Featherweight boxing is a genre of boxing that has gained popularity over the past few years. The main reason for this is that it allows a wider audience to enjoy the sport. Aside from that, featherweight boxing has also made headlines for its high-level of talent. In fact, featherweight boxing is one of the fastest growing sports today.
Johnny Kilbane
The Cleveland native, Johnny Kilbane, was an Irish immigrant and boxer. He was known for his clean-living style, his fighting prowess, and his devotion to his blind father. During his career, he fought 142 bouts and won a World Featherweight Boxing Championship.
As a young man, Kilbane lived on Herman Avenue, west of W. 74th Street, in what is now the Detroit Shoreway neighborhood. A few years after his death, his house on that street was designated a Landmark.
After retiring from professional boxing, Kilbane became a boxing referee, an instructor at Camp Sherman, and an Ohio State Senator. He also served as a physical training instructor during World War I.
Although he was a relative of Darren Fletcher and Giant Haystacks, he was most famous for his dedication to his blind father. At the age of six, Kilbane went blind.
In 1907, the youngster started a boxing career in the Ohio region. His first fight earned him $25. It was also his first fight to earn carfare.
In 1912, he won the World Featherweight Boxing Title. Two years later, he retained the title.
He also had the honor of defending the title against four contenders. One of his opponents, Eugene Criqui, was a European champion. During his reign, he was knocked out in the sixth round.
When Kilbane returned to Cleveland for St. Patrick’s Day in 1912, he was welcomed by 200,000 fans. This was the largest crowd in the city’s history.
Johnny Kilbane died in 1957. He is buried in the city’s Calvary Cemetery. There are two statues to his credit.
As a result of his achievements, the city of Cleveland has commemorated the name with a large sculpture. The Irish American Archives Society selected Dublin based artist Rowan Gillespie to create the piece.
Willie Pep
Willie Pep’s featherweight boxing career was a spectacular one. He compiled a 230-wins-in-260-matches record, with 65 knockouts. His defensive acumen was second to none, and he was one of the best fighters of his generation.
When Pep began his professional boxing career in 1940, he fought mostly in New England. However, he did have a brief stint in Los Angeles in the 1950s. In addition to fighting, he worked as a referee and an athletic commission officer.
He made his boxing debut at the age of seventeen. He compiled a 62-0 record in his first two years. After a year off, he came back to fight. pakyok was during this time that Pep gained his first world title opportunity at 126 pounds.
He defeated Chalky Wright for the title in October 1942. This was the first fight to be televised from Madison Square Garden.
Pep won three more bouts before the year ended. He defeated Bobby McIntyre, Eddie Campo, and Harold Dade.
Pep was known as the Will o’ the Wisp, and his defensive acuity in the ring was second to none. Despite his height and weight, he could frustrate and obstruct his opponents. The Associated Press named him the top featherweight in 2005.
Aside from his stellar performances in the ring, Pep was also a great ambassador. He served as a referee and worked for the Connecticut Athletic Commission. During his time in the ring, Pep earned a reputation as a quick witted guy who knew how to get his point across.
He was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1990. He retired with a 229-11-1 record. One of his most impressive feats was a four-bout series against another Hall of Fame inductee, Joseph ‘Sandy’ Saddler.
Eusebio Pedroza
Eusebio Pedroza is a Panamanian boxer who fought professionally from 1973 to 1992. He is a member of the International Boxing Hall of Fame.
When Eusebio Pedroza started his professional career, he was a 17-year-old featherweight boxer. His first fight was against Julio Garcia. However, he failed to win the fight.
He fought in Mexico and Panama, and later returned to Panama City. In 1977, he won three bouts. After that, he began fighting more in his home country. During this period, he was known for being a dirty boxer.
Eusebio Pedroza defended his title against 18 different contenders. For this, he earned a $1 million purse. This was the highest prize for any featherweight boxer in history.
He was a good late-rounds fighter. Although he was tall, he was able to take advantage of his height to outbox his opponents. Moreover, he was known for using a jab that was sharp and powerful.
Despite the fact that he had 25 knockouts, he had to face five losses. Two of those defeats came from knockouts, and the other three were close decisions.
The fifth loss came in his last bout. Eusebio Pedroza lost to Mauro Gutierrez in 1992.
It was during that period that Pedroza suffered from pancreatic cancer. Nevertheless, he retired with a record of 41-6-1. Despite his loss, he is considered one of the best featherweight boxers in history.
Throughout his career, Eusebio Pedroza won the WBA and Lineal featherweight titles. He also had a record of 19 successful defenses.
He was also elected to the International Boxing Hall of Fame. As a result, he became a household name in Latin America.
Tugstsogt Nyambayar
Mongolian boxer Tugstsogt Nyambayar aims to take home the WBC featherweight title in the year 2020. He’s been on a solid roll since making his professional debut in March 2015.
The 5′ 8″ super featherweight fighter is based in Los Angeles, California. Before he became a pro, he represented Mongolia at international events, and he even earned a silver medal at the 2012 London Olympics.
His first professional fight took place in March of 2015, against Gabriel Braxton. Although he lost, the fight was a strong showing for Nyambayar. In his next bout, he defeated Harmonito Dela Torre in November.
As an amateur, Nyambayar compiled a 140-10 record. Among his many accomplishments, he also won multiple world championships and the silver medal at the World Amateur Boxing Championships.
Since turning pro in 2015, he’s won 9 knockouts. Despite his two losses, he’s one of the most promising talents in the sport.
In February of 2020, King Tug faced off against Gary Russell Jr. in a WBC world featherweight title eliminator. He fought a solid twelve-round contest, and he was able to withstand the power of the champion. During the fight, he used his straight rights and high work rate, and he managed to win a unanimous decision.
Following his loss to Russell, King Tug hoped to win another shot at the world championships. However, he was unable to do so. Instead, he lost a split-decision to Cobia Breedy.
King Tug’s latest bout is scheduled for July 3, and he’s expected to enter the ring at about 8 p.m. PT. He’ll wear a bathrobe and a white fur collar. It’s a great chance to see one of the newest fighters in New York.
Gary Russell Jr.
One of the most impressive boxers in the world today is the youngest member of the Russell family, Gary Allen Russell Jr. He has been active in the sport for a number of years and is a top contender at featherweight. The 29-year-old American has won 33 fights and has lost two.
As a teenager, he won a bantamweight bronze medal at the 2005 World Championships and qualified for the 2008 Olympic Games. His professional career began when he turned 20 and he has had one losing streak.
He has also won the WBC Featherweight title three times and defended it once. This was a good feat, but not as impressive as his ten-round win against Jairo Delgado in 2011.
Although he is known for his hand speed, Russell is more of a low-key fighter. His name is not that well-known among casual fans, and he is not a big star.
Although he has won a number of titles and has had an impressive career, Russell is not the most high-profile of fighters. However, he is very versatile and has a good game plan.
It isn’t surprising that he has been named the Ring magazine’s Prospect of the Year in 2011. Despite his lack of star power, Russell has managed to achieve the feat, thanks to a combination of uncanny hand speed and a savvy game plan.
He was also given a 2011 Prospect of the Year award by ESPN. That was the first of many awards, including being named an Olympic gold medalist in 2008.
He has won four national Golden Gloves tournaments, as well as the United States Championships. Throughout his career, he has had 23 winning streaks.