Howard Davis, Jr.

Howard Davis ( born February 14, 1956 in New York City ) is a retired American boxer.

Amateur

Davis was an outstanding amateur and was trained by his father, an ex-boxer. In featherweight he was U.S. champion in 1973 and 1974 in Havana World Champion. In 1976 he was U.S. champion in the lightweight and qualified, including a victory over Aaron Pryor, for participation in the Olympic Games in Montreal. There he won the gold medal in his weight class and was awarded the Val Barker trophy as the best technical boxer of the tournament, ahead of other famous boxers like Sugar Ray Leonard and the Spinks brothers.

Professional

In 1977 he was a professional, but only had comparatively little success, which was due to his poor slave skills and lack of clout. He was defeated on June 7, 1980 the Scottish southpaw Jim Watt in the fight for the WBC title on points just under 1986 as nearly Edwin Rosario ( WBA title ), against which he had up to a rainfall in the last lap out. In the same year he surprisingly lost against the unknown Joe Manley.

Against Meldrick Taylor, also Olympic champion, he boxed a draw in 1986 and also against Hector Camacho in 1987 he lost on points. On 31 July 1988 he was still against IBF titlist Buddy McGirt, a third shot at the title, but they could not use them again, and went into the first round KO. He then ended his career. A comeback in the nineties was unsuccessful.