Greg Page (boxer) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Greg Page |
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|---|---|
| Statistics | |
| Rated at | Heavyweight |
| Height | 6 ft 2 in |
| Reach | 81 in |
| Nationality | American |
| Born | October 25, 1958 Louisville, Kentucky, U.S. |
| Died | April 27, 2009 (aged 50) Louisville, Kentucky, U.S. |
| Stance | Orthodox |
| Boxing record | |
| Total fights | 76 |
| Wins | 58 |
| Wins by KO | 48 |
| Losses | 17 |
| Draws | 1 |
Greg Page (born October 25, 1958 – died April 27, 2009) was an American professional boxer. He competed from 1979 to 2001. Greg Page held the WBA heavyweight title from 1984 to 1985. He was also a regular sparring partner for famous boxer Mike Tyson. Greg Page even knocked down the undefeated Mike Tyson during a practice session in 1990.
Contents
Becoming a Boxer: Amateur Career
Greg Page started amateur boxing when he was 15 years old. He trained at the Louisville Parks Department gym.
He first became known when he practiced several rounds with the legendary boxer Muhammad Ali.
In 1976, Greg Page had a big win in Las Vegas. He defeated Igor Vysotsky, who was a top-ranked amateur heavyweight boxer. Vysotsky was known for never being knocked down. He had also beaten the famous Cuban Olympic Gold Medalist Teófilo Stevenson. Page also beat other future boxing stars like James Tillis, Tony Tubbs, Mitch Green, and Marvin Stinson.
By this time, Greg Page was ranked as the number one amateur heavyweight in the United States.
He won the National AAU Heavyweight Championship in 1977. The next year, he won the National AAU Heavyweight Championship again. He also won the National Golden Gloves Heavyweight Championship.
Amateur Highlights
- 1975 National Golden Gloves Quarterfinalist. He lost a decision to John Tate.
1976 Ohio State Fair Champion. He upset National AAU Champion Marvin Stinson.
1976 National Golden Gloves Semi-Finalist. He lost a decision to Michael Dokes.- 1977 National AAU Heavyweight Champion. He defeated Woody Clark. Page was named the tournament's best boxer.
1977 National Golden Gloves Finalist. He lost to Jimmy Clark.- 1978 National AAU Heavyweight champion.
- 1978 National Golden Gloves Heavyweight Champion. He stopped William Hosea in the second round.
- He defeated Igor Vysotsky. Vysotsky was the boxer who twice beat Cuban legend Teófilo Stevenson.
- He defeated Tony Tubbs six out of seven times during their amateur fights.
- Greg Page finished his amateur career with 105 fights. His record was 94 wins and 11 losses.
Professional Boxing Journey
Starting as a Pro
Greg Page became a professional boxer in February 1979. He won his first fight by knocking out Don Martin in two rounds. He then won 13 fights in a row. Twelve of these wins were by knockout. Only one fighter, George Chaplin, lasted all ten rounds with him. After these wins, Page was ranked among the top ten by the WBA.
Winning the USBA Heavyweight Title
Page won the USBA Heavyweight title on February 7, 1981. He defeated Stan Ward in the seventh round.
He continued to win, knocking out Marty Monroe and Alfredo Evangelista. He then had a rematch with George Chaplin and won again. After that, he knocked out Scott LeDoux in the fourth round.
Greg Page kept his USBA belt by beating Jimmy Young in May 1982. The next month, he fought Trevor Berbick. Page broke his right thumb in the second round. He lost for the first time as a professional boxer to Berbick.
Page defended his USBA belt again against James "Quick" Tillis in November 1982. Page was knocked down for the first time in his career in the second round. But he came back to knock out Tillis in the eighth round.
Fighting for World Titles
In 1983, Greg Page defended his USBA title once more. He beat Renaldo Snipes over twelve rounds. This win also gave him the WBC number one ranking. The WBC heavyweight champion, Larry Holmes, gave up his title because he felt the money offered to fight Page was not enough.
In March 1984, Page fought Tim Witherspoon for the empty WBC belt. Page had some problems with his promoter, Don King. He was not in his best shape for the fight. Witherspoon won the title by a decision after twelve rounds. After this fight, Page changed his trainer.
Page returned to the ring in August with a new trainer. He fought undefeated David Bey. Page lost his second fight in a row to Bey.
When David Bey refused to fight the WBA champion Gerrie Coetzee, Greg Page stepped in. Page knocked Coetzee down twice. He then knocked him out in the eighth round to win the WBA heavyweight title. This round was unusual because it lasted a minute longer than it should have.
