Duke McKenzie
Encyclopedia
Duke McKenzie MBE
(born 5 May 1963) is a British former professional boxer
, now a boxing commentator for broadcaster ITV
.
He won the British Flyweight title (5 June 1985) with a fourth round stoppage over Danny Flynn. He later defended this against Charlie Magri
(20 May 1986) and added Magri's European (EBU
) Flyweight title.
Both titles were relinquished when McKenzie won the IBF
World Flyweight Title on 5 October 1988 with an 11th round knockout over Rolando Bohol
.
After two title defences, and one non-title contest McKenzie lost the IBF flyweight title to Dave McAuley
on 7 June 1989 in his first defeat.
An unsuccessful challenge for the European (EBU
) Bantamweight title on 30 September 1990 saw McKenzie lose to Thierry Jacob of France.
On 30 June 1991 McKenzie became a world champion for a second time, winning the WBO bantamweight
title with a 12-round decision over Gaby Canizales
. This was lost to Rafael Del Valle
on 13 May 1992 when McKenzie suffered his first knockout loss, in the first round.
On 15 October 1992 McKenzie became a three-weight world champion, beating Jesse Benavides
after twelve rounds for the WBO Super Bantamweight title. On 9 June 1993, Daniel Jimenez
beat McKenzie on points, in his first defence of this title.
On 18 December 1993 McKenzie became a four-weight champion, beating John Davison
for the British Featherweight
title. An attempt to become world champion at this division ended in a knockout loss to Steve Robinson on 1 October 1994. McKenzie's next fight was an unsuccessful challenge for Mehdi Labdouni's European (EBU
) Featherweight title.
McKenzie's last fight, in March 1998, saw him challenge at a fifth weight, losing in the first round to Santiago Rojas for the WBU Intercontinental Title at Super Featherweight
and BBC television with John Rawling
. He joined ITV with Rawling when boxing returned to the network in September 2005. Duke McKenzie is most famous for saying 'He's gone, his legs are gone' whenever a boxer gets punched.
and former amateur boxer and politician Winston McKenzie
. He is a nephew of Weightlifter Precious McKenzie
and uncle of Charlton Athletic
striker Leon McKenzie
.
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
(born 5 May 1963) is a British former professional boxer
Boxing
Boxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...
, now a boxing commentator for broadcaster ITV
ITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
.
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. His professional record is 39-7 (20 by KO).He won the British Flyweight title (5 June 1985) with a fourth round stoppage over Danny Flynn. He later defended this against Charlie Magri
Charlie Magri
Charlie Magri is a former English flyweight boxer. He is from a Maltese family that settled in Stepney, London where he grew up...
(20 May 1986) and added Magri's European (EBU
European Boxing Union
The European Boxing Union is an organization that oversees competition in that sport over the continent of Europe.-History:The EBU started life as the International Boxing Union in Paris in 1910...
) Flyweight title.
Both titles were relinquished when McKenzie won the IBF
International Boxing Federation
The International Boxing Federation or IBF is one of four major organizations recognized by IBHOF which sanction world championship boxing bouts, alongside the WBA, WBC and WBO.- History :...
World Flyweight Title on 5 October 1988 with an 11th round knockout over Rolando Bohol
Rolando Bohol
Rolando Bohol is a former Filipino boxer. He is one of the world boxing champion from the Philippines.He turned professional in 1984 and got a draw on his first match. After 15 matches , Bohol met his first setback, losing to Dadoy Andujar by a 10-round decision on September 29, 1985...
.
After two title defences, and one non-title contest McKenzie lost the IBF flyweight title to Dave McAuley
Dave McAuley
Dave McAuley, born 15 June 1961 in Larne, Northern Ireland is a former professional boxer. During his professional career he held the IBF world title in the Flyweight category. He was arguably the Irelands greatest ever Flyweight.-Boxing career:...
on 7 June 1989 in his first defeat.
An unsuccessful challenge for the European (EBU
European Boxing Union
The European Boxing Union is an organization that oversees competition in that sport over the continent of Europe.-History:The EBU started life as the International Boxing Union in Paris in 1910...
) Bantamweight title on 30 September 1990 saw McKenzie lose to Thierry Jacob of France.
