Leotis Martin

Leotis Martin ( born March 10, 1939 in Helena, Arkansas, † 20 November 1995 ) was an American boxer in the heavyweight division.

Career

Martin was 1960 and 1961 U.S. middleweight champion of the amateurs and was subsequently pro. After 9 victories, he lost prematurely against Floyd McCoy (balance sheet only 14-14 ) 1963. In 1965 he defeated the known structure opponent Sonny Banks, who died after the fight. Without outstanding boxing opponent, but pose only one defeat, he was invited to the 1967 WBA tournament, which was held by the political problems of Muhammad Ali, to find a successor, but lost to cuts against Jimmy Ellis. After he lost to Roger Russell on points.

1968 was a roller-coaster ride. First he landed his first major triumph when he ausknockte in Germany Karl Mildenberger, then he lost to the unknown Hentry Clark ( balance 14-3-2 ). In England, he knocked out the favored world-class man Thad Spencer, lost in Argentina against Óscar Bonavena on points, then again Al Lewis hit ( relatively unknown, but with balance 19-1 ). After a victory over Lewis in the rematch in 1969 it made ​​a spectacular victory over a man very Sonny Liston, who although initially it had on the ground, but then ran into a full lock and heavy KO was what virtually ended his career. But Martin had to end his career due to an eye injury after this fight.