Pinklon Thomas - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

Pinklon Thomas is a retired heavyweight boxer and former WBC heavyweight champion whose trademark pink boxing

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...

trunks and a left jab were key distinguishing characteristics.

A native of Pontiac, Michigan

Pontiac, Michigan

Pontiac is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan named after the Ottawa Chief Pontiac, located within the Detroit metropolitan area. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 59,515. It is the county seat of Oakland County...

who also lived on military bases in South Carolina

South Carolina

South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...

and Washington state, Thomas eventually settled in Orlando, Florida

Orlando, Florida

Orlando is a city in the central region of the U.S. state of Florida. It is the county seat of Orange County, and the center of the Greater Orlando metropolitan area. According to the 2010 US Census, the city had a population of 238,300, making Orlando the 79th largest city in the United States...

Pro career

Pinklon Thomas turned professional after just three amateur fights with an excellent jab and rock solid chin. Thomas, with a record of 24-0-1, would finally get his World title shot against reigning WBC

World Boxing Council

The World Boxing Council was initially established by 11 countries: the United States, Argentina, United Kingdom, France, Mexico, Philippines, Panama, Chile, Peru, Venezuela and Brazil plus Puerto Rico, met in Mexico City on February 14, 1963, upon invitation of the then President of Mexico, Adolfo...

champion Tim Witherspoon

Tim Witherspoon

"Terrible" Tim Witherspoon is an American boxer who was twice world heavyweight champion.-Early career:Witherspoon had eight and a half amateur bouts, losing one to Marvis Frazier on decision after getting knocked down....

in August 1984, in Las Vegas, NV.

Thomas won the WBC Heavyweight Championship with a hard fought 12-round battle over "Terrible" Tim Weatherspoon on August 31, 1984. Ten months later, he defended his title against ex-champion Mike Weaver, stopping Weaver with a single punch in the eighth round. Thomas lost the WBC title to Trevor Berbick in March 1986 by a decision.

Thomas came back and reeled off three kayo wins before setting up a May 1987 challenge to WBC and WBA Heavyweight champion 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...

. Although Thomas allegedly took the fight with a serious shoulder injury, he enjoyed success outjabbing Tyson. After a long break for a torn glove, action resumed in the 6th round where Tyson knocked Thomas out with a brutal fifteen punch salvo, knocking the extremely durable Thomas down for the first and last time in his lengthy career. Although he got up inside the count, the fight was waved off.

Thomas went in and out of retirement over the following years, taking fights against top contenders.

In December 1988 he returned from a 19 month layoff to fight #1 heavyweight contender Evander Holyfield

Evander Holyfield

Evander Holyfield is a professional boxer from the United States. He is a former undisputed world champion in both the cruiserweight and heavyweight divisions, earning him the nickname "The Real Deal"...

. Thomas looked rusty as he was outmatched over 7 rounds, after which he was pulled out of his corner. Long-time trainer Angelo Dundee

Angelo Dundee

Angelo Dundee is an American boxing cornerman. He is best known for his work with Muhammad Ali , and has worked with 15 world boxing champions, including Sugar Ray Leonard, José Nápoles, George Foreman, Jimmy Ellis, Carmen Basilio, Luis Rodriguez and Willie Pastrano.-Professional career:Born in...

advised Thomas to retire and stopped working with him.

Thomas returned in 1990 to outpoint Curtis Isaac over 10 rounds, before being outpointed himself by the erratic and unpredictable Mike "The Bounty" Hunter

Mike Hunter (boxer)

Mike Hunter was an American boxer who won the NABF Heavyweight title.-Professional career:...

. A few months later he fought Riddick Bowe

Riddick Bowe

Riddick Lamont Bowe is a retired American boxer. He is a two-time heavyweight champion and a former undisputed heavyweight champion...

and pulled out after 8 rounds. Bowe would go on to defeat Holyfield and become undisputed world heavyweight champion.

In February 1991 he took on hard hitting heavyweight Tommy Morrison

Tommy Morrison

Tommy David Morrison is an American heavyweight boxer and a former World Boxing Organization champion. He lost only three out of a total of 52 professional fights. Morrison's nickname, "The Duke," is based on disputed claims that he is a grandnephew of Hollywood star John Wayne...

but was cut and shaken up in the opening round, and pulled out on his stool. Morrison went on to win the WBO belt.

Thomas attempted one final comeback in 1992, winning twelve fights before outpointing Craig Payne

Craig Payne

Craig Payne is a former US-American boxer best known for winning the National Golden Gloves in 1983.-Amateur:Payne won the National Golden Gloves in 1983 beating a young Mike Tyson ....

. In his final fight in January 1993 he was upset by journeyman "Poncho" Carter.

A comeback fight in 1999 with old foe Tim Witherspoon

Tim Witherspoon

was not to be, because a fight with Larry Holmes

Larry Holmes

Larry Holmes is a former professional boxer. He grew up in Easton, Pennsylvania, which gave birth to his boxing nickname, The Easton Assassin....

for the winner could not be confirmed.

Retirement

Thomas now has a foundation, Project P.I.N.K. (Pride in Neighborhood Kids), and is a motivational speaker.