Page defended his title for the first time against Tony Tubbs in April 1985. Page had beaten Tubbs many times as an amateur. But Tubbs surprised everyone and won the title by a decision after fifteen rounds. To make things worse, Page's hotel room was robbed. His championship belt, a valuable watch, and a mink coat were stolen.
Later Career and Comeback
After losing his title, Page faced Buster Douglas in January 1986. Douglas won the fight. Greg Page also lost to Orlin Norris and even to a less famous boxer named Mark Wills.
Page became a regular practice partner for World Heavyweight Champion Mike Tyson. He also fought on some of Tyson's fight nights. Before Tyson's big loss to Buster Douglas in 1990, Page even knocked Tyson down during a public practice session.
Page continued to box. In 1992, he fought Donovan Ruddock. Ruddock was considered one of the best heavyweights at the time. Page gave Ruddock a tough fight. But the referee stopped the fight in the eighth round after Ruddock landed many strong punches.
After beating former WBA champion James "Bonecrusher" Smith, Page fought Francesco Damiani in September 1992. It was a close fight. Page lost two points for losing his mouthpiece many times. These lost points cost him the fight. In August 1993, Page fought future WBA champion Bruce Seldon. He was stopped in the ninth round. Page retired after this fight.
Return to Boxing
After retiring, Greg Page started training other boxers. He worked with Oliver McCall. He was in McCall's corner when McCall surprisingly knocked out Lennox Lewis to win the WBC World Heavyweight Championship in 1994.
He trained boxers for several years. But he felt he could still fight. "I was training boxers to fight guys I could beat myself," Page said.
Page returned to the ring in May 1996. He had a great comeback, winning 16 fights and having one draw. Fifteen of these wins were by knockout. Then he fought Monte Barrett in October 1998. Barrett won the fight by a clear decision.
After another loss, Page had a rematch with Tim Witherspoon in June 1999. Page was 40 years old and Witherspoon was 41. Page knocked Witherspoon down in the first round. Page won when Witherspoon hurt his back and could not continue the fight.
Page fought four more times, winning two and losing two. He was much older and not as strong as he used to be. He kept fighting because he needed money. In 1998, he had financial difficulties. By 2000, he started his first regular job, painting dental equipment.
Tragic Injury
On March 9, 2001, Greg Page fought Dale Crowe for $1,500. Page seemed to be doing well until the tenth round. Crowe landed a strong punch to Page's chin. Page fell against the ropes and was counted out by the referee.
What happened next was very concerning. There was no ambulance, no paramedics, and no oxygen at the fight. These things were required by law. The doctor at the ringside was not properly licensed. He had already left and had to be brought back. It took 22 minutes for an ambulance to arrive.
Before the fight, Page's trainer had complained about the lack of oxygen and other conditions. He even wrote down his complaints.
Page was taken to the hospital. A scan showed a large amount of bleeding inside his head. He was moved to another hospital for brain surgery. During the surgery, he had a stroke. This left him unable to move the left side of his body. Page was in a coma for almost a week.
For the rest of his life, Greg Page had many health problems because of his injury. He was in the hospital many times for issues like pneumonia and seizures.
Page sued the state of Kentucky. In 2007, he received $1.2 million in a settlement. As part of the agreement, new boxing safety rules in Kentucky were named the "Greg Page Safety Initiative."
His Passing
Greg Page died at his home in Louisville on April 27, 2009. He died because he slid out of his hospital bed. His head became stuck between the bed and the rail, which made it hard for him to breathe.
About 100 friends, family, and fans attended his funeral. There were tears, gospel music, and emotional speeches. Messages were read from State Senator Gerald Neal and Louisville Mayor Jerry Abramson. They both praised Greg Page's brave fight and said his legacy would live on.