On 30 June 1991 McKenzie became a world champion for a second time, winning the WBO bantamweight
Bantamweight
Bantamweight is usually a class in boxing for boxers who weigh above 115 pounds and up to 118 pounds . However, in Mixed Martial Arts it is 134-136 pounds . Wrestling also has similar weight classes including bantamweight...
title with a 12-round decision over Gaby Canizales
Gaby Canizales
Jose 'Gaby' Canizales is a retired American boxer who won world championships in the bantamweight division. -Pro career:Canizales turned pro in 1979 and in 1983 challenged Jeff Chandler for the World Boxing Association bantamweight title but lost a decision. In 1986 he landed a shot at Richie...
. This was lost to Rafael Del Valle
Rafael del Valle
Rafael del Valle was a Spanish poet.Born in Aguadilla, he studied medicine in the University of Barcelona. He was disciple of Luis Pasteur in his institute...
on 13 May 1992 when McKenzie suffered his first knockout loss, in the first round.
On 15 October 1992 McKenzie became a three-weight world champion, beating Jesse Benavides
Jesse Benavides
Jesse Benavides is an American former professional boxer.- Amateur career :Benavides was the 1981 National AAU light flyweight champion and 1982 National Golden Gloves flyweight champion....
after twelve rounds for the WBO Super Bantamweight title. On 9 June 1993, Daniel Jimenez
Daniel Jiménez
Daniel Jiménez Román is a former Puerto Rican bantamweight boxer. He is best known for having won the WBO title as a pro.-Pro:...
beat McKenzie on points, in his first defence of this title.
On 18 December 1993 McKenzie became a four-weight champion, beating John Davison
John Davison
John Michael Davison is a former Canadian cricketer. He was a hard-hitting right-handed batsman in the top or middle order, who bowls right-arm off break...
for the British Featherweight
Featherweight
Featherweight is a weight class division in the sport of boxing. There are similarly named divisions under several Mixed Martial Arts organizations and in Greco-Roman wrestling.-Professional boxing:...
title. An attempt to become world champion at this division ended in a knockout loss to Steve Robinson on 1 October 1994. McKenzie's next fight was an unsuccessful challenge for Mehdi Labdouni's European (EBU
European Boxing Union
The European Boxing Union is an organization that oversees competition in that sport over the continent of Europe.-History:The EBU started life as the International Boxing Union in Paris in 1910...
) Featherweight title.
McKenzie's last fight, in March 1998, saw him challenge at a fifth weight, losing in the first round to Santiago Rojas for the WBU Intercontinental Title at Super Featherweight
Super Featherweight
Super featherweight is a weight division in professional boxing. The maximum weight for this division is 130 pounds or 59 kilograms....
After boxing
He previously commentated on boxing for BBC Radio Five LiveBBC Radio Five Live
BBC Radio 5 Live is the BBC's national radio service that specialises in live BBC News, phone-ins, and sports commentaries...
and BBC television with John Rawling
John Rawling
John Rawling is a Boxing and Athletics commentator. Currently commentating for boxing on Sky Television and BoxNation, he was the lead commentator for Channel 4 in their coverage of the 2011 IAAF World Championship in Korea. He is also lead commentator on yachting for the Americas Cup World Series...
. He joined ITV with Rawling when boxing returned to the network in September 2005. Duke McKenzie is most famous for saying 'He's gone, his legs are gone' whenever a boxer gets punched.
Personal life
He is the brother of former British and European champion Clinton McKenzieClinton McKenzie
Clinton McKenzie is a former professional boxer. He fought in the light welterweight division and became the British light welterweight title holder and lost to European title fights.-Background:...
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...
. He is a nephew of Weightlifter Precious McKenzie
Precious McKenzie
Precious McKenzie MBE was a South African-born weightlifter who won Commonwealth titles representing both England and New Zealand and has won several World powerlifting and Masters World powerlfting titles...
and uncle of Charlton Athletic
Charlton Athletic F.C.
Charlton Athletic Football Club is an English professional football club based in Charlton, in the London Borough of Greenwich. They compete in Football League One, the third tier of English football. The club was founded on 9 June 1905, when a number of youth clubs in the southeast London area,...
striker Leon McKenzie
Leon McKenzie
Leon Mark McKenzie is an English professional footballer, who plays for Kettering Town.-Personal life:...
.
See also
- List of boxing triple champions
- List of British featherweight boxing champions
- List of British flyweight boxing champions
External links
- Professionalrecord at britishboxing.net]
- http://www.britishboxing.net/news_553-Boxer-of-the-Past-Duke-McKenzie.html - article on Duke McKenzie's career