Professional boxing record

Lawrence Carter
|TKO
|7
|29/01/1993
|align=left|

Craig Payne

Craig Payne is a former US-American boxer best known for winning the National Golden Gloves in 1983.-Amateur:Payne won the National Golden Gloves in 1983 beating a young Mike Tyson ....

|SD
|12
|14/11/1992
|align=left|

Mike Owens
|TKO
|3
|22/10/1992
|align=left|

Dion Burgess
|TKO
|5
|02/10/1992
|align=left|

Kevin Nesbitt
|KO
|1
|25/09/1992
|align=left|

Frankie Hines
|KO
|1
|19/09/1992
|align=left|

Larry Beilfuss
|KO
|1
|05/09/1992
|align=left|

Adolph Davis
|KO
|1
|22/08/1992
|align=left|

Danny Wofford
|PTS
|10
|14/08/1992
|align=left|

James Smith
|KO
|1
|08/08/1992
|align=left|

Bobby Jones
|TKO
|1
|01/08/1992
|align=left|

Terry Miller
|KO
|2
|31/07/1992
|align=left|

Danny Sutton
|PTS
|10
|27/06/1992
|align=left|

Herman Jackson
|KO
|3
|29/05/1992
|align=left|

Tommy Morrison

|RTD
|1
|29/02/1991
|align=left|

Riddick Bowe

Riddick Lamont Bowe is a retired American boxer. He is a two-time heavyweight champion and a former undisputed heavyweight champion...

|RTD
|8
|07/09/1990
|align=left|

Mike Hunter

Mike Hunter (boxer)

Mike Hunter was an American boxer who won the NABF Heavyweight title.-Professional career:...

|PTS
|10
|12/06/1990
|align=left|

Curtis Isaac
|PTS
|10
|23/05/1990
|align=left|

Evander Holyfield

|RTD
|7
|09/12/1988
|align=left|

Mike Tyson

|TKO
|6
|30/05/1987
|align=left|

Danny Sutton
|TKO
|7
|07/03/1987
|align=left|

William Hosea
|TKO
|7
|22/11/1986
|align=left|

Narcisco Maldonado
|KO
|5
|16/10/1986
|align=left|

Trevor Berbick

Trevor Berbick was a Jamaican-Canadian heavyweight boxer who fought as a professional from 1976 until 2000. Berbick briefly held the WBC heavyweight championship in 1986 , before losing it to 20-year old Mike Tyson, via 2nd-round TKO...

|UD
|12
|22/03/1986
|align=left|

Mike Weaver
|TKO
|8
|15/06/1985
|align=left|

Tim Witherspoon

|MD
|12
|31/08/1984
|align=left|

Bruce Grandham
|TKO
|5
|20/06/1984
|align=left|

Leroy Boone
|UD
|10
|27/10/1983
|align=left|

Michael Greer
|KO
|5
|24/09/1983
|align=left|

Alfonso Ratliff

-Professional career:Ratliff turned professional in 1980 and won the WBC cruiserweight title with a decision win over Carlos De León in 1985. He lost the belt in his first defense to Bernard Benton via decision the same year. In September 1986, Ratliff was stopped in the second round by Mike...

|KO
|5
|26/03/1983
|align=left|

Gerrie Coetzee

Gerhardus Christian Coetzee , better known as Gerrie Coetzee, is a South African former boxer. He made history twice: he was the first boxer from the African continent ever to fight for the World Heavyweight Title, and the first to win the World Heavyweight Title...

|PTS
|10
|22/01/1983
|align=left|

James Tillis
|TKO
|8
|14/08/1982
|align=left|

Jerry Williams
|KO
|2
|03/07/1982
|align=left|

Luis Acosta
|TKO
|2
|23/05/1982
|align=left|

Johnny Warr
|PTS
|8
|23/01/1982
|align=left|

Curtis Whitner
|KO
|2
|25/11/1981
|align=left|

Lee Mitchell
|KO
|1
|16/04/1981
|align=left|

Jerry Williams
|UD
|10
|28/08/1980
|align=left|

Frank Brown
|KO
|4
|15/06/1980
|align=left|

Jerry Williams
|RTD
|5
|10/02/1980
|align=left|

Bobby Jordan
|TKO
|5
|14/12/1979
|align=left|

Leroy Caldwell
|KO
|10
|18/07/1979
|align=left|

Willie Stoglin
|KO
|2
|02/07/1979
|align=left|

George Jerome
|KO
|2
|07/06/1979
|align=left|

Lee Holloman
|KO
|2
|23/05/1979
|align=left|

Foma Leota
|KO
|2
|26/04/1979
|align=left|

Elmo Tex Henderson
|KO
|5
|04/04/1979
|align=left|

Lew Lockwood
|KO
|4
|20/02/1979
|align=left|

Roger Braxton
|TKO
|7
|08/01/1979
|align=left|

Mustafa El Amin
|KO
|3
|31/10/1978
|align=left|

Ken Arlt
|PTS
|6
|29/08/1978
|align=left|

|align=left|
|-align=center

External links

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