Professional Boxing Record
| 76 fights | 58 wins | 17 losses |
| By knockout | 48 | 6 |
| By decision | 9 | 11 |
| By disqualification | 1 | 0 |
| Draws | 1 | |
| No. | Result | Record | Opponent | Type | Round, time | Date | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 76 | Loss | 58–17–1 | Dale Crowe | KO | 10 (10), 1:56 | Mar 9, 2001 | Peels Palace, Erlanger, Kentucky, U.S. | For vacant Kentucky heavyweight title |
| 75 | Win | 58–16–1 | Mark Bradley | TKO | 1 (10), 1:20 | Oct 9, 2000 | Longhead's Bar & Grill, Louisville, Kentucky, U.S. | |
| 74 | Loss | 57–16–1 | Robert Davis | TKO | 8 (10) | Jun 29, 2000 | Hammerstein Ballroom, New York City, New York, U.S. | |
| 73 | Win | 57–15–1 | Terrence Lewis | KO | 7 (10), 2:01 | Feb 9, 2000 | Ramada Inn, Rosemont, Illinois, U.S. | |
| 72 | Loss | 56–15–1 | Jorge Luis González | UD | 10 | Nov 14, 1999 | Rose Garden, Portland, Oregon, U.S. | |
| 71 | Win | 56–14–1 | Tim Witherspoon | RTD | 7 (10), 3:00 | Jun 18, 1999 | Crown Coliseum, Fayetteville, North Carolina, U.S. | |
| 70 | Loss | 55–14–1 | Artis Pendergrass | UD | 10 | Apr 1, 1999 | Coeur d'Alene Casino Resort Hotel, Worley, Idaho, U.S. | |
| 69 | Win | 55–13–1 | Harry Daniels | KO | 2 (10), 1:37 | Mar 27, 1999 | Genesis Convention Center, Gary, Indiana, U.S. | |
| 68 | Loss | 54–13–1 | Monte Barrett | UD | 10 | Oct 23, 1998 | Trump Marina, Atlantic City, New Jersey, U.S. | |
| 67 | Win | 54–12–1 | George Harris | TKO | 1 (10) | May 19, 1998 | Nashville, Tennessee, U.S. | |
| 66 | Win | 53–12–1 | Marion Wilson | UD | 8 | Mar 27, 1998 | Trump Marina, Atlantic City, New Jersey, U.S. | |
| 65 | Draw | 52–12–1 | Jerry Ballard | PTS | 10 | Jan 31, 1998 | Ice Palace, Tampa, Florida, U.S. | |
| 64 | Win | 52–12 | Rocky Bentley | TKO | 1 (8) | Dec 16, 1997 | Music City Mix Factory, Nashville, Tennessee, U.S. | |
| 63 | Win | 51–12 | Harry Daniels | PTS | 4 | Dec 9, 1997 | Nashville, Tennessee, U.S. | |
| 62 | Win | 50–12 | James Holly | TKO | 1 (8) | Dec 2, 1997 | Nashville, Tennessee, U.S. | |
| 61 | Win | 49–12 | Nate Jones | KO | 1 (8) | Sep 23, 1997 | Nashville, Tennessee, U.S. | |
| 60 | Win | 48–12 | Moses Harris | TKO | 3 | Sep 9, 1997 | Nashville, Tennessee, U.S. | |
| 59 | Win | 47–12 | Robert Boykin | KO | 1 | Aug 19, 1997 | Nashville, Tennessee, U.S. | |
| 58 | Win | 46–12 | Wes Black | TKO | 1 | Jun 24, 1997 | Nashville, Tennessee, U.S. | |
| 57 | Win | 45–12 | Frankie Hines | KO | 1 | Jun 17, 1997 | Nashville, Tennessee, U.S. | |
| 56 | Win | 44–12 | Jerry Barnes | TKO | 1 | Jun 10, 1997 | Nashville, Tennessee, U.S. | |
| 55 | Win | 43–12 | Armando Turrubiartes | KO | 1 | May 20, 1997 | Nashville, Tennessee, U.S. | |
| 54 | Win | 42–12 | Frankie Hines | TKO | 1, 1:06 | Jul 23, 1996 | Blakely's Restaurant & Lounge, Chesapeake, Virginia, U.S. | |
| 53 | Win | 41–12 | Tyrone Miles | KO | 1 (10) | Jun 15, 1996 | National Guard Armory, Wentworth, North Carolina, U.S. | |
| 52 | Win | 40–12 | James Burch | TKO | 1 (10), 1:54 | Jun 12, 1996 | The Ritz, Raleigh, North Carolina, U.S. | |
| 51 | Win | 39–12 | Robert Jackson | TKO | 1 (4), 2:57 | May 16, 1996 | Elks Lodge, Norfolk, Virginia, U.S. | |
