Clinton McKenzie is a former professional boxer

Professional Boxing

Professional boxing, or prizefighting, emerged in the early twentieth century as boxing gradually attained legitimacy and became a regulated, sanctioned sport. Professional boxing bouts are fought for a purse which is divided among the fighters and promoters as determined by contract...

. He fought in the light welterweight

Light welterweight

-Professional boxing:The light welterweight class is a weight division in professional boxing that has a limit of 63.5 kg or 140 pounds...

 division and became the British light welterweight title holder and lost to European title fights.

Background

McKenzie was the oldest of seven children born in Clarendon, Jamaica. The McKenzie family emigrated to England was Clinton was nine years of age.

He is the brother of former three-weight world champion boxer Duke McKenzie

Duke McKenzie

Duke McKenzie MBE is a British former professional boxer, now a boxing commentator for broadcaster ITV.-Boxing career:Previously a highly successful professional boxer, McKenzie has been British champion at two weights, a European champion once and World champion at three different weights...

 and former amateur boxer and politician Winston McKenzie

Winston McKenzie

Winston Truman McKenzie is a UK politician, notable for having joined every major political party, and for having stood as an independent or minor party candidate on numerous occasions...

, father of Coventry City striker Leon McKenzie

Leon McKenzie

Leon Mark McKenzie is an English professional footballer, who plays for Kettering Town.-Personal life:...

 and adoptive father to professional boxer and Big Brother UK 2009

Big Brother 2009 (UK)

Big Brother 2009, occasionally referred to as Big Brother 10, was the tenth series of the British reality television series Big Brother. It began on 4 June 2009 and was aired on Channel 4 and E4 for 93 days, concluding on 4 September when Sophie "Dogface" Reade was crowned the winner with 74.4% of...

 housemate, Angel McKenzie.

Amateur career

McKenzie represented England

England

England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...

 and Great Britain

Great Britain

Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...

 throughout his amateur career which culminated in representing Great Britiain at the 1976 Olympics

Boxing at the 1976 Summer Olympics

There were eleven boxing events at the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.-Light Flyweight :-First Round:* Armando Guevara def. Eduardo Baltar , 5:0* Li Byong-Uk def. Sidney McKnight , KO-1...

 in Montreal

Montreal

Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...

, Canada

Canada

Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...

. McKenzie won his first two fights before losing to eventual gold medal winner Sugar Ray Leonard

Sugar Ray Leonard

Sugar Ray Leonard is an American retired professional boxer and occasional actor. He was named Ray Charles Leonard, after his mother's favorite singer, Ray Charles...

.

Olympic results

1976 (as a light welterweight)

• Defeated Daniele Zappaterra (ITA), 5:0
• Defeated Ismael Martínez (PUR), 3:2
• Lost to Ray Leonard (USA), 5:0

Professional career

Following the publicity of the Olympic Games, McKenzie left amateur boxing

Amateur boxing

Amateur boxing is practised at the collegiate level, at the Olympic Games and Commonwealth Games, and in many other venues sponsored by amateur boxing associations. Amateur boxing bouts are short in duration and fighters wear head protection, so this type of competition prizes point-scoring rather...

 to turn professional in October 1976, winning his first fight at the York Hall

York Hall

The York Hall is a health and leisure centre and one of Britain's best known boxing venues.The venue is situated on Old Ford Road in Bethnal Green, London, England. The hall, opened in 1929 with a capacity of 1,200, stages boxing as well as providing a gymnasium and swimming pool.The hall is owned...

, Bethnal Green, London, in which McKenzie beat Jimmy King on points over eight rounds.

McKenzie fought for his first title belt, the vacant British light welterweight title, in October 1978 which he won with ten round knockout win over Jim Montague in Belfast, Northern Ireland. The following year McKenzie lost the title at the Wembley Conference Centre

Wembley Conference Centre

Wembley Conference Centre was a conference centre near Wembley Stadium, Wembley, in London, England.-History:Opened in 1977, it was the first purpose built Conference Centre in the UK. Events included conferences, corporate hospitality, annual general meetings, banquets and sports events including...

 to Colin Powers on points but later that year defeated Powers at the same venue to regain the title.

External links