Emile Griffith Autographed Gloves

 

Born on February 3, 1938, Emile Griffith is notable for being a former professional boxer. He’s also distinguished for being the first ever fighter who hails from the U.S. Virgin Islands to have been dubbed as a world champion. Debatably, his most famous match came in 1962 in a third fight up against Benny Paret for a welter world championship title. Subsequently, he nabbed a middleweight title as well as bagged a junior middleweight world championship title. However, the latter victory was not universally accepted, but still some remain to regard him as a three-division champion boxer.

 

Throughout his playing career, Emilie Griffith recorded 112 fights. Over these fights, he’s won 85 and triumphed 23 of them thru a knockout. With such impressive statistics, it’s no question why he’s earned honors to his name. As a matter of fact, he was named as The Ring magazine’s Fighter of the Year in 1964. He has followed the footsteps of previous year’s winner, who’s also a boxing legend Cassius Clay.

 

Griffith’s outstanding skills in boxing have also landed him a spot in the International Boxing Hall of Fame at the same time the World Boxing Hall of Fame. By joining the first elite circle, he’s been put alongside other excellent boxers like Bob Foster, Wilfred Benitez, Bobby Chachon, Flash Elorde and Carmen Basilio. Furthermore, a park was named after him in his native land Virgin Islands.

 

Although he left the portals of boxing rings, Griffith has assumed working as a corrections officer at the Secaucus Juvenile Dentention Facility.