Lloyd Honeyghan
Titles: WBC/IBF welterweight champion 1986-1987, WBC welterweight
champion 1988-1989
Record: 43-5
Born: April 22, 1960 in St. Elizabeth, Jamaica
Years active: 1980-1995
Nickname: Ragamuffin Man
Honeyghan is most remembered for his shocking upset of the at the time
"pound for pound best fighter" and seemingly unbeatable Donald Curry, but
his accomplishments merit more. Honeyghan was a brawler with a self belief
in himself that bordered on the insane. A aggressive non stop style that
featured good body work marked his assention through the ranks of England
and then to the world championship. Honeyghan was born in Jamaica but
raised in Britain and learned his trade at the Bermondsey Fisher Club and
represented England in amateur International competition and won the
London championship. Honeyghan fought in club shows before getting a
chance in a title fight eliminator for British honors against Cliff Gilpin.
The fight featured Honeyghan visiting the canvas in the second round but
he battled back to win a deserved points decision and was on his way to
wining 3 British and European belts before challenging for world title
honors. Honeyghan was so confident that he would beat Curry he was quoted
as saying "I am not going to watch any more videos of him because I keep
seeing flaws. Curry should wait til I move up in weight, I might ruin him!".
And Honeyghan was right he didruin Curry. The fight was a one sided one with
Curry staying on his stool after the referee stopped the fight after the
6th round. In less than 3 rounds Honeyghan had broken Curry's nose, opened
up a cut that required 20 stitches and torn his Curry's lip wide open. The
strong Honeyghan made Curry do something no other fighter had managed to do,
he made him back up and forced him to fight off the ropes while Honeyghan
bobbed his head and matched Curry in the jab department. Honeyghan also put
his money where his mouth was and bet $25,000 on himself at 5-1 odds.
Honeyghan now made 3 successful defenses including a 45 second blowout of
Gene Hatcher in Spain and a beautifully boxed points win over Maurice
Blocker. Honeyghan taking a stand against apartheid gave up his WBA crown
rather than defend against South African Harold Volbrecht. The WBC title
was lost when he lost a technical decision to Jorge Vaca. A rematch that
went the distance saw Honeyghan dominate Vaca with a all out attack and
hold on to the title for another year. The title would be lost for good
when Honeyghan damaged a nerve in face early in the fight against the very
talented Marlon Starling and suffer a 9th round TKO. A bad loss to Mark
Breland ended the days of Honeyghan as a world champion contender. Still
Honeyghan fought on and notched victories at the British and European level,
winning the British jr. middleweight title and defeating future world
champion Gianfranco Rosi for the European version of that crown. Honeyghan's
career in all was a memorable one and his in and out of the ring flamboyance
earned the sport many new fans in England.
Lloyd Honeyghan
Career Record: 43 W, 5 L (21 K.O's)
1980
Dec 8 Mike Sullivan Kensington, England KO 5
1981
Jan 20 Dai Davies Bethnal, England KO 5
Feb 10 Dave Sullivan Bethnal, England W 6
Nov 16 Dave Finigan Mayfair, England KO 1
Nov 23 Alan Cooper Wembley, England KO 4
1982
Jan 25 Dave Finigan Mayfair, England KO 2
Feb 9 Granville Allen Kensington, England KO 5
Mar 2 Tommy McCallum Mayfair, England W 6
Mar 15 Derek MacKenzie Mayfair, England KO 6
Mar 23 Dave Sullivan Bethnal, England KO 3
May 18 Kostos Petrou Bethnal, England W 8
Sep 22 Ian "Kid" Murray Mayfair, England KO 3
Nov 22 Frank McCord Mayfair, England KO 1
1983
Jan 18 Lloyd Hibbert Kensington, England W 10
Mar 1 Sid Smith Kensington, England KO 4
Apr 5 Cliff Gilpin Kensington, England W 12
Jul 9 Kevin Austin Chicago KO 10
Oct 24 Harold Brazier Mayfair, England W 10
Dec 6 Cliff Gilpin Kensington, England W 12
1984
Jun 5 Roberto Menez Kensington, England W 8
1985
Jan 5 Gianfranco Rosi Perouse, Italy KO 3
Feb 12 R.W. Smith Kensington, England KO 6
Mar 6 Roger Stafford Kensington, England KO 9
Aug 30 Danny Paul Atlantic City W 10
Oct 1 Ralph Twinning Wembley, England KO 4
Nov 27 Sylvester Mittee Muswell Hill, England KO 8
1986
May 20 Horace Shufford Wembley, England KO 8
Sep 27 Donald Curry Atlantic City KO 7
(Wins World Welterweight Title)
Abandons WBA Title)
1987
Feb 22 Johnny Bumphus Wembley, England KO 2
(Retains World Welterweight Title)
Apr 18 Maurice Blocker Kensington, England W 12
(Retains World Welterweight Title)
Aug 30 Gene Hatcher Marbella, Spain KO 1
(Retains World Welterweight Title)
Oct 28 Jorge Vaca London Tech L 8
(Loses World Welterweight Title)
1988
Mar 29 Jorge Vaca Wembley, England KO 3
(Regains World Welterweight Title)
Jul 29 Young-Kil Chung Atlantic City KO 5
(Retains World Welterweight Title)
1989
Feb 4 Marlon Starling Las Vegas KO by 9
(Loses World Welterweight Title)
Aug 24 Delfino Marin Tampa, FL W 10
1990
Mar 3 Mark Breland Wembley, England KO by 3
(For WBA Welterweight Title)
1991
Jan 10 Mario Olmedo Battersea, England KO 4
Feb 12 John Welterweight Wolverhampton, England KO 1
May 8 Darryl Anthony Kensington, England KO 2
1992
Apr 22 Alfredo Ramirez Wembley, England W 8
May 13 Mickey Duncan Kensington, England KO 2
Oct 28 Carlo Colarusso Kensington, England KO 6
1993
Jan 30 Mickey Hughes Brentwood, England KO 5
Jun 26 Vinnie Pazienza Atlantic City KO by 10
Nov 2 Steve Goodwin London KO 6
1994
Feb 26 Kevin Adamson London KO 6
1995
Feb 25 Adrian Dodson Millwall, England KO by 3