Cornelius Boza-Edwards

Cornelius Boza-Edwards (born Cornelius Bbosa; 27 May 1956) is a former professional boxer who is the former WBC Super Featherweight champion of the world.<ref>www.observer.ug/component/content/article?id=19030:-ex-world-champ-boza-humbled-by-hospitality</ref> Born in Kampala, Uganda, he fought in both the super-featherweight and lightweight divisions. He emigrated from Uganda to England, where he lived for a long period. He now lives in the United States, where he trains other boxers.

Amateur career

Boza-Edwards started boxing at the age of nine in Uganda alongside other notable fighters such as Ayub Kalule and John Mugabi. He moved to England with his mentor Jack Edwards and continued to box firstly with the New Enterprise club in Tottenham and then the Fitzroy Lodge club in South London. He boxed for England but was overlooked for selection for the Olympic team after being beaten on points by Pat Cowdell in the 1976 ABA championships.

Boza-Edwards was given another opportunity when he was scheduled to compete as a featherweight boxer for Uganda in the 1976 Montreal Olympics. However, Uganda boycotted the Montreal Olympics, as did many other African countries. The boycott deprived him of the chance of competing in the Olympics.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Professional career

In 1976, Boza-Edwards turned professional with Mickey Duff as his manager and George Francis as his trainer. He changed his surname to Boza on the recommendation of Mickey Duff. As it was an easier name for the fans to remember and added Edwards out of respect for Jack Edwards his mentor.<ref>Mickey Duff "Twenty & Out" HarperCollins 1999 Template:ISBN</ref>

Boza-Edwards won his first nine fights before suffering a loss to Des Gwilliam when he suffered a cut eye. He then went on an 18-fight winning streak and was offered a fight as a substitute against Alexis Arguello. He put up a spirited performance before being retired by his corner at the end of the eighth round. Arguello praised Boza-Edwards and said that he thought that he would become the champion after he had moved up in weight to the lightweight division. Boza-Edwards was actually boxing in the lightweight division at the time but moved down to the super-featherweight division.

WBC Super-Featherweight Champion

In 1981, Boza-Edwards won the WBC World Super-Featherweight Title from Rafael "Bazooka" Limón with a fifteen-round decision at Stockton, California. Limón, a Mexican, had made his infamous "You know what happens to British boxers when they face Mexicans" comment. In reference to the fight between Lupe Pintor and Johnny Owen, after which Owen had died.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

He defeated Bobby Chacon after he retired at the end of the thirteenth round in his first and only successful defence. He lost the title three months later in an upset to Rolando Navarrete, by knockout in round five. Navarrete had come in as a late substitute for Limón and shocked Boza-Edwards by knocking him down three times, the final time he was counted out.

Later career

In 1982, Boza-Edwards won the European Super-featherweight title by defeating Carlos Hernandez of Spain after he retired in the fourth round. He then based himself in the United States and became a favourite on the television networks with his aggressive style of fighting.

He was meant to fight Bobby Chacon for the WBC World Super-Featherweight Title in 1983 but boxing politics meant that the WBC withdrew recognition of the fight, which went ahead anyway. Chacon won on points in a fight where both fighters were knocked down but needed 40 stitches afterwards. The fight was voted The Ring magazine Fight of the Year 1983. Following his loss to Chacon he fought Rocky Lockridge the former WBA super-featherweight champion and lost on points over ten rounds.

Boza-Edwards moved up to the lightweight division and earned a title shot against Héctor Camacho in 1986 for the WBC World Lightweight Title which he lost by decision over twelve rounds. His final shot at the title was in 1987 against José Luis Ramírez in Paris and he was knocked out in the fifth round of a fight for the WBC World Lightweight Title. Following this defeat he retired from boxing and became a trainer.

Personal life

Boza-Edwards first wife Jackie died from kidney failure six months after giving birth to their daughter Michelle in the UK. He was nearly lost to the sport of boxing as a result of his grief but decided to continue.<ref name = "George Francis">George Francis Trainer of champions Mainstream Publishing 1998 Template:ISBN</ref> He remarried after relocating to the US and he and his wife Rumiko have two daughters, Dominique and Jenna.

Mayweather Boxing Club

Boza-Edwards now runs the Mayweather Boxing Club in Las Vegas, NV.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> He was inducted into the Nevada Boxing Hall of fame in 2014<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Professional boxing record

