Herol Graham

Herol Graham (born 13 September 1959) is a British former professional boxer who competed from 1978 to 1998. A three-time world title challenger, he is generally acknowledged as one of the best British boxers of the post-war era to have never won a world championship.<ref name="voice2013">Template:Cite web</ref> He beat Champions Lindell Holmes, Ayub Kalule and Vinny Pazienza.

Amateur career

Highlights

1976 Junior World Welterweight Champion (beat John Mugabi in final)

1977 Senior ABA Light-Middleweight finalist (lost to Steve Hopkin)

1978 Senior ABA Middleweight Champion

Professional career

In 1978, after winning the ABA middleweight title, Graham turned professional, fighting out of Brendan Ingle's gym in the Wincobank area of Sheffield.

Graham went undefeated in his first 38 fights, winning the British, Commonwealth and European light-middleweight titles, as well as the British and European middleweight titles. He eventually lost his unbeaten record defending his European middleweight title against future world champion Sumbu Kalambay in 1987. Graham would go on to fight for world titles twice at middleweight and once at super middleweight. In his first attempt, challenging for the vacant WBA middleweight title, he took Mike McCallum to a close split decision; points deducted for a punch to the back of McCallum's head ended up costing Graham the verdict. A year later, in another world title challenge, he lost to Julian Jackson for the vacant WBC middleweight title. After outclassing Jackson for nearly 4 rounds, Graham was knocked out cold before he hit the canvas by the now-famous devastating right cross known as the 'Punch of the Century'.<ref name="voice2013" />

Four years of inactivity were followed by an unexpected comeback in which Graham put together a series of victories to gain a last shot at a world title in March 1998. Challenging Charles Brewer for his IBF super middleweight title, Graham was stopped in the tenth round. Following this he retired from the ring and now lives in London, working as a personal trainer and specialising in boxing-based exercises.

In February 2009, Graham's son was injured in what police described as a "targeted shooting" at Westfield, Sheffield.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Graham released his autobiography entitled Bomber: Behind the Laughter in 2011.<ref name="voice2013" />

Graham has ongoing mental health issues from boxing injuries.<ref name=independent/>

Personal life

Graham's parents are Jamaican.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Professional boxing record

