World Athletic Association
Encyclopedia
Pat O'Grady, a Maverick boxing promoter, formed the World Athletic Association in Oklahoma, after the World Boxing Association
withdrew recognition as world lightweight champion from his son, Sean O'Grady, in July 1981.
The first WAA's fight was held on October 31, 1981, when Sean O'Grady was knocked out in 2 rounds by Andrew Ganigan
for the lightweight title, in Little Rock, Arkansas
.
The group's first super middleweight champion was Jerry (Wimpy) Halstead
, who knocked Ron Brown out in 6 rounds, on April 3, 1982, in Denver
, Colorado
, for the newly inaugurated WAA title. After one defense, Wimpy soon outgrew the division. (Note: the Halstead-Brown bout was the third in the history of the super middleweight or "junior light heavyweight" division. Don Fullmer
stopped Joe Hopkins in 6 rounds for the vacant world light heavyweight title in Salt Lake City, Utah
on April 3, 1967 but never defended it. The title was dormant until Billy Douglas
knocked out Danny Brewer in 2 rounds in Columbus, Ohio
in a bout advertised as being for the "vacant world junior light heavyweight title." Douglas, too, did not defend that championship.)
Pat O'Grady's son-in-law, Monte Masters, won the vacant WAA heavyweight title knocking Tony Fulilangi out in 14 rounds, on September 22, 1983, in Phoenix
, Arizona
.
Masters was promptly stripped of his heavyweight title after splitting from Pat's daughter in 1984. Then, an eliminatory match for the vacant title was scheduled between two just retired boxers Clarence Hill
and Eddie (Animal) Lopez. That fight never happened.
Sean, who has been inducted into the WBHOF, briefly held the organization's welterweight title. He halted Jose "Chamizal" Hernandez in 3 rounds on April 3, 1982 to win the title and defended it with a first round knockout over novice Orin Butler two months later. After losing a non-title bout to veteran contender Pete Ranzany
on October 30, 1982, Sean's title went dormant and he was no longer billed as the WAA champion.
Another fighter to hold a WAA title in its early period was San Diego, California
's Irving Mitchell. On June 23, 1983, "Sweet Irving" won the initial WAA featherweight title bout with a 15-round decision over California-based Irishman Richie Foster. After winning the USBA title from Refugio Rojas, Mitchell successfully defended the WAA belt by outpointing Ricky Wallace. It was his only defense. He went on to unsuccessfully challenge for the IBF featherweight title in 1985 and the WBA junior lightweight title in 1989.
The WAA's last hurrah was in August 1985, when Canadian Michael Olajide won the middleweight title, knocking Sakaria Ve out in 9 rounds, in Fiji
.
The WAA actually splintered into two separate "WAAs" after a falling out between Pat O'Grady and Champ Thomas. Thomas' Colorado-based version did not last very long and O'Grady's Oklahoma-based group lasted only a few years.
A Georgia-based, International Boxing Union
-related group obtained the rights to the World Athletic Association in 1996. Among the fighters the "new" WAA recognized as champions before it too slipped into dormancy were Americans Rob Calloway
, Ray Domenge
, Jonathan Corn, Harold Brazier
, Rob Bleakley, and German Gene Pukall
.
World Boxing Association
The World Boxing Association is a boxing organization that sanctions official matches, and awards the WBA world championship title at the professional level. It was previously known as the National Boxing Association before changing its name in 1962...
withdrew recognition as world lightweight champion from his son, Sean O'Grady, in July 1981.
The first WAA's fight was held on October 31, 1981, when Sean O'Grady was knocked out in 2 rounds by Andrew Ganigan
Andrew Ganigan
Andrew "Hawaiian Punch" Ganigan is an American former lightweight boxer of Filipino descent. Born in Waipahu, Hawai'i, he was notable for his punching ability, being named #97 in The Rings list of 100 greatest punchers of all time. Ganigan fought from 1972 to 1983, ending his career with an...
for the lightweight title, in Little Rock, Arkansas
Arkansas
Arkansas is a state located in the southern region of the United States. Its name is an Algonquian name of the Quapaw Indians. Arkansas shares borders with six states , and its eastern border is largely defined by the Mississippi River...
.
The group's first super middleweight champion was Jerry (Wimpy) Halstead
Jerry Halstead
Jerry "Wimpy" Halstead was a professional boxer in the heavyweight division from 1985 until 1997. Along the way Halstead fought such prominent pugilists as Greg Page, Tony Tubbs, Buster Douglas, Pierre Coetzer, Tommy Morrison, Ray Mercer, Alex Stewart, Herbie Hide, Brian Nielsen, Jeremy Williams,...
, who knocked Ron Brown out in 6 rounds, on April 3, 1982, in Denver
Denver, Colorado
The City and County of Denver is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Denver is a consolidated city-county, located in the South Platte River Valley on the western edge of the High Plains just east of the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains...
, Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
, for the newly inaugurated WAA title. After one defense, Wimpy soon outgrew the division. (Note: the Halstead-Brown bout was the third in the history of the super middleweight or "junior light heavyweight" division. Don Fullmer
Don Fullmer
Don Fullmer is a former boxer and brother of former world middleweight champion Gene Fullmer.Eight years younger than his more famous brother, Don followed Gene into the gym in West Jordan, Utah, to learn how to box. He fought as an amateur for four years and did not lose in sixty-five fights...
stopped Joe Hopkins in 6 rounds for the vacant world light heavyweight title in Salt Lake City, Utah
Salt Lake City, Utah
Salt Lake City is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Utah. The name of the city is often shortened to Salt Lake or SLC. With a population of 186,440 as of the 2010 Census, the city lies in the Salt Lake City metropolitan area, which has a total population of 1,124,197...
on April 3, 1967 but never defended it. The title was dormant until Billy Douglas
Billy Douglas
Billy Douglas was an American jazz trumpeter and vocalist.Douglas played with Larry Ringold while young, both of them having been house in the same boys' institution. He played locally in his teens, and moved to New York City in 1932 as a member of Earle Howard's band. He played with Percy Nelson...
knocked out Danny Brewer in 2 rounds in Columbus, Ohio
Columbus, Ohio
Columbus is the capital of and the largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio. The broader metropolitan area encompasses several counties and is the third largest in Ohio behind those of Cleveland and Cincinnati. Columbus is the third largest city in the American Midwest, and the fifteenth largest city...
in a bout advertised as being for the "vacant world junior light heavyweight title." Douglas, too, did not defend that championship.)
Pat O'Grady's son-in-law, Monte Masters, won the vacant WAA heavyweight title knocking Tony Fulilangi out in 14 rounds, on September 22, 1983, in Phoenix
Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix is the capital, and largest city, of the U.S. state of Arizona, as well as the sixth most populated city in the United States. Phoenix is home to 1,445,632 people according to the official 2010 U.S. Census Bureau data...
, Arizona
Arizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
.
Masters was promptly stripped of his heavyweight title after splitting from Pat's daughter in 1984. Then, an eliminatory match for the vacant title was scheduled between two just retired boxers Clarence Hill
Clarence Hill (boxer)
Clarence Hill is a retired Bermudian boxer. At the 1976 Summer Olympics he won the Heavyweight bronze medal. He is Bermuda's first and so far only Olympic medallist.-Olympic results:*1st round bye*Defeated Parviz Badpa KO 3...
and Eddie (Animal) Lopez. That fight never happened.
Sean, who has been inducted into the WBHOF, briefly held the organization's welterweight title. He halted Jose "Chamizal" Hernandez in 3 rounds on April 3, 1982 to win the title and defended it with a first round knockout over novice Orin Butler two months later. After losing a non-title bout to veteran contender Pete Ranzany
Pete Ranzany
Pete Ranzany was an amateur boxer who represented the U.S. Army from 1970 to 1973. He defeated future welterweight champion Carlos Palomino at the 1972 Olympic Trials, but lost to eventual gold medalist Sugar Ray Seales in the finals.A conventional boxer with a solid jab and vicious left hook he...
on October 30, 1982, Sean's title went dormant and he was no longer billed as the WAA champion.
Another fighter to hold a WAA title in its early period was San Diego, California
San Diego, California
San Diego is the eighth-largest city in the United States and second-largest city in California. The city is located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean in Southern California, immediately adjacent to the Mexican border. The birthplace of California, San Diego is known for its mild year-round...
's Irving Mitchell. On June 23, 1983, "Sweet Irving" won the initial WAA featherweight title bout with a 15-round decision over California-based Irishman Richie Foster. After winning the USBA title from Refugio Rojas, Mitchell successfully defended the WAA belt by outpointing Ricky Wallace. It was his only defense. He went on to unsuccessfully challenge for the IBF featherweight title in 1985 and the WBA junior lightweight title in 1989.
The WAA's last hurrah was in August 1985, when Canadian Michael Olajide won the middleweight title, knocking Sakaria Ve out in 9 rounds, in Fiji
Fiji
Fiji , officially the Republic of Fiji , is an island nation in Melanesia in the South Pacific Ocean about northeast of New Zealand's North Island...
.
The WAA actually splintered into two separate "WAAs" after a falling out between Pat O'Grady and Champ Thomas. Thomas' Colorado-based version did not last very long and O'Grady's Oklahoma-based group lasted only a few years.
A Georgia-based, International Boxing Union
International Boxing Union
The International Boxing Union was created June 1911 in Paris, France. It was an attempt to create a unified international governing body for professional boxing...
-related group obtained the rights to the World Athletic Association in 1996. Among the fighters the "new" WAA recognized as champions before it too slipped into dormancy were Americans Rob Calloway
Rob Calloway
Rob Calloway is an American boxer. He had forty amateur bouts, being the Kansas City Golden Gloves champion three times and a semifinalist for the 1992 US western Olympic trials...
, Ray Domenge
Ray Domenge
Ray Domenge is an American boxer who has battled many great boxers. He fought Rob Calloway for the WAA Light Heavyweight Title but lost by TKO in 1996....
, Jonathan Corn, Harold Brazier
Harold Brazier
Harold Leon Brazier is an American former boxer.Fighting at light welterweight and welterweight, Brazier's career spanned three decades and 127 professional fights. He fought such opponents as Roger Mayweather, Pernell Whitaker, Meldrick Taylor, Vince Phillips, Micky Ward, Lloyd Honeyghan, Juan...
, Rob Bleakley, and German Gene Pukall
Gene Pukall
Gene Pukall, is a German professional boxer fighting in the heavyweight division.-Debut:Pukall turned professional in April 2000 in the Neuruppin, Brandenburg, Germany...
.