Jameel McCline

Jameel McCline (right ), 2007 against Sam Peter

Jameel McCline ( born May 20, 1970 in Harlem, New York ), called " Big Time " McCline, is an American heavyweight boxer.

Professional career

After a lengthy prison sentence for illegal arms trade and only an amateur fight McCline began his professional career in 1995. He lied just the well-known trainer Kevin Rooney ( former coach of Mike Tyson ) that he had already gained great experience. With its exterior ( austrainiert 115-120 kg ), he proved interesting. Without significant step boxing training and ring experience but he already lost his second fight against Gary Bell by KO in the first round. As a result, it was therefore no great attention has been given.

McCline nevertheless remained consistently true to the sport and won regularly in the next few years fighting on the " Heavyweight Explosion " events of Cedric Kushner. From 1996 to 2002, he remained undefeated.

2001 Michael Grant should be rebuilt after its demoralizing knockout loss to Lennox Lewis again. As an opponent chose promoter Kushner McCline, but took the opportunity to surprise Grant with a rainfall in the first round, who was injured it and had to retire.

McCline was now standing in the spotlight and was allowed to compete against the puncher Lance Whitaker, who had just landed the biggest win of his career. He managed the second surprise in a row and beat Whitaker on points. He was out for the Ring Magazine's top ten. He then confirmed the ranking position with a high points victory over Shannon Briggs.

He thus rose to the mandatory challenger to the WBO world champion Wladimir Klitschko. In this fight on December 7, 2002, he punched but behave, was presented and gave a low blow in the tenth round on.

In the next few battles McCline KOs reach against Charles Shufford and the unbeaten Cedric Boswell, so that he received another title shot at the IBF World Champion against Chris Byrd. He had Byrd while in the second round at the bottom, but lost on points. In 2005 he defeated the undefeated Calvin Brock Zuri Lawrence and.

On January 20, 2007 McCline challenged the WBA titlist Nikolai Valuev in Basel. At the end of the third round, he pulled a knee injury that prevented him to continue fighting. After the fight McCline stated likely to end his career. The title defense was the heaviest title fight in professional boxing. Brought together the two opponents 270 kg on the scales. Following the fight a Patellasehnenriss in the left knee was noted in McCline. The injury requires surgery, the healing process will take half a year, according to estimates.

On June 15 announced Vitali Klitschko adviser Shelly Finkel that Klitschko would fight in his comeback against McCline. Because of this, however, injured in the preparation for the fight, the fight was canceled. McCline should compete against DaVarryl Williamson in the framework program of the World Cup battle between WBC titlist Oleg Maskajew and Samuel Peter then first. A little later, however, had also due to a training injury Maskajew also cancel his fight, so McCline ascended to the opponents of Samuel Peter. The fight for the WBC interim title was held at New York's Madison Square Garden on October 6, 2007. The not known for his punching power McCline get into the second and third rounds surprising three rainfall, yet he could not decide the fight. Instead, Peter won on points after twelve rounds. Even his next fight, a WBC eliminator of the Association against former WBA heavyweight champion John Ruiz, he lost unanimously on 8 March 2008 on points.