Clifford Etienne facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Clifford Etienne |
|
|---|---|
| Statistics | |
| Nickname(s) | The Black Rhino |
| Rated at | Heavyweight |
| Height | 6 ft 2 in |
| Reach | 74 in |
| Born | March 9, 1970 Lafayette, Louisiana, U.S. |
| Stance | Orthodox |
| Boxing record | |
| Total fights | 35 |
| Wins | 29 |
| Wins by KO | 20 |
| Losses | 4 |
| Draws | 2 |
Clifford Etienne (born March 9, 1970) is an American former professional boxer. He was known for his strong, active boxing style, even though he was a heavyweight boxer. He fought famous boxers like Mike Tyson, Francois Botha, Nikolay Valuev, Calvin Brock, and Lamon Brewster.
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Early Life and Sports
Clifford Etienne grew up in Louisiana. He described himself as a "nerd" when he was young. He went to St. Martinville High School. There, he was a great linebacker in football. Top colleges like LSU, Nebraska, Texas A&M, and Oklahoma wanted him to play for them. Later, he studied at Southern University and earned good grades.
Becoming a Professional Boxer
Clifford Etienne started his professional boxing career in 1998. He had a good record with 29 wins, 4 losses, and 2 draws. Out of his 29 wins, 20 were by knockout, which means he knocked out his opponents.
Rising in the Boxing World
In 2000, The Ring Magazine called Etienne the "Most Exciting Fighter to Watch" in the heavyweight division. This was mainly because he won a big fight against Lawrence Clay Bey, who had never lost before. Many people thought this was one of the best heavyweight fights that year.
Etienne also beat Lamon Brewster in May 2000. Brewster later became a world heavyweight champion. Etienne won by a clear decision after ten rounds.
He then signed a contract with Showtime, which helped him become more famous. However, his rise slowed down when he lost to Fres Oquendo in March 2001. Oquendo stopped Etienne in the eighth round.
After winning some more fights and getting back on track, Etienne got a chance to fight "Iron" Mike Tyson in 2003. This was a very big fight. Unfortunately, Etienne was knocked out in the first round, just 49 seconds into the match.
Later Career
After his fight with Mike Tyson, Clifford Etienne's boxing path changed. He continued to fight, but his record began to show more losses. In January 2005, Calvin Brock stopped Etienne in the third round.
Etienne's last professional fight was against Nicolay Valuev in May 2005. Valuev, who was known as "The Beast from the East," later became the WBA champion. Valuev stopped Etienne in the third round of their fight in Bayreuth, Germany.
