"Al West" redirects here. Not to be confused with American League West

American League West

The American League West is one of three divisions in Major League Baseball's American League. The division currently has four teams, but it has had as many as seven teams before the 1994 realignment. Although its teams currently only reside along the west coast and in Texas, historically the...

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Al West, alias Sonny Boy, was a lightweight

Lightweight

Light-weight is a class of athletes in a particular sport, based on their weight.-Professional boxing:The lightweight division is over 130 pounds and up to 135 pounds weight class in the sport of boxing....

 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...

 from Maryland

Maryland

Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...

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Personal life

Sonny Boy West (born May 13, 1929 - died December 21, 1950) was a native of Washington, D.C.

Washington, D.C.

Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....

Professional career

West made his professional debut on November 29, 1946, a two round knockout

Knockout

A knockout is a fight-ending, winning criterion in several full-contact combat sports, such as boxing, kickboxing, Muay Thai, mixed martial arts, Karate and others sports involving striking...

 win against George Junior. He won his first nine professional matches before losing to Harry LaSane

Harry LaSane

Harry LaSane was a featherweight professional boxer from Texas.-Professional career:LaSane made his professional debut on March 27, 1946, with a 6 round draw against Darnell Carter. Two weeks later LaSane set things right by outpointing Carter in six rounds...

 on August 11 of 1947, a loss which he avenged just fourteen days later. West's final record was 46 wins (14 by knockout

Knockout

A knockout is a fight-ending, winning criterion in several full-contact combat sports, such as boxing, kickboxing, Muay Thai, mixed martial arts, Karate and others sports involving striking...

), 8 losses, and 1 draw in 55 fights. In his short career West fought such important names as Stonewall Jackson, Jimmy Carter

Jimmy Carter (boxer)

James Walter Carter was a world lightweight boxing champion. He was inducted into the International Boxing Hall Of Fame in 2000. Carter's loss to Lauro Salas in 1952 and his loss to Paddy DeMarco in 1954 were each named Ring Magazine upset of the year...

, Redtop Davis

Teddy Davis (boxer)

Teddy "Redtop" Davis, alias Murray Cain , was a featherweight professional boxer from South Carolina.-Personal life:...

, Sammy Angott

Sammy Angott

Sammy Angott was born Samuel Engotti in Pennsylvania. He was known as a clever boxer who liked to follow up a clean punch by grabbing his opponent, causing him to be known as "The Clutch."...

, Ike Williams

Ike Williams (boxer)

Ike Williams was a former lightweight world boxing champion. Williams was known for his great right hand, and was named to the Ring Magazine's list of 100 greatest punchers of all time as well as Ring Magazine Fighter of the Year for 1948.-Professional Career:During his career, Williams faced and...

, Charley Salas, and Mario Pacheco

Mario Pacheco

Mario Pacheco was a Spanish record producer, photographer and entrepreneur.Born in Madrid, Pacheco was an essential figure in the development of contemporary flamenco and other musical genres in Spain for more than two decades....

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Death

The career and life of Sonny Boy West ended with a beating at the hands of Percy Bassett

Percy Bassett

Percy Bassett was a featherweight professional boxer from Pennsylvania.-Professional career:Bassett made his professional debut at the age of 17, on July 31, 1947. The result in his first professional bout was a 3rd round knockout of opponent Joe Camarata...

, which caused bleeding in the brain. According to boxrec.com, "West complained of double vision between the 6th and 7th rounds. After he was hurt to the body by Bassett, he was floored by a right hand. As he fell, he landed hard on his head. West died of injuries suffered in this bout on December 21st. The official cause of death was given as a 'inter-cerebral hemorrhage resulting from a cerebral concussion.'"