Tyrone Crawley
Encyclopedia
Tyrone Crawley is a former professional boxer
from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
.
During his professional boxing career he was known for his hand and foot speed, and the ability to switch effortlessly from the orthodox stance
to the southpaw stance
. Many opponents were confused by this style, and some boxing experts contend that Crawley might have been the best "switch hitter" of his time along with middleweight champion Marvelous Marvin Hagler.
As an amateur, Tyrone compiled a record of 56-6 (22 RSCs), and was a Golden Gloves
champion and All Army champion in the late 1970s. Tyrone turned pro in October 1980 and won the ESPN
lightweight title in only his ninth pro fight with a twelve round decision over knockout puncher Al "Earthquake" Carter in September 1982. In his next fight, Crawley scored an impressive ten round decision over future jr. welterweight champion Gene Hatcher
on national television in October 1982. He defended his ESPN lightweight in December 1982 with a tenth round stoppage of Anthony Murray, but lost his ESPN title in a close 12 round decision to Melvin Paul in his next fight in February 1983. It is noteworthy that Crawley entered the Paul fight with a broken knuckle and broken finger.
Crawley rebounded in 1983 and scored a huge upset win over #1 lightweight contender Robin Blake in Blake's hometown of Levelland, Texas
. Blake had knocked out Melvin Paul in his previous fight, and many expected him to dispose of Crawley easily. Blake was zeroing in on a title shot with Ray "Boom Boom" Mancini
, but Blake had trouble solving Crawley's style, and was soundly beaten in a lopsided ten round decision.
In 1984, Livingstone Bramble
dethroned Ray Mancini to take the WBA lightweight title. Crawley was the #1 contender, and accepted $150,000 to step aside and allow Bramble and Mancini to engage in a rematch. Bramble defeated Mancini in their rematch on February 16, 1985.
Crawley won the USBA
lightweight title in June 1985 with a twelve round decision over crosstown rival and future IBF
lightweight champion Charlie "Choo Choo" Brown. Crawley was supposed to challenge Bramble for the WBA lightweight crown on a few occasions in 1985, but the bout was postponed due to injuries to both fighters. Bramble and Crawley finally met for Bramble's title in February 1986 in Reno, Nevada
. Crawley suffered the first knockdown of his career in the second round of that bout, but rallied over the next several rounds to draw even on the scorecards after eight rounds. Crawley eventually tired late in the fight, and was knocked out in the 13th round.
After the Bramble bout, Crawley joined the Philadelphia Police Department during the summer of 1986. He resumed his boxing career in June 1987 while maintaining his duties with the Philadelphia P.D. He scored three more wins, and retired from professional boxing in early 1988 with a record of 22-2 (7 KOs). In that same year, Tyrone was named Director of the North Philadelphia Police Athletic League
, a position he still holds to this day.
Crawley attended Temple University
. He was inducted into the New Jersey Boxing Hall of Fame in 2003. He was also recently inducted as a member of the 2010 class of the Pennsylvania Boxing Hall of Fame.
Tyrone has 3 children, Ageenah a college graduate, Tyrone Jr who attended Pennsylvania College of Technology., and Kevin a current film student.
Link To Extensive 2004 Interview With Tyrone Crawley:
http://www.phillyboxinghistory.com/extras/crawley_interview_01.htm
Training Regimen:
http://www.fightbeat.com/crawley1.htm
Training Regimen For 1982 Bout With Anthony Murray:
http://www.fightbeat.com/crawley-anthony-murray.htm
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 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,...
.
During his professional boxing career he was known for his hand and foot speed, and the ability to switch effortlessly from the orthodox stance
Orthodox stance
An orthodox stance is a way of positioning both the feet and hands in combat sports such as boxing, karate, kick boxing, and mixed martial arts. A traditional orthodox stance is one in which the boxer places his left foot farther in front of the right foot, thus having his weaker side closer to the...
to the southpaw stance
Southpaw (boxing)
Southpaw is a boxing term that designates the stance where the boxer has his right hand and right foot forward, leading with right jabs, and following with a left cross right hook. Southpaw is the normal stance for a left-handed boxer...
. Many opponents were confused by this style, and some boxing experts contend that Crawley might have been the best "switch hitter" of his time along with middleweight champion Marvelous Marvin Hagler.
