Julius Francis
Encyclopedia
Julius Francis is a former British Heavyweight champion boxer - who participated in many noteworthy boxing matches in the 1990s and 2000s. In 2007 he also participated in a mixed martial arts
bout.
. Francis was stopped in 4 rounds by body shots.
In 1995 Francis won Southern Area title fights against Damien Caesar and Keith Fletcher, however squandered a big opportunity in an eliminator, when far ahead on points after nine rounds, hard hitting Scott Welch
came from behind to drop him three times and stop him in 10. After this fight Welch would go on to win the British title and challenge for a world title, while Francis was dropped by his team and relegated to journeyman status.
Later in 1995 he took a fight in Russia and was outpointed by local Nikolai Kulpin, and in London lost a debatable decision by half a point to veteran Michael Murray
.
Francis showed marked improvement in 1996, knocking out ex-victim Caesar in the first round to regain his Southern Area title, outpointing Michael Holden
, and scoring the biggest win of his career to date as he took on hard hitting "Big Bad" James Oyebola
and destroyed the giant Nigerian in 5 one sided rounds.
The big win over Oyebola got Francis a February 1997 shot at Zeljko Mavrovic
for his European title, on the champions home turf of Austria. Francis "stole" Mavrovic's bizarre mohawk
haircut for the fight and even dyed it blonde. In the fight itself Francis strangely took a knee from body shots in the 8th and watched the ref wave the fight off. Mavrovic would go on to lose on points to Lennox Lewis
in a World title challenge, a fight that Lewis would say in 2006 was "the hardest of my career".
His manager Frank Maloney
was unsuccessful in attempting to move Francis up in 1998, as he was outpointed in Germany by local icon Axel Schulz
in a European title eliminator, and a second visit to German shores saw him decked three times and stopped in the second round by giant Ukrainian Vitali Klitschko
. Klitschko would go on to win the World Heavyweight title.
In 1999 Francis was back and enjoyed the best form of his career. In January he defended his British and Commonwealth titles against the flamboyant, hard hitting and highly rated prospect Pele Reid
, who was 13-0 (13 knockouts) and favoured to beat Francis. Francis took Reid apart in 3 one-sided rounds.
In April he was again the underdog as he defended against another highly rated prospect, this time Frank Warren
's undefeated Danny Williams
, who was 15-0 (12 knockouts). Francis used all his smarts to widely outpoint the "Brixton Bomber". This win gave Francis the coveted Lonsdale belt outright as he had now won three British title fights.
In June he enjoyed the sweetest victory of his career as he outpointed former conqueror Scott Welch
who was 22-3 (17 knockouts). He would vacate his Commonwealth title later in the year to set up the biggest fight of his career. At the age of 35 Francis got a shot at visiting iconic ex-champ Mike Tyson
, in Manchester in January 2000. Francis was decked five times and lost in two rounds, although enjoyed the biggest payday of his career (around £350,000). The certainty of his defeat can be gauged by the fact that The Mirror, a national newspaper in the UK, had paid for an advert on the soles of Francis's shoes. BBC Sport Less than two months later a disinterested Francis was back in the ring, and lost his British title on a close decision to Michael Holden
, whom he had already beaten. Holden would later vacate the title due to injury.
In 2001 Francis returned to complete his trilogy with Holden, outpointing him over 12 rounds, and setting up a July rematch with Danny Williams
, who was now #1 in the UK, world rated, and held the British and Commonwealth titles. Francis failed to repeat his earlier win, losing in the 4th round due to a swollen eye.
He would resurface in September 2002 in Denmark, scoring an upset over undefeated Steffen Nielsen, who he knocked out in 6. This earned him a European title shot in Germany against the Turk Sinan Samil Sam
, who had just crushed Danny Williams in 6 rounds. Francis appeared to make little effort, quitting in the 7th round from body shots.
In early 2009 he began a new career with Fightfit Training a (uk based fitness training company) as a Personal trainer/Boxing coach teaching city professionals the art of Boxing.
(26-5), a February 2004 decision loss to fast rising Matt Skelton
(11-0), and a May 2004 decision loss to Olympic Champion Audley Harrison
(15-0).
Francis appeared to have reached the end of the road in May 2006, when he was outpointed over 4 rounds by unknown Scott Lansdowne. He was 41 years old and weighed well over 19 stone. Having lost 14 fights in a row, his record now stands at 23-24-1 (12 knockouts).