| 50 | Loss | 38–12 | Bruce Seldon | TKO | 9 (12), 0:49 | Aug 6, 1993 | Coliseo Rubén Rodríguez, Bayamón, Puerto Rico | For IBF Inter-Continental heavyweight title |
| 49 | Win | 38–11 | Mike Faulkner | RTD | 7 (10) | May 7, 1993 | Sands Hotel and Casino, Paradise, Nevada, U.S. | |
| 48 | Win | 37–11 | Dan Murphy | TKO | 3 (10) | Jan 30, 1993 | The Pyramid, Memphis, Tennessee, U.S. | |
| 47 | Win | 36–11 | Kevin P Porter | TKO | 8 (10) | Dec 13, 1992 | The Mirage, Paradise, Nevada, U.S. | |
| 46 | Loss | 35–11 | Francesco Damiani | UD | 10 | Sep 12, 1992 | Thomas & Mack Center, Paradise, Nevada, U.S. | |
| 45 | Win | 35–10 | James Smith | UD | 10 | Jun 26, 1992 | CSU Convocation Center, Cleveland, Ohio, U.S. | |
| 44 | Loss | 34–10 | Donovan Ruddock | RTD | 8 (10), 3:00 | Feb 15, 1992 | The Mirage, Paradise, Nevada, U.S. | |
| 43 | Win | 34–9 | Joey Christjohn | TKO | 1 (10) | Nov 29, 1991 | The Mirage, Paradise, Nevada, U.S. | |
| 42 | Win | 33–9 | Fred Whitaker | KO | 2 | Jun 8, 1991 | Civic Arena, St. Joseph, Missouri, U.S. | |
| 41 | Win | 32–9 | Mark Young | TKO | 3 (8), 2:28 | Mar 18, 1991 | The Mirage, Paradise, Nevada, U.S. | |
| 40 | Loss | 31–9 | Mark Wills | TKO | 6 (10), 1:34 | May 19, 1990 | Caesars Palace, Paradise, Nevada, U.S. | |
| 39 | Win | 31–8 | Martis Fleming | TKO | 1 (10), 1:36 | Mar 17, 1990 | Las Vegas Hilton, Winchester, Nevada, U.S. | |
| 38 | Win | 30–8 | Charles Woolard | KO | 2 | Jul 21, 1989 | Convention Hall, Atlantic City, New Jersey, U.S. | |
| 37 | Win | 29–8 | Harry Terrell | TKO | 2 (10) | May 12, 1989 | Fieldhouse, Struthers, Ohio, U.S. | |
| 36 | Loss | 28–8 | Orlin Norris | UD | 12 | Apr 25, 1989 | Showboat Hotel and Casino, Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S. | For NABF heavyweight title |
| 35 | Win | 28–7 | David Mauney | KO | 1 | Mar 24, 1989 | Louisville, Kentucky, U.S. | |
| 34 | Loss | 27–7 | Joe Bugner | UD | 10 | Jul 24, 1987 | Entertainment Centre, Sydney, Australia | |
| 33 | Win | 27–6 | James Broad | MD | 10 | May 30, 1987 | Las Vegas Hilton, Winchester, Nevada, U.S. | |
| 32 | Win | 26–6 | Jerry Halstead | KO | 8 | Nov 22, 1986 | Las Vegas Hilton, Winchester, Nevada, U.S. | |
| 31 | Loss | 25–6 | Mark Wills | RTD | 9 (10), 3:00 | Jun 12, 1986 | Forum, Inglewood, California, U.S. | |
| 30 | Win | 25–5 | Funso Banjo | DQ | 8 (10) | Apr 30, 1986 | Picketts Lock Stadium, London, England | |
| 29 | Loss | 24–5 | Buster Douglas | UD | 10 | Jan 17, 1986 | Omni Coliseum, Atlanta, Georgia, U.S. | |
| 28 | Loss | 24–4 | Tony Tubbs | UD | 15 | Apr 29, 1985 | Memorial Auditorium, Buffalo, New York, U.S. | Lost WBA heavyweight title |
| 27 | Win | 24–3 | Gerrie Coetzee | KO | 8 (15), 3:03 | Dec 1, 1984 | Superbowl, Sun City, Bophuthatswana | Won WBA heavyweight title |
| 26 | Loss | 23–3 | David Bey | UD | 12 | Aug 31, 1984 | Riviera, Winchester, Nevada, U.S. | Lost USBA heavyweight title |
| 25 | Loss | 23–2 | Tim Witherspoon | MD | 12 | Mar 9, 1984 | Las Vegas Convention Center, Winchester, Nevada, U.S. | For vacant WBC heavyweight title |
