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George Chaplin (boxer)

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George Chaplin
Born
Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.
Statistics
Weight classHeavyweight
Weight(s)215 lb (98 kg)
Height6 ft (183 cm)
Boxing record
Total fights34
Wins23
Wins by KO10
Losses9
Draws2

George Chaplin (born 1951) is a retired American heavyweight boxer from Baltimore, Maryland.

Early life

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Chaplin is a 1968 graduate of Dunbar High School and earned a degree in physical education from Morgan State University. He served four years in the Air Force before focusing on boxing while working as a repairman of air conditioners and refrigerators in Thailand.[1][2]

He was a regular at Mack Lewis' Broadway gym on Eager Street in Baltimore. During his boxing career, Chaplin worked part time at Lutheran Hospital as an orthopedic technician.[3][4] Dr. Sussman, chief of orthopedics and member of trainer Mack Lewis' gym, offered the job at the hospital and teamed up with Vince Cala to promote fights to assist with advancing Chaplin's career.[5]

Amateur career

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Chaplin was one of ten Maryland boxers to compete in an international match against Canadian boxers in a 1975 tune up to the Olympics. He defeated George Powell to lift the Americans to a victory of 7-3. Proceeds from the fight went to the U.S. Olympic Fund.[6][7] Later that year, in November, Chaplin and nine other U.S. boxers defeated a Russian team 6-4 at Madison Square Garden. He defeated Leningrad's Serge Plisov by decision despite being knocked down for the first time.[8][9]

The South Atlantic Association honored Chaplin with the outstanding boxer award February 8, 1976 after two victories in international competition against the Russians.[10] In March, Chaplin headlined a 14-bout amateur boxing card for Olympic hopefuls.[11]

Professional career

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Known as an undersized clever, cagey, elusive, slipper and slider, defensive-minded counterpuncher, Chaplin debuted as a professional on July 29, 1976. The fight took place at the Civic Center in his hometown. He knocked out Johnny Blaine in the second round with a right hook to the jaw.[12][13][4][14] Six consecutive victories followed.

Chapel faced Joe Frazier's protege, Mike Koranicki, on September 17, 1977 for a split decision loss followed by a rematch on May 25, 1979 for a win by unanimous decision.

Duane Bobick's career ended in the sixth round of a July 3, 1979 fight on the Steel Pier in Atlantic City, NJ, when Chaplin opened two deep cuts over Bodick's right eye forcing Dr. Stanely Rogers to stop the match.[15][16][17][18] His next two fights were wins by unanimous decision against Larry Alexander and Wendell Bailey for the USA Maryland State Heavyweight Title.[19][20][21]

Sports Illustrated ranked Chaplin sixth in its 1980 unofficial ranking of promising heavyweights when he was 29. His ambition was to be known as "the master boxer" of all time.[3]

Chaplin lost a 10-round decision to Gerrie Coetzee at the first boxing card held at the Aloha Stadium in the "Duel in the Sun" billed fight in 1981. It was televised as a CBS Sports Spectacular and had 2,400 fans in attendance.[13][22]

Greg Page defeated Chaplin twice. First in 1980 by majority decision. It was the first time an opponent had gone the distance with Page. The second time was a split decision loss, in 1981, for the USBA Heavyweight Title broadcast on ABC's Wide World of Sports. Although most fans felt Chaplin was winning the fight, the judges scored it much closer receiving a round of boos when the decision was announced.[23][21][24] Chaplin followed this fight taking on Michael Dokes, ranked second by the WBC, for a unanimous loss with scorecards 49-44, 47-43 and 48-43 for Dokes.[25][26]

In a March 1, 1983 bout, Chaplin scored a seventh-round disqualification win over Earnie Shavers, due to low blows. The following year, Chaplin fought Tom Ruffhouse Fischer for Baltimore trainer Mack Lewis's Mark Mitchell Boxing Benefit, which raised $5000 towards Mitchell's liver transplant.[27]

