and immediately around that city because from the mid to late 70's uprising of 139 pound Lemuel Steeples and the Spinks brothers, Leon and Michael, on up to the mid-1990's emergence of Leon's son, Corey Calvin (much better known as Corey Spinks), there were a ton of good amateur boxers out of the St. Louis program. I won't be able to name them all... but I can try.
Top 10 USA rated amateurs from there include three-time U.S. Champion Nick Kakouris and 1988 U.S. Olympian Arthur Johnson. The Finger brothers (twins), Terrel and Lavell. Ed Hopson. Boris Powell. 1983 Pan-American Games welterweight champion Louis Howard. Future WBA Bantam Champion Eddie Cook. 139 pound Randy Cross. 132 pound Darrick Robinson. 1988 USA/ABF National 125 pound Champion -and future WBA 154 pound Champion- Carl Daniels. 119 pound Stevie Young. Light heavy weight Paul Carlo. 165 pounder Arthur Jimmerson. Welterweight Michael Goodeau. 139 pounder Tony Martin. Featherweight Patrice Brooks. 132 pounder Marvin Chambers.
Future IBF Light heavyweight Champion William Guthrie won the National Golden Gloves in 1984, qualified for the U.S. Olympic Trials in both 1984 and 1988 and captured the Ohio State Fair title in 1985.
St. Louis is also the home of former National Silver Gloves silver medalist (and future IBO 168 pound champion) Willie Ball.
In 1981 you had Brian Westmoreland (heavyweight), William Trendly (165), Vincent Webb (139 and 147), Billy White (132), James Cooper (125), Ronald Freeman (112), and Dolphin Moody (106) all break into the top ten amateur national rankings at one point or another.
Later on, Vincent Webb was the runner up to the great Cuban Candelario Duvergal at the 1982 North American Championships at 147.
Anthony Dean went all the way to the finals of the 1982 Ohio State Fair where he lost a decision to fellow St. Louis boxer Tony Pruitt at 119. Pruitt had won the Fair's 112 title just one year earlier when he defeated yet another St. Louis boxer, David Wade, in the finals.
1986 saw 178 pound Damon Saulberry advance to the finals of the National JO's while 1988 saw St. Louis native Stanley Lee qualify for the Olympic Trials in my 165 pound class by way of the U.S. Marines.
The only man to ever beat Mark Breland as an amateur boxed out of St. Louis. Darryl Anthony became the one and only at the 1981 USA Nationals on a decision.
You also had 125 pound featherweight Lamont Buchanon who won the 1982 Ohio State Fair by beating future (1988) U.S. Olympic middleweight Anthony Hembrick in the finals.
Light middleweight was a HOT class to be in during the 80's in St. Louis with several 156 pounders getting ranked in the national top 10, guys like Roy Richie, Paul James, L.C. Robinson, Steve Erhart, Ray Lathon, Alfred Mayes and Michael Cross. DeLancey Ray also excelled at 156, winning the National JO's in 1986.
119 pound Tony Hollis and 112 pound David Wade both advanced far into the 1981 Ohio State Fair tournament and at one point in 1987 St. Louis had THREE 139 pounders in the USA Top 10 in Nick Kakouris, Lavell Finger and Tony Robinson.
In the December 1985 edition of The Amateur Boxer magazine St. Louis boasted FOUR weight classes with a homegrown kid in the USA #1 spot: Arthur Johnson at 106, Eddie Cook at 112, Darrick Robinson at 132 and Nick Kakouris at 139. One city. FOUR # 1 rated amateurs at the same exact time.
The 1980's also saw St. Louis, Missouri boxers Alfred Mayes, Louis Howard, Arthur Jimmerson, Marvin Chambers, Arthur Johnson, William Guthrie, Lavell Finger, Carl Daniels, Ray Lathon and Boris Powell all take home National Golden Gloves titles.
I am sure I am even missing a few names but, any way you cut it, very few regions of this country have ever had the success that the greater St. Louis area did over the course of the 1980's. The records speak for themselves.