| 24 | Win | 23–1 | Rick Kellar | TKO | 2 | Oct 15, 1983 | James L. Knight Convention Center, Miami, Florida, U.S. | |
| 23 | Win | 22–1 | Renaldo Snipes | UD | 12 | May 20, 1983 | Dunes, Paradise, Nevada, U.S. | Retained USBA heavyweight title |
| 22 | Win | 21–1 | Larry Frazier | UD | 10 | Feb 12, 1983 | Public Hall, Cleveland, Ohio, U.S. | |
| 21 | Win | 20–1 | James Tillis | TKO | 8 (12), 0:43 | Nov 26, 1982 | Astrodome, Houston, Texas, U.S. | Retained USBA heavyweight title |
| 20 | Loss | 19–1 | Trevor Berbick | UD | 10 | Jun 11, 1982 | Caesars Palace, Paradise, Nevada, U.S. | |
| 19 | Win | 19–0 | Jimmy Young | UD | 12 | May 2, 1982 | ... Hotel and Casino, Atlantic City, New Jersey, U.S. | Retained USBA heavyweight title |
| 18 | Win | 18–0 | Scott LeDoux | TKO | 4 (12), 0:10 | Dec 11, 1981 | Queen Elizabeth Sports Centre, Nassau, Bahamas | Retained USBA heavyweight title |
| 17 | Win | 17–0 | George Chaplin | SD | 12 | Aug 22, 1981 | Steel Pier, Atlantic City, New Jersey, U.S. | Retained USBA heavyweight title |
| 16 | Win | 16–0 | Alfredo Evangelista | KO | 2 (10), 0:40 | Jun 12, 1981 | Joe Louis Arena, Detroit, Michigan, U.S. | |
| 15 | Win | 15–0 | Marty Monroe | RTD | 5 (12), 3:00 | Apr 11, 1981 | Concord Resort Hotel, Thompson, New York, U.S. | Retained USBA heavyweight title |
| 14 | Win | 14–0 | Stan Ward | RTD | 7 (12), 3:00 | Feb 7, 1981 | Steel Pier, Atlantic City, New Jersey, U.S. | Won vacant USBA heavyweight title |
| 13 | Win | 13–0 | Dave Johnson | TKO | 6 (10), 1:51 | Oct 2, 1980 | Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York, U.S. | |
| 12 | Win | 12–0 | Leroy Boone | TKO | 6 (10) | Sep 12, 1980 | Louisville Gardens, Louisville, Kentucky, U.S. | |
| 11 | Win | 11–0 | Larry Alexander | KO | 6 (10) | May 16, 1980 | Rupp Arena, Lexington, Kentucky, U.S. | |
| 10 | Win | 10–0 | George Chaplin | MD | 10 | Apr 5, 1980 | Louisville Gardens, Louisville, Kentucky, U.S. | |
| 9 | Win | 9–0 | Clayman Parker | KO | 1 (10), 3:09 | Mar 8, 1980 | The Aladdin, Paradise, Nevada, U.S. | |
| 8 | Win | 8–0 | Victor Rodriguez | KO | 3 (8), 2:45 | Feb 1, 1980 | Louisville Gardens, Louisville, Kentucky, U.S. | |
| 7 | Win | 7–0 | Ira Martin | TKO | 1 (6), 1:03 | Dec 14, 1979 | Convention Hall, Atlantic City, New Jersey, U.S. | |
| 6 | Win | 6–0 | James Reid | KO | 1 (8), 1:52 | Nov 24, 1979 | Metropolitan Sports Center, Bloomington, Minnesota, U.S. | |
| 5 | Win | 5–0 | Frank Brown | TKO | 3 (8), 0:50 | Oct 18, 1979 | Convention Hall, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. | |
| 4 | Win | 4–0 | Oliver Philipps | TKO | 4 (8), 2:11 | Sep 22, 1979 | Memorial Sports Arena, Los Angeles, California, U.S. | |
| 3 | Win | 3–0 | James Knox | KO | 2 (4) | Aug 19, 1979 | Metropolitan Sports Center, Bloomington, Minnesota, U.S. | |
| 2 | Win | 2–0 | Jerry McIntyre | KO | 1 (4), 0:52 | Jun 1, 1979 | Commonwealth Convention Center, Louisville, Kentucky, U.S. | |
| 1 | Win | 1–0 | Don Martin | KO | 2 (6), 0:36 | Feb 16, 1979 | Commonwealth Convention Center, Louisville, Kentucky, U.S. |
Images for kids
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A robot for kids.
See also
In Spanish: Greg Page para niños
