Leo Randolph facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Leo Randolph |
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| Statistics | |||||||||||
| Real name | Leonard Randolph | ||||||||||
| Rated at | Super bantamweight | ||||||||||
| Height | 5 ft 5 in | ||||||||||
| Reach | 66 in | ||||||||||
| Born | February 27, 1958 Columbus, Mississippi, US |
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| Stance | Orthodox | ||||||||||
| Boxing record | |||||||||||
| Total fights | 19 | ||||||||||
| Wins | 17 | ||||||||||
| Wins by KO | 9 | ||||||||||
| Losses | 2 | ||||||||||
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Medal record
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Leo Randolph (born February 27, 1958) is an American former boxer. He is famous for winning a gold medal in boxing at the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal.
Contents
Leo Randolph's Amazing Amateur Boxing Journey
Leo Randolph had a fantastic start to his boxing career as an amateur. He trained at the Tacoma Boys Club, a place known for producing great boxers. Other famous boxers like Sugar Ray Seales and Rocky Lockridge also trained there. Joe Clough was his coach for both his amateur and professional fights.
In 1975, Leo became the national champion in the Flyweight division at the National Golden Gloves competition. He also won the National AAU flyweight championship. These were big wins that showed he was one of the best young boxers in the country.
How Leo Randolph Won Olympic Gold in 1976
Leo Randolph's biggest amateur achievement was winning the gold medal at the 1976 Montreal Olympics. He competed in the Flyweight category. Here's how his Olympic journey went:
- He got a free pass in the first round.
- He won against Massoudi Samatou from Togo.
- He defeated Constantin Gruiescu from Romania with a score of 4-1.
- He won against Davy Larmour from Ireland, also 4-1.
- He beat Leszek Błażyński from Poland, 4-1.
- In the final match, he won the gold medal by defeating Ramón Duvalón from Cuba with a close score of 3-2.
Leo Randolph's Professional Boxing Career
After his Olympic success, Leo Randolph became a professional boxer in 1978. He quickly built a strong record.
Winning a World Championship Title
In 1980, when he had won 16 fights and lost only one, Leo got a chance to fight for a world title. He challenged Ricardo Cardona for the WBA Super Bantamweight Title. This important fight took place in Seattle. Leo Randolph won the fight by a technical knockout (TKO) in the 15th round. This meant he became a world champion!
His Short Time as Champion
However, Leo's time as a world champion was very short. In his very next fight, just three months later, he lost his title to Sergio Victor Palma. Leo retired from boxing right after this fight. He was only 22 years old.
Leo Randolph holds a unique record in boxing history. He retired earlier than any other former professional world boxing champion. His professional career was also one of the shortest for any world boxing champion, lasting only two years and fifty days.
The Randolph-Palma Championship Fight
Leo Randolph's first defense of his WBA super bantamweight championship was against Sergio Palma from Argentina. The fight happened on August 9, 1980, in Spokane, Washington, and was shown on TV across the country.
Key Moments of the Fight
Sergio Palma, who wasn't known for being a super aggressive boxer, started the fight very strongly. He surprised everyone by attacking Leo right from the beginning. Palma knocked Leo down twice in the first round. In the second round, Palma continued to dominate. Leo tried to recover in rounds three and four by using his defensive skills. However, in the fifth round, Palma knocked Leo down a third time. Leo got up, but he was unsteady. The referee, Stanley Christodoulou, stopped the fight because he believed Leo was not in a condition to continue.
Why Leo Randolph Retired Early
After this fight, Leo Randolph decided to retire from boxing. He was a very religious person. He explained that he didn't feel he had the strong desire or "killer instinct" needed to continue being a professional boxer. He chose to leave the sport at a young age.
Leo Randolph's Life After Boxing
After retiring from boxing, Leo Randolph returned to his hometown of Tacoma, Washington. In 1988, he started working for Pierce Transit, a public bus company. He worked there as a bus operator and later as a supervisor. He retired from that job in late 2023.
Honors and Recognition
In 2005, Leo Randolph was honored for his achievements. He was inducted into the Tacoma-Pierce County Sports Hall of Fame.
See also
- List of super-bantamweight boxing champions
