Cleveland "Big Cat" Williams (June 30, 1933 – September 10, 1999) was an American professional boxer. A poll in The Ring magazine rated him as one of the finest boxers never to win a title.
Early life Born in Griffin, Georgia, Williams started working at a pulpwood mill at the age of 13, and began his professional boxing career in his home state just a year later. He reported winning four of his first six fights, but was barred from competing until he turned 18 after an official learned of his age.
Early boxing career Williams turned professional in 1951 and fought many of the best heavyweights of his era. During the late 1950s and early 1960s, the 6 ft 2 inBoxRec , Cleveland Williams. Williams was a top-rated heavyweight. His quest to obtain a title fight, however, was consistently derailed. First he was knocked out in the third round by Sonny Liston on April 15, 1959. Williams recovered from the Liston fight to score more wins, but was again stopped by Liston in two rounds in their rematch on March 21, 1960. His quest for the title was later stalled when he was held to a draw by Eddie Machen on July 10, 1962, and when he dropped a split decision on March 13, 1963, to Ernie Terrell, a fighter he had previously knocked out in seven rounds in 1962. During this time frame, he defeated Billy Daniels.
Police shooting incident On the evening of November 29, 1964, during the height of the civil unrest of the American Civil Rights Movement, a car driven by Williams was stopped near Houston, Texas, by highway Patrolman Dale Witten, who stated afterwards Williams was speeding. According to the police report Williams resisted arrest, and the officer's .357 magnum revolver went off during an ensuing struggle, hitting Williams in the stomach and lodging in his right hip. Williams underwent four operations over the subsequent seven months to address injuries to his colon and right kidney. The right kidney ultimately had to be removed in June 1965. Doctors could not extract the bullet, which had broken his right hip joint and caused partial paralysis of some of the hip's muscles, over of his small intestine had to be removed, and nerve damage affected his left leg above the knee and caused it to atrophy as a result. Hugh Benbow, his manager, and Sonny Liston, former world champion, visited Cleveland Williams in the hospital. After his partial recovery Williams was fined $50 and briefly jailed after pleading no contest to charges arising from the incident. (Patrolman Witten visited Williams to wish him luck the day before his 1966 fight with Muhammad Ali, with both men saying they had "no hard feelings" toward the other).
Recovery and return to boxing The injury, surgeries and subsequent convalescence caused Williams to lose over 60 pounds (27 kg), and over 17 months of his career. He regained his weight and strength by tossing 80-pound (36 kg) bales of hay daily on a cattle ranch till he had regained his fighting weight and physique. On February 8, 1966, Williams received a standing ovation from the Houston crowd as he returned to the ring, and knocked out Ben Black in the first round.
Williams challenged for the heavyweight championship against Muhammad Ali on November 14, 1966, but was badly outclassed, and was knocked down twice in the third round ending the match. Williams retired from boxing after the 1966 Championship defeat, but later made a comeback. Although able to defeat journeymen fighters, he suffered several knockout losses before retiring permanently in 1972.
Later life The Ring in the 1980s reported he worked as a forklift truck driver in his later years.
Death On September 3, 1999, Williams was knocked down by a car in a hit and run while walking across a street in Houston, Texas; he died of his injuries at Ben Taub Hospital on September 10, 1999, at the age of 66. Williams was buried in Paradise North Cemetery in Houston.
Tributes He ended his career with a record of 82 wins (62 KOs), 13 losses and 2 draws. During an interview after his retirement, George Foreman described Williams as having one of the three hardest punches he had experienced professionally, also stating that he and Williams had been sparring partners early in their careers. George Chuvalo also said Williams was one of the hardest punchers he had faced in his own professional career. Williams, aged 38, lost by decision to veteran Chuvalo over 10 rounds at the Astrodome in Houston, Texas, in November 1971. Sonny Liston stated Williams was the hardest puncher he'd ever been in the ring with.