Result	Record	Opponent	Type	Round, time	Date	Location	Notes
Template:No2Loss	Template:Nowrap	Template:Flagicon José Luis Ramírez	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Flagicon Template:Small	Template:Small
Template:Yes2Win	45–6–1	Template:Flagicon Ali Kareem Muhammad	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Flagicon Template:Small
Template:No2Loss	44–6–1	Template:Flagicon Héctor Camacho	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Flagicon Template:Small	Template:Small
Template:DrawDraw	44–5–1	Template:Flagicon Terrence Alli	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Flagicon Template:Small
Template:Yes2Win	44–5	Template:Flagicon John Montes	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Flagicon Template:Small
Template:Yes2Win	43–5	Template:Flagicon Melvin Paul	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Flagicon Template:Small
Template:Yes2Win	42–5	Template:Flagicon Gary Gamble	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Flagicon Template:Small
Template:Yes2Win	41–5	Template:Flagicon Charlie Brown	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Flagicon Template:Small
Template:Yes2Win	40–5	Template:Flagicon Guy Villegas	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Flagicon Template:Small
Template:Yes2Win	39–5	Template:Flagicon Trevor Evelyn	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Flagicon Template:Small
Template:No2Loss	38–5	Template:Flagicon Rocky Lockridge	Template:Small	Template:Small	Sep 9, 1983	Template:Flagicon Template:Small
Template:No2Loss	38–4	Template:Flagicon Bobby Chacon	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Flagicon Template:Small	Template:Small
Template:Yes2Win	38–3	Template:Flagicon Pedro Laza	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Flagicon Template:Small
Template:Yes2Win	37–3	Template:Flagicon Blaine Dickson	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Flagicon Template:Small
Template:Yes2Win	36–3	Template:Flagicon Roberto Elizondo	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Flagicon Template:Small
Template:Yes2Win	35–3	Template:Flagicon John Verderosa	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Flagicon Template:Small
Template:Yes2Win	34–3	Template:Flagicon Carlos Hernandez	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Flagicon Template:Small	Template:Small
Template:Yes2Win	33–3	Template:Flagicon Arturo Leon	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Flagicon Template:Small
Template:Yes2Win	32–3	Template:Flagicon Juan Carlos Álvarez	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Flagicon Template:Small
Template:No2Loss	31–3	Template:Flagicon Rolando Navarrete	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Flagicon Template:Small	Template:Small
Template:Yes2Win	31–2	Template:Flagicon Bobby Chacon	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Flagicon Template:Small	Template:Small
Template:Yes2Win	30–2	Template:Flagicon Rafael Limón	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Flagicon Template:Small	Template:Small
Template:Yes2Win	29–2	Template:Flagicon Ramon Contreras	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Flagicon Template:Small
Template:Yes2Win	28–2	Template:Flagicon Roberto Torres	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Flagicon Template:Small
Template:No2Loss	27–2	Template:Flagicon Alexis Argüello	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Flagicon Template:Small
Template:Yes2Win	27–1	Template:Flagicon Jose Manuel Velazquez	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Flagicon Template:Small
Template:Yes2Win	26–1	Template:Flagicon Ronnie Green	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Flagicon Template:Small
Template:Yes2Win	25–1	Template:Flagicon Jerome Artis	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Flagicon Template:Small
Template:Yes2Win	24–1	Template:Flagicon Benny Marquez	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Flagicon Template:Small
Template:Yes2Win	23–1	Template:Flagicon James Washington	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Flagicon Template:Small
Template:Yes2Win	22–1	Template:Flagicon Fili Ramirez	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Flagicon Template:Small
Template:Yes2Win	21–1	Template:Flagicon Jose Luis Gonzalez	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Flagicon Template:Small
Template:Yes2Win	20–1	Template:Flagicon Fernando Jimenez	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Flagicon Template:Small
Template:Yes2Win	19–1	Template:Flagicon Godfrey Mwamba	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Flagicon Template:Small
Template:Yes2Win	18–1	Template:Flagicon Pedro Jimenez	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Flagicon Template:Small
Template:Yes2Win	17–1	Template:Flagicon Frankie Moultrie	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Flagicon Template:Small
Template:Yes2Win	16–1	Template:Flagicon Georges Cotin	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Flagicon Template:Small
Template:Yes2Win	15–1	Template:Flagicon Godfrey Mwamba	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Flagicon Template:Small
Template:Yes2Win	14–1	Template:Flagicon George Feeney	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Flagicon Template:Small
Template:Yes2Win	13–1	Template:Flagicon Ethem Oezakalin	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Flagicon Template:Small
Template:Yes2Win	12–1	Template:Flagicon Carlos Foldes	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Flagicon Template:Small
Template:Yes2Win	11–1	Template:Flagicon Dil Collins	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Flagicon Template:Small
Template:Yes2Win	10–1	Template:Flagicon Bingo Crooks	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Flagicon Template:Small
Template:No2Loss	9–1	Template:Flagicon Des Gwilliam	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Flagicon Template:Small
Template:Yes2Win	9–0	Template:Flagicon Mario Oliveira	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Flagicon Template:Small
Template:Yes2Win	8–0	Template:Flagicon Tommy Glencross	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Flagicon Template:Small
Template:Yes2Win	7–0	Template:Flagicon Billy Vivian	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Flagicon Template:Small
Template:Yes2Win	6–0	Template:Flagicon Godfrey Butler	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Flagicon Template:Small
Template:Yes2Win	5–0	Template:Flagicon George McGurk	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Flagicon Template:Small
Template:Yes2Win	4–0	Template:Flagicon Danny Connolly	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Flagicon Template:Small
Template:Yes2Win	3–0	Template:Flagicon Tommy Wright	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Flagicon Template:Small
Template:Yes2Win	2–0	Template:Flagicon Paul Clemit	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Flagicon Template:Small
Template:Yes2Win	1–0	Template:Flagicon Barry Price	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Flagicon Template:Small	Template:Small

See also

• List of super-featherweight boxing champions

External links

• Template:Boxrec