Elmo Henderson facts for kids

Elmo Henderson (born April 8, 1935) is an American former boxer from Texas. He is known for claiming he knocked out the famous boxer Muhammad Ali in an exhibition match in 1972. This match took place in San Antonio, Texas. However, many people who were there say this did not happen. Newspaper reports from that time also did not mention Ali losing. Despite this claim, Elmo Henderson had an interesting boxing career. He was even part of George Foreman's team for the famous "Rumble in the Jungle" event.

Elmo Henderson's Boxing Journey

Elmo Henderson grew up in Fort Worth, Texas. He started boxing in 1954. He often fought in matches around the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex.

Winning a Texas Boxing Title

In 1964, Elmo Henderson won the Texas state boxing title. He defeated Benny Bowser, another boxer from Austin, Texas. Elmo won this fight in the second round. The very next year, Elmo faced Bowser again. This time, Elmo lost the title back to Bowser. The judges made a close decision to give the title to Bowser.

Boxing Across the World

In 1967, Elmo Henderson had several fights. The California Athletic Commission asked him to get a brain check-up. Doctors wanted to see if he had any brain damage. Elmo did not take the test. Instead, he went to New Zealand to fight Bobby Dunlop. Elmo won that match. Three months later, Dunlop beat Elmo in a rematch in Sydney, Australia. Because Elmo did not take the test and fought overseas, California stopped his boxing license. Even so, Elmo kept boxing in other states. Five states, including Texas, gave him boxing licenses.

Training and Tough Opponents

Elmo Henderson used to train at Archie Moore's gym. This gym was in Vallejo, California. Archie Moore was a famous Light Heavyweight champion. Elmo also fought a very strong boxer named Ernie Shavers. This fight happened on October 29, 1971. Shavers knocked Elmo out in the fourth round. Elmo said Shavers was the hardest puncher he had ever met. In 1971, Ernie Shavers had 17 professional fights and won them all. Most of his wins were by knockout.

The Muhammad Ali Claim

Elmo Henderson claimed he beat Muhammad Ali in an exhibition match. This match was part of the "Muhammad Ali Boxing Show." It took place in San Antonio, Texas on October 24, 1972. However, people who were there said this did not happen. Elmo never became widely famous in the boxing world.

Lawsuit and Later Life

Elmo Henderson was also a cheerleader for George Foreman's team. This was for the "Rumble in the Jungle" event in Zaire. Later, a magazine and writer Norman Mailer wrote an article about Elmo. The article said something false about Elmo. Elmo sued them for this false statement. In 1977, a jury in Corpus Christi, Texas, decided that Elmo should get money. The judge later changed the amount. Elmo said he received $40,000 from the lawsuit.

In 2003, Elmo Henderson was homeless in Austin, Texas. However, by 2011, he was living in a home in Vallejo, California. As of November 2012, Elmo Henderson was living in a nursing home in Napa, California. He was still telling people about beating Ali even when he was in the hospital later in his life.