Wayne Kelly

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Wayne Kelly boxer
Data
Birth Name Wayne Kelly
Fight name "Irish" Wayne Kelly
Weight class Light heavyweight
nationality Americans
birthday November 19, 1948
Date of death February 1, 2012
Place of death Garden City
style Legal display
Combat Statistics
Struggles 7th
Victories 4th
Knockout victories 3
Defeats 3
Profile in the BoxRec database

Wayne Kelly (born November 19, 1948 - February 1, 2012 in Garden City ) was an American boxer and boxing referee.

Life

Wayne Kelly fought in the Vietnam War as a lieutenant in the United States Army Rangers in the 5th Special Forces Group. He was shot and awarded the Purple Heart for his efforts . Years later, he suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and visited the country again in 2000 to try to overcome his trauma. After returning from the war and healing his injury, he studied psychology at Hofstra University . He had already fought as an amateur boxer in the army. In the 1970s he turned pro and fought in the light heavyweight division . He fought for a record of 4-3. He played his last professional fight on June 29, 1979 against Alvin Bracy .

After the end of his professional boxing career, he began to work as a referee. For years he directed amateur fights but failed to be recognized as a professional. That didn't change until 1988 when his friend Randy Gordon became head of the New York State Athletic Commission . Kelly then led more than 20 world championship fights , including three defenses of Wladimir Klitschko's title (against Chris Byrd , Calvin Brock and Sultan Ibragimov ). He conducted his last professional fight in October 2010 for the IBF .

In 1993 he directed a match between Riddick Bowe and Ray Mercer . It is said to have come to threats and bribery attempts by Mercer against Bowe. Mercer, who had lost on points to outsider Bowe, had to stand trial. Kelly was heard as a witness and ultimately Mercer was acquitted.

One of his most difficult fights was Andrzej Gołota against Riddick Bowe in Madison Square Garden in July 1996. He disqualified Golota in the seventh round after he had given his opponent several low blows . The fight ended in a mass brawl.

After retiring as a referee, he became a consultant and fitness trainer for the elderly in Hempstead . Kelly died on February 1, 2012 at the age of 63 of complications from a heart attack .

literature

  • Mike Fitzgerald and Patrick Morley: Wayne Kelly . In: Third Man in the Ring: 33 of Boxing's Best Referees and Their Stories . Potomac Books 2014. ISBN 9781612342429

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ^ A b c Thomas Hauser: Wayne Kelly (1948-2012). The Sweet Science, April 2, 2012, accessed November 29, 2015 .
  2. Jump up ↑ Greg Logan: Boxing referee Wayne Kelly, 63, dies. Newsday , February 2, 2012, accessed November 29, 2015 .
  3. ↑ Kelly in the Boxrec database
  4. ↑ a b Ingo Barrabas: Wayne Kelly died: International referee was 63 years old. Box-news.de, February 3, 2012, accessed on November 29, 2015 .
  5. ^ A b c Mike Fitzgerald and Patrick Morley: Wayne Kelly . In: Third Man in the Ring: 33 of Boxing's Best Referees and Their Stories . Potomac Books 2014. ISBN 9781612342429
personal data
SURNAME Kelly, Wayne
BRIEF DESCRIPTION American boxer and boxing referee
DATE OF BIRTH November 19, 1948
DATE OF DEATH February 1, 2012
Place of death Garden City (New York)