Overall, Francis can boast of winning four British Heavyweight title fights and five Commonwealth title fights, as well as two challenges for the European title and he has fought four former or future World champions, besides owning his very own much heralded Lonsdale belt
.
, competing at Cage Rage 23: Unbelievable
on 22 September 2007. Slated to face Gary Turner
in his debut, Francis stated that he expected the move to mixed martial arts to be comfortable for him, as he was already a good kickboxer before he took up boxing. His opponent Gary Turner
was previously beaten by one of Francis's own conquerors, Matt Skelton
, in a K-1
tournament in 2000. Francis lost the fight by Submission (Strikes) at 2:15 in Round 2.
Mixed martial arts
Mixed Martial Arts is a full contact combat sport that allows the use of both striking and grappling techniques, both standing and on the ground, including boxing, wrestling, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, muay Thai, kickboxing, karate, judo and other styles. The roots of modern mixed martial arts can be...
bout.
Early career
He turned pro in 1993 at the late age of 28 with a five round knockout of Graham Arnold. He put together six wins (3 by knockout), including two in the US, before being matched, somewhat prematurely, with future world heavyweight champion John RuizJohn Ruiz
John "The Quietman" Ruiz , is a former American professional boxer. Ruiz is the first Latino heavyweight champion and former two-time WBA heavyweight champion. After a professional career spanning over 18 years, Ruiz officially announced his retirement from the sport at a press conference on April...
. Francis was stopped in 4 rounds by body shots.
In 1995 Francis won Southern Area title fights against Damien Caesar and Keith Fletcher, however squandered a big opportunity in an eliminator, when far ahead on points after nine rounds, hard hitting Scott Welch
Scott Welch
-Profile:As an amateur, Scott became one of the UK's ABA Heavyweight Champions. He travelled the world as a professional boxer, winning the Southern Area belt, the British, Commonwealth and WBO Intercontinental titles....
came from behind to drop him three times and stop him in 10. After this fight Welch would go on to win the British title and challenge for a world title, while Francis was dropped by his team and relegated to journeyman status.
Later in 1995 he took a fight in Russia and was outpointed by local Nikolai Kulpin, and in London lost a debatable decision by half a point to veteran Michael Murray
Michael Murray
Michael Murray or Mike Murray may refer to:* Michael Murray , health psychologist at Keele University, England* Michael Murray , American-born organist...
.
Francis showed marked improvement in 1996, knocking out ex-victim Caesar in the first round to regain his Southern Area title, outpointing Michael Holden
Michael Holden
Major General Michael James Holden is a fictional character from the Lifetime television series Army Wives, portrayed by Brian McNamara.- Personal life :Michael has been married to Claudia Joy Holden for 20 years...
, and scoring the biggest win of his career to date as he took on hard hitting "Big Bad" James Oyebola
James Oyebola
James Oyebola was an English heavyweight boxer who won a bronze medal at the 1986 Commonwealth Games in the super heavyweight division. Oyebola was the British heavyweight champion from 1994 to 1996....
and destroyed the giant Nigerian in 5 one sided rounds.
The big win over Oyebola got Francis a February 1997 shot at Zeljko Mavrovic
Željko Mavrovic
Željko Mavrović is a retired male boxer from Croatia turned enterpreneur.-Background:Mavrović was born in Zagreb, in the neighbourhood Srednjaci ....
for his European title, on the champions home turf of Austria. Francis "stole" Mavrovic's bizarre mohawk
Mohawk hairstyle
The mohawk is a hairstyle in which, in the most common variety, both sides of the head are shaven, leaving a strip of noticeably longer hair...
haircut for the fight and even dyed it blonde. In the fight itself Francis strangely took a knee from body shots in the 8th and watched the ref wave the fight off. Mavrovic would go on to lose on points to Lennox Lewis
Lennox Lewis
Lennox Claudius Lewis, CM, CBE is a retired boxer and the most recent British undisputed world heavyweight champion. He holds dual British and Canadian citizenship...
in a World title challenge, a fight that Lewis would say in 2006 was "the hardest of my career".
