Alfonso Ratliff facts for kids

Alfonso Ratliff, born on February 18, 1956, is an American former professional boxer. He competed from 1980 to 1989. During his career, he held the WBC and The Ring cruiserweight titles in 1985. After retiring from boxing, he became a coach at the Harvey Boxing Club in Harvey, Illinois.

Alfonso Ratliff's Boxing Journey

Starting as an Amateur Boxer

Before becoming a professional, Alfonso Ratliff was an amateur boxer. This means he competed for fun or experience, not for money. In 1980, he won the Chicago Golden Gloves title, which is a big achievement for amateur boxers. He also won a match against another boxer named Mitch Green.

Becoming a Professional Champion

Ratliff started his professional boxing career in 1980. Professional boxers get paid for their fights. He quickly rose through the ranks. In 1985, he won the WBC cruiserweight title. The cruiserweight division is for boxers who weigh between 175 and 200 pounds. He won this important title by beating Carlos De León.

Losing the Title and Later Fights

Unfortunately, Ratliff lost his WBC cruiserweight title in his very first defense. He was defeated by Bernard Benton later in 1985. In September 1986, Ratliff fought against Mike Tyson, who was a rising star at the time. Tyson stopped Ratliff in the second round. Tyson went on to become the youngest ever world heavyweight champion in his very next fight. Ratliff continued to box until 1989. He retired after a TKO loss to Lee Roy Murphy. A TKO (Technical Knockout) happens when a boxer can't continue the fight safely.

Alfonso Ratliff's Career Numbers

During his professional career, Alfonso Ratliff had a total of 34 fights.

• He won 25 of those fights.
• 18 of his wins were by KO (Knockout).
• He lost 9 fights.

See also

• List of world cruiserweight boxing champions