Terry McGroom facts for kids

Terry McGroom was an American professional boxer. He was born on March 16, 1966, and passed away on April 17, 2016. Terry competed in boxing from 1993 to 2004. He even fought for a big championship, the IBF cruiserweight title, in 2001.

Terry McGroom's Early Life and Start in Boxing

Terry McGroom grew up in Chicago, Illinois. When he was younger, he sometimes had trouble at school. One of his teachers, Tom O'Shea, noticed Terry fighting in the hallways. Mr. O'Shea gave Terry a choice. He could either go to the principal's office or try boxing.

Terry chose boxing, and Mr. O'Shea became his coach. This was a big turning point for Terry. He worked hard and later graduated from high school with honors. He even earned a scholarship to Northern Michigan University for boxing!

Terry's Amazing Amateur Boxing Career

Before becoming a professional, Terry McGroom had a fantastic amateur career. An amateur boxer is someone who competes for fun or experience, not for money. Terry won 63 fights and only lost 11. That's a great record!

He won the National Golden Gloves Light Heavyweight champion title four times. These wins were in 1987, 1988, 1989, and 1992. He also became the National Amateur Light Heavyweight Champion in 1991. In 1990, he won a silver medal at the Goodwill Games. This was for the 81 kilogram (about 178 pounds) weight class. Terry also competed in the 1989 World Amateur Boxing Championships in Moscow.

Terry McGroom's Professional Boxing Journey

Terry McGroom started his professional boxing career in 1993. He had a great start, winning his first 11 fights without any losses.

In 1995, he faced Darrol Wilson. This fight ended in a draw, meaning neither boxer won. Later, Terry fought Kirk Johnson. Johnson was a bigger boxer, and he won the fight in the eighth round.

After this loss, Terry kept working hard. In 1999, he had an impressive win against Esteban Pizzarro. This victory led to the biggest fight of his career. In 2000, Terry fought against the famous boxer James Toney. It was a very close fight. Some people even thought Terry should have won!

In 2001, Terry got a chance to fight for the IBF cruiserweight championship. He challenged Vasily Jirov for the title. Jirov won the fight quickly with a powerful body punch.

After this, Terry moved up to the Heavyweight division. He didn't have as much success in this heavier weight class. He lost to several strong boxers like Dominick Guinn, Malik Scott, and Timor Ibragimov. Terry McGroom retired from boxing in 2004.

Terry McGroom's Personal Life

Terry McGroom sadly passed away on April 17, 2016. He died from bone cancer.