Template:Abbr	Result	Record	Opponent	Type	Round, time	Date	Location	Notes
54	Template:No2Loss	48–6	Charles Brewer	TKO	10 (12)	28 Mar 1998	Template:Small	Template:Small
53	Template:Yes2Win	48–5	Vinny Pazienza	UD	12	6 Dec 1997	Template:Small	Template:Small
52	Template:Yes2Win	47–5	Chris Johnson	TKO	8 (12), Template:Small	12 Jul 1997	Template:Small	Template:Small
51	Template:Yes2Win	46–5	Craig Joseph	PTS	8	4 Mar 1997	Template:Small
50	Template:Yes2Win	45–5	Terry Ford	PTS	8	26 Nov 1996	Template:Small
49	Template:No2Loss	44–5	Frank Grant	TKO	9 (12), Template:Small	23 Sep 1992	Template:Small	Template:Small
48	Template:No2Loss	44–4	Sumbu Kalambay	UD	12	12 Mar 1992	Template:Small	Template:Small
47	Template:Yes2Win	44–3	John Ashton	TKO	6 (12), Template:Small	10 Dec 1991	Template:Small	Template:Small
46	Template:No2Loss	43–3	Julian Jackson	KO	4 (12), Template:Small	24 Nov 1990	Template:Small	Template:Small
45	Template:Yes2Win	43–2	Ismael Negron	KO	3 (10), Template:Small	11 Apr 1990	Template:Small
44	Template:Yes2Win	42–2	Rod Douglas	RTD	9 (12)	25 Oct 1989	Template:Small	Template:Small
43	Template:No2Loss	41–2	Mike McCallum	Template:Abbr	12	10 May 1989	Template:Small	Template:Small
42	Template:Yes2Win	41–1	Johnny Melfah	TKO	5 (12)	23 Nov 1988	Template:Small	Template:Small
41	Template:Yes2Win	40–1	James Cook	TKO	5 (12)	8 Jun 1988	Template:Small	Template:Small
40	Template:Yes2Win	39–1	Ricky Stackhouse	TKO	8 (10), Template:Small	5 Dec 1987	Template:Small
39	Template:No2Loss	38–1	Sumbu Kalambay	Template:Abbr	12	26 May 1987	Template:Small	Template:Small
38	Template:Yes2Win	38–0	Charles Boston	TKO	7 (10)	17 Jan 1987	Template:Small
37	Template:Yes2Win	37–0	Mark Kaylor	RTD	8 (12)	4 Nov 1986	Template:Small	Template:Small
36	Template:Yes2Win	36–0	Ernie Rabotte	TKO	1 (10), Template:Small	23 Jun 1986	Template:Small
35	Template:Yes2Win	35–0	Ayub Kalule	TKO	10 (12), Template:Small	5 Feb 1986	Template:Small	Template:Small
34	Template:Yes2Win	34–0	Sanderline Williams	PTS	10	3 Dec 1985	Template:Small
33	Template:Yes2Win	33–0	Roberto Justino Ruiz	TKO	2 (10), Template:Small	16 Oct 1985	Template:Small
32	Template:Yes2Win	32–0	Jimmy Price	KO	1 (12)	24 Apr 1985	Template:Small	Template:Small
31	Template:Yes2Win	31–0	Rose Rosemain	KO	5 (10), Template:Small	6 Mar 1985	Template:Small
30	Template:Yes2Win	30–0	Liam Coleman	TKO	3 (8), Template:Small	26 Nov 1984	Template:Small
29	Template:Yes2Win	29–0	Jose Seys	TKO	6 (10), Template:Small	16 Oct 1984	Template:Small
28	Template:Yes2Win	28–0	Irving Hines	KO	2 (10)	25 Sep 1984	Template:Small
27	Template:Yes2Win	27–0	Lindell Holmes	TKO	5 (10)	22 Jul 1984	Template:Small
26	Template:Yes2Win	26–0	Germain Le Maitre	TKO	8 (12)	9 Dec 1983	Template:Small	Template:Small
25	Template:Yes2Win	25–0	Carlos Betancourt	KO	1 (10)	11 Oct 1983	Template:Small
24	Template:Yes2Win	24–0	Clement Tshinza	Template:Abbr	2 (12), Template:Small	23 May 1983	Template:Small	Template:Small
23	Template:Yes2Win	23–0	Tony Nelson	RTD	5 (10)	15 Mar 1983	Template:Small
22	Template:Yes2Win	22–0	Hunter Clay	PTS	15	30 Sep 1982	Template:Small	Template:Small
21	Template:Yes2Win	21–0	Fred Coranson	PTS	10	22 Apr 1982	Template:Small
20	Template:Yes2Win	20–0	Chris Christian	TKO	9 (15), Template:Small	24 Feb 1982	Template:Small	Template:Small
19	Template:Yes2Win	19–0	Kenny Bristol	PTS	15	25 Nov 1981	Template:Small	Template:Small
18	Template:Yes2Win	18–0	Prince Rodney	TKO	1 (10), Template:Small	17 Jun 1981	Template:Small
17	Template:Yes2Win	17–0	Pat Thomas	PTS	15	24 Mar 1981	Template:Small	Template:Small
16	Template:Yes2Win	16–0	Lancelot Innis	PTS	10	22 Jan 1981	Template:Small
15	Template:Yes2Win	15–0	Larry Mayes	TKO	4 (10), Template:Small	30 Oct 1980	Template:Small
14	Template:Yes2Win	14–0	Joey Mack	PTS	8	9 Sep 1980	Template:Small
13	Template:Yes2Win	13–0	George Danahar	PTS	8	22 Apr 1980	Template:Small
12	Template:Yes2Win	12–0	Glen McEwan	PTS	8	12 Feb 1980	Template:Small
11	Template:Yes2Win	11–0	Errol McKenzie	PTS	8	27 Nov 1979	Template:Small
10	Template:Yes2Win	10–0	Billy Ahearne	TKO	3 (8)	27 Oct 1979	Template:Small
9	Template:Yes2Win	9–0	Lloyd James	PTS	8	26 Sep 1979	Template:Small
8	Template:Yes2Win	8–0	Gordon George	PTS	8	16 May 1979	Template:Small
7	Template:Yes2Win	7–0	Mac Nicholson	PTS	8	27 Apr 1979	Template:Small
6	Template:Yes2Win	6–0	George Walker	PTS	8	27 Mar 1979	Template:Small
5	Template:Yes2Win	5–0	Dave Southwell	PTS	8	28 Feb 1979	Template:Small
4	Template:Yes2Win	4–0	Dave Southwell	PTS	8	12 Feb 1979	Template:Small
3	Template:Yes2Win	3–0	Jimmy Roberts	Template:Abbr	2 (6)	22 Jan 1979	Template:Small
2	Template:Yes2Win	2–0	Curtis Marsh	Template:Abbr	1 (6)	4 Dec 1978	Template:Small
1	Template:Yes2Win	1–0	Vivian Waite	Template:Abbr	6	28 Nov 1978	Template:Small

External links

• Template:Official website
• Template:Boxrec