Experienced pro
In June Francis was back, outpointing the hard hitting Zambian Joseph Chingangu in London for the Commonwealth title, and in September retained his Commonwealth title and won the vacant British title with a 6th round knockout of Garry Delaney in Northern Ireland.His manager Frank Maloney
Frank Maloney
Frank Maloney is a boxing manager and promoter and United Kingdom Independence Party politician. He is most famous for managing Lennox Lewis to the Undisputed Heavyweight Championship of the World.-Early life:...
was unsuccessful in attempting to move Francis up in 1998, as he was outpointed in Germany by local icon Axel Schulz
Axel Schulz
Axel Schulz is a retired German heavyweight boxer.-Amateur career:From 1982 Schulz boxed for the army sports club Vorwärts in Frankfurt , later becoming the East German youth champion...
in a European title eliminator, and a second visit to German shores saw him decked three times and stopped in the second round by giant Ukrainian Vitali Klitschko
Vitali Klitschko
Vitaliy Volodymyrovych Klychko is a Ukrainian professional heavyweight boxer and the current WBC heavyweight champion. He is a leader of the political party Ukrainian Democratic Alliance for Reform and a member of the Ukrainian delegation to the Congress of the Council of Europe. He previously...
. Klitschko would go on to win the World Heavyweight title.
In 1999 Francis was back and enjoyed the best form of his career. In January he defended his British and Commonwealth titles against the flamboyant, hard hitting and highly rated prospect Pele Reid
Pelé Reid
Pelé Reid is an English heavyweight boxer. He currently resides in Birmingham, West Midlands and is a personal trainer.Reid is a former WBO Inter-Continental heavyweight champion and World Kick Boxing Champion....
, who was 13-0 (13 knockouts) and favoured to beat Francis. Francis took Reid apart in 3 one-sided rounds.
In April he was again the underdog as he defended against another highly rated prospect, this time Frank Warren
Frank Warren (promoter)
Frank Darren Warren is an English boxing manager and promoter.-Early life and early career:The son of a bookmaker, Warren trained as a solicitor's clerk with J Tickle & Co on Southampton Row in London....
's undefeated Danny Williams
Danny Williams (boxer)
Daniel "Danny" Williams is an English professional heavyweight boxer.-Amateur:As an amateur boxing out of the famous Lynn AC boxing gym in SE London, Williams learned his trade quickly, often sparring with the likes of clubmates Henry Akinwande and Derek Angol...
, who was 15-0 (12 knockouts). Francis used all his smarts to widely outpoint the "Brixton Bomber". This win gave Francis the coveted Lonsdale belt outright as he had now won three British title fights.
In June he enjoyed the sweetest victory of his career as he outpointed former conqueror Scott Welch
Scott Welch
-Profile:As an amateur, Scott became one of the UK's ABA Heavyweight Champions. He travelled the world as a professional boxer, winning the Southern Area belt, the British, Commonwealth and WBO Intercontinental titles....
who was 22-3 (17 knockouts). He would vacate his Commonwealth title later in the year to set up the biggest fight of his career. At the age of 35 Francis got a shot at visiting iconic ex-champ Mike Tyson
Mike Tyson
Michael Gerard "Mike" Tyson is a retired American boxer. Tyson is a former undisputed heavyweight champion of the world and holds the record as the youngest boxer to win the WBC, WBA and IBF world heavyweight titles, he was 20 years, 4 months and 22 days old...
, in Manchester in January 2000. Francis was decked five times and lost in two rounds, although enjoyed the biggest payday of his career (around £350,000). The certainty of his defeat can be gauged by the fact that The Mirror, a national newspaper in the UK, had paid for an advert on the soles of Francis's shoes. BBC Sport Less than two months later a disinterested Francis was back in the ring, and lost his British title on a close decision to Michael Holden
Michael Holden
Major General Michael James Holden is a fictional character from the Lifetime television series Army Wives, portrayed by Brian McNamara.- Personal life :Michael has been married to Claudia Joy Holden for 20 years...
, whom he had already beaten. Holden would later vacate the title due to injury.
In 2001 Francis returned to complete his trilogy with Holden, outpointing him over 12 rounds, and setting up a July rematch with Danny Williams
Danny Williams (boxer)
Daniel "Danny" Williams is an English professional heavyweight boxer.-Amateur:As an amateur boxing out of the famous Lynn AC boxing gym in SE London, Williams learned his trade quickly, often sparring with the likes of clubmates Henry Akinwande and Derek Angol...
, who was now #1 in the UK, world rated, and held the British and Commonwealth titles. Francis failed to repeat his earlier win, losing in the 4th round due to a swollen eye.
He would resurface in September 2002 in Denmark, scoring an upset over undefeated Steffen Nielsen, who he knocked out in 6. This earned him a European title shot in Germany against the Turk Sinan Samil Sam
Sinan Samil Sam
Sinan Şamil Sam is a German born Turkish heavyweight professional boxer. As a professional boxer, Sam won the EBU and WBC International titles in the heavyweight division.- Amateur career :...