Many boxing fans talk about New York, Detroit, Philly and Los Angeles as "the places to be" for boxers. Maybe so. They were all producing some great talent, that's undeniable. But I will tell you this: Very few cities or towns in this country can match the amateur boxing talent that came through the greater St. Louis, Missouri programs in the 1980's. I can't even think of ALL the good boxers that came from those programs under Myrl Taylor and the other coaches from in and immediately around that city because from the mid to late 70's uprising of 139 pound Lemuel Steeples and the Spinks brothers, Leon and Michael, on up to the mid-1990's emergence of Leon's son, Corey Calvin (much better known as Corey Spinks), there were a ton of good amateur boxers out of the St. Louis program. I won't be able to name them all... but I can try.
Top 10 USA rated amateurs from there include three-time U.S. Champion Nick Kakouris and 1988 U.S. Olympian Arthur Johnson. The Finger brothers (twins), Terrel and Lavell. Ed Hopson. Boris Powell. 1983 Pan-American Games welterweight champion Louis Howard. Future WBA Bantam Champion Eddie Cook. 139 pound Randy Cross. 132 pound Darrick Robinson. 1988 USA/ABF National 125 pound Champion -and future WBA 154 pound Champion- Carl Daniels. 119 pound Stevie Young. Light heavy weight Paul Carlo. 165 pounder Arthur Jimmerson. Welterweight Michael Goodeau. 139 pounder Tony Martin. Featherweight Patrice Brooks. 132 pounder Marvin Chambers.
Future IBF Light heavyweight Champion William Guthrie won the National Golden Gloves in 1984, qualified for the U.S. Olympic Trials in both 1984 and 1988 and captured the Ohio State Fair title in 1985.
St. Louis is also the home of former National Silver Gloves silver medalist (and future IBO 168 pound champion) Willie Ball.
In 1981 you had Brian Westmoreland (heavyweight), William Trendly (165), Vincent Webb (139 and 147), Billy White (132), James Cooper (125), Ronald Freeman (112), and Dolphin Moody (106) all break into the top ten amateur national rankings at one point or another.
Later on, Vincent Webb was the runner up to the great Cuban Candelario Duvergal at the 1982 North American Championships at 147.
Anthony Dean went all the way to the finals of the 1982 Ohio State Fair where he lost a decision to fellow St. Louis boxer Tony Pruitt at 119. Pruitt had won the Fair's 112 title just one year earlier when he defeated yet another St. Louis boxer, David Wade, in the finals.
1986 saw 178 pound Damon Saulberry advance to the finals of the National JO's while 1988 saw St. Louis native Stanley Lee qualify for the Olympic Trials in my 165 pound class by way of the U.S. Marines.
The only man to ever beat Mark Breland as an amateur boxed out of St. Louis. Darryl Anthony became the one and only at the 1981 USA Nationals on a decision.
You also had 125 pound featherweight Lamont Buchanon who won the 1982 Ohio State Fair by beating future (1988) U.S. Olympic middleweight Anthony Hembrick in the finals.
Light middleweight was a HOT class to be in during the 80's in St. Louis with several 156 pounders getting ranked in the national top 10, guys like Roy Richie, Paul James, L.C. Robinson, Steve Erhart, Ray Lathon, Alfred Mayes and Michael Cross. DeLancey Ray also excelled at 156, winning the National JO's in 1986.
119 pound Tony Hollis and 112 pound David Wade both advanced far into the 1981 Ohio State Fair tournament and at one point in 1987 St. Louis had THREE 139 pounders in the USA Top 10 in Nick Kakouris, Lavell Finger and Tony Robinson.
In the December 1985 edition of The Amateur Boxer magazine St. Louis boasted FOUR weight classes with a homegrown kid in the USA #1 spot: Arthur Johnson at 106, Eddie Cook at 112, Darrick Robinson at 132 and Nick Kakouris at 139. One city. FOUR # 1 rated amateurs at the same exact time.
The 1980's also saw St. Louis, Missouri boxers Alfred Mayes, Louis Howard, Arthur Jimmerson, Marvin Chambers, Arthur Johnson, William Guthrie, Lavell Finger, Carl Daniels, Ray Lathon and Boris Powell all take home National Golden Gloves titles.
I am sure I am even missing a few names but, any way you cut it, very few regions of this country have ever had the success that the greater St. Louis area did over the course of the 1980's. The records speak for themselves.
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