Chaplin recognized towards the end of his career that many viewed him as a tune up fighter, a non-threatening, non-puncher with a soft touch.[28] Many opponents took for granted his soft-spoken natural timidity. His style lacked an intimidation factor or an instinctual pursuit of finishing blows.[25] At the age of 32, for a $75,000 guarantee, Chaplin challenged Gerry Cooney in a 10-round fight at the Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum, televised live on cable syndication across thirty states. At 215 pounds, Chaplin gave up a seventeen pound and nine-inch reach advantage to his 6-foot-7 opponent. In the second round, Cooney landed a solid left to the midsection, then a left to the chin followed by a flurry of uncontested punches for a technical knockout with 10 seconds left in the round. Wilford Scypion and Murray Sutherland fought on the undercard for the super middleweight title.[4][29]

His final fight, for a $5000 purse, was a knockout loss to Jesse Ferguson on August 1, 1987 at the Las Vegas Hilton Center.[21][1]

References

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  1. ^ a b "The Baltimore Sun 01 Aug 1987, page 22". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 2024-02-03.
  2. ^ "The Courier-Journal 29 Mar 1980, page Page 9". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 2024-02-03.
  3. ^ a b Nack, William. "THE FUTURE IS SOON". Sports Illustrated Vault | SI.com. Retrieved 2024-02-02.
  4. ^ a b c "Cooney won't take Chaplin lightly". The Tampa Tribue. 7 Dec 1984. p. 59. Retrieved 2024-02-02 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ Goldstein, Alan (18 Mar 1979). "Chaplin's gym friendship with Sussman lands him hospital job, ring promoter". The Baltimore Sun. p. 41. Retrieved 2024-02-03 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ Goldstein, Alan (14 Jul 1975). "Maryland boxers face Canadian team tonight". The Baltimore Sun. p. 24. Retrieved 2024-02-03 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ "The Baltimore Sun 15 Jul 1975, page 34". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 2024-02-03.
  8. ^ "The Courier 16 Nov 1975, page 51". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 2024-02-03.
  9. ^ Goldstein, Alan (16 Nov 1975). "Another Day". The Baltimore Sun. p. 43. Retrieved Feb 2, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ^ "The Baltimore Sun 18 Jan 1976, page 26". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 2024-02-03.
  11. ^ "The Baltimore Sun 04 Mar 1976, page 42". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 2024-02-03.
  12. ^ "George Chaplin". Boxrec.com. Retrieved Feb 2, 2024.
  13. ^ a b Pickard, Bob (16 Mar 1981). "Coetzee, Andy Prove Points". Honolulu Star-Bulletin. p. 27. Retrieved 2024-02-02 – via Newspapers.com.
  14. ^ "The Baltimore Sun 30 Jul 1976, page 34". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 2024-02-03.
  15. ^ Nistler, Mike (8 Sep 1997). "Bobick fights for redemption". St. Cloud Times. p. 5. Retrieved 2024-02-03 – via Newspapers.com.
  16. ^ "Star Tribune 10 May 1987, page Page 214". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 2024-02-03.
  17. ^ "The Leader-Post 04 Jul 1979, page 15". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 2024-02-03.
  18. ^ "The Daily Journal 28 Jun 1979, page 24". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 2024-02-03.
  19. ^ "The Baltimore Sun 23 Sep 1979, page 37". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 2024-02-03.
  20. ^ "The Baltimore Sun 19 Sep 1979, page 37". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 2024-02-03.
  21. ^ a b c "• George Chaplin boxer •". boxerlist.com. Retrieved 2024-02-02.
  22. ^ "The fight that failed". Honolulu Star-Bulletin. 17 Apr 1991. p. 12. Retrieved 2024-02-03 – via Newspapers.com.
  23. ^ "Bristol Herald Courier 22 Aug 1981, page 19". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 2024-02-03.
  24. ^ "Philadelphia Daily News 24 Aug 1981, page Page 62". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 2024-02-03.
  25. ^ a b "The Akron Beacon Journal 07 Nov 1981, page Page 19". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 2024-02-03.
  26. ^ "Morning Sentinel 06 Nov 1981, page 19". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 2024-02-03.
  27. ^ "The Baltimore Sun 02 Aug 1987, page 279". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 2024-02-03.
  28. ^ "The Herald Statesman 30 Oct 1984, page 19". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 2024-02-03.
  29. ^ "Courier-Post 09 Dec 1984, page Page 61". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 2024-02-03.
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