, who had just crushed Danny Williams in 6 rounds. Francis appeared to make little effort, quitting in the 7th round from body shots.
In early 2009 he began a new career with Fightfit Training a (uk based fitness training company) as a Personal trainer/Boxing coach teaching city professionals the art of Boxing.
Downward slide
Francis was now 38 years old and with a respectable record of 23-10-1 (12 knockouts). It was the perfect time to retire. However Francis refused, and continued fighting. He would mix in with high class company in the UK, Germany, Russia, and other locations, but he would not win another fight. The most notable fights were a November 2003 second-round KO loss to future champ Oleg MaskaevOleg Maskaev
Oleg Alexandrovich Maskaev is a Russian professional boxer and a former WBC heavyweight champion. He is an ethnic Mordvin.-Boxing career:Maskaev, a former mine worker, began his career in the 1980s as an amateur boxer in the Soviet Union, where he held a victory over world champion Vitali...
(26-5), a February 2004 decision loss to fast rising Matt Skelton
Matt Skelton
Matt Skelton is an English boxer who changed sports from kickboxing. He is a former English, British, Commonwealth and European Heavyweight champion. He has also held the lightly regarded WBU "World" Heavyweight title....
(11-0), and a May 2004 decision loss to Olympic Champion Audley Harrison
Audley Harrison
Audley Harrison is a British professional boxer from Harlesden, England who fights in the heavyweight division. At the 2000 Olympics in Sydney he became the first British fighter to win an Olympic gold medal in the superheavyweight division. He stands and usually weighs around .Harrison turned...
(15-0).
Francis appeared to have reached the end of the road in May 2006, when he was outpointed over 4 rounds by unknown Scott Lansdowne. He was 41 years old and weighed well over 19 stone. Having lost 14 fights in a row, his record now stands at 23-24-1 (12 knockouts).
Overall, Francis can boast of winning four British Heavyweight title fights and five Commonwealth title fights, as well as two challenges for the European title and he has fought four former or future World champions, besides owning his very own much heralded Lonsdale belt
Lonsdale belt
The Lonsdale Belt was a boxing prize introduced by Hugh Lowther, 5th Earl of Lonsdale, to be awarded to British boxing champions. It is still awarded to British champions today.-National Sporting Club:...
.
Beyond Boxing
In the Summer of 2007, Francis announced that he would be returning to fight in mixed martial artsMixed martial arts
Mixed Martial Arts is a full contact combat sport that allows the use of both striking and grappling techniques, both standing and on the ground, including boxing, wrestling, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, muay Thai, kickboxing, karate, judo and other styles. The roots of modern mixed martial arts can be...
, competing at Cage Rage 23: Unbelievable
Cage Rage 23
Cage Rage 23: Unbelievable was a mixed martial arts event held by the Cage Rage Championships on September 22, 2007 at the Wembley Arena in London, England. It was televised on Sky Sports in the United Kingdom....
on 22 September 2007. Slated to face Gary Turner
Gary Turner
Gary "Two Horns" Turner is an English professional kickboxer and mixed martial artist who fought in the Cage Rage and K-1 promotions. Turner was the K-1 UK Grand Prix champion in 2003 and 2004...
in his debut, Francis stated that he expected the move to mixed martial arts to be comfortable for him, as he was already a good kickboxer before he took up boxing. His opponent Gary Turner
Gary Turner
Gary "Two Horns" Turner is an English professional kickboxer and mixed martial artist who fought in the Cage Rage and K-1 promotions. Turner was the K-1 UK Grand Prix champion in 2003 and 2004...
was previously beaten by one of Francis's own conquerors, Matt Skelton
Matt Skelton
Matt Skelton is an English boxer who changed sports from kickboxing. He is a former English, British, Commonwealth and European Heavyweight champion. He has also held the lightly regarded WBU "World" Heavyweight title....
, in a K-1
K-1
K-1 is a defunct world-wide kickboxing promotion based in Tokyo, Japan founded by Kazuyoshi Ishii, a formerKyokushin karate practitioner. K-1 combines stand up techniques from Muay Thai, Karate, Taekwondo, Savate, San Shou, kickboxing, western-style boxing, and other martial arts...
tournament in 2000. Francis lost the fight by Submission (Strikes) at 2:15 in Round 2.