As an amateur, Tyrone compiled a record of 56-6 (22 RSCs), and was a Golden Gloves
Golden Gloves
The Golden Gloves is the name given to annual competitions for amateur boxing in the United States. The Golden Gloves is often the term used to refer to the National Golden Gloves competition, but it also can represent several other amateur tournaments, including regional golden gloves...
champion and All Army champion in the late 1970s. Tyrone turned pro in October 1980 and won the ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
lightweight title in only his ninth pro fight with a twelve round decision over knockout puncher Al "Earthquake" Carter in September 1982. In his next fight, Crawley scored an impressive ten round decision over future jr. welterweight champion Gene Hatcher
Gene Hatcher
Ronald Hatcher Jr. , better known as "Gene Hatcher," is a former boxer who was world light welterweight champion. His nickname was "Mad Dog."-Amateur career:Hatcher was a United States Amateur Champion...
on national television in October 1982. He defended his ESPN lightweight in December 1982 with a tenth round stoppage of Anthony Murray, but lost his ESPN title in a close 12 round decision to Melvin Paul in his next fight in February 1983. It is noteworthy that Crawley entered the Paul fight with a broken knuckle and broken finger.
Crawley rebounded in 1983 and scored a huge upset win over #1 lightweight contender Robin Blake in Blake's hometown of Levelland, Texas
Levelland, Texas
Levelland is a city in Hockley County, Texas, in the United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 13,542. It is the county seat of Hockley County. It is located on the Llano Estacado, west of Lubbock. Major industries include cotton farming and petroleum production...
. Blake had knocked out Melvin Paul in his previous fight, and many expected him to dispose of Crawley easily. Blake was zeroing in on a title shot with Ray "Boom Boom" Mancini
Ray Mancini
Ray "Boom Boom" Mancini is a retired Italian-American boxer. He held the World Boxing Association lightweight championship from 1982 to 1984. Mancini inherited his distinctive nickname from his father, veteran boxer Lenny "Boom Boom" Mancini, who laid the foundation for his son's career...
, but Blake had trouble solving Crawley's style, and was soundly beaten in a lopsided ten round decision.
In 1984, Livingstone Bramble
Livingstone Bramble
Ras-I Alujah Bramble is a boxer. However, Bramble was raised on Saint Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands. He became the first world champion from Saint Kitts and Nevis. As of 2005, Bramble is still active in professional boxing...
dethroned Ray Mancini to take the WBA lightweight title. Crawley was the #1 contender, and accepted $150,000 to step aside and allow Bramble and Mancini to engage in a rematch. Bramble defeated Mancini in their rematch on February 16, 1985.
Crawley won the USBA
USBA
USBA may refer to:* United States Basketball Academy* United States Boxing Association, the predecessor of the International Boxing Federation* United States Boomerang Association* United States Bicycle Motocross Association...
lightweight title in June 1985 with a twelve round decision over crosstown rival and future 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 :...
lightweight champion Charlie "Choo Choo" Brown. Crawley was supposed to challenge Bramble for the WBA lightweight crown on a few occasions in 1985, but the bout was postponed due to injuries to both fighters. Bramble and Crawley finally met for Bramble's title in February 1986 in Reno, Nevada
Reno, Nevada
Reno is the county seat of Washoe County, Nevada, United States. The city has a population of about 220,500 and is the most populous Nevada city outside of the Las Vegas metropolitan area...
. Crawley suffered the first knockdown of his career in the second round of that bout, but rallied over the next several rounds to draw even on the scorecards after eight rounds. Crawley eventually tired late in the fight, and was knocked out in the 13th round.
After the Bramble bout, Crawley joined the Philadelphia Police Department during the summer of 1986. He resumed his boxing career in June 1987 while maintaining his duties with the Philadelphia P.D. He scored three more wins, and retired from professional boxing in early 1988 with a record of 22-2 (7 KOs). In that same year, Tyrone was named Director of the North Philadelphia Police Athletic League
Police Athletic League
The Police Athletic League is an organization in many American police departments in which members of the police force coach young people, both boys and girls, in sports, and help with homework and other school-related activities. The purpose is to build character, help strengthen police-community...
, a position he still holds to this day.
Crawley attended Temple University
Temple University
Temple University is a comprehensive public research university in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Originally founded in 1884 by Dr. Russell Conwell, Temple University is among the nation's largest providers of professional education and prepares the largest body of professional...
. He was inducted into the New Jersey Boxing Hall of Fame in 2003. He was also recently inducted as a member of the 2010 class of the Pennsylvania Boxing Hall of Fame.
Tyrone has 3 children, Ageenah a college graduate, Tyrone Jr who attended Pennsylvania College of Technology., and Kevin a current film student.
Link To Extensive 2004 Interview With Tyrone Crawley:
http://www.phillyboxinghistory.com/extras/crawley_interview_01.htm
Training Regimen:
http://www.fightbeat.com/crawley1.htm
Training Regimen For 1982 Bout With Anthony Murray:
http://www.fightbeat.com/crawley-anthony-murray.htm