In 2003 Williams was ranked 49th in The Rings list of 100 greatest punchers of all time.
Professional boxing record
ResultRecordOpponentTypeRound, timeDateAgeLocationNotes97Win Roberto DavilaUD10Oct 28, 197396Win81–13–2 Bob MashburnKO9 (10), Jul 10, 197295Win80–13–2 Terry DanielsUD12May 11, 197294Loss79–13–2 George ChuvaloUD10Nov 17, 197193Loss79–12–2 Jack O'HalloranSD10Sep 21, 197192Win79–11–2 Ted GullickMD10Apr 28, 197191Loss78–11–2 Alvin LewisTKO4 (10), Oct 21, 197090Win78–10–2 Roberto DavilaUD10May 26, 197089Win77–10–2 Eddie BrooksTKO1 (12), Apr 14, 197088Win76–10–2 Leroy CaldwellTKO10 (10)Dec 9, 196987Loss75–10–2 Mac FosterTKO3 (10), Nov 18, 196986Loss75–9–2 Mac FosterTKO5 (10), Sep 13, 196985Loss75–8–2 Al JonesTKO8 (10), May 20, 196984Win75–7–2 Charley PoliteUD10Mar 18, 196983Loss74–7–2 Bob ClerouxUD10Nov 21, 196882Win74–6–2 Moses HarrellTKO7 (10), Oct 7, 196881Win73–6–2 Jean RoyUD10Aug 6, 196880Win72–6–2 Leslie BordenKO1 (10)Jun 25, 196879Win71–6–2 Mike BruceKO1 (10), Jun 11, 196878Win70–6–2 Roy CrearKO1 (10)May 21, 196877Loss69–6–2 Muhammad AliTKO3 (15), Nov 14, 196676Win69–5–2 Tod HerringTKO3 (10), Jun 28, 196675Win68–5–2 Sonny MooreUD10Apr 19, 196674Win67–5–2 Mel TurnbowUD10Mar 22, 196673Win66–5–2 Ben BlackKO1 (10)Feb 8, 196672Win65–5–2 Billy DanielsUD10Sep 30, 196471Win64–5–2 Sonny BanksTKO6 (10)Jul 21, 196470Win63–5–2 Tommy FieldsUD10Apr 7, 196469Win62–5–2 Roger RischerKO3 (10)Oct 8, 196368Win61–5–2 Kirk BarrowKO3 (10), Aug 13, 196367Loss60–5–2 Ernie TerrellSD10Apr 13, 196366Win60–4–2 Young Jack JohnsonTKO10 (10)Apr 2, 196365Win59–4–2 Billy DanielsUD10Mar 9, 196364Win58–4–2 Dave BaileyKO5 (10), Oct 23, 196263Draw57–4–2 Eddie MachenPTS10Jul 10, 196262Win57–4–1 Alonzo JohnsonKO1 (10)May 15, 196261Win56–4–1 Ernie TerrellTKO7 (10), Apr 3, 196260Win55–4–1 James WileyKO1 (10)Dec 19, 196159Win54–4–1 Alex MiteffTKO5 (10), May 16, 196158Win53–4–1 Wayne BetheaUD10Feb 7, 196157Win52–4–1 Johnny HaydenKO2 (10)Dec 7, 196056Win51–4–1 George MooreKO4 (10)Nov 1, 196055Win50–4–1 Ben MarshallKO2 (10)Oct 24, 196054Loss49–4–1 Sonny ListonTKO2 (10), Mar 21, 196053Win49–3–1 Curley LeeKO10 (10), Oct 14, 195952Win48–3–1 Ernie CabKO8 (10), May 26, 195951Loss47–3–1 Sonny ListonTKO3 (10), Apr 15, 195950Win47–2–1 Ollie WilsonKO3 (10)Jan 13, 195949Win46–2–1 Howie TurnerPTS10Dec 9, 195848Win45–2–1 Frankie DanielsUD10Jun 3, 195847Win44–2–1 Dick RichardsonDQ4 (10)Mar 25, 195846Win43–2–1 Gene WhiteTKO1 (10), Feb 4, 195845Win42–2–1 Frankie DanielsUD10Dec 3, 195744Win41–2–1 John HolmanKO7 (10)Oct 15, 195743Win40–2–1 Bob AlbrightKO7 (10)Sep 17, 195742Win39–2–1 Clifford GrayKO1 (10)Jul 23, 195741Win38–2–1 J.D. MarshallTKO2 (10), Jul 15, 195740Win37–2–1 Johnny MasonKO1 (10)Jun 11, 195739Win36–2–1 Johnny HollinsTKO3 (10)Aug 6, 195638Loss35–2–1 Bob SatterfieldKO3 (10), Jun 22, 195437Win35–1–1 Sylvester JonesKO6 (10)Jun 8, 195436Win34–1–1 Jimmy WallsTKO1 (10), Mar 9, 195435Win33–1–1 Jack WalshKO8 (10)Nov 10, 195334Win32–1–1 Bo WillisKO2 (10)Oct 20, 195333Win31–1–1 Claude RolfeKO3 (10), Oct 1, 195332Loss30–1–1 Sylvester JonesPTS4Sep 24, 195331Win30–0–1 Keene SimmonsUD10Sep 1, 195330Win29–0–1 Omelio AgramonteUD10May 12, 195329Win28–0–1 Bob GarnerKO7 (10)Mar 31, 195328Win27–0–1 Ponce de LeonKO2 (10)Mar 24, 195327Win26–0–1 Terry O'ConnorTKO3 (8)Mar 12, 195326Win25–0–1 Ponce de LeonPTS8Mar 4, 195325Win24–0–1 Abie GibsonKO1 (10), Jan 13, 195324Win23–0–1 Graveyard WaltersKO2 (10)Dec 8, 195223Win22–0–1 Claude RolfeKO9 (10), Nov 25, 195222Win21–0–1 Johnny HollinsKO1 (10), Oct 3, 195221Win20–0–1 Joe McFaddenTKO3 (6), Sep 23, 195220Win19–0–1 Art HenriTKO8 (10), Sep 16, 195219Win18–0–1 Roosevelt HolmesKO1 (10), Sep 12, 195218Win17–0–1 Baby BoozeKO1 (6)Sep 2, 195217Win16–0–1 Candy McDanielsKO2 (10)Aug 12, 195216Win15–0–1 Sam HaroldKO4 (6)Jul 25, 195215Win14–0–1 Lee RaymondTKO5 (10)Jul 22, 195214Win13–0–1 Jimmy FeltonKO3 (8)Jul 8, 195213Win12–0–1 Eddie Joe WilliamsKO1 (8)Jun 24, 195212Win11–0–1 Harry TurnerKO1 (8)Jun 17, 195211Win10–0–1 Paul FavoriteKO4 (10)Jun 10, 195210Win9–0–1 Ray BrownKO3 (6)May 28, 19529Win8–0–1 Johnny FowlerKO5 (6)Apr 15, 19528Win7–0–1 Ray BanksKO1 (6)Mar 28, 19527Win6–0–1 Roosevelt HolmesUD6Feb 29, 19526Win5–0–1 Rudolph WoodKO2 (4)Feb 26, 19525Win4–0–1 Ray BanksTKO1 (6)Feb 15, 19524Win3–0–1 Lee HuntKO2 (4)Dec 11, 19513Draw2–0–1 Dan BolstonPTS4Nov 16, 19492Win2–0 Phillip NelsonTKO3 (4)Jun 30, 19491Win1–0 Al WilliamsTKO2 (4)Mar 25, 1949
References
External links
Brief Lives - Cleveland Williams from Hannibal Boxing